4 Study Techniques for VCE English
How should I study for VCE English?
Studying for VCE English is absolutely a tall order! Think about how many skill-sets you need to utilise in order to pull off a successful essay:
You have to memorise enough quotes as evidence in your essays.
You need to be able to thoughtfully discuss key themes, character development, and film/literary devices.
You need to respond to a topic that you are given on the day.
You need to execute a structured, systematic analysis.
Studying in a way that lets you practice these separate skillsets makes executing an essay much easier.
01 Mind-mapping
Mind maps are a great way to see the connection between similar ideas. Often times, in VCE English, you have one idea which overlaps or connects to another.
Being able to see these connections is great, as it means that you are memorising less information in the long run.
One of the best tricks of VCE English involves reusing the same evidence with a different explanation and a different context.
Ultimately, memorising one batch of evidence you can use for multiple theme based essays saves time, and ensures consistent quality within the work that you’re producing.
02 Spaced practice
I will admit that I have been a lifelong crammer when it comes to most things. However, when I have used spaced practice I’ve found that it’s been the most consistent way of ensuring that I easily retain the knowledge that I need.
Spaced practice involves students reviewing information across a long period of time.
Some people, when using spaced practice, work to regularly review knowledge at weekly intervals. I found that this didn’t work for me - there are points in Year 12 where you have a SAC literally every week, and it makes sense to prioritise an upcoming SAC more than constant revision.
What I did find that worked for me is studying consistently for longer - I finished most of the Year 12 curriculum for my memorisation heavy subjects (VCE History, VCE Legal Studies) over the school holidays. When I walked into the classroom in early March, it felt like everything I was learning was a form of revision.
I recommend putting in the hard years early and lessening the workload on yourself later in the year.
03 Full immersion
I find a lot of students are hesitant when it comes to this study technique, but to be entirely honest, it is the most effective one I know.
At the end of the day immersing and surrounding yourself with the knowledge you need to retain is the easiest way to ensure retention.
For me, this meant sticking up posters around the house. Every time I walked past one, I would make myself read what was on it.
Gradually, my confidence and competency was built, just by seeing that information around me all the time. This can be stressful for some students, constantly seeing school work around them and associating it with stress.
For me personally, I felt this strategy allowed me to embed the act of studying into the fabric of my everyday life.
04 Talk out loud
When reading texts or literary theory I always like to read aloud, or even just mouth the words. I also like to highlight as I move along through the text - anything that catches my eye, or bears noticing.
It’s easy, when reading, to fall into the trap of passively absorbing the information you’re given as opposed to thinking critically about it.
I personally find that using techniques that keep me aware that I am consuming information also make it easier to to process that information more efficiently.
An alternative could be teaching someone else what you’ve learnt immediately after reading. Explaining your ideas out loud to another person ensures that you’ve picked up the key points and are able to provide concise analysis.
