Reducing Revision Panic

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How can we prevent students getting in a revision flap?

Flash cards are a brilliant way of practising and revising key skills. Why not try using this triple sided flash card technique to aid basic skill level and application of skills too! You could make the cards yourself or you could even ask your pupils to make a bank of cards to share around the room for revision sessions.

The Triple Flash Card

• Create a flash card by folding an A5 piece of card in half.
• On one side, add a silver dot or border. On the reverse, add a gold dot or border.
• On the silver side of the flash card, provide a basic question, such as 36 ÷ 5. You may even wish to provide more than one question (all relating to the same skill, division with a reminder in this case).
• On the gold side of the flash card jot a contextual problem relating to the skill practised, for example ‘I have 54 eggs and 7 egg boxes, which hold six eggs each. How many boxes can I fill? How many eggs are left?’
• Now open the card and jot some simple steps for the method and a worked example.

Why is it a good strategy?

This resource allows for three levels of differentiation during your revision sessions. Pupils can peek at the method if they are stuck (flap), practise silver (flash) and then move to gold (flip).

Tip

If pupils make the flash cards, be sure to provide opportunities for the questions to be checked by peers or adults before they are shared around the room to avoid creating misconceptions.