SKILLS for

LEARNING
SKILLS for
STUDY
MAKE Your BRAIN WORK for
YOU

Successf Confiden Responsib Effective

ul t le Contributo
Learners Individua Citizens rs
ls
 STUDY
SKILLS
Pay attention in class Take good
notes
Keep an organised Ask questions in
Notebook class
Plan a definite study Don’t cram for hours
time and place for the night before a test
each day or exam
 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
You are responsible for your own
learning
‘Ideas are funny things, they don’t
work unless you do’
‘Learning is not filling the bucket, but
the lighting of the fire’
 STUDY
TIMETABLE
Study sessions just don’t happen when you
feel like doing them.
They need to be scheduled on an organised
timetable. Your study timetable should rule your
life.
 SOME
•
TIPS
Don’t study after 11.00pm

• Divide time equally between subjects

• Put a copy somewhere to keep parents

informed

• Revise your study timetable – things

change

• Stick to it !

“Well done is better than well said”

 STUDY
•
SESSIONS
How do you study?
• What are you supposed to do?

Study has 3 parts

• Organising subject matter efficiently

• Getting ongoing day to day work and

assignments done

• Researching and revising work for exams

• Don’t make study sessions too long

• Drink some water before you start

• Break tasks down into smaller manageable

ones

• Do daily summaries of work covered in class

in your own words under Main Points

• Set a task to achieve for each session

• Record your plan of attack for each session
• Practise skills learned by doing problems,
exercises and essays
• Aim to build a clear understanding by connecting
areas of knowledge
• These sessions are the backbone of your
Study Programme

‘ Some succeed because they are destined

to: most succeed because they are
determined to.’
 PRIORITISI
•
NG
When do you study?
• How often?
• What about the other things you do?

Write down :
• The fixed things that you have to do

• Time you have no control over – the ‘musts’

• Activities where you have a choice of the

‘options’
 PRIORITISE your
•
OPTIONS
What are your favourites?
• 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 organisation of
your time and lifestyle
 PRIORITISING
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
You can also use travel time to and from school for
• Planning
• Listening to recorded summaries or points on
an MP3 player

Then when you arrive home, it is much easier to

get down to study
• You are psyched up
• Your purpose and task are set
• You can apply yourself immediately
 COUNTDOWN to the
EXAMS
In the run up to your exams, you must adopt a
more disciplined attitude
Your performance in the exam is vital to your
success Look at them positively as an
opportunity to demonstrate your understanding
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
• It clears the mind and encourages positive
thoughts
 !
Distractions :
• Eliminate
noise

• Organise for friends to call at an agreed

time
Travel time :
• Read over
notes

• Listen to study
tapes

• Plan and
revise
The key is to study
actively :
• Take notes

• Test
yourself

• Don’t just read

‘ Many drops fill the

bucket ‘
 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
 EXAM
PREPARATION
Around the house put up lists of
• Key facts
• Formulae
• Quotes
• Examples
Recite them aloud when you see
them Do past papers under exam
conditions
• Identify areas of weakness and
address them
• Become comfortable with the
vocabulary used
 EXAM
PREPARATION
Test your knowledge and understanding
• Discuss it, explain it
• Justify it with friends
• Question each other
List any improvements needed
• Work through them systematically
• Retest your knowledge
Be thorough and focused – have a Study Timetable
in your study area

‘ When only the best will do ‘

 EXAM
TECHNIQUE
Understanding Instructions

On the front cover of the exam paper are

instructions
• Read them
• Understand them
• Know what questions to do
• Where to put your answers
 EXAM
TECHNIQUE
Reading Time

• Read the paper through

• Plan your approach
• Identify questions you can do immediately
• Put the questions in the order you wish to do
them
• Don’t work out answers
• Your confidence will build with more difficult
questions
 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
• Plan your answers
• Draw big, clear and accurate diagrams
 EXAM
TECHNIQUE
The magic word in exams is

• Not fast

• Not slow

• But consistently and

persistently

‘ You make your own

luck’
 SITTING
EXAMS
Follow these guidelines – they will work for you

• Put a copy of your Exam Timetable in a place

where your family can double check times
and dates
• Take a bottle of water to the exam
• Arrive in plenty time before the exam, but don’t
be too early
• Don’t listen to music beforehand – the songs
will play on your mind
• Have a watch and the necessary equipment
• Be relaxed and focused – your preparation
• Use reading time effectively
• Underline / highlight key words and phrases
• Do plans - do they address the questions?
• But don’t spend too much time on planning
• Make sure that you have filled in all the details
• During the answer, consider how well it
answers 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
• Cross out any answer if it is not required
• Write neatly and legibly
‘ Achievement is a habit – work on it ‘
 EXAM STRESS
…
and how to
beat it

Revision Exam
Notes Timetable
• Try to work to a Revision Timetable

• Start planning well before exams begin

• Make your Books, Notes and Essays user

friendly with Summary Notes,
Headings,Sub-Headings and Revision
Cards

• Use Key Words and /

or Spider Charts

• Get tips on other

revision techniques
from others
 A
DON’T
RESUME
• Don’t leave Revision to the last minute
• Don’t avoid revising subjects you don’t like
or find difficult
• Don’t forget that there is life beyond
Revision and Exams
 A
REMEMBER :
RESUME
• Remember it is important to eat and sleep well
• 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

DON’T REVISE ALL THE TIME – TAKE BREAKS

AND DO THINGS YOU ENJOY AND HELP
YOU RELAX
 PREPARE for the BIG
CHECKDAY
…
• Have a good breakfast
• Give yourself plenty of time to get to the exam
room
• Make sure you know where the exam is being
held
• Take everything you need – pens, pencils,
water, anything else?
• Go to the toilet before the exam starts
 PACE
•
YOURSELF
Read the instructions

• Read all the questions and give yourself time to

answer those you are required to answer

• Plan how much time you will need for each

question

• If you are stuck, go to the next question. You can

come back to the unfinished one later. If you are
really stuck, try to have an intelligent guess
 ABOVE ALL
•
you can only…
Perform as well as you can – ‘YOU are YOU’ so
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