Starting Year 12: What good habits are you building now?
Year 12 can feel like a big step up. There is more content to cover, more assessments to prepare for and, before you know it, the HSC is approaching.
But here’s something I always tell my students: don’t wait until you feel overwhelmed to start developing good study habits.
The students who make the most progress are often those who are consistent. They don’t necessarily spend hours studying every night, but they do little things regularly that help them build confidence and retain what they have learnt.
So, if you’re heading into Year 12, here are a few habits I’d encourage you to start developing now.
1. Build your quote tables as you go.
Don’t leave quote collection until a few weeks before your exams. As you study each text, start building a table of important quotations, techniques, analysis and links to key themes.
More importantly, make sure you understand your quotes. Memorising a quotation is one thing; knowing how to use it effectively in an essay is another!
2. Practise questions regularly.
Don’t just read your notes and assume you understand the content. Put your knowledge into practice.
Try writing short analytical paragraphs, responding to essay questions or completing timed practice questions.
The more familiar you become with different question styles, the more confident you’ll feel when assessments arrive.
3. Ask for feedback – and actually use it.
Feedback is one of the most valuable parts of improving your writing. When someone identifies an area for improvement, take the time to go back and rewrite it.
Don’t just move on to the next task. Look at how you can improve your expression, analysis, vocabulary and structure.
Sometimes rewriting one paragraph is far more valuable than writing three new ones.
4. Most importantly, are you reading?
I really cannot emphasise this one enough!
Reading is one of the most effective ways to improve your English skills, and it is something students often underestimate.
Reading regularly exposes you to different vocabulary, sentence structures, writing styles and ways of communicating ideas. It helps develop your understanding of language and gives you a much stronger foundation for your own writing.
And it doesn’t always have to be a novel. Read articles, opinion pieces, short stories, reviews and anything that interests you.
Pay attention to how writers construct their sentences, introduce ideas and engage their readers. You can learn an enormous amount simply by being an active reader.
A final thought…
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A final thought… 〰️
You don’t need to have everything figured out on the first day of Year 12. But you do need to start building habits that will support you throughout the year.
A little reading each day, a regularly updated quote table, consistent practice and a willingness to act on feedback can make a significant difference.
Don’t leave all your preparation until the HSC trials are around the corner.
