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Secondary education

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Original poster

Revision techniques for year 8's

16 replies

Katie172 · 29/03/2013 10:52

Hi...Ds is just about to start revising for exams in June. I want to help him to put a revision plan together for the 9 subjects that he needs to revise as his revision time last year was not as successful as it could have been .Any advice on revision techniques that your dc's have used would be great .Many thanks!

OP posts:
balia · 29/03/2013 17:30

Anything active - the worst thing to do is just 'read through' pages of stuff. Make mobiles, mind maps, fridge magnets. And in very short bursts, 20 minutes or so. Podcasts/Youtube can be very effective, too.

PollyEthelEileen · 29/03/2013 18:06

BBC Bitesize.

ThreeBeeOneGee · 29/03/2013 19:35

This is how DS1 (Y8) does it:

  1. Make a list of topics that have been covered in each subject. Work out how many topics you'll need to revise each day.
  1. For each topic, make a revision summary, vocab list or mindmap. The act of making this helps you learn it. He uses a combination of CGP revision guides and BBC Bitesize.
  1. Put the revision notes away and test yourself on that topic quizzes you have found online or questions from the end of the chapter in the textbook or CGP book.

Last year (Y7) he needed help with some of these steps, but this year he only needed reminding to keep a list of the topics he covered throughout the year.

Original poster
Katie172 · 29/03/2013 23:03

Many thanks to you all...really helpful tips that I think will be more effective for ds. We will give it a try! Thanks again, Katie

OP posts:
lljkk · 31/03/2013 14:27

June exams? DS is in y8 & I've heard nought about exams.

But then the idea of DS revising for anything... sigh.

UnderwaterBasketWeaving · 31/03/2013 14:42

Mind maps! Not spider diagrams, but proper mind maps.

They take effort and thought, which students don't like, but it's the making that is the benefit, not the finished product.

You should make a mind map of a topic using all your books, notes, etc. Then try to make a copy from memory. Compare it to the first one, and add in anything you forgot. The next day, make another version from memory, before adding in anything you missed. This repetition, along with the colour and image and association will help the majority of people to learn.

It takes time to get used to it. After about 3, I've found most students really get into it. But they really hate the first couple!

lljkk · 31/03/2013 19:31

Since everyone is ignoring me... why are all your lot having exams in June? Is it a standard yr8 thing?

ThreeBeeOneGee · 31/03/2013 19:58

I only know about the school he's at, so can't comment on whether it's a standard thing or not. They have tests in each subject every half term on what they have learnt in that topic. Then a more formal exam in June on what they have done so far that year. Some subjects (Maths, Science, MFL, Latin) are accumulative, so the exams in the June of Y8 are on all material covered since the beginning of Y7.

The results are used to formulate target levels and to decide which sets they go into the following year. The exams at the end of Y8 will also be used (along with other assessments) to determine which GCSEs courses they can start in Y9/Y10.

ThreeBeeOneGee · 31/03/2013 20:01

I think that end of year exams are also useful for them to practise revision techniques, especially if most or all of their courses are going to be linear rather than modular. Being able to revise five terms' worth of material is a very useful skill.

thornrose · 31/03/2013 20:03

lljk, I too know nothing of year 8 exams! Mind you my lovely dd is in bottom sets so maybe they don't have them. The very idea of dd managing revision terrifies me.

CointreauVersial · 31/03/2013 20:06

DS has Y8 exams; his are in May ( state school). Didn't have any last year, though.

Very interesting tips about mind maps. I'm wondering if the school are planning to share any revision tips.

lljkk · 31/03/2013 21:39

I know just what you mean, Thornrose. Grin
Parents Eve in May & maybe then I will have a clue what's going on.

thornrose · 31/03/2013 22:40

I even avoid bloody parents evening [coward]

OhYouBadBadKitten · 31/03/2013 23:47

Dd has informal tests at the end of each term to consolidate learning but surely in March/April/may they should still be learning new material?

OhYouBadBadKitten · 31/03/2013 23:49

Oh yes, actually dd does have an assessment week in June, I'd forgotten that, but surely it's still far too early to start revising? There's plenty of time for exam pressure in later years.

ThreeBeeOneGee · 01/04/2013 08:37

I think it is too early to start revising the Y8 stuff, although if the OP's son wants to then that's fair enough.

DS1 is currently revising the Y7 topics that'll be included in the exams, then in May he'll do the Y8 topics.

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