If you're an Irish Secondary School student between the age of 13 and 18 you're going to sit two sets of Mocks or Mock Exams before you graduate. So, let's start with the most obvious question and answer it for you.
What are the "mocks" / mock exams?
The mock exams for Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate are similar in style, standard and layout to the State Exams and are normally taken by Junior Cert and Leaving Cert students in early February in preparation for the State exams in June.
They act as a checkpoint for teachers and students in their preparation for the actual State Exams which take place in June. The mocks are typically corrected by independent external examiners/ correction supervisors, this gives an objective idea of the student's capability in exam situations.
So, now we know what they are, maybe we should take a quick look at just why the mocks are actually so important for teachers and students.
Why Are The Mocks Important?
There are three main reasons why the mocks are so important in a young person’s preparation for the State Exams.
We've tried our best to simplify those reasons below:
- Practice in Real Exam Conditions: Practising in exam conditions is essential. Students sit their mock exams under the same conditions they are likely to sit their June exams, and it helps them to prepare and adapt to the pressure of the exams. They will gain first-hand experience with the importance of timing each question and it will give them a realistic understanding of how much work they need to do.
- Helps Get Rid of Initial Fear: The trial run of doing the mock exam will give students an idea as to how they handle exam situations and maybe even build confidence. To help you stay calm and confident right before and during the test, perform relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing.
- Feedback For Teachers and Learners: The Mocks help students and teachers to identify areas they should focus their learning on in preparation for the real exam and they can help to build students’ confidence in the areas they already know really well.
Most schools send mock exam papers for external grading, this is beneficial for a number of reasons. External correction provides an independent unbiased opinion on a student’s progress for the learner, their teacher and parents. This opinion provides valuable insight for the student and helps them to direct their study in the months leading up to their Junior Cycle or Leaving Certificate exam. The feedback and marking of these papers can alert the student to a particular area to focus on, thus improving their chances of a higher grade in June.
Now that we know what the Mocks are and why they are so important we better look at how you can prepare for them and the CAO form to come!
"My advice is never to leave it until the last minute, when you study for the mocks"
- Ms G Brennan
How To Get Ready For Your Mocks
Organisation from Christmas on is key! Enjoy the Holidays then set yourself to work!
If you're not someone who is organised with a study timetable I highly recommend downloading the following templated and filling in a schedule of work. In the lead-up to the mocks and the actual state exams, it is best to study consistently and work off a schedule. The schedule should be manageable and easy to follow so that you don’t burn out before the exams begin. It should make use of highlighters and different coloured pens to help create a vivid plan.
Your study should incorporate both revisions of notes and practice questions.
Gone are the days of wasting 15-20min wondering which subject to study next. If you're struggling to get into a subject, you need to go for a run for ten minutes or listen to some music and get straight back on track. It's six months of hard work for a lifetime of self-gratitude that you.
The Importance of Past Exam Questions!
When you are practising past questions it's always a good idea to time yourself.
Why?
It’s important to know how long each question should take and to get your timing down so that you can work within that time frame. There’s no point working on a question at home for thirty minutes when in the exam the same question should only take fifteen.
Remember the mocks are a trial run of the real Leaving Cert and Junior Cert. They are there so that you can work out all of the kinks before. The whole purpose of the mocks is to allow you and your teachers to see where you might make a mistake without the same consequences as the true exams. They are not there to make your life more difficult. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The mocks will make your life easier come summertime when the actual exam.
To gain access to all past exam papers for Junior and Leaving Cert free online to print at home simply click here. Otherwise, you can buy books of past exam papers in most bookstores.
The most important thing is to make sure you prepare now so you don't stress when the time comes. A little bit of stress can be motivational but too much can do quite the opposite so make sure to carve some relaxation time into your timetable once a week. Give yourself two hours off every week to play sports or games online or meet up with friends. If that's not your thing maybe listen to some music, watch a movie or read a book, whatever you do, make sure you have a small rest every week to ensure a healthy work-life balance.
We wish you the best of luck with the exams and feel free to drop us a comment or get in touch with any of our tutors if you need further help!
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
