Study Tips for the SATs Exam
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Table of Contents
Introduction
For your child to do their best in the SATs exam, they need to be fully prepared and confident in their ability. As a parent, there’s plenty you can do to ensure that your child’s SATs revision time is fun and not overwhelming. In this post, we cover a variety of useful study tips that will help your child through stress-free, SATs exam preparation.
Create a Designated Study Area
At home, it can be tough to create an environment that’s conducive to studying, but it’s important to make the effort. It’s worth setting up a separate desk space in a lesser-used room in the house, rather than having your child study in their bedroom, where there are lots of distractions.
If you have younger children, make sure they know that they shouldn’t interrupt during study periods. For SATs, revision sessions should be little and often; you don’t want to overwhelm your child. Try to aim for 30-minute bursts of learning on a regular basis.
Create a Study Plan
The key to performing well in SATs is good preparation. Not only does being prepared reduce stress levels for you and your child, but it provides an overview of what topics are left to cover. Play to your child’s preferences with the planner – if they’re a visual learner, opt for an attractive wall planner, for example. Alternatively, set up a simple spreadsheet.
A good SATs study plan should outline the topics that need to be studied, when and for how long. Keep your child’s confidence high by mixing up their weaker subjects with their strongest. Tick off each study session and reward your child for completing them.
Take Regular Breaks
Breaks should be accounted for in the study plan. Without them, your child will lose their focus and they may begin to resent their study sessions. Ideally, your child should give their brain and their eyes a rest during their breaks, so encourage them to go for a walk, or play in the garden, rather than using the internet or watching TV.
Make Learning More Fun
Even the most diligent pupils can sometimes find study sessions a chore. Revision games are an excellent way of keeping your child on track with their SATs study. Some games you might want to try include creating a rhyme, or rap to remember important information, making quizzes to test their knowledge, and making voice recordings as a passive learning technique.
Use Practice Exam Papers
When studying for SATs, it’s important to ensure that your child has a good understanding of what to expect in the actual exam. Exam practice papers are a great opportunity to familiarise them with the exam structure and layout. As the SATs get closer, arrange for your child to do timed papers. This will help them get used to answering questions under pressure and improve their time management skills.
Adapt to You Child’s Preferred Learning Style
Most children have a preference for a particular learning style. If your child is a visual learner, encourage them to use mind maps or diagrams. If they are an auditory learner, suggest they record their notes and play them back through headphones. For more active learners, give them space to move around the room while reciting their revision notes. Find what style works best for them early on in their study plan and they will make excellent progress in time for their SATs exam.
Make it a Family Affair
The whole family should be aware of any impending SATs exam and should try to be as encouraging as possible during the preparation period. Many children respond well to the challenge of quizzes, so devise short question tests for family members to run through with them.
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