Five Reasons to Use Quotation Flashcards
The majority of GCSE and A Level English Literature examinations are closed book. This means that the students are not allowed to bring a copy of the text into the exam with them.
Examiners expect students to use quotations from the texts to support their ideas. This means that students have to learn quotations by heart.
Students often underestimate the intensity of this process and leave it too late. I work with a lot of my students to get them into good habits of learning quotations as they go through the course.
Flashcards are one of my recommended methods for learning quotations. Here are 5 reasons why they work.
They are portable - got 5 mins before the bus comes? Check out a few Macbeth quotes! They can then be put away again really quickly when you need them to. You could also get them on a keyring and attach them to a bag to make them even easier to transport!
Split up the quotation and the analysis - this is a key one. As they are doubled sided, you can put the quotation on one side and then more detailed notes about the quotation on the other side. This helps to prevent cognitive overload and means students can focus on learning the quotation first and then revising the analysis.
Great for self-testing - students can challenge themselves to see what they remember about a quotation. They can also ask others to test them quickly and effectively.
Colour coding - many of my students use colours to aid their revision. They use different colour index cards for different topics. This makes it really easy for them to select and organise their flashcards effectively.
Easy revision sessions - once the flashcards are prepared, students can use them for short and highly focused revision sessions. This is often far more effective than wading through a text book or internet revision websites with no clear or specific goal.
Pre-prepared flashcards are available to purchase in the Bright Sky English Resources store now!
We currently have sets for Macbeth and An Inspector Calls, with plenty more on their way very soon!
