Studying for exams is a long term game that is best played early and often. The strange thing is that even when students know this and hear this, they too often do nothing about the study until the week before. Some do no study at all.
Now, writing and reading are both long term pursuits. We cannot develop either without regular practice – to write well you must write often; to read closely you must read regularly and broadly. The other thing is that exams are a very physically and mentally draining experience. You must prepare, then, physically and mentally.
So, what do you need to do:
NOW – TERM ONE 2017
Start reading past exams – there are a few recent ones below. Have a look at the types of questions, the types of passages. Have a think about which questions you could do now, which ones you could not. Match the questions to the syllabus and the unit content for Units 3 and 4. For each question, write out the knowledge, skill and understanding you must demonstrate. That is, articulate what exactly is being tested. Set aside about 1 hour a week to do this for the remainder of the term.
WACE Exam 2016
Loading...
Reload document 
Open in new tab Semester One Exam 2017
Semester Two MOCK Exam 2017
HOLIDAYS
Over the summer break, TOOL DOWN! But . . . .stay a little warm by continuing to read your class novels (repeatedly) and any other texts you find engaging, informative, etc. The trick, is to just read.
TERM ONE 2018
When you get back next February, you have about 16 weeks before the Semester One exams. Divide this into one block of 12 and one block of 4 weeks.
Block of 12 – to the end of the first week of the first term holidays
Using the exams above and/or the study package below, dedicate three hours per fortnight to completing one ‘exam’. That is, one Comprehending Section, one Responding section, and one Composing section. Do this is three one hour blocks, in a quiet room free of distraction. That is, a room set up to resemble and exam setting. Do one section in a timed 60 minute slot. Have someone time this for you and use a small watch (not your phone) to monitor your time.
At the end of the two weeks, use the marking guides below to mark your work and/or have one of your peers mark your work. You can also bring it to me to chat over.
Block of 4 – to the end of Week Three, term Two next year
In this last four week block, step up the pressure and do a three hour block each week. Don’t do them separately, but sit for an uninterrupted three hours and ‘do the exam’ in full.
Using this model, you’ll enter the exam warmed up, physically able to write for this long, menatlly prepared to sit and concentrate for this length of time and fully aware of the types of questions you’ll be expected to answer.
Study Package
WACE 2016 Marking Guide
Loading...
Semester Two MOCK Exam 2017 Marking Guide
Loading...
START NOW
WORK HARD
YOU’VE NOTHING TO LOSE.
