LearnMate ATAR Success Seminar January 2018 Contents: 1. Introduction – about LearnMate, Founder, Authors and Seminar ………p.2 – 4 2. The ATAR ……………………………………………………………………p.5 – 16 3. Effective Study Techniques ………………………………………………p.17 – 33 4. Stress Management and Motivational Techniques ……………………p.34 – 35 5. Support Services ………………………………………………………………. p.36 6. University – What is it Like? ……………………………………………...p.37 – 40 7. Tips on Studying for Exams ……………………………………………...p.41 – 43
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Transcript
LearnMate ATAR Success Seminar
January 2018
Contents:
1. Introduction – about LearnMate, Founder, Authors and Seminar ………p.2 – 4
2. The ATAR ……………………………………………………………………p.5 – 16
3. Effective Study Techniques ………………………………………………p.17 – 33
4. Stress Management and Motivational Techniques ……………………p.34 – 35
5. Support Services ………………………………………………………………. p.36
6. University – What is it Like? ……………………………………………...p.37 – 40
7. Tips on Studying for Exams ……………………………………………...p.41 – 43
Copyright LearnMate Tutoring 2017. Please don’t share or copy without permission
Check out our website for more useful study resources: https://learnmate.com.au/ 2
About LearnMate:
LearnMate is more than just tutoring. We’re about confidence.
This is what LearnMate stands for. For far too long, education has become rather
impersonal and distant, but with a tutor we can help to bring back that personal touch
to education, which is so very important to learning.
LearnMate is Australia’s leading tutoring agency offering private lessons in all high school
subjects (Years 7 – 10) and HSC, IB, SACE, WACE & VCE subjects (Years 11 and 12)
including English, math, science, humanities, foreign languages, and so much more.
Our mission is simple: to provide professional, engaging and enthusiastic high school and HSC, IB, SACE, WACE & VCE tutors to students, while also ensuring the
student feels empowered and confident during their assessments! Ultimately, our
goal is to empower students all over Australia to achieve amazing results and make their dreams come true!
Our tutors are all about inciting a greater level of inquisitiveness and independence in the
student to ensure they can complete their own assessments independently. LearnMate
makes the process of hiring and paying a tutor as seamless and painless as possible. All of our tutors are provided with online training to ensure 100% satisfaction and results!
Our tutors are about getting great results. Getting results for the student is directly related to
the tutor’s content knowledge (their study score), their ability to communicate effectively, and their ability to build a relationship with the student founded on trust and interests. Being a
great tutor is not only about the study score, but how well the tutor interacts and engages
with the student.
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About our founder: Hi there, my name is Dmitri and I have been in the VCE
tutoring industry for some time now. After finishing at
Scotch College in 2012, I decided to become a VCE English Language tutor as my brother’s friend needed
help in the subject. I attained a study score of 45 in 2012,
so I thought that naturally I would be suited to helping my
brother’s friend with VCE English Language. After my first lesson, I was hooked. Unlike many other jobs that high
school graduates get after year 12, tutoring can be
incredibly satisfying and a ton of fun. Shortly thereafter, I couldn’t keep up with demand and managed to amass a
regular client base of 25 students per week. I got to the
point where I was turning away students, and of course
that didn’t sit right with me. That’s when LearnMate was born.
As a current tutor, I understand how it’s not always about the study score, but rather how
well the tutor can communicate effectively and build a relationship with the student. I understand how important it is to build a social rapport with the student and foster a
comfortable learning environment. All of our tutors are matched with students not only on
study score but also on interests and suitability. All of our tutors also pass a verification and screening process so you know you’re getting a qualified tutor. In addition, using all of my
experience as a tutor, I provide all of our tutors with personal online training to help them
help you!
About the authors: Hello VCE students, my name is Henry and I have been
tutoring VCE Chemistry and Legal Studies with LearnMate since 2015. I am super passionate about helping students learn
and believe that everyone should have access to high quality
education.
I am currently completing my Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and
Bachelor of Biomedical Science at Monash University, and
intend to practice as a lawyer after my degree. My dream is to become the next Harvey Specter!
I was super pumped writing up the content for this seminar and hope that you will enjoy it!
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Check out our website for more useful study resources: https://learnmate.com.au/ 4
Hey everyone! My name is Kirrily and I’m a bit of a newbie to the tutoring scene but I already feel at home. I have been
tutoring English Language and Legal Studies with LearnMate
since July 2017 after graduating in 2016. I loved these subjects
when I was studying them, so getting to tutor them is very rewarding. It’s great seeing people reach their full potential.
I’ve just finished my first year at RMIT. I’m doing an Associate Degree in Professional Writing and Editing. Hopefully one day
I’ll be able to sustain myself off my writing. The ultimate goal is
being a published author—fingers crossed!
Putting the content together for today has been awesome.
Thanks for coming along and making the most of these helpful resources!
About the ATAR Success Seminar: Are you heading into VCE in 2018? Want to know how to achieve success this year?
Well here's your opportunity to learn exactly how to achieve success from PAST students with
not only high ATARs but amazing personalities! You will hear from enthusiastic past students
and learn all the tips and tricks of the trade in an engaging and interactive environment.
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The ATAR What is the ATAR?
The ATAR is a ranking that shows your achievement relative to another student. The highest
ATAR that one can achieve is 99.95. If you get an ATAR of 70 it means you have done
better than 70% of students in that year.
How is the ATAR calculated?
The ATAR is calculated by VTAC (Victorian Tertiary Admission Centre) and is derived from
your VCE results that is issued by VCAA.
The ATAR is calculated based on up to six scaled VCE study scores. Study scores are
scaled up or down by VTAC according to the performance of students in a study in a
particular year.
The ATAR is calculated from an aggregate, by adding together:
1. Highest scaled study score in one of the English (Mainstream English,
Literature, English Language) studies;
2. Highest scaled study scores for three additional studies, and;
3. 10% of the scaled study scores for the fifth and sixth studies.
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1. Copy down all the diagrams you can
If a teacher draws a diagram on the whiteboard – copy it down.
It wouldn’t even be too much to ask a teacher to draw their own version of a diagram for you. The more diagrams you can get your hands on the better.
2. Get good textbooks
If you can, make sure that you have textbooks that use lots of diagrams and visuals. These
types of good resources will significantly increase a Visual Learners studying ability.
3. Watch videos
Videos are great resources for Visual Learners, which is why it’s fantastic that there are now
so many freely available educational videos online.
Students don’t seem to mind sitting down and watching a video. This is something that can
be done during their study periods or while studying at home.
YouTube is great website that has hundreds of educational videos. But be careful – it’s also
one of the most powerful procrastination tools in the world!
4. Use highlighters
Visual Learners love using highlighters. They make things bright and colourful while making
the important bits stand out.
When making their own notes they should develop their own highlighting system.
Consistently highlighting certain types of facts in predefined colours will help Visual Learners
sort out where facts sit in their heads.
5. Use flash cards
While flash cards are a fantastic learning technique for Kinaesthetic Learners, they can also
be a great way for Visual Learners to study.
They are particularly effective if used with diagrams or charts.
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AUDITORY LEARNER TIPS & ADVICE
As the name suggests, Auditory learners learn best while they are actively listening.
Auditory learners find conventional study practices, such as making notes directly from a
textbook, not terribly effective. They much prefer to ingest information through audio or video clips, or by discussing a topic.
While they are not rabid note-takers in class, they are able to take in what they need simply by listening intently.
Combine this with a tendency to want to talk, auditory learners can sometimes appear
disruptive or uninterested in class.
Auditory Learner Characteristics:
• tend to have incredible memories for past conversations (such as jokes)
• have a great memory for music and lyrics
• enjoy discussions, debates, and talking to others
• enjoy listening to music, and sing/hum/whistle to themselves
• They prefer to give oral presentations over written reports (although this also has a lot to do with confidence!)
• may read slowly
• may have difficulty interpreting complicated graphs, maps or diagrams
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Study Tips for Auditory Learners
Auditory learners should try to incorporate study techniques that have them either listening
to information and repeating it out loud.
1. Ask questions
All auditory learners should aim to ask questions during a lesson. Even a simple question will greatly increase information retention. This way, their tutor will put an idea into words, or
paraphrase what they’ve been saying.
2. Watch videos
This is another thing that Auditory learners can do during their study periods.
YouTube is a great website that has hundreds of educational videos. But be careful – it’s
also one of the most powerful procrastination tools in the world!
3. Use word association
Word association can be a great way to learn facts and lines. Auditory learners make better connections when facts can be repeated out loud – especially when in a memorable fashion.
4. Repeat aloud
Auditory learners can benefit from repeating information out loud to themselves. Even better
than pure repetition would be to paraphrase, or pick out the main points of what they’ve just
learnt and say it to themselves.
5. Participate in discussions
Unfortunately discussion groups at high school can be quite distracting, meaning they aren’t a normal part of classroom life. But you can talk to your student about what they’ve learnt
today. If you don’t understand it – even better! Teaching is the best way to learn!
6. Avoid auditory distractions
While everyone is different, and some people study well with music (I know I do), Auditory learners are incredibly susceptible to aural distraction. A bit of quiet music might put your
student in the mood – but make sure your student is sensible about it! It’s pretty easy to tell
when something is distracting.
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KINESTHETIC LEARNER TIPS & ADVICE
Kinesthetic learners are natural doers. They learn best when they discover things by doing
them.
Kinesthetic learners aren’t necessarily suited to the traditional classroom. They learn best
when they are physically active, or through learning activities that involve active
participation.
Similar to Auditory Learners, Kinesthetic learners are not tremendous note-takers in class.
They can be fidgety and not enjoy sitting still for long periods of time, which sometimes comes across as disruptive or uninterested.
Kinesthetic Learner Characteristics:
• are good with their hands. They enjoy building models and putting things together (or breaking them!)
• are good at remembering things they’ve actually done before. E.g. cooking meals, putting together computers, jigsaw puzzles
• enjoy active learning at school, such as PE and science experiments
• enjoy playing sport
• like adventure books and movies
• become fidgety when sitting for a long period of time
• do not tend to have great handwriting or spelling
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Study Tips for Kinesthetic Learners
Kinesthetic learners should use study techniques that take advantage of their very hands-on
brain.
1. Use flash cards
Flash cards make kinesthetic learners turn simple recall into a game. This makes them perfect for kinesthetic learners.
Simply write a question or topic suggestion on one side of a card, and the answer or a list of details on the other side.
2. Study in short blocks
Kinesthetic learners tend to have a relatively short attention span when they’re studying. But
this doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be doing just as much study as everyone else.
They should break their study up into shorter periods, but also take shorter breaks.
Forcing a kinesthetic learner to study for an hour at a time can be counter-productive. Regular 5 minute breaks can often be all they need to help them study far more.
3. Use plenty of examples when writing study notes
Many main points and concepts can be demonstrated with examples. Kinesthetic learners
tend to make better associations with the examples than just the plain facts.
For example, in VCE English Language, there are key features which make up the
differences between formal and informal language. If you simply just list these without telling
the student the association with REAL LIFE examples, they won’t get it. You could explain to
them about how formal language is applied in terms and conditions documents, for example. (The more personal or relatable to their everyday life the better)
4. Study with other people
Kinesthetic learners enjoy discussion. Talking about what they’ve learnt is often a great way
to consolidate what they’ve learnt.
This tip is suggested with caution! This is because students often use ‘study groups’ as a
way to hang out outside of school.
As a tutor, you could try and have a discussion with your student about what they’ve learnt.
Combining this with flash cards is a perfect way for tutors to contribute to their student’s
study
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5. Do something while you study
Tap a pencil, squeeze a stress ball, or do something to occupy the want to do something
with their hands without becoming a distraction.
Just make sure that this doesn’t become a distraction itself!
A note about music while studying
Kinesthetic learners tend to be less distracted by music while studying than other people,
although this is a personal debate.
Your student should know what feels right for them, so let them have a play around and
figure out what conditions they need to study best.
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2018 STUDY PLANNER
As part of our dedication to student success here at LearnMate Tutoring, we have
decided to prepare a simple study planner to help you with your achieving success in
2018.
Remember that as you have many SACs to complete, it’s important that you not only
plan your study schedule, but ALSO stick to it! Many students plan study schedules,
but fail to adhere to it.
To make use of this exam study planner, download and print it out - then fill it in and
put it up on the wall. Alternatively, you may choose to type it in Word.
Some tips when planning your study schedule:
1. Start off by going through all content and knowledge learnt throughout the year
FIRST. Then move onto practical application.
2. You can purchase notes from other students or independent companies, but
make sure you also make your own notes to ensure memorability of information.
3. Try to write all practice pieces and NOT type them.
4. Try to practice SACs under timed conditions, so that you can practice under
pressure. Remove all distractions.
5. Remember to STICK TO THE SCHEDULE. Of course, there will be days when
you’re not feeling well or have other commitments, so when planning keep in
mind what you can do and what is achievable based on your strengths and
weaknesses. This means don’t overfill it and then not commit to any of it!
NOTE: This is general advice and not necessarily subject-specific SAC preparation
advice. Make sure you talk to your LearnMate tutor to learn how to study effectively
for your specific subject.
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34
Stress Management and Motivational
Techniques
Identifying signs of unhealthy stress:
• Feeling tired all the time
• Feeling like you’re running on adrenaline all the time
• Being forgetful
• Experiencing headaches and tension especially in the head, neck and shoulders
• Poor appetite
• No longer interested in certain activities and don’t look forward to anything
• Increased anxiety and irritability
• Increased heart rate
• Dizziness
• Blurred vision
Combatting stress with a healthy lifestyle:
Physical:
• Eat healthily
• Exercise regularly
• Avoid caffeine later in the day
• Avoid drugs and excessive alcohol
• Get 8+ hours of sleep every night to keep your body rejuvenated
Mental:
• Seek help and support when you need it
• Don’t let VCE overwhelm you—step back and give yourself time if you need to
• Put yourself first
• Spend time with your friends and family
• Keep doing the activities you love
• Get 8+ hours of sleep every night to keep your brain alert and memory sharp
Study/Social life balance:
Don’t just pencil in your homework in your timetable, but all the times you plan to relax, have
some downtime and do other activities too.
If you feel guilty every time you try to take a break then you’ll never be able to relax!
Unwinding and socialising =/= Procrastination
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Balance is the key! Allocating your time will give you the best of both worlds—working hard
towards an academic goal, and enjoying your year.
The activities I’m still going to enjoy and make time for in 2018 are: ___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Meditation:
Meditation is useful for
• Calming down before a SAC/exam
• Getting to sleep when your thoughts are keeping you up
• General relaxation
• Unwinding after a stressful school day/study session
• Having some alone time
Useful apps to download
• Smiling Mind
• Headspace
• The Mindfulness App
These are free from the App Store/Google Play and provide both breathing exercises and
guided meditations. All you have to do is plug in your earphones and go! It’s a great way to
end the day and banish any negative thoughts. Best of all, it’ll only take you five minutes.
Some breathing exercises to tide you over
• Simple breathing to help you calm down wherever and whenever: breathe in for 4
counts then out for 4 counts.
• To release physical tension: tighten then release each muscle group in your body at
a time, breathing if for 5 counts as you tighten, then out for 5 counts as you release.
• Calming down before a SAC or exam: place one hand on your chest and the other
on your stomach and take a deep breath. Your breath should fill your stomach, not
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37
University – what is it like? Many of you may be considering going into university after you finish high school, however a lot of you may be wondering what is university like, how will you know it is something for you
because university is not for everyone.
How is high school similar to university?
• Assessments – in most units you will complete an in-semester assignment and at the end of the semester you will sit an exam.
• Lecturer and tutor – there are lecturers and tutors present who take you through the
course content and can be a point of contact for you.
• Structure—you still have a timetable to follow, specific subjects and classes to
attend.
• Social aspect—uni is great for meeting new people, making friends in and out of
class, and hanging out! There are always heaps of clubs and societies you can join,
including sports, visual and performing arts, and more.
• Support services—just like high schools, universities tend to look after their
students pretty well, providing academic, financial, career, mental health and other
types of services. You’ll be treated as an adult, but that doesn’t mean adults don’t need help too!
How is high school different to university?
• Class size – depending on the course you are taking lectures can have more than
100 students in them. You average high school class size is around 25 students, whereas there are uni tutorials that have around 15-20 students inthem.
• Independence – you are in control in university. Nobody is going to tell you to
complete your work. Academics will give you the dates of what assessments you need to do and when they are due at the beginning of the semester and it is up to
you to do the work and hand it in on time.
• HECS – going to university will cost you money and if you are an Australian citizen
you can take out a HECS/HELP loan from the government to cover the cost of your
degree. This loan will be paid when you do your taxes and reach a certain income
threshold.
• Timetable – you are in control of your timetable. You can schedule your classes
early in the morning or in late in the afternoon.
• Less contact hours – depending on the course that you do you will most likely have
less contact hours at university than you do at high school.
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38
• Attendance – attendance is generally not monitored like it is in high school. You are
expected to turn up to lectures and tutorials however you don’t have to. In some courses, attendance at tutorials is compulsory.
• Recorded lectures – in most courses lectures are recorded and placed online for
students to listen if they missed the class or to re-listen again for private revision.
The best way to out more about university life or to learn more about a certain course that
you want to do at university is to attend university open days.
Check out the article on the next few pages (p.39 – 40) that was written by one of our tutors and organiser of this
seminar which gives you tips on how to choose university courses.
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39
Beyond Year 12: Choosing University/TAFE Courses
By Kirrily Ireland
Yes, that’s right, on top of everything else going on this year, you also have to face the
daunting task of deciding what you want to do after exams are done and ATARs are out.
Despite being pretty fed-up with high school by that point, round about now my friends and I
were saying, “Um, yeah, I think I’d like to just stay at school instead. That would be a lot
easier, thank you.” Because it was really hard to make that kind of decision; it seemed like it
had just crept up on us (even though, of course, we’d been poked and prodded since year
10). Some of you may be feeling the same way, but this isn’t something to shy away from.
You should be excited. You have free rein now and the possibilities are practically endless.
The Importance of Research:
Hopefully your school has a careers counsellor or a designated staff member who organises
all the information on how to set up your preferences (e.g. in Victoria through VTAC).
Conveniently, you don’t have to fill out applications and etc. for every uni that you apply to,
it’s a very simple procedure. The main thing is finding out which universities, institutes and
courses you’d like to put on your preference list.
So, do some research. Look through course guides on the internet or in those pamphlets
that teachers are always throwing at you. Find out what electives you can do and which
things you can specialise in. See what kind of scores you’ll have to get for the different
courses on offer, but make sure this doesn’t deter you – no matter what, put what you really
want on the top of your list. If you don’t get in, then you don’t get in, but it won’t hurt to strive
for something higher than what you think you can achieve. You might just be surprised!
Also, if you’re planning on taking a gap year, look into that as well. Find out if it’s possible to
defer the course you wish to do for after you’re done travelling or working. If university or
TAFE is something you would like to do eventually, but you’re not ready yet and have other
plans, it might be wise to set something up for later. It’s all about thinking ahead.
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The Importance of Open Days:
Universities and institutes start opening their doors to prospective students around August.
Start planning with your family and friends which ones you’d like to visit and, in particular,
which departments you want to check out. Most universities will have all the details –
including maps and scheduled sessions – up on their websites. Also, yes, this is the perfect
excuse to take a break from all that studying you’re doing.
You might be thinking, “What’s the point? I’ve known where I want to go and what I want to
do since year 9.” That’s okay, open days can still be extremely helpful! This time last year I
didn’t even know that the course I’m in now existed. All it took was attending a quick info
session and speaking with the good folk at RMIT one Sunday afternoon, and I felt more
confident about what I was going to put on the top of my preference list.
This is especially helpful if you don’t know what you want to do yet. Go out there, have a
chat with current students and teachers, have a look at more than just that one uni/TAFE
you’ve had your eyes on, explore and be inspired by all the different things you could do
next year.
The Importance of Doing What YOU Want to Do:
If you’re still not sure yet, don’t freak. Try a process of elimination. What are you drawn to
most at school? If it’s more sciency stuff, look into doing a general science degree, where
you can branch off and specialise later (a decision you won’t have to make right now). If you
love humanities- and English-based subjects, maybe try Arts; there’s a wide range of
electives to choose from and you don’t have to select your major right away. Sometimes
making that first little step will help you make the rest.
This is no one else’s decision but yours. People may tempted to discourage you, especially
if you’re heading towards something more creative. It’s important to be a little practical,
yeah, but don’t let practicality consume you; if you’re passionate enough about something,
like fine arts or acting, then you’ll make it work. Balance keeping potential career prospects
in mind with pursuing your dreams. You’re young and still have plenty of time to figure out
what you’re going to do for your livelihood. So, jump on opportunities and get an education
in a field that you truly love. This will be sure to point you in the strongest direction.
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Tips on Studying for Exams
Studying efficiently requires you to organise your time and resources. The following are
general guidelines to help you prepare for exams.
Preparation
Begin studying early! That’s the main takeaway from this document.
• You can start thinking about the exam from the beginning of the year by keeping your
ears open for hints and tips.
• Revise your notes after each class so you have a clear and complete set to study
from.
• Start doing more revising about four weeks before your exams.
• Don’t cram the night before—it’s ineffective, because you’re taking in so much
information at once that it’s impossible to memorise it all. You’ll hardly retain anything
and will be tired and stressed when the time comes to actually sit the exam.
• Avoid procrastination such as excessive partying, alcohol and Facebook! Whilst it
may seem like fun (and it is at times!), be careful of these distractive traps.
Organise your time
• Fill out a weekly study planner - you can find a LearnMate one here.
• Make use of short study times. Fifteen minutes can be ideal for revising notes or
looking through note cards. Use time spent on the bus or train to review your subject
materials.
• Don’t study for longer than 60 minutes without a break. It’s better to study for short
intense periods with sustained concentration than long blocks of time when you are
tired and not working effectively.
• Work out when you can study most effectively. Are you more alert in the morning or
evening? When in your day can you find quiet time and space? Schedule study times
that suit your personal rhythms.
• Don’t study when you’re really tired. It’s better to get a solid night’s sleep after a short
study period, then to push on until 2am. You won’t remember much and will be less
effective the next day.
Organise your subject material
• Gather the materials for each subject. Make sure you have a complete set of course
notes and copies of any handouts, slides or visuals. Make sure they correspond to
the topics in the subject’s study design.
• Make sure you review the study design’s key objectives so you know exactly what
could be assessed in your exams! The exam assessor can only assess you based
on what is in this holy document!
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42
Rewrite your notes
• Rewriting your notes helps you to remember them. Don’t just copy out your original
notes—you’ll end up simply memorising the exact wording instead of the actual
concepts. The key is to read and think about the contents of your notes, what you
noted down and why (in what way it is important), how to express it most efficiently
and memorably, and then re-write them in your own words.
• When you finish studying a section of notes, ask yourself questions relating to the
material to see if you remembered what you just read. It can help to answer your
questions out loud as if you were trying to explain them to someone else.
Sort out what you don't understand
• Clarify the meaning of any words or concepts you don’t understand before trying to
study them. If you aren’t clear about what information means, memorising it won’t
help.
• Prioritise the hardest subjects first in each study session. Allocate more time to
studying the subjects you find most difficult.
• Talk to your teachers about terms and concepts you don’t understand immediately.
Also bring this up with your LearnMate tutor to ensure you can understand it.
Study hard BUT set limits
• Set study periods. Don’t study for longer than 60 minutes without taking a break. It is
better to study for a short intense period of time with sustained concentration than
long periods of time when you are tired and not engaging well with the material
• 'Chunk' information. Don't try to study the entire course in one sitting. Divide the
subject up into topics and aim to study a 'chunk' at each study session.
Set study goals
Set yourself a goal for each study session to help you keep track of what you are revising.
Write them down as soon as you begin your study session, or set them at the end of the
study session for next time. For example, you could write this down as wanting to achieve
these goals in a given study sitting:
• I will read through and summarise chapters 3 and 4.
• I will work through five equations.
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43
Study to suit your learning style
• If you’re a visual learner, diagrams and pictures can help you remember.
• Auditory learners should listen to lecture recordings or make their own recordings of
notes that they can listen to later.
• If you are a kinesthetic person explain key ideas aloud to yourself while moving
around. Explore different ways to help you remember key facts and to increase your
understanding of the main concepts.
Form a study group
• Form a study group with other students. Swap practice exams and give feedback.
Drill each other on study topics. Like at uni, study groups are very effective if your
friends are mature enough to want to study and not be distracted.
Review past exam papers
• Review any previous exam papers for your subject on the VCAA site.
• Look at the wording of the questions and familiarise yourself with the keywords.
• Practice doing the papers under exam conditions and carefully review your answers.
There’s no use just typing all exams when you’ll be handwriting it.
3 hacks you need to know for VCE Maths
1) The first step that everyone misses…
Practise alone does not help a student learn how to answer the tougher questions on a test or
exam, because most practise questions in your textbook are based around memorisation.
Unfortunately, being able to use a formula or follow certain steps is no longer enough – you
need to understand what is going on. This includes understanding each concept, word and
symbol in the topic you are studying.
For example, here is a common symbol and word that is often confused by students in Year 8
to 10:
2) Maths is more like a sport than most other VCE subjects
You should spend most of your study time doing questions. Like a sport, once you know the
rules of the game you will only get better by playing that game. Generally, reading the textbook
or reviewing notes only makes your feel like you are studying but it is often a waste of time.
Parabola means the shape made by two people throwing a ball.
Para means “next to” and bola means “throw.”
means unknown number
“x” is basically the first letter or an
Arabic word for “unknown thing”
3) “Good at Maths” DOES NOT mean a good study score
Students often get nervous during tests, have trouble answering all the questions or simply
make unnecessary errors. The solution of this is to practise your exam technique by regularly
doing tests under exam conditions with a stop watch – ideally in the same place you’ll do your
real tests. Strangely enough, getting the maximum mark on test is a skill you need to practise.
Want 21 FREE cheat sheets & other useful resources? Sign up at:
MathsMethods.com.au
LEARNMATE.COM.AU/FREE-STUDY-RESOURCES
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