Clarity through Re-Vision: A Student’s Guide
As the board exam approaches, the only buzzwords in a student’s life are “study,” and “revision”! Isn’t it boring? Everybody you meet keeps reminding you to revise. Now is it important to revise & what exactly is revision? Let’s check it out!
Revision –as the word goes, it means “re-vision,” i.e. to see & go over again all that has been learned. It means revising the entire year’s portion in a period of a few days. That sounds tough, doesn’t it? Therefore, the most important factor for revision is MOTIVATION. To be self-motivated one has to keep reminding himself time & again of his goals.
Let us first understand how our memory works. Imagine our memory having three different compartments, named as sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory. Most of the information learned is stored in short-term memory, which is retained only for a limited period of time.
Since our memory is bombarded with lots of information, the earlier learned information is likely to be wiped out, UNTIL IT IS REVISED. Revision sends messages to our brain that the revised information is crucial & has to be retained.
This helps the information to transfer to the long-term memory.
So, keep in mind the following pointers to begin with Re-Vision: –
- To begin revision one need not wait until the entire portion is finished. Revise as & when new concepts are taught. Glance at the important points immediately after class.
- Be very practical & realistic about your revision.
- Avoid feeling guilty about the portion you have consciously left out for option & thereby reading and learning the same. Instead, master the areas you have already learned.
- Prepare a planned schedule for revision & stick to it.
- Know your own body clock i.e. each one has a particular time in the day when their energy level is at its peak. For e.g., some may find it better to study in the morning, some in the night & so on. Identify that time & utilize it to derive maximum benefit.
- Keep the revision slot to not more than 45 min to 1 hour, to help retain & utilize the concentration span effectively.
- Take appropriate breaks & unwind since relaxation is an important aspect. However, keep the following pointers while taking a break: –
- Frequency – be aware that very frequent breaks would be an excuse to escape revision.
- Duration – the break should not be too short or too long. The time duration has to be just appropriate to relax.
- Content – engage in activities that are physically & mentally relaxing such as taking a walk, listening to soft music, meditating, etc.
- Prepare LMR (Last Minute Revision) cards. LMR cards are small enough to fit into the palms of your hands for a quick last-minute glance. They are used to write chemical equations, formulae, important points, etc.
- Prepare Flash cards or charts. Write required tables, formulae, etc. & stick them in an easily visible place such as a door, above a wash basin, etc.
- Keep a target for the day & reward yourself if you are able to meet it. The reward could be anything desirable to you such as watching T.V. for some extra time, meeting friends, etc.
- Avoid external distracters such as telephone calls, attending doorbells/guests/friends, etc.
12. Start implementing Multisensory Learning i.e. utilize all your senses (visual, auditory, tactile, etc.). While recalling the revised material, read it aloud & then write it down, thereby making use of the three senses mentioned above. This will reinforce learning. The habit of writing down would also target your
- Speed of writing
- Time utilization
- Handwriting
- Spellings
- Highlighting or underlining the important points of study material acts as a cue to remember. It also helps for a last-minute glimpse.
So, what are you waiting for? REVISE the above-mentioned points & get geared for REVISION!!!