For all informations regarding reports and assessments 2009, please see attached booklet which includes information on Key Dates, Questions You Might Have, and Rules for Assessments

Senior Assessment Week May 2009

Yellow highlighted Subject = an actual assessment event (not just practice)

NCEA

NCEA is the national qualification for all Year 11- 13 students.
NCEA uses standards (achievement standards and unit standards) to show what students know and can do. 

Every standard is worth a set number of credits. 

You collect credits when you achieve the standard. 

When you have a total of 80 credits you have your NCEA at Level 1*. 
* To attain NCEA Level 1, you must have at least 8 credits showing you have Literacy skills and 8 credits showing you have Numeracy skills.

**11 STUDY DAYS TILL EXAMS**

*1 SCHOOL DAY TILL EXAMS*

Final Tip: 

In the words of Douglas Adams (The Hitchhikers's Guide to the Galaxy)

DON'T PANIC!

• First of all, panicking produces adrenaline, which is great if you're in a race, but it inhibits concentration. Not good. 
• Second of all, you still have time. Not a lot of time, but you still have time. If you
  haven't started studying yet, clear your calendar and start tonight. No
  more 90210 till after exams.

**12 STUDY DAYS TILL EXAMS**

*2 SCHOOL DAYS TILL EXAMS*

Study Tip #14:

Review!

Day One
·1    After you have read and recited the entire chapter, write questions in the margins for those points you have highlighted or underlined.
·2    If you took notes while reciting, write questions for the notes you have taken in the left hand margins of your notebook.

Day Two
·1    Page through the text and/or your notebook to reacquaint yourself with the important points.
·2    Cover the right hand column of your text/note-book and orally ask yourself the questions in the left hand margins.
·3    Orally recite or write the answers from memory.
·4    Make “flash cards” for those questions which give you difficulty.
·5    Develop mnemonic devices for material which need to be memorized.

Days Three, Four and Five
·1    Alternate between your flash cards and notes and test yourself (orally or in writing) on the questions you formulated.
·2    Make additional flash cards if necessary.

**13 STUDY DAYS TILL EXAMS**

*3 SCHOOL DAYS TILL EXAMS*

Study Tip #13:

Recite!

·1    Orally ask yourself questions about what you have just read or summarize, in your own words, what you read.
·2    Take notes from the text but write the information in your own words.
·3    Underline or highlight important points you’ve just read.
·4    Use the method of recitation which best suits your particular learning style but remember, the more senses you use the more likely you are to remember what you read –
 i.e.,
TRIPLE STRENGTH LEARNING: Seeing, saying, hearing-
QUADRUPLE STRENGTH LEARNING: Seeing, saying, hearing, writing!!!

**14 STUDY DAYS TILL EXAMS**

*4 SCHOOL DAYS TILL EXAMS*

Study Tip #12:

To do well on tests you must first learn the material, and then review it before the test.

Take good notes
Review your notes soon after class and  before the next class
Schedule some time at the end of the week for a longer review

Create study checklists
Identify all of the material that you will be tested on – list notes, formulas, ideas, and text assignments you are accountable for.  This checklist will enable you to break your studying into organized, manageable chunks, which should allow for a comprehensive review plan with minimal anxiety.

Create summary notes and “maps”
Briefly map out (see mapping) the important ideas of the course and the relationships of these ideas.  Summary notes should display lists and hierarchies of ideas.
Creativity and a visual framework will help you recall these ideas.

Record your notes
And significant portions of text on audio tapes so you can review material with a I pod.  Having an e file of important information will enable you to study while walking or relaxing in a non-academic environment.

Create flashcards
For definitions, formulas, or lists that you need to have memorized – put topics on one side of the card, answers on the other.  Flashcards will enable you to test your ability to not only recognize important information, but also your ability to retrieve information from scratch.

Test yourself on the material – quiz yourself, another person….

**19 STUDY DAYS TILL EXAMS**

*5 SCHOOL DAYS TILL EXAMS*

Study Tip #12:

EXAM APPROACHES

Exams are not designed to trick or trap you.

The examiner genuinely wants to know how much you have understood of what has been taught.

Analysing Questions

• What content and skills do you need to answer the question?
• What are the key words in the question that guide you?

The day before the exam

• study the subject you have the next day.
•  Ensure that you have all the proper equipment.

On the day of the exam,

• spend time by yourself going over your study notes.

In the Exam room

• Check the format of the paper.
• Carefully read the instructions.
• Identify where to spend more time based on mark allocation, difficulty and length of answer required.
• Answer the easier questions first and leave the difficult questions to the end.