Tips to help your child prepare for IGCSEs

It’s that time of the year again. Stressed students huddled in library corners and at home. Preparing comprehensive notes and highlighting each point that makes sense to them.  IGCSE’s are one of the first few stepping stones that determine future academic and professional preferences of your child.

If your child is set to his/her IGCSE in the coming year,  a few tips and tricks here and there could help him out with their studies. Lessons at schools, mock examinations, marking schemes provide great learning aides for these exams. Most British schools in Dubai also provide their students critical tips for exam preparation.

As a parent, however, you should ensure that revisions at home are streamlined, productive and focused. And the following tips can help you achieve just that!

Set up benchmarks

The first thing that your child needs to do is to write down what subjects they’re good at and what grade they expect to get from that subject. Not only does this help highlight the amount of preparation that they will need for each subject but it will also help your child focus more on the subject your child is weak in.  

Construct a revision timetable

Although your child may be too shy to ask for help, assist them in the construction of a revision timetable. The revision timetable should include the complete list of subjects and each day of the week should be dedicated to the revision of more than one subject depending upon the number of examinations your child is going to give.

For example, if your child is to sit 8 examinations, make sure some days of the week your child studies two subject and other days involve them studying a single subject.  Always ensure flexibility within the daily preparation. For example, If your child was set to study Chemistry-Biology on Monday, but had the Monday blues, and fell lazy,  allow them to study one of the subjects some other day of the week.

Understand your child’s learning style

Most children learn well during the day while other learn well during the night. Learning styles may include; auditory learning or learning through listening, visual or learning through vision and kinesthetic learning through performing or actions.  Understand how your child learns, and provide them with the material they may require.

Allow study breaks

Breaks are essential for revision. Allow children a non-study day after vigorous studying throughout the week. For example, if your child has been studying the whole week, and has also fulfilled all learning objectives of the week, make sure you allow them a day off in the week. With less time left for exams, these breaks can be shortened to half days of no studying.

For daily study breaks, allow your child to take a ten-minute break after an hour, and short break after covering a single subject. Not only do breaks help children relax, but breaks freshen up their minds allowing them to start anew.

Rewards

If your child has achieved the set objectives for the week, reward them. Let your children choose the reward, whether it’s a night out with friends, or a shopping spree with you. Rewards tend to go a long way in motivating children to study.

Exercise

Studies conducted showed higher test scores for students who were involved in exercises and healthy activities.  Along with that parental involvement in physical activities also helps children perform better in studies. 

Exercise helps children stay fit physically and helps keep their mind fresh and focused on learning tasks. Plan a healthy exercise session every day to help freshen up their minds.

Conclusion

IGCSE’s are the foundation for future academic and professional choices that your child will be making. Performing well in these exams is not only a requirement of top-notch schools British schools in Dubai for further education but also helps students gain admission in some of the best schools throughout the world.  

Parents have an essential part in helping their children prepare for exams. Use the tips mentioned above and make sure your child is well prepared when they sit their IGCSEs!