HELPING YOUR CHILD TO ACHIEVE THEIR BEST Remember, how you approach the next few months can have a real impact on your child s future. Studies show that high parental interest is linked with better exam results than for children whose parents show no interest. What will you do to give your child the best chance of achieving success?
YEAR 11 EXAM TIPS AND REVISION STRATEGIES The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work. "If there is no struggle, there is no progress." It s never too late to be what you might have been. George Eliot
There are 12 weeks until the first BIG exam What can parents do to help? Help your child to start preparing for their GCSE exams now! If homework and revision are left to the last minute, this will limit your child s chance of doing their best. Over the next few months: Ensure that your child attends school regularly and is punctual. Every day lost in attendance reduces their chance of achieving their best at GCSE. Encourage your son/daughter to persevere and to begin working hard now in preparation for the exams. Check that they are keeping up with homework. Encourage your child to begin revising now!
Tonight s Meeting Revision strategies English, Maths and Science tips and guidance Big Brain Breakfast what is it? March Mock Exams Summer Exam Schedule Role of Mentor Any Questions?
Year 11 Revision Evening English
The course is made up of 3 components Speaking and listening worth 20% Coursework worth 40% Exam 40%
Coursework Assignment 1 Writing to argue Assignment 2 imaginative or descriptive writing Assignment 3 Response to a stimulus text
Speaking and listening - This is what they are getting ready for. Pick a topic they want to talk about Speaking and Listening Prepare a cue card to help them remember what they want to say 3-4 mins of the student talking 6-7 mins talking to the assessor Think about the sorts of questions 20% of overall mark
The exam It s 2 hour exam They have to read 2 passages that they have not read before Then answer 3 questions.
3 questions 1 2 3 Directed writing Writer s effect Summarise
What can you do to help? Ensure they improve their coursework and meet the deadlines set by their English teacher. To help them prepare for Speaking and Listening you could ask them to practise this with you at home, allowing them to use bullet point prompts only. Once they have finished, spend 6 7 minutes discussing their chosen topic with them by asking them questions about it. Please ensure your child is aware of the date of the exam (Tuesday 5 th May) and is well prepared with the correct equipment. All students will need at least three different colour highlighters for the exam and for preparation in class leading up to it.
What can you do to help? To help them prepare for their written exam, you should ensure your child reads widely and as often as possible. Provide them with a variety of texts such as newspapers, magazines, leaflets, letters, speeches, blogs and short stories. The aim is to know what many different forms of written English might sound like.
Revision Notes and Practice It is important that you make revision notes. However you make your notes, make sure you include questions from past papers amongst all the information. Make a collection of revision cards with key information. Remember to include vital diagrams or formulae. Have copies of past questions on the topic that you are revising at hand
Use Mathswatch. There are 1 minute clips also for quick revision Use MyMaths www.emaths.co.uk www.corbettmaths.com www.kangaroomaths.com
Science Revision Miss Manir Mr Akhtar
Paper structure Know what you re going to be asked in Exam Websites: www.aqa.org.uksyllabus/past papers Paper breakdown 30% Application- using Science in Real Life 20 % Evaluation and Analysis- Tables/Graphs 50% Factual Recall- simple facts to recall
Science fact sheets Made for B1. C1. P1 modules Designed to be cover and recall. Pupils state exactly what is in the boxes. Ask questions request Answers or vice versa. Check DAILY! New fact(s) to memorise daily. Review old learning to transfer to long term memory.
Key Dates for your Diary Core Science B1 5 th June-Friday C1-9 th June- Tuesday P1-12 th June-Friday Additional/Triple Exams B2/B3-12 th May-Tuesday C2/C3-14 th May-Thursday P2/P3-20 th May -Wednesday
Intervention at WashwoodHeath Academy Mr Gifford Achievement Leader WHA s offering a comprehensive program of intervention to ensure your child achieves their target grade. Backed up by research. Imperative your child attends and on time. Rewards for best Attendance. Consequences for failure to attend sessions. These sessions are free of charge.
Year 11 Intervention Sessions Morning Sessions 8.30-9.05 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday English English English Maths Maths Maths History Afternoon Sessions: 3.00-4.00/4.30 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Maths French History Science History History Construction Maths Art Spanish Spanish Geography B. S. Urdu RE/IS Urdu
Mentor Room Designated students are allocated to Mentors to help with their academic achievement Use ex6 at break and lunch times and after school to help with course work homework, barriers to learning. There is computer access for students and anyone in Year 11 can use these facilities
You need to revise, But how long should you spend on each subject? Is your revision working?
Bad planning? Bad results?
Eating this pizza is like your revision How will you handle it?
Steps to manage your time 1. Know what you have to do 2. Understand how to do it 3. Estimate how long it will take 4. Decide when is it going to get done 5. Do it!
Exam Revision Timetable
Exam Revision Timetable
Chunking up tasks Divide any task into manageable Chunks Chunks should be 30 minutes long Each subject should last for 1 hour, then change subjects Take a short break between chunks Take a walk Have a cup of tea Reward yourself for completing a chunk Do something different
Chunking it Advantages Easier to concentrate Improves recall and retention Allows the brain to make connections with what you know But you must be disciplined to follow your timetable
Recall v s Memory Memory Is the information retained in your brain Recall Can you access that information and use it
1. Get the Syllabus Get exam details for all subjects Content, assessment, grade criteria, coursework outline. Check your completed work against the syllabus content Check for gaps Know what you have to do
2. Attend Revision Sessions Choose those sessions that will help you most Find out what is being delivered If the topics you need are not included talk to the teacher about it Don t miss them!
3. Use Revision Guides and Past Papers Last 3 years past papers will help Answer questions Work with a friend Get questions marked, by yourself, friend or teacher Notice where you went wrong Good for Maths, Sci, Geog, Hist, Langs Choose a guide that suits you: layout, easy to read Some have questions and sample answers Use regularly & make memorable revision notes from them Good for English, Science & Maths
4. Underlining or highlighting (colour coding) Underline key words in your exercise book Underline key words in your text book Ask your teacher to start you off, so you will know what to look for Underline in different colours or patterns Use different colour paper for different pieces of work The colour will link to the topic and be easier to recall Try not to use similar colours for similar topics
5. Compression When revising count the pages of notes on a topic Reduce notes by half When reviewing a second time reduce by half again On the third go reduce by half again Place the reduce notes on notecards
6. Notecards: Record you key point on notecards Put one topic on one card You could use words, symbols, pictures On other side show a worked example Visuals Use pictures, drawings or diagrams Use different colours Place key ideas, words, people, places within the pictures Make your notes attractive Try mind mapping with pictures only Order/Sequence Put your notes in order Title and number them Place them in order so you can see how things progress Look for logical ways of looking at things
7. Post-Its: Write info on post-its Display them on wall, door, large paper Rearrange post-its for themes, groups, dates Rearrange as you learn more Build your knowledge Work with a friend if you want Post revision notes, mind maps, ceiling flags around the house In favourite places, Consider what s on the notes there from time to time Recall the place and recall the notes
8. Thought Burst and/or Posters Follow the rules: splat ideas or words, then associate words, spagbog them, then Convert to Thought Map or diagram like bubble, spider etc. Use plain paper, colour, symbols, key words, pictures Teach a close friend and learn, then display Make a poster on each topic (A4 to A1) After reading all the notes/info reduce onto one poster Use loads of colour Display on the wall from the ceiling
Fishbone Diagram
Bubble Diagram
Spider Diagram
Thought Map
Tree Diagram
Spider / Thought
Spider / Thought
Spider / Thought
Making successful revision notes Subject: English, Maths, Science, Geography, History Topic: Shakespeare, Fractions, Climate Change, Holocaust Download:Write downs as many words that you associate with that topic as possible Association: For each word you have written, add another word that links to the first Connections:Draw arrows that link to other words/factors that you have written, and add a reason why they link. Getting Organised: Add headings or sub-headings to each connection to assign the main points. These could be; Key areas, Key themes, Key characters, Main events, Who, what, when, why, which and how Structure: Decide on which structure best suits your revision notes for the particular subject/topic you are revising, these could be: Bubble Diagram, Spider Diagram, Thought Map, Tree Diagram, Fishbone Diagram
Creative Notes 1. Equipment -Get the right stuff colours, paper 2. Topic -Choose a topic that you will need 3. Download thought burst what you know 4. Associations add additional associated words 5. Connections link words and phrases together 6. Structure decide on a suitable structure 7. Diagram choose a diagram and go for it!
9. Review in your words Review your notes on the same day you make them Only take a few minutes doing this Look at them again within a day, then a month 80% can be recalled doing this Combine with reducing your notes Rewrite topic in your own words Read a chunk then think what it really means Now write it in your own words Do the next chunk You are more likely to recall what you think
10. Buddy Up, Test and Teach It Work with someone you trust Meet somewhere different to school Try different ways of learning Ask each other questions from the same topic Teach one another Make notes for each other TEST EACHOTHER WITH PAST EXAM QUESTIONS; What do you remember? Prepare topic, or answer and teach it to a friend Think about how they learn best Plan & deliver it There is no better way of learning than teaching
What have we learned? 1. Complete both revision timetables together (weekday and weekend) 2. Read through the top ten ways to revise together, discuss these strategies and decide how you will make these work for you 3. Follow the advice, speak to teachers, and start revising
What else can you do? Recognise the importance of GCSE exams and the preparation time needed to do as well as possible. Reward your child s efforts to revise. Reduce the number of chores that they have to do when exams start. Make sure that the whole family respects the importance of keeping disturbances to a minimum. Be sensitive to the pressure and stress that your teenager may be experiencing. Encourage them to speak to you about it. Make sure that time is built in for exercise and recreation. Respect their growing independence. Ask them how you can best support them. Help them to keep things in perspective.