How to Make the Most of Revising in Groups
Why revising with others can be beneficial
There are many benefits of working with your peers when revising for your exams, and for some it is in fact the best way to revise. Whether you are with just one other person or a larger group, having the opportunity to openly discuss topics from a different perspective and approach while bouncing thoughts and ideas off one another to help each other with problematic material can really work.
Even online study groups or working together over the phone can be beneficial and more effective than working alone. By working through material out loud and picking up tips from one another you will realise the benefit of this study technique; it will help you to memorise difficult topics and important points will become better understood.
Tutor House runs regular group revision workshop courses in London specialising in Pre-U, iGCSE, GCSE & A-Level subjects to help students prepare for exams.
Alternatively, if you are looking for a tutor to manage a student revision group, get in touch with our expert team on 0203 9500 320, and we will be more than happy to help.
The Benefits of Group Revision
Revision groups are particularly effective as they encourage students taking part to discuss different methods in which they can approach their revision or even sharing useful resources such as revision plans and timetables.
Every student is different and will therefore bring individual ideas to the table about the best way to learn. This is useful, as seeing things from a fresh perspective, or explaining a problem or difficult material in a new way can really help students who are struggling.
Study groups are also great places to share revision notes or to collectively come up with brilliant answers to potential exam questions too.
All students in a study group are working towards a common goal and that is to be successful and achieve good grades in their exams. This means students are not in competition with one another, and study groups certainly are not about students trying to outdo one another.
Rather, these groups facilitate students coming together to learn collectively, and should be spaces where there are no ‘stupid questions’ and where everyone is willing to help one another.
While study groups can be very effective, one thing parents may be concerned with is whether students will become distracted, particularly if the study group is a group of friends.
The best way to overcome this is to have the study group facilitated by a tutor who can manage the students, help to keep the momentum going and for the participants to stay focused, while still maintaining a casual and welcoming atmosphere to keep students feeling relaxed and enjoying their learning time.
Running Group Revision Sessions
Running an effective study group requires planning and organisation.
To use the time productively, everyone should arrive having already agreed and planned out what will be covered in the session. Any prior reading and questions should also be looked at beforehand so everyone comes prepared with the knowledge they need to revise effectively.
It is also a good idea for individuals to prepare a topic for discussion, or their own questions about the material which they can then share with the group. Sharing notes is a good idea, but only if they are accurate, so it is a good idea to go through these first and check all the information is useful, relevant and correct. You can ask a tutor to go through these notes before they are distributed to the rest of the class.
Some subjects require memorising facts and information. Testing using memory cards is a good idea to help with this, and students can help each other either in pairs or as a group.
Games such as ‘just a minute’ are also fun where students have to talk for as long as they can on a certain subject without repetition, distraction, or hesitation!
When done properly, revising in groups can increase productivity as the work load is distributed equally, allowing you to spend more time on exam technique rather than learning and revising, help students become more confident with difficult subjects, and improve academic performance.
Discussing subjects out loud and gaining new perspectives can help students obtain a more thorough understanding of the subject matter, while simultaneously helping participants to learn valuable skills such as teamwork and interpersonal skills too.
If you are looking for an experienced, reliable tutor to help facilitate group revision, or are interested in our in-house group revision courses why not give our friendly team a call on 020 3950 0320?
