Support your learners with our top exam survival tips!

With exams just a few weeks away, we thought we would take the opportunity to share with you our top exam survival tips, to help you support your learners with their studying during this time period.

We know that everyone learns and recalls information differently, and recommend that your learners pick whichever method suits them best.

Study in short bursts - studying can feel like a long, dull process, and so sometimes it can be easier to study in shorter bursts of concentration. Have you heard of the Pomodoro technique? To summarise, studying is broken up into 25 minute sessions of sole focus, followed by a 5 minute break. After four 25 minute sessions, or rather ‘four pomodoros,’ a longer 30 minute break can be taken, before the process begins again.

For further information about how this technique works, during Dyslexia Awareness Week last year, our sister company Dyslexia Action also put together some fantastic study hacks from some of their tutors, where it is explained in further detail.

Spaced repetition - another method, is to suggest that your learners review their study materials at increasing intervals. This enables information to move to their long term memory and can be more easily recalled when they are sitting the exam.

Chunking - if there is a lot of information to be learned, this can look very intimidating. Suggest to your learners that they could break down the complex information into more manageable chunks, and move through a piece at a time.

Mind maps and visuals - use diagrams, charts, and flashcards to make information easier to visualise and remember. Your learners could even draw cartoons of the things they are learning, making revision fun!

Mnemonics - use rhymes, phrases and keywords to help your learners memorise dull or difficult information. When information becomes funny or novel, then it is easier to recall!

Study together - why not suggest that your learners study together in a pair, or form a study group? Some learners will feel more motivated studying together and encourage each other as they go along.

However some learners may prefer to study alone, and find that they concentrate better when it is quiet. They might instead prefer to…

Teach others - perhaps you could encourage your learners to teach their friends and family what they have learned. They could present their notes, or simply informally chat through what they have been learning. It’s a great way to get everyone involved and help your learner feel supported and showcase what they have been studying.

Practice makes perfect - find old study papers, practice exam questions, and create exam conditions in a safe environment like a classroom or encourage your learner to do so in their home, so it feels less scary and intimidating when they enter the exam room.

Use resources - finally, encourage your learners to make full use of the resources available to them. Whether they like using coloured exercise books for writing, tinted rulers to help them read, or even scanning pens for independence, empower them to find a way to study that helps best!

Self care is the most important tip from us! Taking exams can be stressful, and it is important to encourage learners to take good care of themselves during this time.

Good night’s rest - advise your students to get a good night’s rest before their exams. A good night’s sleep will ensure they wake up energised and ready to concentrate.

Relax - if learners are struggling to relax and fall asleep, suggest they take a nice warm bath, listen to calming music, and put down any study materials an hour before bed, to make sure they unwind and switch off.

Eat well - Encourage them to make sure they eat well, such as a fulfilling breakfast and lunch so they can fully concentrate in the exam hall. Foods which contain lots of protein can help concentration!

Take a break - Once an exam has been completed, suggest they reward themselves with a treat or something they enjoy doing to decompress. Encourage your learners to also make time for fun between their exams and ensure they go outside to get plenty of fresh air.

Try to keep a positive attitude - we know exams can be very stressful for young people. Remind your learners that whatever happens in the exam, whatever result they achieve, it does not define them as a person and there are always many routes and options to fulfil their dreams.

We’d like to wish your learners the very best of luck with their upcoming exams. We hope they receive the marks they have worked for and move onto their next steps successfully, whatever they may be.

Do you have any good tips for exams? We would love to hear them! Why not email them to shop@dyslexiaaction.org.uk?