The Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) is typically known as the Malaysian national exam taken by all Form 5 secondary school students. It is deemed as the token to obtaining higher education and poses several benefits for students who wish to further their studies if performed well. However, doing well in SPM may not be all that easy without hard work, dedication and most importantly working smart. If you’re in need of tips and tricks as to how you can ace your SPM, here are some of the essential things you can incorporate into your daily studying habits.
#1 Prepare a Study Schedule
Having a clear target each day will help you be consistent when studying on a daily basis and ensures that every topic will be covered before the examination period. Bear in mind that working hard would not bring you the greatest results if there is no consistency. With that being said, let’s look into the steps of creating a study schedule which suits you best.
- Create a list of the topics you want to cover for a subject each day and prioritise the ones you are unfamiliar with or find difficult. Then, cross out the topics that
have been covered. A good example would be the planner shown above. - Determine the time of the day where you can concentrate best and study during
those times. - Most effective study sessions are usually 2 hours long with short breaks in
between
#2 Understanding Instead of Memorizing
Yes, memorising helps you to remember important concepts and pointers but understanding the materials will not only help you to remember for a long period of time but also helps you solve problems even when certain components of a question are changed. Hence, understanding the topics and materials can assist you in answering High Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) questions in SPM.
#3 Taking Breaks
It can not be denied that studying long hours can be mentally and physically draining for students which can be a setback for the efficacy of your study sessions. Therefore, taking purposeful breaks from studying is imperative as it refreshes your brains, helps increase productivity and ability to focus better.
Though studying comes of an importance to bring good results, your welfare always comes first. Remember to always balance out your schedule that you have set and take some time off to relax your mind. You can try taking a 10 min break after every 40 minutes of studying.
Check this video out for some of the things you can do during your breaks that help boost your productivity!
#4 Using Active Recall
Active recall is the action of actively stimulating your memory for a piece of information. It comprises both memorising and understanding materials and helps consolidate information in your long term memory.
Active recall can be done by using;
- Flashcards – Trying to figure out the answer to a question before checking the answers and repeating this process multiple times.
- Feynman technique – Best way to learn is to teach it which does not necessarily mean teaching others. You can even explain it to your wall or pretend you are making a video talking about the topic.
Watch the video below to guide you on how you can study effectively with flashcards!
#5 Practice Past Year Papers
Fortunately, SPM is not necessarily unpredictable if you practice and revise past year papers regularly. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect! Revising these papers will help you in various ways which are;
- Understanding the format of the paper
- Understanding the allocation of marks and marking scheme for each subject. It guides you in determining how much to write for your answer
- Completing it within the time frame. Practicing these papers can help you work on your time management that is determining how much time is needed for each question.
With that being said, all the best in your SPM examinations and always remember that success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.
For further enquiries on recommended courses available upon the completion of your SPM examination, feel free to contact Excel Education!
Top 3 Private Universities in Malaysia For Pre-U Programs
With almost hundreds of private universities and colleges in Malaysia to choose from to further your studies, here are the top 3 private universities in Malaysia that you can consider when enrolling into a pre-u course after SPM!
#1 Taylor's College
Taylor’s College was established by George Archibald Taylor and George Leighton Taylor in 1969. Taylor’s college is currently part of the best 90 universities under 50 years old as specified by the QS World Ranking. It holds approximately 5000 students with a multicultural environment that is situated in Subang Jaya, Selangor.
Programs Offered | Intakes |
Foundation
| February, April, August |
Cambridge A-Level | February, April, August |
SACE International | February, April, August |
Diploma
| April, August |
For more information regarding the university, programs offered, entry requirements and fees structure, contact Excel Education.
#2 University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham Malaysia is a branch campus of the University of Nottingham. It is the first British based education institution that was established in Malaysia in 2000 and iis situated in Semenyih, Selangor. As of 2021, University of Nottingham ranks 18th in the UK and 103rd in the world. University of Nottingham is one of the 24 members of the Russell’s Group, a world-class research intensive institution in the UK.
Programs Offered | Intakes |
Foundation
| April, June, September |
For more information regarding the university, programs offered, entry requirements and fees structure, contact Excel Education.
#3 INTI University College
INTI university was founded in 1986 in Bangunan Sim Lim, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur and has been known to provide high quality and excellence for over 3 decades. INTI International University and College currently has four branch campuses across Malaysia which are in Nilai, Subang Jaya, Penang, and Sabah.
With their dual approach to education, that is mastering the academic aspect as well as transfering of those skills into practice, more than 55,000 students have become part of the INTI International University family.
Programs Offered | Intakes |
Foundation
| January, April, May, August (depending on the area of study and campus) |
Cambridge A Level Programme | January, July |
For more information regarding the university, programs offered, entry requirements and fees structure, contact Excel Education.
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About The Author
Gabrielle Marie Wong
Be you and do what excites.