Planning for exams and tests

Occupational therapy

﻿Hi, I'm really looking forward to our lesson today. I hope you are too. Before we get started, this is just a little reminder. We're here to support any approaches you might already be using and any work you might have already been set. We know that this lesson is going to be going up to so many different children and families. So if you're not sure about anything or have any questions, then please do contact your usual therapy team. Today is all about some strategies to help you prepare and plan for exams and tests. And the reason why we prepare for tests is because it helps us keep calm. Quite often, we find that when we know we're being tested, we get a little bit nervous and a little bit worried. But when we're prepared, we know that we've done our absolute best. So we don't have to be so worried. When we're prepared, helps us to stay on track and it helps us to be independent. Also, when you prepare for tests and exams it teaches you some really good habits. For today's lesson, you're simply going to need paper and a pen or pencil. Pause the video while you get those and then resume once you're finished. Okay. So these are the steps we're going to look at when we prepare for a test or an exam. So first we want to plan and organise our time. Then I want us to think about how we learn best. How do you learn best? We're going to think about staying calm and what's going to happen on the day. Okay. So to plan and organise our time, let's think about these questions. So first question is when is the test? Okay. What is it on? How much do you need to learn? And that will fit in with, what is the topic. So if your topic is simply 10 spelling words, that's what you'll have to learn. If your topic is a chapter of a book you've read, then you'll need to learn a bit more. You also need to think about how many other tests you have either in that week or on that day, and how you going to learn for each subject. Because each subject, for a lot of us we'll learn differently for each subject. And that's important to know as well. For our first activity, we're going to plan the subjects or topics. Okay? So I want you to think about tests that you have coming up or that you've had in the past, and make a list of all of those topics. Next, I want you to chat to a parent or carer and talk to them about what you struggle with. Okay. What do you enjoy about the topic? Where do you learn best and who helps you to learn best? Okay? So for example, spelling, you might find hard. Maths, you might really enjoy math and be really good at it. And then you might have a test on history, and the problem with history might be for you that you love all the facts, but you just really struggled writing the long sentences. Okay? So have that kind of discussion with your parent or carer, 'cause the more you talk about it, the easier it will be for them to help you. Pause the video now to plan your subjects. Restart once you're finished. Okay. Let's think about how we learn best. Okay? So you might learn best by saying everything you're learning. Okay? And you might find that when you change how you say it, it helps you remember it. So for example, if I was trying to remember my two times tables, I might go, two, four, six, eight, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20. Okay? Or you might go two, four, six, eight, 10, something like that. Yeah? You might enjoy moving. So I sit on a spiny chair and I spin all the time. Sometimes I sit on an exercise book, so I bounce. And that's how I learn. You might find that when you march and you stomp your feet, you really get to learn because there's a rhythm. Okay? And the same thing with when you're clapping, when you want to learn something, if you tap it, it becomes easier. Okay? Or something like that, that didn't quite run. Do you prefer to learn when it's quiet or with a little bit of background noise, such as a fan, or do you not really mind? Okay? Also think about, do you learn best when you're sitting still, when you're lying down, when you're standing up or when you're moving? I personally find that I need to do all of those things to keep my attention going. So I might sit down for 20 minutes and then I'll get up and I might walk up and down the corridor or the garden. Okay? And do you learn best when you write something out? So a lot of us find that when we're writing what we've learned about, it helps us to remember it. Okay? For your next activity. I want you to think about how you will learn for each topic. So again, make a list of the topics and then chat to your parent or care about how you learn, how they think you learn. 'Cause you might do something that you haven't realised you're doing, but the person who's been helping you learn for the test, knows that you always walk up and down when you're learning something, okay? Who helps you learn best? Where do you need to be to learn? And which senses are you using when you're learning? So here is an example. If I'm going to learn some spellings, how I would learn, and you could see that you could might do all of those or some of those. So I will write them on flashcards. I will ask an adult to test me. I would write the words in sand, on shaving foam. I might write it with a crayon on sandpaper so I can feel all of that movement. I might march as I say the letters, I might clap as I say the letters. Something fun is that you could give an adult a pretend test, and then you check their work to see if they've spelled it correctly. And I like music. So I might sing the words. Yeah? So if I was learning how to spell buddy's name, for example, I might do something like B-U-D-D-Y. Okay? Or I might go, B-U-D-D-Y. Yeah. So just find ways that you find you learn well. Pause the video now to plan how you will learn for each topic. Resume once you're finished. Staying calm is super important, both when you're preparing for exams, but also when you're actually doing your tests and exams. Okay? And things that will keep you really calm and organised are going to be activities where you have heavy muscle work. So where you have to do pushing or pulling. So tag of war or wall pushes, where you're jumping or stomping, bouncing on a trampoline maybe, or you're doing really hard claps, for example. Okay? Something that I really enjoy doing is five finger breathing or square breathing. So I'm going to demonstrate this to you now. So the first one is square breathing. And you're going to take your hand and you're simply going to trace a square around the palm of your hands. But what you're going to do is, as you're tracing one side, you're going to breathe in through your nose. And as you go along, you're going to breathe out through your mouth. Okay? Or, this one is really my favourite. I would start over here by my thumb and I'd go up. Then I hold it, my breath, but then I'd let it out out. Hold. Okay? And on this last one, I hold it for a little bit longer, and then I breathe out for a bit longer as well. That is really calming. Please do try that. Okay? Drinking enough water is really important to helping you keep calm and focused. Listen to your favourite music or you could use a fidget or finger fidgets. Okay? Now I want you to make a list of what keeps you calm. I want you to think of different sounds, so different types of music. I want you to think of touch. Do you like to give your hand a nice deep squeeze and you find that that really helps keep you calm? Do you find a very light tickly touch helps keep you calm? Okay. What about movement? What types of movement do you like that keeps you calm? Do you like spinning? Do you like just jiggling all over? And then again about breathing. Think about trying some breathing and seeing how it helps you. Pause the video now to do your task. Restart once you're finished. Exams and tests do not need to worry you. Okay? So do not worry. Always try your best. And I know you always try your best and that is the most important thing. Take your time. And don't forget you are awesome. If you'd like to, please ask your parent or carer to share your work on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, tagging @OakNational and hashtag #LearnwithOak. Bye. See you soon.

Planning for exams and tests

Planning for exams and tests

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