The History department are recommending retrieval testing (in short, quizzing) as the key way to begin to retain key information from the course. We will deliver quizzes as starter activities to almost every lesson but, in addition, we will send home quiz questions for students to complete prior to class tests and trial exams.
Revision Advice
It is our recommendation that students not only complete the homework quizzes but also practise elaborating on the quiz answers: “Elaboration is the process of giving new material meaning by expressing it in your own words and connecting it with what you already know. The more you can explain about the way your new learning relates to your prior knowledge, the stronger your grasp of the new learning will be, and the more connections you create that will help you remember it later.” (From the book Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning) Elaboration creates a deeper understanding of topics, as well as better recall.
Quizzing is a great way for parents to become involved in revision as it provides a quick check as to what the students know, what they don’t know and, if repeated, what they have (or haven’t!) learned in a revision session.
The basic premise of quizzing can be adapted for flash card use; it is essentially the same technique.
Useful Websites
- BBC Bitesize – This website does not contain resources on all of our GCSE topics but it does contain useful revision resources for the Cold War in particular.
- YouTube BBC Teach – The whole Medicine course has been broken down into a series of useful and amusing videos.
Exam Specification and Past Exam papers
For more information, please read the exam specification and practice using past exam papers.