This post is written by a student called PM
I remember stepping into March 2023 with a huge 'burden' of the English Lit GCSE exams on my shoulders. I was on a grade 4. I cannot believe I used to treat this subject as a burden.
Honestly my indelible transformation from the 4 to a 9 (A**) and achieving full marks in Eng Lit paper 1 in just under 2 months had been, well, indelible.
I recall that the study techniques I was using for English had been completely unnecessary and an utter time waste, especially when I thought that all this time I was being productive.
Luckily, Mr Salles videos and collabs with other English studytubers had been a lifesaver, when I actually started using them effectively by making as many mindmaps of possible themes and characters that could come up in the exam, any repetitions from previous years' themes (please take this one with a pinch of salt).
Then, I was actually becoming productive. I was excelling.
Tips I would recommend:
Be positive. Honestly. Your mindset can change half the game.
Please practice writing as many essays as you can:
Improved and neater handwriting (not that this is essential, but must be legible, of course)
Your pace is significantly faster, and ideas will most likely race into your mind as you write
You will be writing in the exam, not typing
Forget about everyone in the hall. You can remember them after that exam.
Even if your questions about the texts are stupid/seen as stupid by your peers (most likely not), ask your teachers for help - better than looking stupid on results day.
Memorise pre-prepared areas of speculation + explanations - make sure they are innovative and ORIGINAL
If your ideas are obscure, add them in. This is what will make your ideas stand out and unique. But if you cannot back them up, you will not get the mark.
Replicate exam conditions!!! (I remember playing a random 10hr 'exam pens writing noise' audio in the background while revising - so the exam situations don't stress you out).
Overconfidence will lead to ego, which will lead to failure.
Follow Mr Salles' content. End of discussion.
Oh, and yes, Mr. Salles' English guides? Haha, a masterpiece. You should be breathing those tips in and out.
Mr. Salles is an absolute gem and an incredible tutor that we can all luckily access online through his YouTube videos, his positive aura, and his "Hel-lo!" at the beginning of each of his videos are just the bare minimum of an incredible teacher he is!!
Thanks so much sir, and good luck to all those reading this! Now go smash that preparation and swiftly write in the exam.
PM.
My Thoughts
About 30% of my views for the year come just on the nights before each exam paper. I can look back all the way back to 2011. Students start their revision a little earlier now, but very, very few seem to have a real plan which is going to work.
This is their plan. I’ll revise really hard the week before.
So do they revise much for their mocks? Not most students. Not a chance. 3 hours per subject would be exceptional.
This is where students wanting top grades can simply smash it out of the park. Revising for your mocks will mean you are way ahead of your peers.
PM doesn’t tell us what study techniques she was using. Probably rereading, highlighting and maybe taking notes. Imagine working for your mocks, and still getting grade 4. So easy to give up. What’s the point, right?
But, look at how she tackled the last two months. Total focus on techniques which work. I know for a fact that students aren’t all jumping on my videos in March. This is what my views look like in March:
Students don’t start revising properly until the 8th of May.
PM also offers some advice which no one has ever mentioned before, but is sheer genius - revising with the sound of people scribbling away. This is so powerful, and not just because you learn to ignore distracting sounds. The sound becomes a trigger for memory. So, when you hear that sound in the exam, you will actually remember your revision better. The exam will be easier!
PM is kind enough to mention my guides. 55% of my viewers say they got a grade 8 or 9 in 2023. That’s pretty insane. A further 21% say they got grade 7. 22% say they went up by at least 3 grades from their mocks, like PM.
Imagine what the figures must be for students who read the guides?
You can get everything I’ve ever written, free for 30 days, or £0.99 for 60 days on Kindle Unlimited. That’s over 20 guides, worth at least £100. Here’s the link.
Or, if you want paper copies you can scribble all over, this is what is available:
Language Guides
Guide to 100% in the Language GCSE https://amzn.to/2EwpvmG
Guide to Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling https://amzn.to/2wJT3xH
Guide to Awesome Story Writing: https://amzn.to/2EQHIwZ
Ultimate Guide to Description (including 20+ Grade 9 Answers!) https://amzn.to/3Jg8ZYC
Quick Guide to Awesome Description https://amzn.to/34t1ERe
Ultimate Guide to Persuasive Writing https://amzn.to/3ch3zxK
Guide to 100% in Language Paper 1 Question 2 https://amzn.to/3LsRGFt
Guide to 100% in Language Paper 1 Question 3 https://amzn.to/3Sils1D
Guide to 100% in Language Paper 1 Question 4 https://amzn.to/3MI4ZCu
Guide to 100% in Language Paper 1 Question 5 https://amzn.to/3TedzLM
Guide to 100% in Language Paper 2 Question 2 https://amzn.to/48lS6Zo
Guide to 100% in Language Paper 2 Question 3 https://amzn.to/46c0VD0
Guide to 100% in Language Paper 2 Question 4 https://amzn.to/46bqzb1
Literature Guides
Guide to GCSE English Literature https://amzn.to/2JkpfLC
Guide to An Inspector Calls: https://amzn.to/2EO6iye
Guide to Jekyll and Hyde https://amzn.to/34njncR
Ultimate Guide to Macbeth https://amzn.to/33QJeKf
Ultimate Guide to A Christmas Carol https://amzn.to/2QvT2Xk
Ultimate Guide to Romeo and Juliet https://amzn.to/3BNhmpY
Guide to Power and Conflict Poems AQA (11 Grade 9 Essays) https://amzn.to/3KHDAxK
Books on Teaching and School Leadership
The Full English: How to be a brilliant English teacher https://amzn.to/3vXcq1y
The Slightly Awesome Teacher: https://amzn.to/2q7Z1ks
The Unofficial Ofsted Survival Guide https://amzn.to/2Uivxk1
How to Differentiate Your School https://amzn.to/3drteTm
Hi, could you reupload the original Jekyll and Hyde videos that were removed from the playlist?