Top Revision Tips - from teachers & the Tassomai team

Exam season is fast approaching, so we thought we’d ask some experts to answer some of the questions we get asked the most about revision. Here’s what teachers, education experts and the Tassomai team had to say…

What's your top tip for revision?

“Create a schedule” – Coskun, Tassomai

This can help you to focus and not feel overwhelmed by it all. Creating a timetable for revision windows is a great place to get started, and will help you feel much more prepared when you sit down to begin revising. Aim for 20-30 minute periods at a time, and space these out with 5-10 minute breaks. 

“No distractions”

Unless you're doing Tassomai, switch your mobile phone off and put it out of sight so you can really immerse yourself in the subject, especially when doing longer bits of revision. It's so easy to get distracted by it!

“Organise, organise, organise” – Scott, Teacher

Making effective revision plans and timetables creates a sense of routine, so stick to these. You’ll feel so much more confident and prepared when the exams arrive.

“Mix it up”

Distribute revising topics you like/are good at with ones you don't like/aren't good at - so you don't have one revision day with all the stuff you don't like! Keep to short sharp bursts with a clear focus (20-25 minutes at a time).

“Use the syllabus” – Murray, Tassomai

Find the syllabus for each exam (available online) and use it to make a clear plan around your revision and assess your level of confidence and understanding in each area of learning.

Which revision techniques work best for you?

“Flexible planning”

Flexibility can actually help revision days be more focused. Have a daily goal, plan the topics you need to study and ensure that you complete it all that day but don't force the exact times of day or durations in which to complete it. Sometimes it takes longer or shorter than expected, and other times you may feel like doing one subject first to get going with something you're more confident in.

“10 minutes can be better than an hour”

Break your revision into small chunks so that you can alternate between topics rather than spending hours on one thing, this is known as “interleaving”. This is one of the principles Tassomai is built upon.

“Use visuals as well as words” – Sarah, Tassomai

Organising topics by diagrams can simplify the amount of material you have to study, and allow you to cover more topics in one day. Use a combination of visuals or diagrams, and words. Then, transfer what you know from the visuals to words, or vice versa. Then check with notes to see if you’re correct. This also helps with recall.

“Create flashcards”

As with using Tassomai, flashcards break the information into small, digestible bits. Try creating these for all of the subjects you aren’t using Tassomai for. You can also get creative with when and where you use them, and get your friends and family to test you on them. If your friends are testing you, then you will both learn from them, so this is even more helpful!

“Mind maps” – Nick, Teacher

These can mimic how your brain sets things out, the colours and separation of topics and units allows for the brain to categorise and file away what you need and where to find it, when you need it.

Next week we’ll look at exams, with Top Exam Tips from our experts for everything before, during and after the exam. Until then, keep enjoying your revision.