HOW TO PASS EXAMS
AIMS THIS EVENING
• To encourage you as parents/guardians to
become actively involved in your child’s exam
preparation
• To share key tips about how to pass exams
• To answer your questions
THERE’S NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT!
‘ When it comes to exam phobia, students do
fine until February when they suddenly lose
confidence. What any good school does is to
take away the mystery of exams. After all the
syllabus is pretty fixed and there is a finite
number of questions an examiner can ask.’
(The Independent 19 Feb. 2015)
HOW CAN PARENTS MAKE A
DIFFERENCE?
• Children of parents who are actively
involved in their schooling, and show high
levels of interest, progress at a faster rate in
core subjects between 11-16 years than
other children
• Gains in pupil achievement that stem from
parental involvement & activities tend to be
permanent
• Much of the variation in achievement of 14
year olds in English, Maths & Science is due
to home factors
• Family influences have a much more
powerful effect upon children’s attitudes &
achievements than any other factors
MEMORY SKILLS ARE VITAL TO PASSING EXAMS
• Linear (at the end of the
course) exams focus on
extended recall
• More content in
curricula from KS1-5
• New focus on ‘mastery’
in subjects
WHAT’S THE SCIENCE?
• The brain contains working memory
(a bottleneck that is fixed, limited and
easily overloaded), and long-term
memory (a storehouse that is almost
unlimited). If nothing has changed in
the long-term memory, nothing has
been learned.
• There is a link between knowledge
and skills: The richer your knowledge
base, the more effectively your
thinking processes can operate.
• Having factual knowledge in the longterm memory makes it easier to
acquire still more factual knowledge.
(Willingham)
WHAT WORKS: 1
We remember what we think
about so you need to spend
time actively thinking about
what you want to learn. How
are you going to do this?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Walk while you learn
Talk it through
Listen to your learning
Watch your learning
See your learning
Write down your learning
WHAT WORKS: 2
We remember beginnings and
endings better so you need to
chunk up what you want to
learn into bite size bits. How
are you going to do this?
• Flash cards
• Lists
‘SUMMARY CIRCLE’
• Use
annotations,
key words,
symbols and
colour –
To produce………
WHAT WORKS: 3
We need 3+ exposures to information
to learn it, and we learn best when we
space out learning. Spaced Learning is
the NO. 2 most effective thing that you
can do to learn. How are you going to
do this?
• you need to ensure that you come
back to each chunk of learning at
least 3 times over a period of weeks
• Cramming learning into a couple of
days does NOT transfer it to your
long term memory so you will lose
it.
WHAT WORKS: 4
Mixed revision is better, more realistic,
preparation for the exam than blocked
revision. This is the NO. 3 most effective
thing that you can do, so mix up your
content and questions rather than
learning in blocks. How are you going to
plan for this?
• Interleave your learning
• Organise a revision timetable that
includes all subjects and topics at
different times
WHAT WORKS: 5
We learn by connecting
information to what we
already know.
How are you going to do this?
• Create mind maps
WHAT WORKS: 6
Immersion Learning can
improve retention by up to
70%. How are you going to
immerse yourself in what you
need to learn?
• Bedroom walls and ceiling
• Screen display
• Post-it notes stuck
everywhere!
WHAT WORKS: 7
It frees up memory space if
you practice on worked
examples rather than solving
problems from scratch. How
will you do this?
• concentrate some of your
revision on worked
examples from your books
• Watch a video clip of a
worked example
WHAT WORKS: 8
Generating information is more
memorable than reading it. These
strategies are effective because they
help you to think about the meaning
of what you are trying to learn. How
are you going to do this?
• Elaborative interrogation:
generating an explanation for
why a fact or concept is true
• Self-explanation: explaining how
new information links to other
information or explain the steps
you need to take to solve a
problem
• Teach the topic to someone else
WHAT WORKS: 9
Studies show that regular, low-stake testing
is the NO. 1 way of learning because it
strengthens your retrieval pathways.
Regular testing also makes you less anxious
about the exam; therefore testing yourself
should be your main form of revision. How
are you going to do this?
•
•
•
Complete past papers under test
conditions
Ask your parents to test you
Complete tests on-line
“Basically, any time that you, as a learner,
look up an answer or have someone tell or
show you something that you could,
drawing on current cues and your past
knowledge, generate instead, you rob
yourself of a powerful learning opportunity.”
Bjork
WHAT WORKS: 10
Studies show that we are over
confident about what we will
actually remember. You need to
over- learn by 20%. How are you
going to do this?
• If you haven’t already done so,
start revising now!
• Ensure your revision timetable
revisits all subjects regularly
• Complete as many past questions
as you can
• Complete tests and don’t cheat!
The questions you get wrong
show you what you need to relearn
WORTH CONSIDERING?
• Research suggests that
Times New Roman size 12 is
the fastest font to read
• Listening to classical music
can increase concentration
• Meditation can increase
focus
BEATING STRESS
• Do establish a routine – and stick to it. Get
enough sleep, eat well and keep to the
work plan.
• Do get plenty of exercise.
• Do start revising as early as possible. Get a
headstart.
• Do take regular breaks when revising – the
result is less stress.
• Do build in variety – beat the boredom
factor this way.
• Do seek company – make sure that friends
are seen regularly, and get right away from
work!
• Do keep away from other people who may
be panicking – this can be contagious!
BEFORE EXAMS
YOU MUST:• Know exactly where and when each paper of each exam
is being held.
• Arrive for each paper on time. Lateness may result in
disqualification.
• Bring the necessary equipment: black pens, pencils,
sharpener, calculator, tissues and (if needed) your glasses.
• Turn off your mobile phone/any electronic device and
hand in to invigilator.
• If you are suffering from hay fever or any other persistent
medical problems, seek advice from your doctor.
Remember: some painkillers can cause drowsiness.
IF NOT NOW,
WHEN?
IF NOT YOU, WHO?