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Independent Learning
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The national expectation of the work an A Level student should be doing independently follows the 'Carnegie' model - for every hour in a lesson with a teacher, the student should be doing 2 hours of independent work. This independent work can be:
- Homework
- Preparation for lessons
- Using non-contact lessons
- Revising your knowledge and skills
- Practising your skills
Independent Learning: Psychology
Supplementing class and homework with independent learning is the ONLY way to secure a credible grade.
Make your lesson notes your own
Know what the examiners want Using www.aqa.org.uk for podcasts, candidate exemplars, question banks, past papers. Prepare model answers to essay questions. Using your homework, classwork, notes, textbook etc. Practice and summarise your work using
Research using the best websites Subscribe to the best lesson YouTube channels
Complete the exercises
Revision workbooks These have exercises to complete to keep practising. Around £7 each on Amazon.
Revision Guides These have all the course detail, such as: ISBN: 1912820439 Revision Flashcards
Psych Review Magazine Extras The magazine has extras each month found at https://www.hoddereducation.co.uk/magazines/magazines-extras/psychology-review-extras:
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Preparing for your lessons is the best preparation you can do.
1. Be aware of what you will be doing in class during the next lesson - use the Psychology calendar to help you.
2. Find out what materials you will need - folder? textbook? Scientific calculator?
3. Get an understanding of what will be done during the lesson - read the textbook, watch a YouTube clip.
4. Identify where you need the teacher (or other students) to explain the topic in greater detail.
1. Be aware of what you will be doing in class during the next lesson - use the Psychology calendar to help you.
2. Find out what materials you will need - folder? textbook? Scientific calculator?
3. Get an understanding of what will be done during the lesson - read the textbook, watch a YouTube clip.
4. Identify where you need the teacher (or other students) to explain the topic in greater detail.
Non-Contact Lessons
As an 'advanced' learner, you need to plan your independent work for it to be effective. Your private study sessions must be used to good effect.
- Amend your timetable to assign at least 1 subject to each non-contact lesson
- Note which teachers are free for each non-contact lesson you have - your Psych teacher may be more than happy to discuss your work with you at that time
- Identify which topic you will work on in each non-contact at the start of the week or the night before each day.
- Don't sit with friends, unless you will be working with them directly
- Don't listen to music - Grant tells us that listening to music while learning does not help you if your exams are in silence (which they are).