Unique Ways to Study

Studying can feel a bit same-same. With revision, it can feel like there are lot of notes, lots of listening, plenty of mind maps and a floor filled with flashcards! Whilst our revision expertise will tell you that all these things work well, a little bit of ‘thinking out of the box’ can give a helping hand, too! There are certainly ways to make the process more engaging; ways you can shake things up and encourage more studying across the year.

There are so many ways for your teenager to study! Inject a bit of creativity, and your teenager may suddenly feel a spur of motivation when it comes to their revision.

Get Creative

Fostering creativity is a great way to liven up studying- especially if your teen enjoys this! Simple ideas might include getting an old reel of wallpaper and writing mind maps or ideas along it. Another idea could be to pick up a few canvases and create revision-based artwork to hang up for a few months.

Then there’s more straightforward ideas, such as fill up a sketchbook over time with revision or make a quotation or fact collage.

Utilise Tech

Most teens have access to a phone that can voice record, make videos and take photos. Therefore, why not consider ways your child can use their phone and technology to their advantage?

And don’t forget, there are simple tools your child can use their phone for such as stopwatches and timers. Even if they’re practising an exam question, it could be an idea to set the timer and play around with how quickly they can complete a paragraph or work to time. During our own revision classes, we are always keen to ensure that students are familiar with the papers, timings and style of questions- as mastering exam technique is all part of the process!

Acronyms and Rhymes

To help memorise information, lots of people find it useful to create acronyms or rhymes- things that stick in the mind and are easy to remember! Sometimes, the more humorous or outlandish ones are the ones that really stick…

Visualise

Still thinking uniquely, a revision tactic that works for some is to ‘visualise’ things like formulas, facts or quotations placed on surrounding objects. For example, you might try to memorise a straightforward formula by visualising that it is stuck to the lamppost outside your front door. This type of activity seems particularly effective when people actually engage in walking around and retracing their steps to these objects and ideas as they revise.

Self-discipline is really hard for us as adults, let alone for teenagers. During your teenager’s exam years, clear structure will be your teenager’s ‘carpet for walking on!’ It is structure and routine that is likely to help them stay in control and on track when it comes to their studies.

Go External

For many students, they just don’t want to always study alone. It can be the sense of isolation that’s off-putting (or that there’s nobody there to put them under pressure to do the work!) The perfect solution for this is to book your child onto one of our excellent revision courses. We provide intensive classes, led by subject teachers, at crucial times of the academic year- but we do this as an external provision. We, ourselves, are unique: we offer a revision environment that your students would not get in either classroom or at home. We pride ourselves on offering fantastic courses!

So, why not try starting with these 5 ideas and seeing how your teenager gets on? There are plenty of different ways to get stuck into studying and revision, and the sooner you find what works well for your teen- the better!