Excel in the English Exam

1. Excel in the English Exam

2. Starting NOW • Start with a blank sheet of paper • At the top write: English Exam Study Plan

3. Starting NOW • Take out all the assessment tasks and practise assessment tasks you did this year

4. IMPROVING • Highlight all the comments that suggest how you might improve

5. IMPROVING • What patterns do you see? • What is the main message you are receiving? • Write these on your study plan

6. FOCUS • This is what you need to focus on over the weekend • Don’t expect to go from 0 to 100 by Tuesday, but do expect some improvement

7. STRENGTHS • In another colour highlight all the comments that acknowledge what you did well

8. STRENGTHS • What patterns do you see? • What is the main message you are receiving?

9. GOOD FOR YOU BE PROUD! • Write this on your study plan to remind you what you are already good at

10. Be HONEST • How much time will you spend studying for this exam? • How much can you actually get done in that amount time? • Whatever you estimate, halve it!

11. RECAPITULATE • Check the hints I have given you • Read all your notes, work sheets, assessment tasks and the wiki for information that relates to these hints • Highlight the useful points and quotes- Better yet, re-write them • This information is now your study notes

12. Make a DATE Organise a time and place to study with friends • A group study session makes you responsible for answering certain questions and teaching the rest of the group about them • It gives you access to other people's bright ideas and provides a sense of working toward a common goal • Studying in a group means you can support each other to fight stress and panic

13. Commit to MEMORY Quotes • Write them out, read them out, speak them out. Get them stuck in your head like a super annoying song.

14. Blah, blah, BLAH! Verbalise your ideas • Talk about what you are studying as much as possible! • Talk to your study group, parents or even your pets! It doesn’t matter if they don’t get it or if they’re not interested • Saying it out loud helps to cement it in your mind, and if you can tell someone else about it, it means you have really learnt it

15. Practise makes PERFECT • Set aside 50 minutes for each section and practise writing a response • The more you do this, the less likely you are to run out of time or panic

16. ChilaxxX! • Don't let yourself become exhausted from worry or work. An exam might change your life, but it can't, and won’t ruin it!

17. In the EXAM • Write in pen • Write on every second line of the paper • Write in your neatest handwriting • If the examiner can’t read it, they can’t mark it!

18. In the EXAM • Read all of the questions before you begin, and allocate your time – you have an hour for each task

19. Get words on PAPER • Starting is the hardest part, so jot down your ideas for both sections (5-10mins). • This way, when it comes time to begin writing your essays, you already have something to work from

20. WRITE! • Start the task you will find the hardest, but don’t spend more than 50 mins on it

21. Keep WRITING • Write your response to the second section • Again, don’t take more than 50 minutes

22. EDIT! • Spend the remainder of your time editing and DON’T leave early!

23. END • Breathe a sigh of relief, take a long lunch break, then hit the books again for the next one....