It’s official! The countdown to the end of the year has officially begun. End of the school year means final assessments! It’s time to plan an effective revision strategy. The key to studying success lies in preparation that combines discipline and method.
We often tend to want to dive into revision and chain together exercises and chapters to revise. However, we forget that our brain needs to take breaks to be at the top of its abilities!
1. Avoid rote learning
Did you know that the human brain has a limited attention span ? The main trap to avoid during revision is rote learning . Effective revision is definitely not a brain-cramming exercise .
Rote learning is based on the systematic repetition of information without adding any particular meaning . The working memory then called upon is short-term. It is clearly not reliable, because when information is not repeated in the brain after a short period of time, it fades away.
2. Adopt a study pace that suits us
A solid revision plan is based on balanced time management adapted to your child’s personality. Some can revise for a long period (up to 2-3 hours!) while others can last an hour maximum. Some people prefer to study very early in the morning while others are more receptive very late in the evening. Whatever their preferences, your teenager’s work pace is linked to their level of concentration . So there is something for everyone.
Psst : It is very important to take breaks to clear your mind a little. Very short, these moments of pause regenerate your child’s brain and allow him to continue his work while being better focused.
3. Find the perfect location
The ideal way to concentrate would be to get away from all distractions . Studying in a noisy room is generally not a good idea, as few people are able to tolerate noise in the middle of a revision session. It is difficult for your child’s brain to fight against all the distractions to stay focused. However, a little background music without words (jazz, for example for Miles Davis fans ) could help with concentration.
4. The summary sheet: a tool you can’t do without
Do you know the proverb that words fly away, but writings remain ? Well, it’s the same for memory: written and organized information is easier to memorize. Plus, we retain it much longer!
Any good revision session therefore benefits from the creation of revision cards. It is essential to keep a written record of what you have revised mainly because you can consult these notes at any time and especially the day before an exam to refresh your memory. The goal of this exercise is quite simple: we want to revive the working memory and recover the knowledge memorized in the last days and weeks. It is necessary to favor refined cards with brief descriptions , keywords , relevant links , etc.
BONUS: unity is strength!
Talking with friends, family members or a tutor about a particular concept or something you have just learned can also be very helpful for memorization and understanding.
Providing some supervision of course, organizing a study session with a friend can be very beneficial for your child. Keep this in mind: a concept that is easy for one student may be difficult for another. By having the opportunity to explain a concept to a friend, your child will always master it better and better. It is very educational. On the contrary, if he has difficulty with a concept that his friend masters well, it is possible that his friend will succeed even better than you in offering him help in his understanding. It is a win-win!
