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Revision tips

Revison is key to exam success at Teesdale School and Sixth Form. Here are some handy tips on how to revise.

Why is revision so important?

  • Exams are rigorous and challenging.

  • Nearly all courses have an examination at the end.

  • The amount of content covered has largely increased.

  • We forget content that we only cover once.

Be clear on what to revise…

  • You need a list of topics so you can break up your revision. You can access this list for each subject on our website in the curriculum section.
  • You need a reliable source of information to revise from - for example a revision guide.

Create the climate

  • Distraction free.
  • Mobile phones switched off and out of sight.
  • If using electronic devices to revise then switch off notifications from social media.
  • Use breaks to check messages / listen to music - we recommend you work for 30-40 minutes then take a 10 minute break.

Don’t just read your notes and highlight… TEST YOURSELF

  • This is essential to make the information 'stick'.
  • Vary your quizzing technique to keep revision interesting – so you don’t get bored.
  • Explain your learning at the end of your session

Examples of retrieval practices

Flashcards:

  1. Make them. Use reliable resources.
  2. Test yourself. Ask the question and say the answer out loud or write it down. 
  3. Check that it is perfect…
  4. Sort into ones you know ones you don’t.

Use the Leitner system to make your revision even more effective:

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Read and Quiz – Elaboration

  • Step 1: Choose a passage/text that you need to revise. This is ideal for a study guide page. Read the information. 
  • Step 2: As you read, write questions about the content on a separate piece of paper.
  • Step 3: Look at your questions and write the answers from memory. 
  • Step 4: Check your answers against the original passage. Did you get it right? Did you miss anything out? If it wasn't perfect, then do it again! 

Example

What is the conservation of energy?

Energy can be transferred usefully, stored, or dissipated but can never be created or destroyed

What does dissipated mean?

Transferred into less useful forms – typical thermal energy

Define power

Power is the rate at which energy is transferred

What unit is power measured in?

watts, W

State the equation for calculating power

Power = energy transferred / time

You can essentially create your own revision guide!

Look / cover / write / check

  • Step 1: Read the information. Be realistic and make this a manageable amount! 
  • Step 2: Cover up the information. Making your brain work hard to retrieve the information forms memories. 
  • Step 3: Write down the information from memory - everything you can remember. 
  • Step 4: Check/correct it. Did you get it right? Did you miss anything out? If it wasn't perfect, then do it again!

A challenge shared is a challenge halved…

Share your revision:

  • Family and friends can help “cement” your learning
  • Discuss/quiz each other before, during and after revision
To keep knowledge at your mental fingertips, you would need continued retrieval practice.
Pr Roddy Roediger