11 Plus revision can be a daunting task for both parents and children. With the right approach, however, it can be fun, rewarding and even enjoyable. Revising for the 11 Plus requires dedication and organisation. Your child will likely pass the Eleven-Plus exam if they have a revision schedule. The 11 Plus Exam is a crucial milestone in a child’s education. Thus, parents should help their children prepare for the exam and ensure they achieve the highest scores. Revision is one of the most effective ways to accomplish this.
A revision schedule helps ensure that your child covers all the topics in the syllabus and gives them the opportunity to practice and revise the material. Additionally, providing the right motivation and support can help in building confidence and providing encouragement during the revision process.
However, deciding what material to concentrate on and organising a revision schedule can be challenging. Our post, which discusses 11 Plus revision techniques, is intended to help your child revise.
1. Start With a Study Schedule
Creating a study plan for your child is one of the most critical aspects of the 11 Plus Exam revision. This will serve as a guideline for their revision, allowing them to see what should be covered next. When planning a study routine, engaging your child in it and considering their interests and requirements is vital. Having a reasonable and feasible schedule will help them stay organised.
Here are some tips to formulating 11 Plus Exam revision plan:
- Every day, devote time to revision. Maintain a consistent weekly schedule.
- Make revision easier by chunking it into bite-sized pieces. Set daily time aside to work on practice exams.
- Create the schedule with your child to ensure they have input about what is ideal.
- During each revision session, set achievable expectations for your child’s efforts. Adjust the timetable as necessary.
2. Start Early With 11 Plus Revision
It is possible to prevent last-minute jitters if you start your revision early. It is best to revise in the morning when your brain is fresher. You may have to revise later sometimes but keep late-night sessions to a minimum. Revising successfully in a hurry is difficult, so keep your late-night studying brief. You should, however, concentrate on the subjects you anticipate appearing on the examination if you are running out of time. By starting early, you can break your revision into smaller segments and spread it over a longer period. This gives your brain ample opportunity to process and retain the material and prevents you from becoming overwhelmed with too much material in a short amount of time. Additionally, you can adjust the timetable if a particular subject needs more attention.
3. Space Out Your Revision and Take a Break
Memorising information takes time – you can’t cram it in at the last minute and then expect it to stick. You can achieve better results with 11 Plus revision if you space your revision – four hours over a week is better than four hours a day.
Taking a break while revising allows your brain to digest and retain facts and strengthens memory retention. Do some exercises, stroll, and sip tea – anything to take your mind off work.
4. Encourage Active LearningÂ
One of the secrets to effective revision for the 11 Plus examination is getting your child to interact with the content actively instead of simply listening to it. This can be done by having your child summarise the content, answer questions about it, or create diagrams to explain it. These strategies can help your child remember the material more effectively and perform better in entrance exams. You can even quiz your child and check their understanding. Rewarding your child for their efforts can motivate them to work harder on their revision.
When revising for the 11 Plus exam, you can stimulate hands-on learning in various ways. For instance, you can use flashcards to gauge your child’s understanding and retention, you might use a quiz or games to keep your child engaged, or you could discuss the topic with your child. Using study aids, such as brain maps and outlines, can also assist your child with planning and memorising information.
5. Take Care Of Yourself For Productive 11 Plus Revision
Sleep, eat, exercise, and reward yourself for your hard work.
Eat well: During revision, you may be tempted to survive on fast food. Eating fast food and consuming coffee may be time-saving, but it will not result in productive revision. Consuming a healthy, nutrient-rich diet and staying hydrated will make you feel more active and energised.
Move your body: Your brain will perform better if you work out because it gets more blood flow and oxygen. Having a properly functioning brain will benefit you during revision and exams. Exercising is also an excellent way to relax after studying. A win-win situation. Exercise releases endorphins, which are hormones that make you feel good and reduce stress levels. It also helps to clear your mind, allowing you to refocus on your studies with a refreshed mindset.
Sleep: Your brain functions appropriately and recalls information when you get a good night’s sleep. You need enough sleep to keep your brain healthy and remember what you’ve revised. Getting sufficient sleep enables you to rise early and revise more during the day. Sleep gives your body and minds the time to rest and restore energy levels so that you can focus and process information more efficiently.
Reward yourself: You deserve a reward after a day of revision. The show could be anything from a TV episode to a friendly conversation.
6. Monitoring The Progress During 11 Plus Revision
You must monitor your child’s progress regularly. You should therefore establish goals first in a timetable. You can record your achievements once you have identified your objectives. The process can be conducted once a week, monthly, or even daily.
It also keeps the motivation levels high because progress can be seen as evidence that the revision process is productive when the goals are achieved.
7. Teach Someone
Auditory learners will benefit greatly from this method. Revision for the 11 Plus exam can be very effective by teaching someone. When studying a topic, talk to someone unfamiliar and explain it as simply as possible.
Find a study partner as another method of implementing this method. Discuss the topics with each other after dividing them up. Using this approach to revise for exams will be very time-saving.
Even without a classmate, you can still read the material aloud. If you repeat the information aloud, it will become more ingrained in your mind. Breaking down the material into smaller chunks like this can help you understand and remember the material for longer. Additionally, hearing yourself explain the material to someone else can help pinpoint any gaps in your understanding, so you can go back and focus on those areas.
Having a study partner can help keep you motivated and accountable and give you a sounding board to ask for help and clarification on topics you don’t understand.
8. Stay Calm And Positive
A good revision tip is to stay calm and positive throughout the process. Feeling down? Make sure your revision doesn’t suffer the next day. Exams do not solely determine education. Don’t let them stress you out too much.
Keeping calm on the day can be achieved using a variety of methods, including:
- Listen to tunes ahead of the exam
- The exam paper should not be turned over immediately – take a moment to calm down before looking at the questions
- You should start by answering the easiest questions and build up your confidence by planning your answers
- When you freeze or become numb, take a step back, take your eyes off the paper, take deep breaths twice, and then wait until you feel comfortable again.
Whether the exam went well or poorly, rewarding yourself once it is over is worthwhile. Taking some time to relax and decompress after the exam can help you to reset your mind, and it can also help you to process the experience. Reflecting on the exam can also help you identify areas where you could improve, which will help you develop better study strategies for future exams.
Conclusion
Preparing an 11 Plus revision plan and sticking to it as closely as possible is the best way to succeed on the exam. This way, you can cover various topics by managing your time efficiently and ensuring you stay on top of your Grammar School exam preparation.