Knowing Your Learning Style

Before studying various texts, it is crucial that you are aware of your learning style, whether its visual, auditory, or kinaesthetic. This will determine how you can study EFFECTIVELY as opposed to EXCESSIVELY. For example, if you are a visual learner, colour coding your essays to memorise various quotes and techniques would be more effective than rewriting them which would be helpful to a kinaesthetic learner hands on, or listening to a recording which would be helpful to an auditory learner.

Not sure what your learning style is? No problem! I have linked a quiz below to ensure you’re adequately equipped with the relevant tools and recommended study methods to align with your learning style.

It may seem obvious, but staying organised will significantly assist you in staying on track, especially because you will be studying various texts and concepts. Adhering to the syllabus, writing notes as you learn, and filing away any collated resources in folders will really minimise stress, as opposed to being overwhelmed with an abundance of worksheets when it's time to revise.

It is also psychologically proven that a clean study environment enhances focus and motivation, so start organising a study space as opposed to your bed or dining table.

The rubric is fundamental in comprehensively understanding each module of the syllabus, and is therefore a very advantageous study tool to utilise when revising. Essentially, the rubric entails key words that are often utilised in potential essay questions, so compiling a word bank related to each module will significantly assist you in achieving top marks.

A common misconception about senior English is that memorisation is key. Memorisation is important to some extent in terms of remembering quotes and techniques, however it can only get you so far. To receive a band six, you must interpret texts both analytically and critically, heavily emphasising your OWN judgement and interpretation. Remember, quotes and techniques are essentially meaningless UNLESS they are justified to SUPPORT your central thesis.

More often than not, students become complacent and heavily reliant upon chapter summaries or pre-prepared notes as opposed to actually READING each text. Not only is reading fundamental for responding to essay questions related to your prescribed texts, but reading and interpreting different text types is ESSENTIAL for the common module, as both standard and advanced English students will be required to read unseen texts and respond to short answer questions under time constraints.

Reading will also simultaneously enhance your vocabulary to ensure your responses entail cohesion, fair and sophistication, a key aspect of the marking criteria which will distinguish a band six response. So whether you like it or not, you must read!

It may seem like a recurring cliche, but practice really does make perfect. Consistency is key, so please ensure you are writing many drafts and applying comprehensive feedback from teachers and peers to really enhance your responses. Completing past papers under time constraints will also really assist you in familiarising yourself with exam conditions and enhance your time management skills to minimise exam stress and the dreaded thought of not finishing an essay!

Keeping your assessment tasks and evaluating your weaknesses will also assist in determining where you should predominantly focus your study on. There is no point focusing on content you already know, so remember, study effectively not excessively!