Take the edge off exam preparation

Start early, make a schedule, get enough exercise (and sleep!) and review past papers. These are all great tips to prepare your child for writing exams. But sadly these are most of the time only applicable in theory. As a mother of two sport-crazy boys, I’ve learnt that preparing your children for exams and assessments require far more. Because writing exams are by default stressful, I’ve decided to share a few techniques and great apps to help you and your kids study smarter and to take the stress out of writing exams.

Many studies have proven that, especially for younger children, formal assessments are stressful and the results are not necessarily a fair reflection of the child’s understanding of the work. While starting early and drafting exam schedules sound like great techniques, in reality it can become quite tricky to implement with young, not-so-eager-to-study kids who would rather play xBox, sport or even clean their rooms, than actually sit and study.

So let’s make it more practical: How should a child actually study? If this is your child’s first exam, he or she will need guidance, but sometimes an older child, who has written many exams, may benefit from a new approach.

These are some ideas to make studying easier for you and your child. Encourage your children to use as many of their senses as possible when studying to ensure maximum retention:

Super study schedules

A schedule is an important part of exam preparation as it gives you a complete overview of exactly what needs to be done and how much time you have left. A schedule also give you a sense of accomplishments when you are able to draw a line through a day and know that you have achieved your goal.

Your help will be needed with compiling the schedule, maybe even for your older child. Planning is an advanced skill that some children only learn a lot later in life.

A few tips and ideas on schedules:

Download these brilliant apps to help you set up a schedule:

My Study Life

  This app provides a complete schedule and calendar solution and has a separate section where exams can be scheduled. It is relatively easy to use and reminders can be activated or de-activated for classes, exams or tasks.

30/30

  30/30 allows you to set timers to complete specific tasks. The interface is sharp and innovative, allowing users to control the app easily with swipes and gestures. 30/30 can also give you a better understanding of how long it  really  takes to do certain things. This is less of an exam planner and more of a timer that ensures you do not spend more time than planned on a specific task.

myHomework

myHomework is simple, reliable and works even without an Internet connection. Like the other apps, you can set tasks and homework as well as a calendar with notifications, if required. Teachers can also use this app to assign homework. The calendar option can be used to schedule tasks for exam preparation.

StudyChamp

To make your child’s exams easier, StudyChamp provides exam workbooks and mock exam papers to test not only your child’s retention of knowledge, but also their ability to apply this knowledge. Go to www.studychamp.co.za to view all the mid-year exam materials available.

Source: Test