Often we are told by our students that “you can’t revise for English!” This isn’t true. There is a lot students – and you parents – can do to help with English. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Something easy to start with! Ask your child what they have done today and don’t accept “nothing” as the answer – that’s never true! By explaining what they have learned, your child is actually revising. Explaining back is the first step in true learning.
• All reading is good reading. We’d love for your child to read books (and we do have a library packed full of them in school!) but they could also be reading: blogs; newspaper articles; graphic novels; short stories; manuals; recipe books; instructions; and even the back of the cereal packet! The rule of thumb is: do it with them not for them!
• Some easy ways to encourage reading are: put up the subtitles while watching TV/movies to build vocabulary; ask them to read out a recipe as you are cooking; or encourage them to find the information they need for their free time, like cinema times or bus timetables, on the internet. Aim to support reading as a part of life and not as a separate, homework activity.
• So, of course, as English teachers we love reading – and we think your child could too! It sometimes takes a while to find something you enjoy but that doesn’t mean you should give up entirely. Reading for pleasure is just that. Reading helps you switch off, screens keep you switched on. You can encourage reading for pleasure by reading the same books as your child. There’s still a place for the bedtime story, even if you’re not reading it to them.
• Discuss news and current events. You might even be surprised how much they already know – or what they don’t know that they should! This sort of information crops up in English for use in group discussions, individual talks, discursive writing, etc. Plus we just want your kids to be smart and informed.
• ‘Word Talk’. This is a great and free resource that will read aloud any Microsoft Word document. It’s a great checking tool for missing full stops or incomplete sentences. It would also read aloud a story or article if you copied it into a Word document, which is useful for reluctant readers but keen listeners. You can get it free here:
• http://www.wordtalk.org.uk/home/
• Talking and listening are a core part of what we do. Your child will have to do solo presentations and talks, and take part in assessed group discussions. The only way to prepare for these is to talk and build confidence – the more you talk to your child then the better they will be at this. You may also want to listen to them rehearse to their solo presentations as the more relaxed they feel, the better it’ll be.
• One of the biggest problems for pupils is being able to meet the basic standards for writing. They have to be able to spell, punctuate and structure writing correctly. We wouldn’t ask them to sit their driving test without lots of practice lessons so get them to write: emails; shopping lists; birthday cards; thank you cards; notes; fill in forms; address envelopes – we think you get the idea!
• Examined CoursesWe know the word “exam” makes people nervous. This is when the learning gets serious. Hopefully you’ve already been trying the tips above, but even if you haven’t, then it is not too late to make a big difference.
  • First step, if you are unsure what the course involves (and your teenager is unwilling to tell you!) then have a look at this link, The National Parent Forum of Scotland:
  • http://www.npfs.org.uk/nationals-in-a-nutshell/
  • One of the best resources we have found is BBC Bitesize. There’s revision material on all Scottish set texts and much, much, much, much more.
  • http://www.bbc.co.uk/education
  • We also want to talk about GLOW. Every child in Scotland has a log in for GLOW, our online learning platform. If you haven’t seen it yet, then get your child to show you the KA pages. Different departments and teachers use this in different ways with some teachers supporting learning through OneDrive. Ask your child to show you.
  • http://glow.rmunify.com
  • Before you buy your child expensive revision materials, be aware that the most recent past papers are available freely online. These include mark schemes and some exemplar materials. These are great for boosting exam confidence:
  • http://www.sqa.org.uk/pastpapers/findpastpaper.htm
  • Most close reading exam papers are based on quality broadsheet editorial articles. If nothing else, encourage your child to read these. Many of these newspapers can be accessed for free through their websites, Twitter or liking their Facebook page. It’s the best way for your child to familiarise themselves with the vocabulary, style, tone and general knowledge required to be successful in the exam. Extra Brownie points for the parents who also read and discuss them with their child!
  • Help your child to organise their notes. Encourage them to perhaps use folders, dividers or some way to know where everything is and what part of the exam the notes are for. Notes are needed for the entire session and used throughout that course. They are an active resource – to be used and absolutely not lost.
  • Finally, you are your child’s greatest revision tool. From confiscating their phones so they will actually concentrate right up to testing them on their quotations for the exam, the more you are involved in their revision the better chance they have of success.