With multilingualism on the rise, how can you efficiently pick up new languages at the same time to stay competitive?

In the global age of today, mastering two or more languages is the norm. Research has proven that the earlier you start learning a language, the easier it is to master it. Below are some tips to help you learn two or more languages at the same time effectively.

1 Choose From Different Language Families

Studies show that learning is reinforced when learners choose to study languages from different families. Some of the largest language families include Indo-European (e.g. English, Spanish, French, German), Sino-Tibetan (e.g. Tibetan, Chinese), Austronesian (e.g. Japanese, Tagalog, Malay), and Niger-Congo, where the largest users are in Africa. Given the current geographical, social, and economic realities of the world, Chinese, Japanese and are worth considering as a second language.  

2 Juggling Learning Difficulties

Certain parts of a language may be easier to learn, while others are more difficult to comprehend. For example, one of the most challenging aspects of the English language is its grammar system, including tenses, construction, and so on. In comparison, Chinese has an easier grammar system; however, its writing system and tones are extremely hard. Hence, when language learners study English and Chinese at once, they are unlikely to get stuck in the same area and subsequently lose confidence in both languages. Every language comes with its learning curve, thus learners should avoid feeling overly demoralised and instead seek guidance where needed.

3 Create a Detailed Study Schedule

Learning two languages concurrently is an exercise in time management. Plan a detailed schedule to help you organise your time wisely and maintain a good study balance. Set aside a fixed amount of time you wish to spend on each language per day or week. In addition, pen down your learning goals, which should not be set too high or too low, and work towards achieving them as you progress.

4 Reinforce Learning Through Common Topics

When you are learning a language, the brain can activate the memory of your knowledge in another language if your study materials consist of common or overlapping topics. For example, by studying the names of fruits in English and Japanese, you may think of the word “banana” and “バナナ” reflexively the next time you see an actual banana. This helps to reinforce memory and effective learning.

1. Timed exams / questions

Closer to the exams your child will benefit from completing a number of past exam questions. Help them prepare by creating an environment that resembles the conditions they are likely to experience in the exam hall – minimise external sounds, set up a clear desk and if you can, locate a single clock to encourage your child to time manage under test conditions. Once the allocated time has come to an end, get your child to stop writing as they may be tempted to continue. If they did not finish the exam, get them to reflect on the reasons why. Do they need to do more revision, improve their time management or work on their exam technique?

2. Host a revision day

Revising together can also help, so encourage them to revise with friends if it’s something they enjoy. This gives them a chance to test one another, swap revision notes and revise in different atmospheres.

3. Practise and repetition

If you have the time and it’s something they’d find helpful, give them the chance to recite, repeat and practise what they’ve learnt with you. Even if you don’t know the answers, the opportunity to say out loud what’s in their mind can help clarify whether they have grasped the concepts or whether they are still hazy. Other ways you might be able to help is using quizzes, mind maps, white boards, multiple choice or sound bites to see what they’ve learned.

4. Mind-maps / brain dumps

At the start of a revision session, get your teen to write down everything they can think of related to that subject topic without looking at their textbook or notes. This does not need to be neat and tidy, and can be in note-form as opposed to full sentences. Even if they can’t remember much at all, going through the process of a brain dump will help prime their brain for learning.

5. Act as the student

Another effective revision technique is to encourage your child to speak through their subject knowledge. By taking on the role of the student, ask your child to explain a topic from one of their subjects. Listen carefully and don’t be afraid to ask them a question if you do not fully understand what they are saying. Studies have shown that one of the best ways to revise is by teaching others.

Before we discuss ways to encourage creativity, we should all agree that it is not an innate ability in all of us. One of the main reasons creativity seems so hard is that we desire it so much. When you really want to “be creative”, it’s hard to see that what you’re doing is creative. It may seem derivative, boring, or just not very good, when in fact it’s quite creative. Hence, it’s a long path to cultivate our teens’ creativity.

1. What’s our first way to encourage creativity? Don’t give them too many rules, but definitely have a few restrictions. High quality creativity is always bound by some restriction and forces the individual to think their way to the solution.  

If our kids try something new that won’t hurt anyone else or themselves, don’t stop them. Usually, we can’t deny that children sometimes have more creativity than adults. Children don’t know they have this potential, and we need to make them understand and boost their creativity.

2. Then, we start with some ways less abstract. 

The second way that can encourage creativity in young-children is using open-ended toys. Traditional toys such as blocks, building sets, toy animals or Lego can be used in multiple ways for multiple purposes and will encourage imaginative play and creativity. 

Meanwhile, don’t be afraid of our smart techniques. You can control how our children will use it. Why don’t we guide our kids to enjoy, for example, coding, 3D moulding and design? Here are some websites that you may have a try: coding, Scratch & Scratch Jr., Blockly, Code for Life, Gamestar Mechanic, Code Monster by Crunchzilla. 

3. The third way is providing a Creative Home Environment.

Making sure your child feels relaxed and comfortable at home can hugely contribute to whether or not they feel they can creatively express themselves. Allowing them to think and play, without strict rules or judgement, as well as giving the right encouragement, creates an environment where they can explore their ideas and nurture their creativity.

4. Then, let’s have unstructured time. 

Often, creativity is stimulated when children have quiet time alone. This is why structured playtime is sometimes limited, as children are ‘expected’ to be creative for a set amount of time. By allowing a more relaxed structure for a few hours a day, children can be encouraged to develop creative thinking. In fact, this would allow children to play and create without any time constraints – after all, creativity needs room to breathe.

Another thing you can do is be creative with your teens. You can’t just say, ‘Hey, dude, you need to be creative! I believe in you’. You should be creative with your children and let them know that you really think it’s important for everyone.

Last but not least, it is important to show children that it is okay to be different. This may be somewhat similar to number one, but this one emphasises how you react when your child behaves differently!

1. Think about your reader

Chances are your teacher or examiner will have a lot to read – so keep them interested.

With creative writing, as with any kind of writing, your reader is your most important consideration. You need to know and understand whom you’re writing for if you’re to do a good job of keeping them interested. Let’s think for a moment about the kind of person you’re writing for when you’re writing an essay and what you need to do to write specifically for them:

Teachers or university lecturers – they’re going to be marking your essay, so it needs to answer the question effectively.

They’ve set the question and they probably have a pretty good idea of how you’re going to answer it – so be original and unpredictable; catch them by surprise with an unusual approach or structure.

They’re going to be reading many other responses to the same question – so they may well be bored by the time they get to yours. Keep them interested!

They’re probably going to be pressed for time – so they won’t have time to reread badly written passages to try to understand what you’re getting at. Keep your writing easy to read, succinct and to the point.

What all these points boil down to is the importance of keeping your reader interested in what you have to say. Since creative writing is all about holding the reader’s interest, there must be some lessons to be learned from it and techniques that can be applied within the more limited style constraints of the academic essay. We’ll now turn to what these are.

2. Three-act structure

Yves Lavandier argues that, although traditionally divided into five acts, Hamlet consists of three dramatic acts.

The three-act structure is a writing device used extensively in modern writing, including for film and television dramas. These ‘acts’ aren’t as distinct as acts in a play, as one follows seamlessly on from another and the audience wouldn’t consciously realise that one act had ended and another began. The structure refers to a plotline that looks something like this:

Set-up – establishes the characters, how they relate to each other, and the world they inhabit. Within this first ‘act’, a dramatic occurrence called an ‘inciting incident’ takes place (typically around 19 minutes into a film) involving the principal character. They try to deal with it, but this results in another dramatic occurrence called a ‘turning point’. This sets the scene for the rest of the story.

Confrontation – the turning point in the previous ‘act’ becomes the central problem, which the main character attempts to resolve – usually with plenty of adversity thrown their way that hampers their efforts. In a murder mystery, for example, this act would involve the detective trying to solve the murder. The central character – with the help of supporting characters – undergoes a journey and develops their knowledge, skills or character to a sufficient degree to be able to overcome the problem.

Resolution – the climax of the story, in which the drama reaches a peak, the problem is overcome, and loose ends are tied up.

This structure sounds all very well for made-up stories, but what has it got to do with essay-writing? The key similarities here are:

1. The central argument of your essay is the equivalent of the main character.
2. The essay equivalent of the set-up and resolution are the introduction and conclusion.
3. The inciting incident in an essay encourages you to get to the point early on in the essay.
4. The equivalent of character development in the second act is developing your argument.
5. The equivalent of the supporting characters is the evidence you refer to in your essay.
6. Image shows the Tin Man, Dorothy, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz.
7. The tornado is the inciting incident in the Wizard of Oz – so to take the analogy a little further, the longer you leave your essay before you get to the point, the longer you leave your reader standing around in dull black-and-white Kansas, waiting for something to happen.

So, applying the three-act structure to an essay gives you something like this:

Set-up – the introduction. 

This establishes what you’re talking about, setting the scene. The ‘inciting incident’ could be the introduction of evidence that contradicts a common theory, or the highlighting of a central disagreement in how something is interpreted.

Confrontation – you discuss the different problems surrounding the topic you’re writing about. You develop the argument using various bits of evidence, moving towards an overall conclusion.

Resolution – the conclusion. You summarise and resolve the argument with your own opinion, by coming down on one side or the other, having weighed up the evidence you’ve discussed. You could perhaps tie up loose ends by offering an alternative explanation for evidence that doesn’t sit with your conclusion.

Using this structure keeps you focused on the central point, and stops you from waffling, because everything you write is working towards resolving your argument. The use of the inciting incident in the first ‘act’ encourages you to get to the point early on in your essay, thereby keeping the reader interested. The principles of good plot-writing are centred around the connection between different events that show cause and effect, and this central tenet of the three-act structure has obvious parallels with the way in which essays work through presenting evidence in support of arguments.

3. An attention-grabbing opening

A murder mystery novel might start with the murder and then establish the build-up in flashbacks.

An oft-spouted piece of advice in creative writing is to use an attention-grabbing opening. One way of doing this is to start with a ‘flashback’, which could disrupt the chronology of events by transporting the reader directly back to the midst of the action, so that the story begins with maximum excitement. In a murder mystery, for instance, the writer might skip a slow build-up and instead use the murder itself to form the opening of the novel, with the rest of the story charting the efforts of the detective to uncover the perpetrator and perhaps telling the events prior to the murder in a series of flashbacks. The same principle can be applied to essays, though it’s easier to use in some subjects than others.

To take an example, let’s say you were writing about how the First World War started. Rather than building up slowly with the various factors, an attention-grabbing opening could (briefly) describe the drama of the Battle of the Somme, perhaps citing some statistics about the number of men involved and killed, and quoting some war poetry about the horrors faced by the soldiers on the Front Line. Then, to introduce the purpose of the essay and launch into your argument about what started the war, a phrase such as, “It seems hard to imagine that all this began with…”. Alternatively, a rhetorical question: “But how did these tens of thousands of soldiers end up in the mud and horror of trench warfare? The story begins several years earlier, with…” It may not be the standard way of writing an essay, but you’ll certainly score points for originality and perhaps ruffle a few feathers.

4. Extended metaphors

Metaphor is used extensively in Romeo and Juliet. Film still from Romeo and Juliet (F. Zefferelli, 1968).

Creative writing often makes use of extended metaphors. For example, when Shakespeare wrote the passage in Romeo and Juliet referring to “It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!” he was using an extended metaphor. With this in mind, it’s time to revisit a point we made in a previous article about writing more original essays, in which we argued that, rather than battling on with trying to explain a complex concept in a straightforward way, it might be easier to use an analogy to convey the meaning by drawing comparisons, which people find easier to understand. A metaphor is a kind of analogy, so the similarities with creative writing are strong here. In our previous article we used the example of radioactive decay. An analogy for this is the pressure with which water escapes from a hole in a bucket. It does so exponentially, just as radioactive substances decay exponentially. In both instances, the rate of a consumptive process depends on how much there is left of whatever is being depleted, which results in an exponential rate of decay. This concept is so much easier to explain using the analogy of water flowing from a hole in a bucket, as you give your reader something familiar to visualise in order to explain a concept with which they are unfamiliar.

5. Interesting details about setting and location

Augustus lived frugally.

Another way of keeping your reader interested is to bring your essay to life with details about setting and location, just as creative writers do. Essays can become quite dry if you focus solely on the academic problems, but you can make them more interesting by peppering them with details. This may not work quite so well for a scientific essay, but it’s certainly relevant for some humanities subjects, in particular English literature, history and archaeology. For example, an essay about the Roman emperor Augustus could mention that he lived a famously modest lifestyle, quoting details from Roman writers and archaeological evidence that support this: Suetonius mentions his “low bed” (interesting because of what it says about accepted standards of Roman beds!) and coarse bread and cheese diet, and the relatively small and non-lavish remains of his house on the Palatine Hill in Rome back up the idea of his having lived a modest life.

Incidental details like these can actually prove to be more significant than you initially realise, and you can use them to build your argument; in the case of Augustus, for example, his modest lifestyle is particularly important when seen in the context of Rome’s troubled history with kings. As he gradually acquired more power and became Rome’s first emperor, he had to avoid coming across as being too ‘regal’, and the little details we know about his way of life are significant in light of this. So, not only have you brought your essay to life, but you’ve raised an interesting point, too.

6. Editing

Few writers get it right the first time. Once you’ve written a first draft, read through it and think about whether the order of your points is optimal and whether what you’ve written actually makes sense. It’s easy in the age of computers to chop and change – you can simply copy and paste part of your essay into another part where it might fit better, and then make minor changes to your wording so that it flows. After you’ve finished editing, have a final read through and check that you’re happy with the wording. Don’t forget to proofread to ensure that your spelling and grammar is impeccable!

7. And finally… record your ideas

Keeping a notebook to hand helps you gather good ideas when they come to you.

Creative writers swear by having a notebook with them at all times, ready to jot down any ideas that suddenly spring to mind. You can adopt the same principle for your essay-writing, because you never know when the inspiration might strike. Have a think about your essay topic when you’re out and about; you’d be surprised what occurs to you when you’re away from your normal place of study.

As you can see, there are more similarities between two apparently unrelated kinds of writing than you might have realised. It is, of course, possible to go too far with the creative writing idea when you’re essay-writing: literary devices aren’t always appropriate, and your essay still needs to retain objectivity and conform to the more formal conventions of academic writing. But there are certainly techniques to be borrowed from creative writing that will help your essays stand out from the crowd and give your teacher or lecturer a welcome break from the monotony of essay-marking.

1. Stay Ahead as Long as You Can

While starting new classes, remember that your attitude about this school year can impact your performance all year long.

It’s a lot easier to earn an A if you do your best from the start instead of slacking off the first few weeks and having to play catch up the rest of the semester.

Mentally prepare yourself to put your best foot forward in the first half of the semester. Try to stay ahead as long as you can. You may be surprised by how far you’ll go.

2. Create a Daily Routine and Stick to It

Put a finger down if you’ve ever woken up less than 15 minutes before heading out the door, leaving little to no time for getting ready, gathering your things, or eating breakfast. Put another finger down if you’ve ever been tardy.

We get it. Sometimes the alarm doesn’t go off. But have you ever noticed that the anxiety that stems from being late or forgetting your homework can derail your entire day?

Developing a daily routine will keep you feeling refreshed and focused as you tackle your course load throughout the day. Your daily routine will vary depending on your grade level, school, extracurriculars, and any other commitments you have throughout the day (such as a part-time job).

A few general tips for creating a daily routine:

1. Set a designated time to wake up, get dressed, and eat breakfast.
2. Follow your class schedule during the day, attending every class and activity.
3. Remain committed to your extracurriculars, but understand that there are limitations to what you can realistically take on in one day.
4. Try not to overload yourself, and communicate with your coach or program director if there are conflicts.
5. Plan time in the evening to work on homework, projects, test prep, or college applications.
6. Set a designated bed time to ensure you get plenty of sleep each night.

This may seem like common sense, but developing a routine that works for you really is an art! It may take some time to get into the groove, but adding a little structure to your day can help.

3. Make a To-Do List

We recommend setting a list of goals for each day, month, and year. This to-do list may include homework, chores, healthy habits, test prep, creative projects, goals, or other items you plan to accomplish during a specific time frame.

Research shows that when you write your goals down, you are 42 percent more likely to accomplish them. Start small by writing down your plans for each day, and see if it helps boost your productivity.

Some of our students have found success in using the Bullet Journal method to develop their school planners. The Bullet Journal is a creative notebook organization system designed to help you stay on track and better measure your daily successes. It’s also a lot of fun!

4. Keep Track of More Than Just Homework Deadlines

As a high school student, you have a lot on your mind. That’s why we recommend that you write down your deadlines all in one place.

In addition to homework due dates, your school planner should include your test prep schedule, upcoming test dates, extracurricular activities, and scholarship and college application deadlines (if you’re a senior). Try writing things down, and if that doesn’t work for you, explore free digital planning tools like Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Trello, or other popular tools.

5. Create a Comfortable, Distraction-Free Study Space

Rummaging through a cluttered desk or overhearing your family members talking can easily break your focus. Find a quiet, clean space within your home to sit while studying or working on homework.

If complete silence is hard to find, use headphones to drown out any background noise.

If you lose focus easily, keep all distractions “out of sight and out of mind.” This may involve placing your gaming console in a drawer, keeping pets in another room, or temporarily shutting off notifications for social media apps.

Another tip is to make sure you are comfortable. Avoid sitting on the couch or in bed as this may cause you to become sleepy or hold your body in uncomfortable and awkward positions.

We recommend sitting at a desk or your kitchen table. Grab a comfortable chair that provides adequate back and neck support to avoid discomfort.

If all else fails and you can’t focus in your room, explore other options. Coffee shops, libraries, and empty fast food restaurants with free WiFi can also serve as study spaces.

6. Communicate Your Schedule with Family and Friends

Spending time and making memories with your people is important, especially since the high school years go by so fast! But it shouldn’t take away from time spent working toward your college goals. Most of the time, your loved ones will understand if you have to focus on your homework before you can hang out.

We recommend sharing your schedule with your friends and family. They can help plan around your priorities and support you when you’re overloaded with tasks. However, it helps to be considerate—your parents are busy too! Keep them happy by learning how to prioritize needs at home alongside your school schedule. Try looking at it this way: good time management is an important life skill that you will need in college.

7. Take Breaks

For some students, studying does not come easy. Sometimes we lack focus, even when we carve time out of our day for it. If this sounds like you, try to trick your mind by pairing this not-so-fun task with something you enjoy.

For every hour or so that you spend working on a task, give yourself a little break to do things you love. For example, if you spend an hour studying for an upcoming math test, give yourself a pat on the back by enjoying your favorite snack, taking a short walk, or watching an episode of your favorite show.

Breaking up your study time will prevent brain drain and help you avoid procrastination. But for this to work properly you have to be intentional with managing your breaks and making sure the task merits the reward. For instance, one hour of studying shouldn’t result in four hours of TV.

8. Stay Engaged by Participating and Asking Questions

When attending classes day-in and day-out, it can be challenging to stay engaged. Physically writing your notes can help you follow along and stay alert throughout class. And don’t be afraid to speak up! Answering your teacher’s questions will help you retain what you’re learning, help you identify areas you need to spend more time on, and help your teacher and classmates remember you.

It’s a lot easier to get an extension on a research paper or find partners for group projects if you’ve been present and participated throughout the class. Keep in mind, the more interactions you’ve had with a teacher, the more likely they’ll be willing to write you a letter of recommendation for your college applications.

9. Ask for Help

Another benefit of getting to know your teachers is that you can go to them when you have trouble understanding a concept or need more direction on a school project or essay. If you’re struggling, don’t be afraid to ask for help! If you can’t catch them after class, send an email, go see them before or after school, or schedule a time for you to work on a problem one-on-one.

Remember, the sooner you ask for help, the better. If you can recognize that you’re starting to fall behind early on in the semester, there’s a better chance of getting caught up before the midterms or finals.

Your teachers are experts in the subject and are there to support you throughout your learning. Often they’ll have a better grasp on the content than a parent who hasn’t touched trigonometry or calculus in over 20 years (but let’s give a shoutout to all the amazing moms and dads out there trying to brush up on complex subjects in an effort to help—we know it’s tough not always having the answers).

10. Try to Socialize Every Day

A high school education should extend beyond academics. Knowing how to socialize and interact with others is an important skill that many colleges and employers look for in applicants.

Remember to make the effort to communicate with your friends on a regular basis or look for ways to make new friends. School clubs are a great place to start!

11. Stay Involved

You probably already know that how you spend your time outside of school is an important component of your college application.

Many sports and student organizations like debate or drama club look for new participants each year. Our best advice here is to not be afraid to try something new! However, be mindful of your ability to juggle multiple commitments. It’s okay to try lots of new extracurriculars your freshman year of high school. Remember that as your courses become more challenging, the time will come to decide which ones you like best.

12. Plan Ahead for the SAT®, ACT®, or PSAT Tests

While some colleges will not require a test score when submitting college applications for general admission, the vast majority will still look at them when reviewing college applications.

Colleges may still require test scores for many of the more selective aspects of the college admissions process, such as scholarships, in-state tuition, honors college placement, or admission to a competitive degree program. Keep in mind that some colleges, like MIT and Georgetown, have returned to requiring test scores.

Since test scores will still play a major role in college admissions this year, it’s important to plan ahead when registering for upcoming tests. At KD, we offer test prep courses for the PSAT, SAT®, and ACT® tests to help students reach their college goals.

13. Use Your Time Wisely

Time management is an important life skill that has an impact on high school and college performance. During these formative years, small acts like learning how to show up on time or planning ahead so you can follow through with your commitments will give the discipline necessary to achieve goals throughout your life.

Productivity can also happen in your free time. Learning a new skill, practicing a dance routine, exercising, working on arts and crafts, or taking a free online course are all productive ways to spend a weekend afternoon. Small activities like these can also help you find peace and positivity.

14. Find Healthy Ways to Manage Stress

The high school years are stressful. In a 2014 study by the American Psychological Association, teens on average reported that their stress level during the school year far exceeds what they believe to be healthy. In 2020, the same organization reported that nearly half of teenagers said that COVID-19 made them feel like it’s impossible to plan for the future.

If you’re experiencing high levels of stress, maybe it’s time to step back, take a deep breath, and evaluate how you feel.

We all strive to be happy, but sometimes that goal remains just outside our grasp. For tips on how to better manage stress, check out our post “How to Be Happy Anywhere (Even School),” written by a former KD student.

Sometimes stress becomes more than we can handle on our own. There’s no shame in seeking help. If you are in need of help and don’t know where else to go, start by taking advantage of these free mental health resources for teenagers.

15. Explore Potential Majors and Career Paths

It seems unfair to force students to decide what they’ll do for the rest of their lives when there’s still so much left to learn about the world. However, the college and job system tends to reward students who have matured enough to make this decision at 17 or 18 years old. For example, competitive degree programs and career-specific scholarships want to know that you’ve decided on a college major.

This choice becomes easier if you’ve dedicated time to trying new things and pursuing particular interests in middle school and high school. Some students know from a young age. Others need to find inspiration through extracurriculars, contests, or a passionate teacher who has a contagious appreciation for a particular subject.

On a final note, we’ll let you in on a little secret: your major or career choice won’t be the only thing that defines you. While many jobs will require a college degree in certain fields, there may come a point in life when you decide to diverge from the traditional path for your chosen major or career. Notable people like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, and Howard Schultz (Starbucks CEO) strayed from the traditional path, and they’ve done pretty well. Simply put, your life is what you make it.

Overview

The proportion of top A-level grades in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has fallen since 2021, but remains higher than in 2019. About 36.4% of A-levels were marked at A* and A this year,  compared to 44.8% of exams awarded A or above last year. This is the first time since 2019 that A-level exam results have been based on public exams, after two years of cancellation due to the Covid pandemic.

1. Competition is increasing among students who want to get into top universities.

Although, the university admissions service (ucas), said 65.3% of students in the UK who applied to university were offered their first choice and told that students don’t need to worry too much about the influence of lowering grades. 

But it is clear that the standards of the top universities did not change at all. For example, a student who wants to apply for medicine in University of Oxford still need to have A*AA in three A-levels. 

As the marking system wants to bring grades closer to pre-pandemic levels, this situation will last at least 2-3 years. For students who already need to prepare or are preparing for A-Levels, they should consider this factor. If you did a mock test and your grade is on the verge of an A, then try to make more effort to make sure you’ll achieve your goal finally.

2. Business studies is more popular than English literature.

The slow decline of English literature A-level continues. In 2017, when exams were first sat for the current course, there were 46,411 entries. In 2022 there were 35,791 – a fall of 23%.This year English literature not only dropped out of the top 10 most popular subjects, but it was also overtaken for the first time by business studies.

And we can see changes of the top 10 most popular A-level subjects. Psychology entries increased the most among the top 10 compared with last year, followed by Business Studies, and Sociology. If you are still confused which subject you want to choose and there’s no other requirement or guide, you may get inspiration from this.

3. The gap between state and private schools narrowed but is still significant.

According to England’s exam regulator, 58% of private school candidates in England were awarded A* and A grades, compared with 30.7% of state school pupils.

Fee-paying schools did particularly well last year when teachers’ assessments were the basis for A-level grades.

In 2021, some 70.4% of private school pupils were given A grade or above, compared with just 39.4% of state schools.

The most important reason for this gap is that private school candidates can receive remote teaching from school even when they’re at home. State school students can only learn by themselves. With the end of the epidemic, this inequity will ease. Still, state school pupils need to find other ways to chase up lessons they lost.

Conculsion

All in all, this is an exciting time, which means that the students’ academic life is getting back on track step by step. Best wishes to every student who put effort into their studies and congratulations on your results!

Here are 6 ways you can support your teen the night before any exam.  

Help them Relax

Some of our students struggle to pull themselves away from revising and carry on until late into the night. If they want to keep working at it the night before their exam, make sure their revision is light & easy. They can revise with flashcards, or look over cheat sheets. But practising a whole exam paper might be overkill and make them feel anxious instead of calm.

Remind them to pack their school bag

Prepare their school bag the night before! Having everything ready to go will make the morning run much smoother. They can pack their packs the night before: black pens, rulers, calculators, water bottles, snacks– whatever they need for their exam. You can ask them to put their own checklist together so they’re sure they’ve got everything. They should set out their clothes too. Even with a uniform, it’s better to have it all laid out–everything down to their socks so there’s no last minute panic!

Make sure they eat something

A healthy, balanced dinner will help set them up for the big day. And if they’ve got no appetite–which can happen with exam nerves– give them healthy snacks through the evening. Snacks like carrots and hummus, fruit skewers, and light carbs will give them the fuel they need. And if you’ve got the time, it can be a nice treat for your teen to have their favourite meal. 

When they’ve done all the studying they can do, they just need to chill out. Whether that means watching their favourite show, or soaking in the bath– encourage them to relax.

Give them lots of encouragement

Teens– like the rest of us, want to feel understood. So telling them that you know exams are hard will help them feel supported. Let them know you’re proud of all the work they’ve put into revising, too. And that no matter what happens– they should feel proud of what they’ve achieved. Have some fun with a mini celebration after each exam. A small treat like ice cream or a trip to the cinema can really boost their mood.

Make sure they get an early night

We all know that sleep is important, but we still stay up! To get a good night’s sleep, encourage your teen to stay off their screens for 1-2 hours before bed. And if they just can’t part with their phones, have them switch off the blue lights in their settings. They’ll know sleep is important before an exam, so they won’t put up a fight. But if they’re worried about tomorrow they might toss and turn all night. To help them relax and drift off, have them try meditation or listen to a sleep story.  

Try and relax too

Exams aren’t just a stressful time for teens. As a parent, you’re worried about your child, and want the very best for them. But teens can easily tell when their parents are stressed–which only adds to their own anxiety! So if you can, chill out– watch a show with them, put on some relaxing music, light some scented candles. And remember that you’re both doing your best.

With support and encouragement, your teen can go into that exam hall, feeling confident–and ready to smash it!

So, the worst has happened. You’ve got your exam timetable and you have 2  or perhaps even 3 exams on the same day. Nightmare situation that no one wants. 

This needs to be clear, this really does impact you. Your chances of performing as well on the 2nd, or even 3rd exam are drastically lower than they would be if you had your full mental potential for each one.

Below are some things you can do to tackle this head on. You can’t hide from it, so your best case is to face it head on. 

1. Alternate your revision timetable between the 2 or 3 subjects.

Firstly, you have to get used to being able to switch between the subjects. Spend an hour to two hours per subject then switch. Make sure you change the order of your subjects to make sure you’re comfortable with the context switching. 

Ensure you put emphasis on both your weakest subject and the subject that is the last exam. You have to ensure that the answers come as easily as possible in the final stages of the day.

2. Start Early

Start this new revision timetable the moment you find out about your exam timetable. Do you have three Math exams on the same day? Or English? You need to know and start preparing early.

3.Take breaks!

Breaks are critical to ensure you can absorb as much information as possible. 45 minutes with 15 minutes breaks, using the pomodoro method is often recommended. The ability to absorb new information tends to decrease rapidly after the 20-30 minute mark.

5.On the day of the exam…

Last minute revision, using mind maps or flash cards, is the best way to get the brain into exam mode. It goes without saying that you should revise for the exam that you will sit first. There is no point revising for Geography when your History exam starts in half an hour! Over lunch, you can revise for the exam you have next.

Good luck!

The article covers what strategies and methods can be used to more effectively take your next exam. We know the stress & slight panic that sets in when you take an exam, but with a good approach that works for you, we have no doubt you’ll increase your grades in no time. 

Before we get to the good stuff, we’ll cover the general good exam practice:

Listen attentively to last minute instructions given by the instructor

• It is not uncommon for teachers to alter test details at the last minute.
• If you miss test instructions, test taking anxiety will increase.
• If you miss test instructions, don’t be scared to ask for instructions to be repeated.

Always arrive early and take a moment to relax

• You’ll increase your confidence if you take time to relax.
• You’ll be able to narrow your focus for the upcoming test.
• Arriving early may allow you time to ask any last minute questions from the instructor or listen to explanations being provided to other students. Some study resources suggest that it’s better to arrive on time to avoid “brain pickers”, students who ask questions right before a test, but we disagree. We believe there is more to be gained by arriving a little early.

Read the test directions very carefully and watch for details

• Test questions and directions often contain valuable information. Always read all directions carefully to ensure you understand what is being asked.
• It is not uncommon to have two correct answers on a multiple choice question. Pay attention to details.
• Frequently, test instructions will notify students that they only need to complete two questions, but there will be 5 options.

Maintain a positive attitude

• Do not lose confidence or waste time if you encounter confusing or difficult questions. Answer the questions you know first.
• If you have no clue about the correct answer, make an educated guess if it will not count against your score.
• Disregard patterns. It is probably coincidence if a string of multiple choice answers that you know are correct are “a.”

Plan to finish early and have time for review

• Go back and answer difficult questions after answering easy ones.
• If you are required to complete an essay, review it for spelling and grammatical errors.
• Check to make sure you have completed the entire test. It is not uncommon for questions to be listed on the opposite side of a page.

Rely on your first impressions

The first answer that pops in your mind is usually the correct answer. Don’t change answers unless you’re sure the answer you’ve chosen is wrong.

It may be counterproductive to review answers and make changes – especially if you’re struggling to get through the test.

Strategies to Utilise for an Exam

Strategy 1: Memory Dump

A memory dump can be a particularly useful strategy for improving performance on certain types of tests.

• As soon as you begin the test, write down information that you will likely need to know for the test and you fear you may forget. (i.e., formulas, equations, dates, lists, etc.)

Strategy 2: Plan how you will use the allotted time

• Take a moment to estimate how much time you’ll have for each section of the test and each question. Allow enough time for more difficult sections or sections that are weighted more heavily in the final test grade.
• Pace yourself so you can complete the test in the allotted time frame.
• Complete the questions you know first then come back and tackle the problems you’re not sure about after.

Strategy 3: Look for Cues

• If two answers are similar, they’re usually not the correct answer.
• Pay attention to grammatical matching between the question being asked and answers. If an answer seems right but doesn’t match grammatically with the question, it probably isn’t the correct answer.
• Look for cues from other questions.

Strategy 4: Answer all the questions

• Even if you’re running out of time and can answer all the questions fully, it’s important to answer all questions. Many professors will give partial credit for partially completed questions or if you’re able to show your work. (Note: There are some tests in college where you are docked points for guessing. This is rare and usually will be announced by the professor prior to the test.)
• It is often easier to get 50% of one question you may struggle with rather than spending the time getting 100% on a question you may know well.  

Strategy 5: Rely on your first impressions

• The first answer that pops in your mind is usually the correct answer. Don’t change answers unless you’re sure the answer you’ve chosen is wrong. 
• It may be counterproductive to review answers and make changes – especially if you’re struggling to get through the test.

After the exam

Consider every test a practice session – analyse your performance

• It takes time and practice to develop effective test taking skills.
• To determine whether your test taking strategies are working, take time to evaluate your performance after each test.
• Be sure to take note of where you’re struggling. Are you struggling with essays or multiple choice questions?
• Arrange to meet with teachers to discuss low test scores to determine what you can do to improve. This is highly recommended if you struggle with essay questions.

We can all remember our pre-exam worries and how often we’d be up late studying or simply lying awake unable to rest. We all wonder how we may have performed if this anxiety had been tempered or if we’d had more support.

Below are X tips that you can immediately provide your child with and help them achieve the grades they deserve and ultimately, improve their well being.

1. Reassurance

• This may sound simple, but reassurance is not useful unless you know exactly what is causing their worry. Is it a specific subject? Or the exams as a whole? 
• We have all been frustrated by phrases such as “everything will be okay”, when your child is anxious these phrases could initially prove frustrating. We recommend simply letting your child ramble and rant about their exams. This can provide a window into exactly what is causing their concern. 

2. Provide perspective and encouragement

• Once a key issue has been identified, it can be addressed. Often, this takes the form of providing a wider perspective. Exams can be seen as an ultimate test and the most important thing to your child. Warping their understanding of the bigger picture.
• Reassure them of how this exam, despite its importance, can either:

1. Be always be retaken if the impact is too significant
2. May not have a large contribution to the final mark, and that if they underperform, there are always plenty of opportunities.

3. Reframe failure 

• This leads neatly to the outcome none of us want, not achieving the grade or outcome they wanted or needed. This is a challenge for both you and your child, plans and futures can seem as if they have been thrown off course or infact now unachievable.
• This is rarely, if ever the case. As the parent it is key that you continue to be reassuring to them and to help them decide on the next course of action. Let them choose, this is their future. 
• Show your child the whole picture, how the disappointing mark this time is a minor bump in the road on there path to success and can be overcome. Ultimately, a lot of children end up performing better after failing, recognising their weaknesses and addressing them directly.

4. Demonstrate how to relax and take care of themselves

• Your child’s well being should always be the top priority. No exam or test is worth sacrificing mental wellness to achieve. Encourage your child to relax and have regular ‘fun-time’. Studies show the optimum study period is only 25 minutes, with 5 minute breaks. Beyond this the returns on new knowledge gained decreases dramatically. Ensure your child takes regular breaks, this both increases their productivity, memory retention and allows them to relax as much as possible.

5. Support them with an action plan

• Finally, the best technique to support your child with pre-exam anxiety is to prepare in advance for the exam period as much as possible. Remember, your child is facing brand new exams each time with brand new challenges they are unsure how to manage. 
• Help them by mapping out a clear study plan, getting feedback from their teachers and understanding where your child is weakest skill wise. This will help you not only develop a clear study plan, but also cater to where marks can be most easily gained.
• This level of planning should be done with your child with them taking the lead if possible. This will help your child relax and stay steadfast to the plan. 

Obviously, one of the best methods is to have a tutor support your child with their weakest subject or the one that is providing the most stress in their lives. Tutoring can:

1. Build immediate confidence in themselves as their knowledge grows.
2. Regular tutoring can increase marks by 2-4 marks on average

Book your free lesson today with AirClass and see if we’re the right fit for you and your child.