A massive barrier for a lot of students is motivation and confidence so the key to getting them started is low effort, high impact activities which is exactly what we are going to share in this blog. Hopefully once these activities start having an impact it will be easier to find the motivation to do the longer revision activities.
Post-its
Ok so you have more than likely heard many times, from many people about using post it notes for revision but the key is using them in the right way to get the most out of them.
Below is a flow diagram explaining how to use your post its to help your brain remember those tricky facts, quotes or formulae. Think short and snappy, a whole paragraph is not going to work!
When putting your post its up make sure they are in places you go on a regular basis
Eye level on the front door
Eye level above the kettle
Top of the TV
On the biscuit jar
Bathroom mirror
Above your bed
Dashboard in the car
Above the toilet
Eye level on the bedroom door
Here is the important bit... READ IT EVERYTIME YOU GO PAST!!! It takes seconds and is low effort but that constant repetition will help your brain remember, in a similar way to muscle memory.
Follow the follow chart above to make sure you are focussing on the right stuff. If you know it move on!
Watch the film or TV version
Students tend to love this suggestion. If you are studying a novel or play, is there a film or TV adaptation? If yes, starting watching it! You could even go and watch the play at the theatre if you're able to.
To begin with this is a great way to get your head around the whole story. You can start to look at the characters, they relationships, the plot and so on.
Once you know the story your can start to play around with some easy revision games such as getting someone to pause it at random times and asking you
what happens next?
what is X thinking?
why has the write done Y?
what other scene could be linked to this one and why?
Remember the key with these activities is little wins and getting motivation, you are going to have to do more but for know just get to know the story and spark your interest. Then you MUST go back and read the book, preferably 3 or more times, but hopefully seeing it as a film, tv show or theatre production will help you see the story and help you remember, particularly if you are a visual learner.
CAUTION: If trying to write down or remember quotes remember to check with the actual text - the words may have been changed for the film.
Work with a friend
We all know that misery loves company - oh did I say revision was miserable? Well actually it doesn't have to be. Revising with a friend is a great way to boost that motivation.
It also can help to revise in different places at theirs, at yours, at school, at the library. One, it gives you brain a break as you move and gives it different stimulation in different environments. Two, you might start to associate where you revise with what you revised and that might trigger memories for you in the exam.
There are so many ways to effectively revise with a friend but here are some easy ones to get you started
Talk about the topic - literally just have a chat about what you're revising
Quiz each other on key fact and information
Fill a piece of paper with everything you know about a topic between you (make sure you say it out loud for the other person too)
Make it competitive with a race to write everything down
Challenge each other - can you write 5 things down about topic X in 1 minute?
Races on exam questions
Take turns to be the teacher and teach the topic
This list could literally go on forever but you get the idea. It doesn't have to be a new fancy idea for revising just the boring way but with a friend can be so much more motivating!
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