fbpx

The Alchemy Tuition Blog

06 Apr 2023
Uncategorised Permalink

Fun Dice Games for Kids

6 April 2023

The benefits to playing dice games are endless! From building on basic calculation skills to improving children’s dexterity, playing dice games is not just simply a way to pass time.

 

Here are a few examples of some dice games that would be fun for anyone to join in on!

PASSAGE

What you need:

  • 2 Dice
  • 2 or more players

Goal:

Be the first person to reach 11 points.

How to play:

When preparing the game, each player rolls a die. The person that rolls the highest number will be the person that starts the game. The person that rolled the lowest number will re-roll and the number that appears on the die now will be known as the “point number”.

Beginning with the first player, each player takes a turn rolling two dice. If they roll the point number, they get one point. If they roll double the point number, they get two points. It is important to remember that you may only roll once per turn.

The first player to reach 11 points wins!

Here is a video to help you:

RUN FOR IT

What you need:

  • 6 dice
  • 2 or more players

Goal:

To be the first person to reach 100

How to play:

Each player takes turns rolling all six dice. The player does their best to organise the dice in runs. A run is a sequence of numbers, for example 1-2-3-4-5-6. For each number that is used in a run, the player scores 5 points. A dice can only be used once when creating a run and all runs must begin with the number 1.

For example, a roll of 1-2-4-5-6-6 scores 10 points for the run 1-2; whereas a roll of 1-2-1-2-3-4 scores 10 points for the run 1-2 and 20 points for the run 1-2-3-4 for a total of 30 points.

If there is no run, then no points are scored.

We have a short video to help you see how to play!

 

FIFTY

What you need:

  • 2 dice
  • 2 or more players

Goal:

To be the first player to reach 50

How to play:

Each player takes turns rolling two dice. If they do not roll any doubles then they do not score any points for that turn.

If they do roll doubles, then they score points as follows:

  • Double 1s, 2s, 4s, 5s = 5 points
  • Double 6s = 25 points
  • Double 3s = Their score up to that point is cleared and they have to start from the beginning

The first player to reach 50 points wins.

We even have a video to help you!

 

KNOCK OUT

What you need:

  • 2 dice
  • 2 or more players

Goal:

The goals is to be the first person to reach 100; or to have the highest score at the end of a predetermined number of rounds. (Most people find that playing 10 rounds seems to be the best option)

How to play:

The first thing you need to do before you start playing is to determine whether you are going to play to 100 points or to a set number of rounds. Once you have done that, you then need to decide between 6, 7 or 8 as your “knock-out number”. The knock-out number can either be the same for everybody or you can have a different number for each player. A round is done when everybody has had a turn.

 

Players take turns rolling both dice. If they don’t roll the knock-out number then the total score is recorded for that turn and the dice are passed to the player on the left. If the player rolls the knock-out number then they don’t receive any points for that turn and their score is completely “knocked-out” and they have to start over again.

 

The game continues until somebody reaches the goal.

Watch this video to help you!

28 Feb 2023
Students Permalink

How to study for a maths exam

28 February 2023

Preparing for a mathematics exam can be a daunting and scary task for many of us. Worry not! We are here to help you put that worry to rest.

 

Three ways to earn more points on your maths exam!

1. Write neatly and legibly

When you are writing your exam, be sure to write in a way that the marker is able to read and understand what you have written.

 

2. Read your instructions carefully

Make sure that before you start with any question, you have read and understood what the question is requiring from you. This can be very important as some instructions tell you whether or not it’s necessary to show calculations in your answer.

 

3. Know what you’re talking about

Ensure that you familiarise yourself with the vocabulary and concepts necessary before the exam so that you’re properly prepared

 

How to do well in your maths exam

1. Give yourself plenty of time

Maths is not a subject that can be mastered in one night, trust us, many have tried. It is a subject that requires plenty of practice. Maths is not so much about remembering what to do as it is about how to do it. That’s the reason why it’s important to do as much practice as possible before you write your exam.

 

2. There is an important difference between quantity and quality

Sometimes people have a tendency to practice several activities or questions of the same difficulty level and the problem with that unfortunately is that you don’t get an all-round understanding of where you are and what your level of understanding is. Sometimes it is better to do questions from various different difficulty levels rather than more questions and only focus on one difficulty level.

 

16 Feb 2023
Study Permalink

How to write a one-page essay in an hour

16 February 2023

If you have reached this point, chances are that you’ve left writing your essay to the very last minute! Don’t worry, you are not alone.

Procrastination is something that many people battle with and there are some easy steps that can be taken to help you while you do some last-minute cramming!

 

Step 1: Choose your topic wisely

When it comes to writing an essay fast, one essential step is to choose your topic wisely.

Make sure you choose a topic you know you’d be able to write a lot about. Doing this helps to ensure that you focus more on the content of the essay than on trying to dig up information on the topic.

Once you have the right topic, it’s then important to go through your topic and determine what research needs to be done. When you have finished researching, you can then start with your essay. When you start, make sure that you have an outline for your essay. including an introduction, body, and conclusion.

 

Step 2: Brainstorm ideas

A quick way to get some ideas for your essay is to jot down any ideas that you have so that, later, you can see how you’d best be able to combine these ideas.

When brainstorming, an important thing to remember is that you cannot decide on the spot whether an idea is good or bad. Sometimes we need to push past so that we can properly determine which ideas are worth expanding on.

 

 

Step 3: Quickly skim through your sources

When writing your essay, it’s important to make sure you get good-quality sources to help you.

In your introduction, you can introduce several ideas that you are able to back up with evidence. Since the invention of search engines, it has made it easier for you to find information on a given topic. When you’re writing your essay, follow these tips:

  • Use only credible sources when researching.
  • Conduct searches in specific formats that will be more likely to provide results.
  • Find reliable statistics or studies that back up your points.

Step 4: Design an outline for your essay

An outline provides a plan for your essay and it gives you the structure that you can use to write your essay. The outline can be in any form; it can be a list of points or paragraphs that you plan to include in your essay, or it may be a more comprehensive hierarchical list that includes subtopics with their own subpoints. It may also simply be a few words you jotted down on paper before starting to write.

What’s important about an outline is that it helps you stay organized and keep track of what you want to say as well as how to say it.

 

 

Step 5: Start writing with urgency and confidence

This technique is beneficial for writers who don’t have much confidence in their writing abilities. When you’re done, it’s important to go back and go through your essay to edit it. When editing, it’s important to remember that you are allowed to make mistakes! Making mistakes is often how we learn and is a crucial part of building up your skills and confidence.

 

Step 6: Edit for errors before submitting

If you really want to ensure that you get the best grade possible, go through your essay and edit it.

Here are some tips to help you find the errors in your essay and ensure that you get a good grade:

  • Read over the essay for grammar and spelling errors
  • Add transitions to break up paragraphs
  • Remove any unnecessary words, phrases, or sentences
  • Use a dictionary to check word usage
27 Jan 2023
Study Permalink

10 Amazing English Games For High School

27 January 2023

Sometimes it’s not easy to keep a learner’s interest, and it’s even more frustrating trying to find an activity that can be both academically beneficial and entertaining. We have provided a list of activities below that you can do with your students that will help bring some energy back into the classroom!

1. Pictionary

Objective

Each team moves a piece on a game board formed by a sequence of squares. Each square has a letter or shape identifying the type of picture to be drawn on it. The objective is to be the first team to reach the last space on the board. To achieve this a player must guess the word or phrase being drawn by their partner, or if the player lands on an “all play” square, one player from each team attempts to illustrate the same concept simultaneously, with the two teams racing to guess first. The first player to land and guess correctly at the finish wins.

Gameplay

The team chooses one person to begin drawing; this position rotates with each word. The drawer chooses a card out of a deck of special Pictionary cards and tries to draw pictures that suggest the word printed on the card. The pictures cannot contain any numbers or letters, nor can the drawers use spoken clues about the subjects they are drawing. The teammates try to guess the word the drawing is intended to represent.

There are five types of squares on the board, and each Pictionary card has a list of five words printed on it. Players must then draw the word which corresponds to the square on the board on which the team’s marker is:

AP category (and a random selection of check-marked words in other categories) are designated as “All Play”. For “All Play,” the teams compete against each other. Each team designates a player whose purpose will be to draw pictures. The team that guesses the word first gets to advance and take the next turn. If none of the teams guess the word, the turn passes to whichever team should have been next. One may not point or gesture at an object.

2. Simon Says

Simon Says is a game designed for three or more players where one player acts as “Simon” and hands out instructions to the other players which they then have to follow. The trick is that the other players are only meant to do what “Simon” tells them to do if the instruction is started with “Simon says”.

Instructions

The players must obey all instructions that start with the words “Simon says”. The players must not however do what is asked of them if the instruction does not start with “Simon says”. If they do, then they are out.

3. Hangman

Hangman is a guessing game that is suitable for two or more players. The idea is that one player will come up with a word, phrase or sentence and the other players will try to guess the word by suggesting letters within a certain amount of tries.

 

 

4. The Break-Up Letter

A fun activity for most learners is to come up with the perfect break-up letter. Let learners come up with two fictional characters and a deal-breaking situation. Once they’re happy with that, let them figure out more about the couple’s relationship, personality traits, and relationship issues and then they can start writing their break-up letter.

 

 

5. Charades

Charades is a party word-guessing game that was originally a dramatic form of literary charades. One player thinks of a specific word and is then required to act out the word that they’ve chosen to help the other players guess and the first person to guess correctly gets a point.

 

6. Kahoot!

Although Kahoot! is a virtual learning game, it can still be a lot of fun for the learners and there are still ways in which you can adapt it and incorporate it into your classroom and lesson. Kahoot! is a free site where learners can play quiz games and compete against each other.

 

 

 

7. Balderdash

The direct translation for Balderdash is “nonsense”. This is an interactive game that requires very little preparation and doesn’t use a dedicated website. Players get an unfamiliar word that they then have to come up with a “nonsense” definition for and convince the rest of the players is true. Only one of the players has the actual definition for the word.

8. Countdown

Players can either play together in a team or individually. Each player takes turns picking either a vowel or consonant until everyone has a total of nine letters. They then have to use those letters to come up with the longest word that they can.

It can be an interesting challenge, so it’s best enjoyed with higher levels, but students often get into the spirit of the game, and the competition can get heated. Thus it is one of the ideal games for English classes for more reserved students.

This game lends itself particularly well as a starter activity for a class with maybe a few late students. Though you are not aiming to encourage this because students work on their own and there can be several short rounds people can join in as they arrive with minimum disturbance to the class. You can up the ante by stipulating the word to a specific part of speech, e.g., noun, adjective, etc.!

9. Liar, liar

Who does not enjoy making up all sorts of tales? It allows students to practice their speaking, grammar, and listening skills while having a laugh riot in the class and could be one of the best games for teaching English. So here is how it goes….. this is a fast-paced game of quick wit and ideal for a smaller class size otherwise, it would take up the entire class time!

So, the students form a team in pairs and are tasked with introducing the other team member. They should present the other person with their name, and try to talk about their likes and dislikes, hobbies, family information, etc. But the catch to this is that they can make up any story about their partner. It can be entirely made up or can have a mix-up of truth and false. The other student must pay close attention to the description (mind you this is meant to be their details), then listen carefully and say, “Liar!” whenever they find a lie. That student now will correct the other person.

10. Dictogloss

This activity focuses on the listening skills of your students and challenges them at the same time. This can be used as a classroom as well as an online game. It is better suited for advanced learners.

The idea is to test their listening and writing skills. So, you must choose a passage or a paragraph. Then, read it aloud at a slightly quicker pace than your class is used to. They all have to take notes while they are reading about what they hear. Read it twice, and then ask the students to recreate what they have been hearing.

The person who provides the closest answer is the winner. This English teaching game also tests the concentration, paraphrasing skills, writing, and grammar skills of the student. Hence, a comprehensive exercise.

 

 

 

19 Jan 2023
Study Permalink

Sentence Starters to Help Expand Your Vocabulary in an Analysis Argument

19 January 2023

When writing an Analysis Argument essay, finding the right words to use can be difficult. But there’s no need to worry! We have a perfect guide to help assist you in writing the ideal Language Analysis essay!

SUMMARY

It is essential to look closely at the language and images. Remember to explain how they are used to persuade the reader to agree with the author’s point of view (contention).

READING CAREFULLY

Ask questions as you read each article/blog/speech etc.

PLAN YOUR RESPONSE

  • Write the main contention in your own words
  • Jot down supporting arguments
  • Select which persuasive techniques you will discuss
  • Identify which examples/quotations you will use as evidence
  • Decide what you will look at in each body paragraph

INTRODUCTION

You must include the following:

  • Name/Title of the text and text type (opinion piece/speech/blog)
  • Writer’s name and contention
  • Where was it published/presented
  • Description of the overall tone of the piece

Sentence Starters: Intro

  • The writer asserts that…
  • Contending that …, the writer then …
  • The author quickly establishes the main contention that …
  • In a … tone, the writer declares that …
  • One of the main points of view presented by [name of the writer] is …
  • The writer argues that … which influences the reader to …
  • The usage of … positions the reader to share the writer’s viewpoint that …

Synonyms for ‘Argue’


BODY PARAGRAPHS

Generally 3 or 4 body paragraphs (may be more but cannot be less than three)

Follow TEEL:

  • Topic sentence – Point out one of your sentences and identify an important part of the writer’s argument or a key persuasive technique that is used by the writer.
  • Examples and evidence
  • Explanation of HOW/WHY the writer/speaker is persuasive
  • Link examples back to your topic sentence and contention

Sentence Starters: Main Paragraphs

  • By introducing a controversial example, the writer positions us to …
  • The use of colourful language predisposes us to …
  • Reference to … (experts/scientific findings/statistics) lends credibility to the writer’s argument.
  • The use of a stereotypical example contributes to the effect of …
  • Highly emotive language, for example …, influences us to accept …
  • Through repetition of the word …, the writer seeks to coerce the reader into believing that …
  • With a series of rhetorical questions, the author aims to appeal to …
  • The connotations of the word/phrase ,,, have the effect of …
  • By relentlessly attacking the opposing view, the author leads us to accept that …

Language Style

  • The writer’s use of a formal style and extensive research findings establishes her credentials …
  • By addressing us informally, the writer establishes a sense of intimacy …
  • The fast-paced and colloquial style immediately draws the reader into …

Connectives – Moving between paragraphs

CONCLUSION

  • Sum up what the writer’s main contention is, what do they want their audience to believe/do?
  • Summarise the main techniques they have used to convey their point of view
  • Assess the success of the author’s persuasive strategy
06 Jan 2023
Study, Uncategorised Permalink

What is a good NAPLAN score for Year 3?

6 January 2023

Students results for their NAPLAN have two important elements as to how they are reported:

  • The scale
  • The performance standards that are used

Scales

Results for NAPLAN are measured at a student level and compared to an assessment scale in each of the areas that they’re tested in. The scales that are used span across all the year levels from Year 3 to Year 9 and are divided into 10 bands. Not all bands are reported for each year level.

Standards

NAPLAN results have a national minimum standard that is defined and located on the assessment scale for each year level.

  • Band 2 is the minimum standard for Year 3
  • Band 4 is the minimum standard for Year 5
  • Band 5 is the minimum standard for Year 7
  • Band 6 is the minimum standard for Year 9

These standards are representative of the increasingly challenging skills and require increasingly higher scores on the NAPLAN scale.

The national minimum standards and common scales for NAPLAN results across all year levels are illustrated in the picture below:

A chart depicting the common scale and showing the standards and applicable bands for each year level tested. The chart shows that for Year 3, students who score at Band 1 are below the national minimum standard. Students at Band 2 are at the national minimum standard and students from Bands 3 to 6 are above the national minimum standard. For Year 5, students who score at Band 3 are below the national minimum standard. Students at Band 4 are at the national minimum standard and students from Bands 5 to 8 are above the national minimum standard. For Year 7, students who score at Band 4 are below the national minimum standard. Students at Band 5 are at the national minimum standard and students from Bands 6 to 9 are above the national minimum standard. For Year 9, students who score at Band 4 are below the national minimum standard. Students at Band 6 are at the national minimum standard and students from Bands 7 to 10 are above the national minimum standard.

13 Dec 2022
Study Permalink

NAPLAN – All you need to know

13 December 2022

What is NAPLAN and what do I need to do as a parent to help prepare my child for this?

NAPLAN can be a source of stress for many parents and students alike. This doesn’t have to be the case for you! We are going to go through everything you need to know to help prepare your child as best as possible for this assessment.

1. Why do students do NAPLAN?

NAPLAN is the only national assessment that all Australians have the opportunity to undertake. It is an assessment that assesses the numeracy and literacy levels of students in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9.

As a student moves through their academic journey, it is important to assess how well they are learning all the essential skills like reading, writing, and numeracy.

NAPLAN is only one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process but doesn’t replace those of the teachers, but rather assists teachers by providing extra information about the student’s academic progress.

2. Where does the NAPLAN take place?

Schools have transitioned from paper-based to computer-based assessments. All Year 3 students will continue to complete the writing assessment on paper.

Using online NAPLAN tests gives more accurate results and can be more engaging for students. It is tailored to present questions based on the student’s previous response.

Tailored testing allows a wider range of student abilities to be assessed and measures student achievement more precisely. A student’s overall NAPLAN result is based on both the number and complexity of questions they answer correctly. Your child should not be concerned if they find questions challenging; they may be taking a more complex test pathway.

3. What does NAPLAN assess?

NAPLAN is designed to assess the literacy and numeracy skills that students are meant to learn throughout their academic journey.

Students sit assessments in writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar, and punctuation), and numeracy. The questions assess content linked to the Australian Curriculum: English and Mathematics.

4. Who writes the NAPLAN?

NAPLAN is for everyone. Adjustments are available for students with disability who have diverse functional abilities and needs. Adjustments should reflect the support generally provided for classroom assessments.

In exceptional circumstances, a student with a disability that severely limits their capacity to participate in the assessment, or a student who has recently arrived in Australia and has a non-English speaking background, may be granted a formal exemption.

5. What if my child is absent from school on NAPLAN days?

Schools may arrange for an absent student to complete the NAPLAN at another time.

6. Where can I get a report on my child’s performance?

Each student’s performance is shown on a national achievement scale for every assessment. This is to determine whether or not the student is meeting expectations. A NAPLAN individual student report will be provided by your child’s school later in the year.

7. How are NAPLAN results used?

  • NAPLAN results can be used by students and parents/carers to discuss progress with teachers.
  • Teachers can use the results to identify students that need more support or that need to be challenged more.
  • Schools use the results to determine the strengths and weaknesses and to set goals for numeracy and literacy.

8. What can I do to support my child?

Students are not expected to study for NAPLAN. One of the best ways to support your child is simply to remind them that this is part of the schooling curriculum and that all they need to do is their best.

Alchemy Tuition provides support and guidance in preparing for the NAPLAN and we have skilled tutors that can assist your child in performing to their highest potential. Book now to see how we can assist you!

25 Nov 2022
Homework Permalink

5 Different Types of Essay Layout

25 November 2022

When writing an essay, you want to present your argument coherently. Following the proper essay structure will help you pass your ideas accurately and help your reader understand your overall point. Proper formatting will help express your knowledge in the essay and convey a degree of professionalism.

The type of layout to use on your essay depends on the type of essay you’re writing. Different essay types have different layouts, and you need to master each to ensure you follow the right structure when writing your essay. Here are five types of essay layouts to guide you when writing your next essay.

  1. Argumentative Essay Layout

Most students struggle with argumentative essay layouts because they tend to be complicated and multi-layered. It doesn’t help that most argumentative essays as usually a part of your coursework assignment in high school and college. The essay aims to demonstrate your ability to assess circumstances and make informed comments based on the facts of the case. Most of the aspects of this essay are similar to other essays.

Introduction

This will be the foundation of your essay and the cornerstone of your argument. The introduction must be flawless because it introduces the rest of the paper. The introduction will also carry the hook, the context detail and the thesis statement.

Body paragraphs

These main paragraphs comprise the rest of the essay’s body. These will carry the claim to link the key sub-argument to your thesis statement after presenting your topic sentence, the evidence and the topic sentence.

You should also consider having a counter-argument in your essay and disapprove of the viewpoint and claims with proof.

Final thoughts

End the body section with a conclusion that has a thorough explanation. This section will summarise the claim’s overall relevance to the study. Be sure to revise the essay before submission to iron out any grammatical errors and typos. Make sure everything reads clearly and flows nicely.

  1. Persuasive Essay Layout

Persuasive essays work to convince the reader to agree with your position. This type of writing is quite common, especially in advertisements. With persuasive essays, study, logical thinking and analysis are all part of the process. Once you’re ready to start writing, follow this layout;

Introduction

You will introduce the topic and discuss why the topic is significant or controversial and why a decision is necessary.

Thesis

Introduce yourself and your point of view to the reader. Your writing should be well-informed and useful to the reader. Performing extensive research before writing will have this effect, so you shouldn’t be hasty about writing.

Main body

At this point, introduce a new argument to support your thesis in each paragraph. Be sure to back up your claim after introducing it and back it up with facts. All your paragraphs should be connected to create a bigger and flow.

Conclusion

Link all of your key points in the conclusion. Do not introduce anything new at this point. Instead, summarise and make your closing remarks.

For persuasive essays, consider the following guidelines as well;

  • 500, 1500 or 2000 words are allowed
  • Unless otherwise specified, stick to Times New Roman 12-point font. Use a 16-point for your essay title. You can also use Arial and Georgia fonts.
  • Double-spaced is the gold standard, but you can use 1.5 also.
  • Justified alignment.

  1. Narrative Essay layout

Narrative essays are easier to work on. They serve to inform the reader about encounters, experiences and events that happened to the author at a specific time. Narrative essays have an exciting storyline, while descriptive ones try to paint a picture of an individual, experience, location, or object without a specific sequence of events.

It’s best if you start your narrative essay by making a journal about your experience and making a rough description of what will happen. Look for proof where necessary and make a list of your ideas.

Introduction

Before the writing process begins, always make sure you read a little more of the criteria, select the subject and gather some relevant details that you can use as a guide. Use a hook to commit readers. It can be a hook, an interesting comment, a fact or a quote.

Main body

The main body will have various paragraphs. Cover the history of your story in the first paragraph. It will give readers the most critical information. Keep it clear and concise.

You will also have a paragraph describing the main characters at the story’s beginning and giving examples. Try to be as detailed as possible in the plot.

The second body paragraph should get to the core of your story. Get the story to climax or the turning point. You can use a few anecdotes or details.

Conclusion

Describe all you’ve written and reiterate the key topic in your story. Explain how it applies to the lives of your readers. This should be a call to action, asking the readers to consider the subject further.

  1. Expository Essay Layout

In an expository essay, you will reveal a sequence of events, a novel or another subject as indicated by the teacher or professor to the reader. An expository essay should follow the below layout;

  • Introduction
  • Main body (this contains multiple paragraphs)
  • Conclusion

  1. A Five-Paragraph Essay Layout

Five-paragraph essays have the easiest layout. Possibly because they are also among the easiest and most straightforward. The essay includes an introduction, three body paragraphs and a conclusion. The introductions carry about five sentences. Because of the short nature of the essay, the introduction should have an attention-grabbing opening sentence and conclude with the thesis.

The body paragraphs support the thesis. You should organise the points from the least to the most important. Finally, the conclusion should restate the thesis and tie the body of the essay together.

Closing Remarks

Each type of essay will have a different layout. Even those with a similar structure will vary slightly in the details of what is covered in each paragraph. But regardless of the type of essay or layout, you should always endeavour to start with a strong introduction that hooks the reader and makes them want to keep reading.

25 Oct 2022
Homework Permalink

How to Write an Essay Quickly

25 October 2022

In an ideal situation, you have all the time in the world to write a great essay. But things don’t always work out in your favour. For one reason or another, you find yourself staring down a fast-approaching deadline, and you have to produce a good piece of work even with the limited time. It doesn’t matter whether the teacher created the time constriction or you put off writing the essay until the last minute. What you need now is to know how to write an essay quickly.

Change your mindset

Being under the pressure of time can make you panic and feel as though you don’t have enough time to complete the essay. You might even feel defeated before you’ve even started. But, to be successful, you need to shut out those negative feelings and get yourself in the right mindset for the seemingly arduous task ahead of you.

You might need to give yourself a pep talk and convince yourself that you can get it done and deliver an impressive essay. Have a goal to prove to yourself that you can take on the challenge, enjoy it and smash it in record time. Take a deep breath, focus, and get down to work!

Get rid of the distractions

You don’t have much time, so you can’t afford distractions from your phone and social media networks. Every minute counts! The fewer distractions you have, the more you can concentrate and the more you can get done. Procrastination is also not an option at this late stage. Ban yourself from your phone and any other distractions. Pick a quiet spot and turn on any productivity programs on your computer, like a full-screen text editor, to force yourself to look at your essay and nothing else. You can also get browser apps that keep you off social networks for a period of your choosing.

Once you have the right mindset and environment, it’s time to start writing your essay quickly.

Plan your time

You have a limited amount of time to have the paper ready. You have to make the most out of each minute available to you. That’s why you need to plan your time. If you have 30 minutes to complete the essay, set aside 10 minutes for outlining, 15 minutes for writing the body of the essay, and 5 minutes for revision.

If you have an hour, redistribute the time accordingly. Generally, at least 20% of your time should be spent on structuring, 50% on writing and shaping the essay’s body and the rest for revision.

Ditch the ink and grab your laptop

Most people type faster than they write. So unless you’ve been told the essay must be hand-written, type it.

By typing, you cut down the time spent writing the essay by almost half because you don’t have to write it and then type it. Typing on your computer is a good tip when learning how to write a good essay fast.

A typed document will also be easier for your teacher to read than a hand-written document. What’s more, you won’t suffer an achy arm when you complete the essay, which is an added bonus.

Read your essay question and understand it

Take time to read and understand the question of the essay. If you understand it vaguely, you’ll be forced to go back to it multiple times when you should focus on writing. Answer the question in your head so you have an idea of what you want to write about. If you have a problem getting started, brainstorm by writing down anything that comes to your mind and then chooses what fits the essay best.

Research to the point

If you’re not conversant with the essay topic or question, take some time to research. However, the research has to be on point. Look for the most specific information, and search for key concepts you will use in your paper. Remember, you don’t have a lot of time to complete the essay. You have to make your research brief and concise. Get to the points that apply and have value to your essay.

Write down the key sentences for each paragraph

You need strong and concise sentences that hook and relay information at the beginning of your paragraph. Because you’ve already drafted the paragraphs in the outline, it shouldn’t be hard to come up with the sentences. Normally, this won’t take more than a couple of minutes because you can come back and write the rest.

Make a solid introduction and conclusion

Write a hook preceding your thesis statement. A quote, a relevant anecdote in a sentence or two, or even some statistical information related to your topic is a great way to start. Towards the end of the introduction, make a transition to the body of your essay. The conclusion summarises the thesis statement and links it to the evidence you provide in the body paragraphs. The purpose of the conclusion is to put the information in your paper into context. Just like the introduction, writing a conclusion for your essay is just as crucial.

Spare some time for revision

Writing an essay under the pressure of time increases the chances of making errors. Sparing some time for revisions is crucial to avoid submitting an error-ridden essay. You might have done some of the proofreading as you go along, but you will need one last read before the essay is ready for submission.

Closing Remarks

Writing an essay quickly is more about planning than actual writing. Knowing how to spend each minute and fully use it increases your chances of delivering top-quality work that doesn’t look like it was hastily put together. The outline suggested above should help you prepare yourself mentally and plan yourself adequately to give you the best chance of scoring top marks in the essay.

10 Oct 2022
Homework Permalink

Why Maths is Important?

10 October 2022

Maths is easily the most hated subject among students. It is considered the most difficult with nothing to offer but X’s and O’s. But there’s more to maths than most students think. The subject originates in some of the oldest civilisations in the world, like Egypt, Mesopotamia and Maya, where it was used for tax systems, commerce and as a way to examine the natural world. The subject has remained relevant over the years because of its massive benefits and impact on society. That’s why every curriculum in the world teaches maths to a certain level because it is critical for every person to have a decent level of maths skills to excel in society.

Understanding the importance of maths can help students understand how the subject can impact their lives and encourage them to put more effort and focus into excelling in the subject.

It Helps Maintain a Healthy Brain

Your brain is like a muscle. The more you flex it, the more it grows and develops. Any challenging brain exercise, which includes crosswords, puzzles and math problems, helps protect the brain’s cells. Building math skills at a young age benefits the brain because it helps young people develop strong brain muscles.

Improves Ability to Communicate

With mathematics, students learn to be precise with their words and definitions. There’s a connection between verbal acumen and mathematical reasoning, which makes math a language at its core. There are rules for communication in maths, like any other language. Unlike other languages, maths has no ambiguity. You don’t get to use your tone of voice or body language to clarify the message. With maths, the message is precise, objective and without ambiguity.

A good example of a math language is computer programming. Each of the instructions in the computer program has a specific operation which tells the computer what to do. Something as minor as a missed colon, extra space or wrong case can keep everything from common. This attention to detail in math reflects in your daily life and how you communicate even without you knowing.

Math Teaches the Value of Process

The math objective is to prove why something works. You can only get the correct outcome by demonstrating the correct process used to arrive at that outcome.

The idea of “showing your work” is deeply entrenched in the math subject, even in lower-level math classes. Teachers will not allow students to come up with the right answer without demonstrating the right process.

Students are more likely to get more credit if they have a sound process but get the wrong answer than vice-versa.

This approach helps students appreciate the importance of processes not only in achieving the right outcomes in maths but also in their attempts to arrive at the right outcomes in life.

It Encourages Analytical Thinking

Analytical thinking is when you can identify problems, gather information and data and use these to work through solutions. Analytical thinking is essential in solving math problems. It also helps people to grow skills that help in solving increasingly more complex math problems. It’s a crucial skill because it allows people to think logically, sort through data and think of problems from all angles.

Strong analytical thinking skills also make it harder for people to fool you. Think of yourself sitting in a pyramid scheme pitch. As the speaker shares details, you can quickly tell the numbers don’t work, as everyone else is ecstatic about the pitch.

With Maths, You Can Make More Money

Maths and money are closely linked. Without maths, balancing a budget would be almost impossible. Having poor maths skills is the leading cause of spending too much money or spending money you don’t even have. Large business corporations use maths to calculate their salaries and expenses and make projections about the future. You’ll need math if you want to be on top of your money.

You will also notice that most majors in college and universities requiring you at least one maths subject like calculus often have the best return on investment. Most math-based courses have excellent salary packages, which shows the importance of math not only in school but also in the workplace.

Math is All Around Us

When you look around you, you can see math everywhere. From the architecture of the skyscrapers in your building to the cars driving around, maths is an important part of engineering which drives most aspects of modern technology.

Maths also applies to simple everyday tasks like baking cookies. You will need to measure the right amount of each ingredient, and processes like baking also require a lot of maths. Storage, transportation and testing of food on a commercial scale also require maths. Buying packaged products at the store, cooking at home or ordering a meal at the restaurant all have math involved.

Every Career Uses Math in Some Way

Literally every career you can think of uses maths. Some use math more than others, while others are more devoted to math and analytical thinking. Even if you work in fields that seem totally separated from maths, you will still find yourself doing math in some way, like creating invoices, budgeting or calculating raises.

Maths Helps Us Understand the Universe

Maths has helped us understand how the universe works. Revolutionary scientists like Albert Einstein and his theory of relativity changed how we think about time and space. The same theories also provided a blueprint for studying nuclear energy. Most scientists believe that maths is not only a universal language but also the language of the universe.

As you can see, it’s almost impossible to live a life devoid of math, as much as most students believe they are better off without math. Maths will play an essential role in your life long after school. It will help you manage your finances better, avoid scams, and understand most things in a way that most people don’t.

Get in touch

Let's create gold together.

Call us

1300 914 329

Office hours: Monday–Friday | 9AM–9PM AEST

Email Us

info@alchemytuition.com.au

We come to you

All suburbs of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane or online everywhere.

AN ELITE EDUCATION AUSTRALIA PTY LTD COMPANY
Level 36/1 Farrer Place, Sydney NSW 2000
ABN: 88606073367 | ACN: 606073367