8 Revision Tips From An English Tutor

Working as an English tutor with multiple children on a 1:1 basis, I have learned that every student is unique in how they learn, revise and succeed. As such, when receiving private tuition, there is a valuable chance to get rid of that “one size fits all” mentality that sometimes comes into play in large classes. Having taught a number of students now with each learning in different ways, here are eight methods of revision that work when studying (specifically for GCSEs):

1)      The Pomodoro Technique

Most of us have heard of the Pomodoro Technique- it’s very straightforward and is defined as:

“a time management system that encourages people to work with the time they have—rather than against it. Using this method, you break your workday into 25-minute chunks separated by five-minute breaks. These intervals are referred to as Pomodoro’s. After about four Pomodoro’s, you take a longer break of about 15 to 20 minutes.”- https://www.themuse.com/advice/take-it-from-someone-who-hates-productivity-hacksthe-pomodoro-technique-actually-works#:~:text=The%20Pomodoro%20Technique%20is%20a,are%20referred%20to%20as%20pomodoros.

I find that this tends to work with my students who struggle to keep focused and motivated. This is because having a small goal to work towards (ie. A 5-minute break) feels more manageable and less intimidating than sitting for an hour writing an essay.

I do empathise with students, being expected to revise for hours at a time to pass and achieve in their exams really is tough, and something that can lead to high levels of stress, anxiety and the dreaded burn out. The pomodoro method helps to alleviate anxiety, because small intervals feel less overwhelming. It also helps to avoid burn out, because students are then not overloading their brains with an obscene amount of information all at once, and the longer reward at the end of the four Pomodoro’s allows them time to relax and recharge in-between study sessions.

2)      Seneca Learning - https://senecalearning.com/en-GB/

Similarly involving the use of revising in manageable, “bite-sized” chunks, the website Senca is excellent for absorbing information in a way that is not overwhelming or intimidating.

The sessions on the site are short, and information is summarised in terminology that is both worthwhile and understanding. Moreover, the use of end-of-topic tests helps students to be able to solidify their knowledge of the information they have just used.

I use this website with students ranging from 13-16 and almost all of them find it a beneficial tool. Further, the site gives teachers the option to assign homework to the students, therefore being able to pick tasks and topics that are relevant to what is being covered in class, and helping them to kick-start their revision.

When I was studying for my own GCSE exams, I used to make notes from the Seneca site and the information that was being provided. It was condensed down and understandable for me, I found that I was able to absorb a lot of information quickly, which when being tight for time near exams was so helpful with last minute revision.

The website is interactive, with tests and questions throughout each workshop, whilst also catering towards specific exam specifications, Seneca is a beneficial tool for students and teachers alike.

3)      Closed-Book Analysis

This works especially well with the study of poetry. I found myself teaching the poems and students writing a lot of what I was telling them, clinging onto every word I was saying and copying it. This was great as they were learning a lot, but I was never truly sure if they were retaining it.

Therefore, I decided to test them on what they had learned. Weeks after the initial analysis of a poem, I would give them a clean copy, take away their notes and tell them to annotate it, quickly, and in as much detail as they can.

This way, both the student, myself and the parents were able to see where the students gap in knowledge were, we would revise those bits, and a few weeks later, we would repeat the task.

A great tool for helping with knowledge retention, as well as a way to get the student to think for themselves and create their own analysis.

By encouraging a student to form their own opinion on a text by working independently, I found that they were retaining more information, because they were thinking on a more semantic level, as opposed to simply learning what my thoughts and views were, and mirroring those.

4)      Timed Essay Practise

Setting an essay for homework is all well and good, but they could spend 4 hours working on an essay that they only would have 45 minutes to write in an exam. By doing timed essays in class, or having parents essentially invigilate a homework essay for them, the students then get used to writing under pressure.

Exams are daunting, I do understand that, and as someone who struggled significantly with exam stress whilst in school, I found the time pressure to be unbelievably intense. Had I been given more opportunity to write under timed conditions I believe I would have been less anxious before an exam, so less likely to choke under the pressure.

Whilst the stress and anxiety of exams would undoubtedly still be there, by pushing timed practice students can get used to those feelings, so when they arrive on exam day they would have developed some resilience and tools to be able to deal with them.

With that in mind, I always stress that times essay practise is not an exam and not a test- I would hate for my students to live in a constant state of anxiety. This is why, when completing timed practice on a 1:1 basis, I always let my students ask me questions or run points past me if they feel they need to, to help to put them at ease.

Thus, the work is timed, and students are getting used to working under time constraints, but I am taking away some of the stress of being in an exam setting by allowing them to talk to me throughout if this helps them to.

5)      Colour-Coding Paragraphs

Students are taught to write their paragraphs in a PETAL or PEACES structure. This includes the point, evidence, explain etc, but how can we be sure that students are understanding how to include these features? The answer- by encouraging them to look for them in their own work.

Sometimes, when writing essays, I ask my students to write down PETAL in their margin, and colour code each letter. I ask them to go through each paragraph, highlight where they have used a point, the evidence, explanation, technical terms, context and so on, so they can see which bits they are missing.

Then, they go back with a red pen and add them into their paragraph. This encourages a sense of self-awareness in the students own writing, which helps them to transfer those skills when checking their work in an exam, by almost mentally highlighting their own paragraphs, and adding in the aspects that they have been missing.

6)      Have a Timetable

This one may sound obvious, but especially with tutoring, having a rigid structure when learning does help students to feel more settled and secure. For example, I have one student who I teach on a Monday and a Wednesday and I am helping her with Paper 1 GCSE English Literature. In order to keep a firm structure to her learning, we do one aspect of the paper (poetry) on a Monday, and we do An Inspector Calls on a Wednesday. Therefore, she always knows what to expect from a session, and my expectations of homework mirror this.

For example, every Wednesday I set her an essay for homework, which she completes under timed conditions, and is always due by the following Monday. And I set her revision tasks on a Monday on Seneca which are due two days later, by the Wednesday session.

This very firm, very clear structure helps her to keep focused, as she always is aware of what is expected of her. Not all students find this almost robotic weekly structure to be helpful, but some really do benefit from the certainty.

Taking myself as an example, I never liked things changing when I was a teenager, so having rigidity in the time I went to school and the dates homework was due in helped me to feel organised, which enabled me to keep productive when trying to revise, as I never felt cluttered or confused when I created myself some stability.

A message for tutors here- where you can help it, keep your lessons at the same day and time each week/each fortnight. The stability of this helps students to keep on track and feel safe and secure. Also, this avoids them feeling confused, lost or flustered.

Sometimes the weight of revision or exams can feel like you are drowning, a tutor can be the life-ring to keep them afloat and provide the comfort and security all students both need and deserve around exams.

7)      Set Homework

Another message for all of the tutors out there- you can set your clients homework. And, actually, keep the parents in the loop too. More often than not, they want exactly what you want, to see their child succeed.

Setting homework can not only help a student as they are developing the skills to work independently, but also it can help the parents to know that you are doing everything you can to help their child, so they would trust in your service.

Homework can also help with the short-term goals I mentioned earlier on; sometimes revising for an exam so far ahead in the future can feel somewhat pointless to students, as they feel they have lots of time to get everything covered. By having smaller, closer deadlines, students are then revising as their homework, and covering more content even without realising it.

The fear of a punishment having not completed their homework is often enough for them to complete it, get the work done, and be learning.

When I had a tutor when I was in school, she would bring chocolate to me when she came over as a little incentive to put the work in, by then removing this reward when I didn’t do my homework, I very quickly was conditioned to do the work to get the reward.

Students hate homework more often than not, but it does help. And, if you can find the time to mark work and create a solid bond with the parents and have them help you, it becomes a team effort to help the child succeed.

To any student who has made it this far into the article- homework really does help. It may not be particularly fun, but it is beneficial to you. The small goals of homework deadlines can help your revision to feel less daunting, it’s completely psychological, but it works.

8)      Reward Yourself

We have touched on this already a few times, but this really does work. Reward yourself!

Studying is hard, revision is hard, schoolwork is hard, you deserve to treat yourself. Whether it be with a bar of chocolate in your 5-minute Pomodoro breaks, or dinner out with friends after a hard day’s revision, or even a holiday after having completed all of your exams, rewards are absolutely necessary.

Exams are so stressful on you, so is studying. I am preaching the message to you that working yourself into the ground or cramming with no breaks will not work. You need enough nutrients and sleep to be able to be healthy and to function in the exams, self-care is key.

Maybe not a revision tip specifically, but rewards, treats and self-care will help. I was lucky enough to be treated to a trip to Paris after my GCSE’s, finally having that break after my exams were over made the whole thing feel worth it.

Remember, a car doesn’t run with no fuel. Give yourself a break, and look after yourself.