Serious problem!! Help!!
Hey I am a Korean student who studies in a British school in Abu Dhabi. I recently moved to the school I go to now. Before that I went to a Korean school and I learnt everything in Korean. I speak pretty fluent English. The problem is I follow quite well during the class but when I have exams I do really poorly. I am not used to the exam style and I have no background information. I did learn most of the stuff back in Korea but I can't put them into English. Also my friends started GCSE Science last year but this is my first year at a British curriculumed school so I missed out on all of B1,C1 and P1. I am curruntly studying Spanish and Mandarine but I'm not quite good enough to study GCSE. I am catching up quite quickly but I have other things to catch up on as well. I am getting really frustrated about everything. Anyways my point being I do not know where to start catching up. Could somebody please!! please tell me where to start? Maybe a textbook or a website would be really nice. Share your methods of revising please!!
Try BBC Bitesize website or the CGP textbooks for Spanish. For Mandarin, maybe listen to podcasts? Just a thought, hope it helps 
Posted from TSR Mobile
Posted from TSR Mobile
(edited 10 years ago)
Which subjects?
Original post by Yoon hee
I'm studying English(Literature&Language), Maths, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, History, Geography, Spanish, Mandarine. I have so much to catch up on that I have no idea where to start!!
English not much to do. Just read the books
Maths: examsolutions.net
Sciences and geography: Revision Guide
Spanish: Learn grammar on the internet and download duolingo on your phone for vocab
Mandarin I can't help
I took Mandarin CIE IGCSE last year and managed to get an A* without actually knowing Chinese 
so what I recommend is that you complete the Edexcel textbook and learn very well how to write the words in the vocab sections at the end of each chapter. However, don't learn them all, just a few from each topic: for example 3 foods, 3 colours, 3 flavours, etc. to minimize the workload. But you have to be able to read all the rest. In order to learn how to write, it helped me to just write the words over and over again, and practice without looking. Also make sure you know the sentence structures very well, as these can help make a good impression!
For maths the important thing is to understand what you are doing. Find a copy of the syllabus and go through it point by point, making sure that you are comfortable with all of it. If there is something you are not sure about, ask a teacher or a student to explain it to you. If, as you said, you know the material and just have trouble with transferring it into English, you should be able to grasp it very quickly.
The same applies for the sciences. In Chemistry and especially in Physics it is vital that you understand the material in order to be able to apply it to problems. For that, take the GCSE textbook and read through it, answering the questions to make sure you understand everything. Again, if you are having trouble ask for help either from someone, or Google will probably have the answer. There are certain things you have to pretty much memorize. For this, while reading the textbook, use post-its to mark the pages where there is content you feel you need to learn, and then write notes based on that. (The actual process of writing the notes will help you learn the content).
Biology is essentially learning the material, so you will just have to familiarize yourself with the English terminology. Just read carefully through the textbook, make sure you understand everything, and take notes. You can't imagine how much notes help!
History is probably one of the hardest subjects. The best thing to do is to find a book or website specific to you syllabus and make notes based on it. It is vital that you understand and not memorise all the "why" while learning the material so that all you need to actually study and memorize are the facts, which you can make a list of as you go through the topics.
For literature, make notes on the texts while reading through them. Make sure that you find good analysis of the texts (either from your teacher or study guides eg sparknotes.com or cliffsnotes.com) and that you understand the analysis. While you go through the texts, keep a list of quotes that you will be able to use in essays later on.
Language is essentially practise. Do loads of past papers and make sure you know how a letter/report/article etc. need to be structured. Highlight anything important in the texts as you read through them.
Finally, do tonnes of past papers. At first, you probably won't do too well and won't get the grades you desire, but as you grow accustomed to the style of answering and get comfortable with the material, your performance will improve. Make use of the mark schemes and examiner's reports as these provide invaluable information as to what you are actually expected to do.
As for revision techniques, I would recommend to do the above alternating subjects. For example, do one chapter of chemistry, then one chapter of history, etc. so that you don't get as bored and to retain your motivation.
Good luck!
Sources: I took IGCSE's last year, gaining 9 A*s and an A, living in Greece.
so what I recommend is that you complete the Edexcel textbook and learn very well how to write the words in the vocab sections at the end of each chapter. However, don't learn them all, just a few from each topic: for example 3 foods, 3 colours, 3 flavours, etc. to minimize the workload. But you have to be able to read all the rest. In order to learn how to write, it helped me to just write the words over and over again, and practice without looking. Also make sure you know the sentence structures very well, as these can help make a good impression!For maths the important thing is to understand what you are doing. Find a copy of the syllabus and go through it point by point, making sure that you are comfortable with all of it. If there is something you are not sure about, ask a teacher or a student to explain it to you. If, as you said, you know the material and just have trouble with transferring it into English, you should be able to grasp it very quickly.
The same applies for the sciences. In Chemistry and especially in Physics it is vital that you understand the material in order to be able to apply it to problems. For that, take the GCSE textbook and read through it, answering the questions to make sure you understand everything. Again, if you are having trouble ask for help either from someone, or Google will probably have the answer. There are certain things you have to pretty much memorize. For this, while reading the textbook, use post-its to mark the pages where there is content you feel you need to learn, and then write notes based on that. (The actual process of writing the notes will help you learn the content).
Biology is essentially learning the material, so you will just have to familiarize yourself with the English terminology. Just read carefully through the textbook, make sure you understand everything, and take notes. You can't imagine how much notes help!
History is probably one of the hardest subjects. The best thing to do is to find a book or website specific to you syllabus and make notes based on it. It is vital that you understand and not memorise all the "why" while learning the material so that all you need to actually study and memorize are the facts, which you can make a list of as you go through the topics.
For literature, make notes on the texts while reading through them. Make sure that you find good analysis of the texts (either from your teacher or study guides eg sparknotes.com or cliffsnotes.com) and that you understand the analysis. While you go through the texts, keep a list of quotes that you will be able to use in essays later on.
Language is essentially practise. Do loads of past papers and make sure you know how a letter/report/article etc. need to be structured. Highlight anything important in the texts as you read through them.
Finally, do tonnes of past papers. At first, you probably won't do too well and won't get the grades you desire, but as you grow accustomed to the style of answering and get comfortable with the material, your performance will improve. Make use of the mark schemes and examiner's reports as these provide invaluable information as to what you are actually expected to do.
As for revision techniques, I would recommend to do the above alternating subjects. For example, do one chapter of chemistry, then one chapter of history, etc. so that you don't get as bored and to retain your motivation.
Good luck!
Sources: I took IGCSE's last year, gaining 9 A*s and an A, living in Greece.
Maths: exam solutions, maths watch and a lot of past papers before exam
Science: cgp book, mygcsescience, bbc Bitesize and again a lot of past papers
English: you should read over articles and pick up the devices used in them and a lot of reading.
Good luck settling in and how is school there?
Science: cgp book, mygcsescience, bbc Bitesize and again a lot of past papers
English: you should read over articles and pick up the devices used in them and a lot of reading.
Good luck settling in and how is school there?
Original post by Yoon hee
I'm studying English(Literature&Language), Maths, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, History, Geography, Spanish, Mandarine. I have so much to catch up on that I have no idea where to start!!
do you know what exam board you are on for these subjects. it would help if you do cause i have many notes on another revision website called get revising and i could help you with some of those subjects, particularly geography and even if i am not on the same exam board as you then i would still recommend signing up to get revising cause other people will have notes on those subjects too. https://getrevising.co.uk/ PM me if you want more information about that site, i have been a member of it for some time now, and i am also a moderator on that site.
History is just key facts and figures that are quite easy to learn however require quite a few hours of revision, as for geography that's quite simple as everything is quite easy to digest. Overall, past papers are the best things to do as GCSE's are mostly about the technique you use.
- Good luck
- Good luck
For science use this site its REALLY helpful: http://my-gcsescience.com/
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- confused abt something my friend said
- Is my bad bacne going to affect my relationships with girls?
- Has anyone been involved in a level malpractice?
- Food insecurity and not eating in front of certain people then 🤦🏾*♂️
- HELP! I’m spending mindlessly
- Bleeding when having a bowel movement is this normal ? Help please
- "Serious Mass" weight gain + Acne antibiotics
- HELLO
- Is it normal to ask for help from friends to whom you are not close?
- My boyfriend's parents told me i should never vent to him because it ruins his focus
- Possibility of getting single ensuite for Durham Uni
- Sad Man On My Doorstep
- special consideration a levels 2022
- Considering dropping out of College next year?
- how do i revise?
- How To Deal With Financial Difficulties as a KU Student
- GCSES “extenuating circumstances” for uni
- Considering dropping out of sixth form this september?
- I want help but don’t think I can stand to ask for it
- Engine light stays on
Latest
Last reply 5 minutes ago
Official UCL Offer Holders Thread for 2024 entryLast reply 9 minutes ago
Official University of St Andrews Applicant Thread for 2024Last reply 20 minutes ago
Learn Direct - Vet science Unit 9 HELPLast reply 29 minutes ago
LSE undergraduate accommodationLast reply 34 minutes ago
The Official Cambridge Applicants for 2025 Entry ThreadLast reply 35 minutes ago
Airbus degree apprenticeships 2024Last reply 36 minutes ago
Official University of Edinburgh Applicant Thread for 2024Trending
Last reply 1 day ago
went from 3s to 9s with (literally) night before revision - ask me anythingGCSEs
31
Trending
Last reply 1 day ago
went from 3s to 9s with (literally) night before revision - ask me anythingGCSEs
31
