Is revision a challenge for your students?
I doubt many students find revising enjoyable. Yet, I would imagine what’s worse is the constant mention of it. Across the nation, parents, teachers and friends will be discussing revision –
“When are you starting?”
”How much have you done today?”
But revision doesn’t need to be tedious and time-consuming. There are effective approaches to revision that can be beneficial and, dare I say, even enjoyable. In music we have so many great tools to help with revision, and of course Focus on Sound is one such tool. If your students are finding revision challenging, then maybe they need to move away from notes and books and start using the extensive resources in Focus on Sound to help them, making the most of the many audio, video, and interactive resources.
Focus on Sound gives students different approaches to revision. They could begin by looking up all the key terms they struggled with or forgot in their last mock exam. Alternatively, they could focus on set works, completing some of the pre-made lessons and quizzes. If your exam board doesn’t use set works, why not use other exam board content to help with wider listening?
Encourage students to revise with Focus on Sound and maybe the process will become slightly less challenging? You could set up a few custom lessons that zero in on their weakest areas, or browse the Shared Lesson Library for lessons that support your students’ revision topics.
In the classroom, try the ‘Dip in/Dip out’ approach to support revision and help secure knowledge. Watch this video to find out how:
About James Manwaring
James is the Director of Music for the Windsor Learning Partnership Multi-academy Trust. He has held the post of Head of Music at The Windsor Boy's School for over 15 years. James is currently the President-Elect of the Music Teachers Association.
