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MAKE YOUR BRAIN WORK FOR YOU

Successful Confident Responsible Effective

Learners Individuals Citizens Contributors

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STUDY SKILLS

Pay attention in class. Take good notes.

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Keep an organized notebook. Ask questions in class.

STUDY SKILLS

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Plan a definite study time Don’t cram for hours the

and place for each day night before a test or exam

STUDY SKILLS

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INDEPENDENT LEARNERS

The following are characteristics of a successful student.

Develop these in yourself!

Ask questions.

Discuss topics with your peers.

If you don’t understand

something, speak up!

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You are responsible for your own learning!

‘Ideas are funny things, they don’t work unless you do’

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STUDY TIMETABLE

Study sessions just don’t happen when you feel like doing them.

They need to be scheduled on an organized timetable.

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SOME TIPS

Don’t study after 11:00pm

Divide time equally among subjects

Revise your study timetable – things change

Stick to it !

“Well done is better than well said”

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STUDY SESSIONS

How do you study?

What are you supposed to do?

Studying has three components:

Organizing subject matter efficiently
Getting ongoing day to day work and assignments done
Researching and revising work for improvement

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Don’t make study sessions too long

Drink some water before you start

Break tasks down into smaller manageable ones

Write down daily summaries of work covered in class in your own words

Set a task to achieve for each session

STUDY SESSIONS

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Set goals for each session.
Practice skills learned by completing problems, exercises, and essays.
Aim to build a clear understanding by connecting areas of knowledge.
These sessions are the backbone of your study program.

‘ Some succeed because they are destined to:

most succeed because they are determined to.’

STUDY SESSIONS

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PRIORITIZING

When do you study?
How often?
What about the other activities you do?

Write down :

The fixed activities that you have to do
Time you have no control over – the ‘musts’
Activities where you have a choice of the ‘options’

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PRIORITIZE YOUR OPTIONS

What are your favorites?
You can’t do everything
To achieve your goals, sacrifices have to be made
Avoid time wasters – make a list of the main ones
Reward yourself for working well and achieving short term goals
To perform at your best requires fulfilling and stimulating leisure/relaxation time
You are responsible for the organization of your time and lifestyle

‘The first step is the most difficult part of the journey’

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PRIORITIZING STUDY

Setting yourself a specific task to achieve each night is a necessary skill.

Too often you tend to ‘let it happen’ and don’t plan ahead.

Procrastination is an obstacle to your goals.

Each morning or each night before, make a list of study tasks in order of priority for the following night.

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You can also use travel time to and from school for

Planning
Listening to recorded summaries or points on an IPOD/MP3 player

Then when you arrive home, it is much easier to study

Your purpose and task are set
You can apply yourself immediately

Study Time

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COUNTDOWN TO THE MIDYEARS

In the days before your exams, you must adopt a more disciplined attitude.

Look at exams positively as an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding.

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Social Life :

Put this on hold
Give up parties, nights out etc.
Plan your rewards you will give yourself after the exams

Exercise :

Walk or jog daily to reduce the pressure
Exercise clears the mind and encourages positive thoughts

COUNTDOWN TO THE MIDYEARS

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Distractions :

Eliminate noise
Arrange for friends to call at an agreed time
Use travel time to study and review

COUNTDOWN TO THE MIDYEARS

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The key is to study actively :

Take notes

Test yourself

Don’t just read over material and expect to remember it

COUNTDOWN TO THE MIDYEARS

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EXAM PREPARATION

The secrets to success:

Have genuine faith in your preparation.
Don’t leave anything to chance.

Know exactly what is required for each exam:

Understand each subject
Quiz your teachers
Know your exam format

Multiple choice

Short answer

Essays

How many questions

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EXAM PREPARATION

Make lists of:

Key facts
Formulas
Quotes
Examples

Recite them aloud!

Examine past papers, quizzes, and exams:

Identify areas of weakness and address them
Become comfortable with the quiz/exam vocabulary
Work on your pacing/time management of exams

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EXAM PREPARATION

Test your knowledge and understanding:

Explain concepts
Discuss exam topics with friends
Question each other

List any improvements needed:

Work through them systematically
Retest your knowledge

‘ When only the best will do ‘

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EXAM TECHNIQUE

Understanding Instructions

On the front cover of the exam paper are instructions.

Read them;
Understand them;
Know what questions to do;
Know where to put your answers.

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EXAM TECHNIQUE

Reading Time

Read the exam through;
Plan your approach;
Identify questions you can do immediately;
Your confidence will build with more difficult questions.

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EXAM TECHNIQUE

The Exam itself:

Start on straight forward questions;
Don’t dwell on those you can’t do;
Move on!

On multiple choice questions:

Eliminate those answers you think are incorrect;
Beware of careless mistakes;
Read all selections before making final choice;
Choose the BEST answer.

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MIDYEAR EXAMS

Put a copy of your exam schedule in a place where you can double check times and dates
Eat breakfast and take water/snacks to the exam
Arrive in plenty time before the exam
Have a watch and the necessary equipment
Be relaxed and focused – your preparation has you ready for your exam

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Exam Tips

Use reading time effectively
Underline / highlight key words and phrases
Brainstorm/Outline briefly before writing essays
Make sure that you have filled in all the details
Consider how well you answer the question
Stay alert – don’t daydream
Don’t panic if short on time – note the main points
If you finish early, check your work thoroughly
Never leave early
Write neatly and legibly

‘ Achievement is a habit – work on it ‘

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Remember!

It is important to eat and sleep well before exams
Put yourself first – it is an important time for you – try to talk to family about how they can make studying a little easier for you, e.g. by agreeing times when you can have your own space, when they will try to be a bit quieter around the house and when you would rather not be disturbed

TAKE BREAKS AND DO THINGS

YOU ENJOY AND HELP YOU RELAX

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ABOVE ALL …

Perform as well as you can – ‘YOU are YOU’ so you can only do the best you can on the day
Don’t go through the answers with your friends afterwards if it is only going to worry you
Try to put the last exam out of your mind and look ahead to the next one – you can’t go back to change things

Exams are Important, but they are not the only key to a successful future.

GOOD LUCK !