How to support your child's GCSE revision
Many parents want to help during exam periods but walk the line between encouragement and stepping back, unsure of how best to assist. It's a challenge, given that GCSEs have changed a fair bit in the last ten years.
For example, critical changes to the Maths GCSE include a greater emphasis on problem-solving and more demanding content. In English literature, the fundamental changes are a broader range of more challenging texts, closed-book exams, and compulsory assessments on unseen texts.
While teachers and tutors can help with understanding and knowledge gaps, you can help your child in many other ways. Here's what you need to know about GCSEs and revision help.
What GCSEs assess
GCSEs (General Certificate of Secondary Education) are academic qualifications designed to test students' knowledge and skills in various subjects. The skills GCSEs test include knowledge and understanding of key concepts, theories, and facts in the subjects they study.
Questions also require students to apply their knowledge to solve problems or complete tasks, analysing information, data, or texts to evaluate different perspectives or arguments. Communication skills are also tested both orally in English and languages and within essays. Overall, GCSE exams aim to provide a comprehensive assessment of a student's academic abilities.
Help with revision
The best way for your child to memorise knowledge and facts involves using a combination of techniques that use different aspects of memory and learning. Instead of simply re-reading notes or textbooks, suggest they actively engage with the material by trying to recall key facts or concepts from memory. This could involve covering up your notes and trying to remember information or using flashcards for quizzing.
Help them review the material at spaced intervals over time. This technique capitalises on the spacing effect, which suggests that information is better retained when revisited at spaced intervals.
If they are overwhelmed with the workload, get them to break down large amounts of information into smaller, more manageable chunks and suggest that they focus on learning one chunk at a time before moving on to the next.
Explaining concepts or teaching the material to you or a sibling can deepen their understanding and reinforce their memory of the material. Lastly, actively retrieving information from memory through quizzes, past paper practice exams, or other activities also improves retrieval strength.
Help with exam technique
Helping your child apply their knowledge effectively in exams involves helping them develop critical thinking skills and confidence in their exam techniques. To start familiarise yourself with the format of the exam. With your child, understand the types of questions they will encounter, such as multiple-choice, short answer, essays, or practical tasks.
Encourage your child to practice with past exam papers. This helps them become familiar with the exam structure, style of questions, and time constraints. If your child struggles to finish papers, help them learn to manage their time by showing them how to allocate time for each question and move on if they get stuck, returning to difficult questions later if time allows.
Critical thinking skills can be boosted by asking open-ended questions and encouraging your child to analyse and evaluate information rather than simply memorising and repeating facts. Practice problem-solving skills by presenting them with real-world scenarios or challenging questions that require them to apply their knowledge to solve.
Above all, teach your child strategies for managing exam stress and staying calm under pressure. Techniques such as deep breathing and positive self-talk can help reduce anxiety. And keep perspective by reminding them that exams are just one part of their academic journey.