STUDY SKILLS FOR

NATIONAL 5 EXAMS

Look at the twenty items on the slide.

Look at the twenty items on the slide.

AIMS

1. Why should I study at all?2. Where should I study?3. How should I study?4. When should I study?5. Should I do it on my own?6. How do I know I’m learning?

4-5pm 5-6pm 6-7pm 7-8pm 8-9pm 9-10pm

10-11pm

Mon

TuesWedThursFri

9-11am

11am-1pm

1-3pm 3-5pm 5-7pm 7-9pm 9-11pm

SatSun

WHERE DO WE START?• Make up a study plan for every week. • Revising regularly and in small doses is a much

better approach• Be realistic about how much you will do.• Make sure you have a decent balance between

revising, homework and your usual activities• Divide your study sessions up. Include breaks• If you miss a planned session, you should make

up for it later.

ARE YOU WELL PREPARED TO REVISE?• Have you already eaten and drunk something?• What are good things to eat/drink to stimulate the brain?• Do you have brain food and water close by?• Make sure you balance your studying with physical

exercise• Do you have a table and chair to work at?• Do you get peace and quiet to work?• Does music help to study? What kind of music?• Are you sitting in a well-lit place, so you don’t strain your

eyes?

ARE YOU WELL PREPARED TO REVISE?• Make sure you’ve rewards planned to get you

through the studying.• Is there someone nearby who you can talk to

if you have a problem?• Decide on the times of day when you learn

best. Don’t leave it until you’re exhausted.• Make sure others know you’re revising and

need peace and time to do it.

REVISION• Always try and carry something to revise e.g. If your

waiting for the bus or at the doctor’s. Cue cards can be useful here too.

• Always spend 10 minutes looking over work you’ve covered during that day. You will remember it far more easily.

• Don’t just do the easy questions. Try the hard ones and see your teacher if you can’t do them.

• Often it’s easy to get the first few marks in a question, so you need to revise the hard stuff to get full marks.

How do we remember things?

• By making connections with other things: try making a mindmap to link things together and have a picture/diagram for revision

• By making things more interesting: e.g. Use highlighter pens to pick out important details and make them stand out.

• Post-it notes with key facts plastered over walls means you can’t escape from facts.

How do we remember things?

• By making connections with other things: try making a mindmap to link things together and have a picture/diagram for revision

• By making things more interesting: e.g. Use highlighter pens to pick out important details and make them stand out.

• Post-it notes with key facts plastered over walls means you can’t escape from facts.

How do we remember things?• Flash cards can be useful. Write questions,

equations, etc on one side with answers on the back.

• By working with other people, whether friends or family. A ‘study buddy’ can help to share good practice, by tackling the same answer as you and then comparing and sharing good practice.

How do we remember things?• Mnemonics mean you can remember key

words from the first initials of words e.g. In History ‘The 4Ws’: Who, When, Why What?

• Use Word Association and rhymes to remember phrases/ideas

e.g. How many days are in September?What are the colours of the rainbow?

How do we practise for exams?• By being clear about what the exam consists

of and ...• By being clear about how much of your

coursework contributes to the exam

REVISION BOOKLETS, APPS & PAST PAPERS

• Some subjects have booklets with examples and practice questions so you can look at good practice and then tackle exercises on your own. Your teacher will then mark the work you do.

• Download apps on your Smartphone to practise while you’re waiting.

REVISION• When doing practice questions make sure you

have a checklist of things you need to include• Pay attention to the amount of marks given to

the question.• Vary the support you use:- Sometimes use your notes to write answers- Sometimes do under exam conditions and give

yourself time limits.

Practice Papers and Study Guides

Websites and Apps

REVISION SESSIONS• Lunchtime and after-school supported study

can help you discuss problem areas with teachers and pick up any exam techniques including on-line activities such as GLOW, BBC, public resources.

WORKSHOPS6.55-7.05R15: BiologyR40: PhysicsR30: MusicR1: Modern StudiesR6: Modern LanguagesR5: Accounts

7.40-7.50Main Hall: English and Maths

7.50-8.00Main Hall: Q&A on NQs

7.10-7.20R17: ChemistryR15: BiologyR2: ArtR1: HistoryR5: BusinessICT 1: Computing

7.25-7.35R17: ChemistryR40: PhysicsR1: History/ Modern StudiesR5: AdministrationR6: Modern Languages

Mathematics - National 5 Study Skills

www.mathsrevision.com

New Qualifications

How will they be assessed?• assignment• case study• practical activity• performance• portfolio• project• question paper/test

Nationals 3, 4 and 5

• National 5 unit assessment external examinations course assessment

• National 3 / 4 – no examination unit assessments added value unit

N5 courses – no examination• Administration• Physical Education• Practical Metalwork• Practical Woodworking

• Senior phase prelim diet

• National 5 prelims

• S4 begins Monday 20th January

• No study leave

New exam arrangements

Preparing for the exam

Students have been issued with:

• A Prelim Exam Schedule

Preparing for the exam

and…

• Pre-Exam Checklist

• Students must report to school as normal

• Registered in period 1 class

• Wear school uniform

• No phones or portable devices

How you can help

How you can help

• Students should bring their own equipment

• May bring water to drink

• Stay in the exam hall until the end of the exam

If delayed or unwell

• Phone the school and ask for Mr McLean or Mrs Harris

• Get in as fast as you can if delayed

Prelim results

• estimate of performance

• tracking and monitoring

• to support exceptional circumstances or marking review if required

Nationals in a Nutshell

• Produced by the National Parent Forum for Scotland

Parentzone

• Produced by Education Scotland

Any questions?