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Revision and Study Habits

Revision and Study Habits

“In a fast-paced and ever changing world, the ability to learn new information and evolve your skills is crucial. Learning how to learn helps us become more independent and effective lifelong learners; moving beyond acquiring subject-specific information to focussing on the skills, knowledge and attitudes associated with the learning process. We all have the tools to learn what might not seem to come naturally at first – the trick is to understand how we learn and how the brain works. This allows us to unlock its power and potential.”  

 

Forming effective study habits:

 Your working memory can hold about seven items for 30 seconds. After that we forget the information. Revision is the act of revisiting  information that you already know or lessons that you’ve already taken. To commit something to memory it takes time and repetition. Sometimes we see revision as an activity we only do in the build up to an assessment or exam. In fact, revision should form part of effective study habits that support the entire learning journey. If students form the habit of repeatedly revisiting ideas and topics, making use of effective revision strategies, they are more likely to be successful.

 The most effective revision techniques get you to actively engage with the topics or ideas you are learning – this involves completing activities with the revision materials that require you to make use of the ideas and knowledge.

 A common myth is that more is better – “The mistake so many students make when studying is to confuse effort with efficiency. In other words, they sit with their head in a book for 8 hours straight and they think they are on the path to success. In truth, no matter how much time you spend revising, it can be practically worthless if that learning is not of good quality”.

 Pushing on for hours at a time can create a soul-destroying slog that worsens the quality of the study. The most effective revision is when students are actively engaging with the material to complete tasks. There are a number of guides attached below that will support you both in planning an effective study routine, and in providing useful techniques to effectively learn topics and ideas. Each guide contains: 

  • An overview of the steps to take
  • An explanation for why the technique is important
  • A four or five-step process to follow to effectively use the technique.

 

How parents can support effective study habits and revision:

  • Check that students are aware of the effective study habits and techniques, using the guides attached below.
  • Encourage healthy study habits so they look after their SHED; looking after their Sleep, Hydration, Exercise and Diet helps them keep healthy in both body and mind, ready to learn especially when they are under pressure to perform their best.
  • Minimise distractions and procrastination during study time.
  • Get your child to teach you the material.
  • Set high but realistic expectations.
  • Provide motivation; revision can be challenging. You can help your child manage their emotions developing a growth mindset. This will help them believe that through focussed effort and good study habits they can succeed.
  • Support student in making effective revision plans: check out the guide on ‘Spacing’ technique. The Pomodoro Technique recommends studying for 25 minutes and then taking a 5-minute break. Why it works…. The brain switches between two key modes: Focused (when you’re actively thinking) and Diffuse (when you’re resting and making creative connections). Switching between the two is what actually helps you learn, not just cram.
  • Organisation: encourage them to review where they need to focus time; eg – which topics or subjects they know and what they struggle with. 

 

Guides for Revising Key Ideas, Knowledge and Concepts

 Guides for Planning Effective Study Routines and Habits

 

 
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