As thousands of South African learners enter their June exams, an expert said that there are a few ways to optimise limited study time without resorting to cramming.<\/p>\n
\u201cRevision time is over, and learners must ensure they use the time they have between exams in the most effective way.<\/p>
\u201cWhile cramming may seem the most natural thing to do at this stage, it is actually counter-productive and likely to increase anxiety and fatigue,\u201d said Nola Payne, head of faculty: information and communications technology at the Independent Institute of Education.<\/p>\n
She said there are creative \u2013 and entertaining – ways in which learners can utilise their time between papers, which will also ensure they maintain a good work-life balance during this taxing time.<\/p>
\u201cThe most important thing to do at this stage, is to take stock of where you are at, and then draw up a detailed roster for the next few weeks, which clearly shows how much time you have available between subjects.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen you need to decide how you are best going to use that time to ensure your preparation goes beyond reading textbooks over and over again,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Payne added there are three great ways to study while exams are in full swing, which go beyond repetitive and rote learning.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy getting social, we don\u2019t mean diving into Facebook or Instagram,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Instead, learners should form study groups for individual subjects, which will allow them to take their understanding beyond the books.<\/p>\n
\u201cSet up a WhatsApp challenge with your friends, where you can send each other questions about a subject. This facilitates valuable discussions, deepening insight and highlighting areas you may have missed. Keep it fun but focused, and see if you can \u2018trip up\u2019 your friends with your questions. While it might not be so much fun finding out that there is something your friends know that you don\u2019t, this method helps you identify areas need work before it is too late,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
It is very important to exercise during exams, to give your body and mind a break. If you share a study timetable with your friends, you can optimise your time by, for instance, going for a run together during which time you can talk over upcoming papers, points you don\u2019t understand, and questions you believe are likely to arise.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is important that you and your friends synchronise your timetables, so that your breaks coincide for the most part. By ensuring your downtime is scheduled at the same time as theirs, you avoid a situation where you want to have a chat when they are focused on their work and vice versa,\u201d said Payne.<\/p>\n
She added that, by having the same breaks, learners can also act as a conscience for each other to check that everyone is working when they should be, as having to account to them may give one that extra bit of motivation to keep going.<\/p>\n
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ALSO READ:<\/span><\/p>\n Encourage your children to start saving early<\/a><\/p>\n Empower your children to deal with a crisis<\/a><\/p>\n Five important security tips to keep children safe<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThen, when taking breaks together, you can talk over issues in a low-pressure environment such as while exercising. Your friends may have valuable insights and support to provide, just as you may be able to help them with your own unique insights.<\/p>\n \u201cGetting active together while not losing focus of the task at hand means you benefit from the feel-good chemicals released in your brain as a result of exercising and socialising, while at the same time increasing your depth of understanding of a subject,\u201d said Payne.<\/p>\n One of the best ways to cement your preparation with limited time on hand, is to write past exam papers.<\/p>\n \u201cGet your friends together and hold a mock exam, imitating the exam conditions with set times and no peeking in textbooks. Afterwards, switch papers with each person marking another\u2019s paper. This approach has the dual benefit of making you more comfortable with exam conditions, while also solidifying your knowledge in a low-pressure environment.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is very important to spread your time between all your subjects, and to not go down the rabbit hole of getting lost in only one subject, for instance mathematics,\u201d said Payne.<\/p>\n \u201cAt this stage of the game, balance is key, and goes a long way towards countering the negative impact of stress and anxiety.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you are serious about achieving the best marks to enable you access to the post-school opportunities you desire, introducing creative study methods such as the above will go a long way toward not only improving your performance, but also to cultivate a love of learning for its own sake, which is vitally important in a rapidly changing world of work.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za <\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist)\u00a0kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n YouTube\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Or add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n