Will Mcloughlin is a Maths Teacher and EdD Researcher who works at BIS Abu Dhabi. Here, he talks us through the best ways for students to revise for their exams
We are now over halfway through our autumn term at The British International School Abu Dhabi, and all our focus is on preparing students for their IGCSE or IB exams in May/June.
There are many things that our talented staff are doing to support our students, however, one of the most impactful roles we play as teachers is equipping students with the essential skills for effective independent learning – a skill that will benefit them throughout their entire lives!
So, does practice make perfect?
Well, yes and no. Let me explain. Sometimes, students spend hours practicing questions leaving them feeling satisfied with their hard work, only to realise months later that they’ve missed many marks in some of those questions. In this case, the practice hasn’t made perfect, they’ve been practicing doing the wrong thing.
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For this reason, we’ve been coaching our students to be more reflective and critical of their answers. We teach students to use the exam mark scheme so that they can understand where marks are allocated, and what counts as a perfect answer.
This empowers students to ensure that they are practicing perfect answers and indeed achieving their full potential. So, practice can make perfect if you are practicing the perfect answer.
This is all part of our revision strategy at BIS Abu Dhabi. We’ve also been running assemblies and focused group sessions to teach students the psychology of how we learn. The human brain is the most complicated structure in the universe, yet surprisingly the fundamentals of how humans learn are very simple. Here are my top tips for a complete revision strategy:
1. Put the highlighter away.
Making your textbook colourful is not deep learning. Try to summarise, elaborate, or critique the information you are reading. Deeper engagement with the content leads to stronger memories and boosts key skills.
2. Space out revision over time – do not cram!
To build up a long-term memory, you need to memorise over the long-term. Start now, we still have several months before exam season. Don’t leave it until the last minute, it will not work.
3. Ask questions.
I always encourage my students to email me a screenshot or picture of the questions they’ve struggled with during revision. This helps me understand their individual learning journeys so that I can support them.
4. Practice, self-mark and reflect.
Be strict, mark according to the exact wording of the mark scheme. Then take some time to think and reflect about the strengths and weaknesses of your answer. How could you score a few more marks next time?
5. Practice more.
The best way to get better at IGCSE History exams is to practice IGCSE History exams.
For Maths, I’m recommending for my students to practice one past paper every two weeks. I know that’s a lot, but it will pay off!
Finally, keep your eye on the prize. This is your moment to shine. The amazing work you put in now will have a lasting effect on your confidence, career, and future. When the revision gets tough – and it will – just remember why this is so important. Think about why you are doing this hard work, and why it matters. Let’s do this.
You can read more about BIS Abu Dhabi top tips for revision at www.addvancemaths.com
For further news about education in Abu Dhabi and beyond, visit Yalla Abu Dhabi Life