Preparing for Exam Season – Tips for Tackling Tests
Exam season is here! Before they can relax for the year, students have to pass their tests to see how much they have retained from the academic year. And while exams can be nerve-wracking, there are ways you can help your child tackle them with confidence. Whether by enrolling them to an academic support program or helping them study at home, preparation can help deal with exam stress and improve their chances of success. From creating practice exams down to getting help from English and maths tutors in Auckland, we have some tips to share with you below, to help your child ace their upcoming exams! Read on to learn more.
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Know the exam format ahead of time
The more you familiarise your child with the format and details of an upcoming exam, the more prepared they can be on their exam day. It helps to know the format of the exam (multiple-choice, essay, or a combination) so they know what to expect and how to prepare answers. It also helps to know what specific topics are covered by the exam and which ones were emphasised during lectures as they may appear on the test. A good way to find out this information is by reviewing past exams from previous years.
Make a study aid
Gather all the relevant notes, assignments, quizzes, and handouts and make a study aid with your child. This will help to highlight important details and refresh information from their previous notes. There are a variety of notetaking and diagramming methods your child can try to help them review notes better, including:
- Bullet points – useful for memorising important points related to the subject
- Flow charts – beneficial for learning procedures and processes
- Comparison charts – ideal for comparing similarities and differences between concepts
- Mind mapping – a technique used to summarise a chapter and help get an overview of a concept
Focus on difficult subjects
While it’s important to review all subjects, it’s also beneficial to allow extra time for more challenging topics. Prioritise subjects your child has difficulty with to help alleviate some of their stress. If your child is intimidated by a specific material, try to develop a study plan that helps improve their skills and learning ability. If you find that they need extra guidance in a particular area, hiring a tutor may aid in their learning. There are English and Math tutors who can assist students with their questions and provide effective one-on-one instruction.
Don’t neglect the easy ones
Remember to go over the easy subjects as well! Even if your child has competence in a subject, it’s still important to run over the basics to avoid losing points for careless errors.
Create a practice exam
Assist your child and help them replicate a practice exam that will enable them to answer practice questions and work under timed conditions. Create questions that are most likely to appear on their tests, or use past exams. This will help them become more comfortable with the format when they start taking actual exams. One of the few ways you can do this is to create questions from a textbook study guide, write sample essay questions, or use flashcards with questions on one side and answer on another.
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