Quizzes
Partly because of all the memorization involved, daily preparation really is essential. Here are tips for:
Daily "Pop" Quizzes:
Part I: Studying for Vocabulary Quizzes
The "pop" quizzes are almost never "pop." Look at the weekly assignment sheet. Typically the second or third sentence of an assignment tells what a pop quiz the next day would cover:
Finish Ch. 8 translation and do Ex. 8a (p. 53). Study vocab. on p. 53.
Students see this and know that the chance of a "pop" quiz tomorrow is better than 90%. The weakest students will open their books to page 53 and look at it. Fairly weak students will cover the words with one hand and try to remember them. They will be surprised by how poorly they do the next day. Stronger students will approach the task with a plan like this one.
How to Study Latin Vocabulary
Make flashcards, paying careful attention to spelling and long marks.
Reshuffle and drill the flashcards repeatedly, setting aside the words you know, focusing on the words you don't, until you know them all. Drill in both directions, but make sure you can give the Latin words.
If a certain word keeps stumping you, make a connection with an English word you know. I remember that "porcus" means "pig" by thinking about a porcupine, a spiky pig.
If the last suggestion doesn't work, make any random connection with the word that you can, as long as it means something to you.I remember that "tandem" means "finally" by imagining a long tandem bicycle: I wait a long time before the rider in the back finally comes by me. The more absurd and personal the connection is, the more likely you'll remember it!
Write out the Latin words to make sure you're spelling them correctly.
Drill the cards again after completing other homework. Make a short list of your toughest ones to review right before class.
Keep the flashcards labeled by chapter and organized for later use.
Part II: Studying for Grammar Quizzes
Even when they study vocabulary, weaker students avoid assignments like this:
Carefully review noun chart (p. 41).
As long as they do avoid them, however, their grades will gradually fall. Some students avoid these assignments because they don't have - or don't want to use - new study strategies:
Noun Chart from p. 41
How to Study a Grammar Chart
- Before studying, look carefully for patterns running vertically (up and down)or horizontally (side to side) on the chart.
- Divide the chart into chunks of seven items or less, usually a column or half a column.
- Repeat the first chunk out loud - in order - over and over.
- Write the first chunk - in order - checking spelling and long marks afterward. Repeat until you can do it easily without looking.
- Drill on the first chunk out of order. You can do this either with flashcards or orally, but the student should either write the answers or spell them out loud.
How To Drill on a Chart
| EXAMPLE QUESTIONS: | ANSWERS: |
| nominative plural of puella | puellae |
| accusative singular of puella | puellam |
- Repeat steps 3-5 for each chunk, working down then across the chart. Each time you reach step 5, gradually mix in questions from the previous chunks too.
- Using the information about the quiz given in class, make a quiz with the same format as the real one and take it. Repeat steps 3-7 until you like your grade. The students who ace these quizzes every day can usually predict their grades ahead of time!
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Improving Tests
Tips For Test Review
- Study for and ace the daily quizzes.
- Do the whole test review sheet thoroughly.
- Correct the test review sheet carefully in class, asking questions as we correct it.
- The night before the test, go over your corrected test review sheet section by section. For each section ask yourself:
- Do I understand what I'm supposed to do?
- Do I understand how to do it?
- Have I memorized whatever I need to memorize?
- Mark sections that you still need to study more or to ask about more. Bring me your questions during morning help session
- Study your own mistakes. Look at your homeworks and quizzes. Make a list of which words you always misspell, which endings you mix up, and which words you "can't" remember. The last thing you study is this list. If you're already doing most of the work, this may be the fastest way to raise your grade even further.
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Improving Exams
Exam Review Tips
- Study for and ace the daily quizzes. You'll be shocked at how much more you learn and how much better your remember it.
- Make the exam review schedule your friend. Use it to study ahead for the review quizzes, especially when you have lots due on the same day.
- Ace the review quizzes or tests. You've already learned this material, so take these great scoring opportunities!
- Keep your returned review quizzes and tests until the exam. Study your mistakes instead of repeating them.
- On the last day of class, you'll generally get all the directions cut-and -pasted straight from the exam! What a gift!
For each section ask yourself:
- Do I understand what I'm supposed to do?
- Do I understand how to do it?
- Have I memorized whatever I need to memorize?
- Mark sections that you still need to study more or to ask about more. Bring me your final questions during exam preparation day.
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Would you like to earn a higher grade than you've earned so far? How do you do that? The answer depends on how you earned your current grade. Often the fastest way to raise your grade is find your weak spots and work on them first. If you don't already know your weak spots, print out your NetClassroom report and check my advice on understanding your grade. Once you know your weak spots, click on the links below for tips on improving them.