Introduction
Assessment, be it diagnostic, formative, summative or certificative, has always been a stressful time for learners. If they are well prepared, they will be able to cope with this essential moment in school life with greater serenity. Focusing on summative and certificative assessments such as official examinations, we will present some useful measures for learners.
1- A long way to get ready
Over the year or the learning period leading up to the assessment, learners should read their lessons as they are given. This will lighten the workload and make revision easier. Students who accumulate lessons never revise them, if at all, because the sheer number of lessons makes them tired just looking at them. During this regular reading, it is advisable to draw up summary sheets for easy revision on the eve of the exam.
However, those who have not kept up this pace of learning from the outset need not despair. They have a lot of work to do, but they can make up for it and revise more easily after the exams. This strategy will enable an alert child to quickly go through the major points of the syllabus based on the tests offered during the year, as well as the recurring concepts in the exam papers. During this exercise, they should regularly refer to their notebook to reread any concepts they still do not understand.
2- During Exam
This is no longer a time for learning; it’s a time for concentration and pragmatism. It is counterproductive to pull all-nighters at the risk of feeling tired during the composition, which is a handicap to reflection.
Students need to relax sufficiently without getting distracted; they need to keep a light mind and revise objectively without overloading themselves. At this point, they should go back to their summary sheets and consult them to jog their memory, because it’s not easy to learn new things at that precise moment. It is also very important for candidates to develop their self-esteem. They need to have self-confidence, which will help them avoid frustration and the tendency to cheat, which not only wastes time but also exposes them to several risks, including copying the wrong answers from their neighbour. Self-confidence also helps them to keep their cool in front of the test, so they can think more clearly.
Conclusion
The exam period is a relatively difficult time for students. But if they are well prepared, they can overcome the difficulties and approach this important stage in their learning process with confidence. Students should therefore prepare well in advance. During the assessment, they should revise without overloading themselves, relax, cultivate self-confidence, eat well, sleep well to ensure they are balanced and able to think, etc.