How to prepare for your final exams

Although revising for your exams can be one of the most stressful times of the year, there are several things you can do to help you relax and prepare. By taking a bit of time to do these things, you are giving yourself the possible chance of getting the grades you feel you deserve. Tips range from understanding how the testing process works, through structuring your revision time properly to following good revision techniques.

Test papers

One thing that really helps is to recreate the exam experience as closely as possible before the big day. Take a look at past papers to see the sort of questions that have been asked in previous years. Then take a practice exam under testing conditions, with the appropriate time limit and have somebody else provide you with feedback afterwards.

When and where should you revise? While revising, it's good to focus on the material for about 25 minutes at a time before taking at least a five minute break. This allows your concentration to remain at a high level for longer periods of time. If you have set aside a whole day for revision, make sure you also include longer 30 to 60 minute breaks.

Most people (yes, even teenagers!) tend to be more alert in the morning, so it is important to include mornings in your revision schedule whenever possible.

It also helps to be somewhere you can focus  without interruption. You know what works best for you; it might be your bedroom or a library, but it could be Starbucks. Unplugging your laptop (unless you're using it for your revision of course!) and turning off your phone is vital.

Take a break

Want to get your brain working at its absolute optimum? Physical exercise helps your brain work at higher levels, as it provides it with more oxygen. Exercise is also great for relaxing and reducing stress. Taking a break in the middle of a day-long revision period to go on a run or walk will help you to re-energize for your afternoon session.

There are several things you can do whilst revising to help the information stick.

Many students use revision cards. Some use colours to differentiate the questions and answers by category. Using questions and answers instead of simple notes helps you to remember the material, as you are thinking about it actively, rather than just passively reading and hoping that the information will go in. 

Although revising for exams can be stressful, we think taking advantage of these suggestions will ease the tension a little bit and help you to perform at your very best when exam day arrives.

For more advice from INICIO on revision techniques, to book a session, or to take a tour of our learning centre, speak to one of our dedicated tutors on 01858 46 26 48.  We have specialists in English, Maths, Science and many other subjects, providing exclusive private tuition for students in Leicestershire from our Market Harborough tuition centre.

Different learning styles and which one suits

Learning styles vary among individuals, in much the same way that personalities do. No two people are alike, so it makes sense that no two people learn in exactly the same way. Teachers know only too well about the different ways that people process information, and make an effort to match their teaching methods with students’ learning patterns whenever possible (although, with the best will in the world, they're never going to manage 30 different learning styles!)

Teaching and learning

How you learn is largely determined by the methods used to teach you or train you. For most people of course, that will be how they are taught in school, although we appreciate people are taught and learn in other situations too. Other factors in the way you learn include how you internalize experiences, how you recall facts and how you communicate. Over the years, researchers have identified at least seven learning styles: visual, aural, verbal, physical, logical, social and solitary. The key components of these styles are:

Visual: Learns best through pictures, images, and spatial representations

Aural: Learns best through sound and music

Verbal: Learns best through words, both in speech and writing

Physical or kinesthetic: Learns best by using the body, hands and sense of touch

Logical: Has mathematical leanings and learns best through use of logic, reasoning and systems

Social or interpersonal: Learns best in groups or working with a team

Solitary: Learns best working alone.

Current educational thinking has turned these seven styles into just three: auditory, visual and tactile. A student with an auditory learning style best processes new information by using his or her sense of hearing, such as through lectures, discussions or audio recordings. A visually inclined student flourishes by using written media - books, websites and information displayed on flip charts or whiteboards. The tactile student prefers a hands-on situation, such as labs and workshops, where actually doing something helps enhance their learning.

Do you know what type of learner you are? If you think back to where you have done well in school, university or in learning a new skill, you may be able to identify yourself as being an auditory, visual, or tactile learner.

Tests

Sometimes categorising a learning style isn't that clear-cut, but there are tests available to help pinpoint your dominant learning traits. In one such exercise, your learning style is revealed by answering questions about how you perform certain tasks. The task, such as reading, would be listed in the first column and a question given under each category in the next three columns. You are asked to circle the question that best describes your process for each task. Your learning style would be revealed by the category with the most questions circled. If you are a learner with a dual style or overlapping traits, this will become clear too.

Whatever the testing shows, knowing your learning style can help you select the right options for you to give you the best possible chance of success in your education. 

If you would like to discuss your learning style with a private tutor at INICIO in Leicestershire, call us today on 01858 462648 to arrange an introductory visit to our unique learning environment.

Why the recent increase in private tuition?

Over the last decade, we have been seeing a steady increase in private tuition here in Britain, and it's a trend that won't be disappearing any time soon. The increase is global, with Japan leading the way in private tutoring. In South Korea and Turkey, spending on private tuition is almost equal to the amount spent on education in the public sector. What exactly does this phenomenon mean for UK students?

Demand

This increase in private tuition comes largely from the continuing demand for higher education and degrees. With increased competition for employment, students and families are looking to tutoring to help them remain competitive and get into sought-after schools and universities. This is especially true for middle class families looking to work in the service industry and needing degrees to make them eligible for jobs. Private tuition helps them to achieve their goals and creates further demand for private tuition as others strive to keep up or get ahead of the game.

At university level, students want more contact time from lecturers to help them make sense of their studies. But a recent report by the Higher Education Institution and consumer group Which? shows that many students are actually getting less lecture hours than they should be receiving from their higher education. The findings supplement a report by the Quality Assurance Agency, which found huge discrepancies in student study hours in UK institutions. As a result of this, students are using private tutoring to close the gap in achievement and give them more time with someone who can support their learning. And as British cities and universities become more multi-cultural, more students will need help outside the classroom to adjust to the British education system.

Confidence

Private tuition also gives students a sense of personal achievement. Students who receive private tutoring are building their own confidence to help them achieve academically, and finding education more engaging.  Tutoring allows them to work and learn at a comfortable pace. As teachers in schools are hard-pressed to find the time to work with individual students during lessons, for some children and young people, classrooms can be unproductive environments. These students may find the work hard to follow and may struggle to remain engaged, even when the quality of teaching is high. 

Private tutoring provides the support students need, which can lead to an improvement in their work, grades, behaviour and engagement in the classroom. Having a tutor to assess and support a student on a one-to-one basis can heighten intellectual curiosity and, for many students, a private mentor gives greater value to the information they are learning.

The growth in private tuition demonstrates a positive trend in how society values education and learning, and more families are looking for opportunities to make sure that their children get the attention they need.

If you would like your children to have that opportunity, please get in touch with us on 01858 462648 and talk to us about how we can help.

10 benefits of private tuition

There are many reasons for investing in private tuition. Here are 10 things you can expect to benefit from:

1. Much smaller student to teacher ratio
Because private tuition takes place in small groups or one-to-one, students are able to focus better and are taught in a way that specifically meets their own unique needs. Here at Inicio, students attend in groups of up to six children, but teaching is always one-to-one.

2. The right tutor
At school, you don't have a choice about your teachers, but we match the child and the tutor following our first meeting with the child. This means students have a mentor who teaches in the most effective manner for their learning styles.

3. Extra review
Often in school there is only a limited time to review a child's work and understanding. That may not always be enough. Having a private tutor gives students an extra chance to review the areas in which they may be struggling. 

4. Homework help
With a tutor, students enjoy having a guide who can make the topics that they're covering for homework less stressful, less of a chore and more of an effective learning experience.

5. Test practice
For students who struggle with studying for tests, private tuition helps them to develop better study skills and ultimately to perform better in exams.

6. Confidence
Because tutors develop a more personal relationship with their students, they are able to see and cultivate the potential within them. This is all too easy for teachers in school to miss, especially if a child is well-behaved or of average intelligence. This gives students increased confidence in their studies.

7. Saves parents and students time and effort
Parents with busy schedules don't always have time to help their children with school work. Having a private tutor takes the pressure off (although we would always encourage parents to spend time with their children wherever possible!). 

8. Stronger drive to perform to their very best
Because private tuition means the instructor is really focused on the success of the student, students are far more likely to have an increased drive to perform to the very best of their ability.

9. Safe environment for open discussion
Sometimes students may not be as willing to ask questions in a large class, but working with a private tutor gives them more confidence and the freedom to speak out.

10. Students get taught by innovative methods 
Because private tuition is one-to-one, tutors are willing to experiment with new teaching styles that work more effectively for the student.   

If you feel you or your child could benefit from a private tutor in Leicester then why not visit our learning centre in the centre of Market Harborough to see for yourself and to talk with our friendly staff about the options available. 

School readiness for 4 year olds

It’s a popular pastime among many mums to boast about the astonishing IQ of their offspring: they can count to 100, they can name every country on the map and they can even write their full name and address. It’s every parent’s right to be proud but, as a result, others may start to question whether they’ve done their own child a disservice by not having instilled such a vast amount of knowledge in their 4 year old. They may even feel that they’ve ‘wasted’ too much time on play, fun and games and neglected the academic needs of their little one.

Reception

The truth is, ask any reception teacher and they will tell you, it doesn’t really matter. It doesn’t matter if they haven’t learnt how to hold a pencil. It’s not important if their alphabet’s hazy (or non-existent). It isn’t even a problem if they can’t count to 10 yet.

What the teacher would really love to see is a child that’s able to listen, be patient and ask for help if necessary. A child that can play with others, share, take turns and understand that others have feelings too. These children are usually happier in the classroom and easier to teach. Simple things like going to the toilet without any help, peeling their own banana at lunchtime and speaking clearly will do lots for your child’s confidence and will be a great help to their teacher too.

Now I’m not saying that you shouldn’t sing a rainbow, try to teach them to count or work on the alphabet together, not at all. What I’m saying is that it shouldn’t worry you if it hasn’t sunk in. If you engage with your child they will have social skills. If you read to your child, they will have an attention span of some kind and will be ready to listen at school. If you sing educational songs with them daily, they will learn without even trying.

Confidence

As a matter that is close to my heart at the moment (my tiny nephew has just turned 4 and marched off with his lunchbox just a few weeks ago), transition from pre-school to reception can be very daunting for the adults involved. By arming your child with confidence and the ability to listen, you are doing far more to prepare them for ‘big school’ than by teaching them a few bits of knowledge – this can be left to the lovely, smiley teacher who is going to appreciate your little listener and be very grateful that you’ve prepared them so well. Don’t feel guilty… they’re ready for this new adventure (even if you’re not!)