CILEX Revision & Exam Preparation
By Lorna Baldry
Brightlink is a Chartered Institute of Legal Executives accredited centre. It is work we as a team love to do because at it’s very core it’s about opportunity and widening access to the legal profession. There are so many inspiring people following this route, making study and successful study at that, fit with full time work and families and sometimes caring and illness.
Our website contains a mini unit aimed at helping learners to prepare for CILEx exams. Exam preparation begins when you first start to study, because you have more clarity and you do better if you have your end goal in sight from the very beginning, you decided to undertake the course knowing you would need to pass exams to achieve the qualifications. Of course you also study to be able to understand the subject matter and apply it to practice within that area of law. Your learning must be functional too. Sometimes, because you’re working as you study the practice of what you are learning takes over and your study can get out of balance leaving behind the need to revise as you work your way through your course. It’s never too late, though and you can begin and complete some of your most effective learning close to the exams if you need to, with some careful organisation and good support.
Because you need to know what you’re aiming for from the very beginning we begin by considering what the examiner wants, the format and rules of the exam. Then we’ll look at how you get there and how you make the most of that preparation in the exam room. You have to understand the exam and the examiner, revise the material, then recall it and present that information effectively when required.
There are two ways to make the most of this unit, either by simply purchasing a subscription to the tips and materials for £50 or by spending £100 and purchasing the tips and materials along with 2 months of unlimited tutor support for any subject study no matter which centre you study with.
Some of the things our unit covers are time management, studying for exams, specific requirements of CILEx examiners and specific skills, for example reading for revision.
One of the most common methods of revision and often the most effective is to read material. This has to be the starting point whatever method is used for intake and recall as the information has to be assimilated first. Frequently reading is used in conjunction with note taking and note condensing.
The brain function in relation to reading as well as many other techniques is complex but can be significantly improved by understanding the way the brain works and how reading takes place and then practicing techniques to maximise potential and function.
In schools today children recognise brain awareness week by being taught all about the brain and how it works and how they can control their use of it, this education enables them to maximise their potential. When many of us went to school we were not given this information and this places us at a disadvantage. It is possible to find online and textbook resources which tell you how your brain works, which side of it you favour and which kind of ‘smart’ you are. This is a very worthwhile exercise to assist your future learning and understand which revision and recall techniques are best for your very individualised brain function.
We take you right from your first day of study through to the examination day step by step, raising your levels of understanding and ultimately wishing you the best of luck and reminding you that the exam doesn’t have to be seen as a test but could be seen as your chance to shine and really show the examiner what you know and what you can do.
Best of luck in the August results everybody!
