- Astiba Kebong’o argues that examination preparation should go beyond revision and past-paper practice.
- She highlights confidence, motivation and classroom engagement as crucial influences on learner performance.
- Her analysis demonstrates why teachers must understand individual learners instead of assigning fixed labels.
As the examination season approaches, schools become increasingly busy. Teachers are revising difficult concepts, setting and marking practice papers, analysing previous performance, conducting remedial lessons and giving learners the final encouragement they need before they enter the examination room.
This is an important part of academic preparation. But amid all the revision, there is a question teachers should not overlook: Do we really understand the learners we are preparing?
A classroom is rarely made up of learners who respond to teaching in exactly the same way. Some are highly motivated and work independently, while others need continuous encouragement. Some readily ask questions and participate in discussions, while others remain quiet even when they are struggling. Some persist when faced with difficulty, whereas others easily lose interest.
Understanding these differences is not about placing learners into permanent categories. Rather, it is about recognising the different behaviours, needs, levels of confidence and attitudes that learners may display at different stages of their education.
A learner who consistently sets personal targets and works beyond what is required may need little prompting. Such learners often demonstrate strong internal motivation. Others depend heavily on teachers or classmates before attempting a task independently. These learners may require structured support that gradually builds confidence and independence.
There are also learners who learn through participation. They ask questions, contribute ideas, attempt problems and seek clarification when they do not understand. Their willingness to engage gives the teacher an opportunity to identify misconceptions early.
But what about the learner who rarely speaks?
Understanding the silent learner
Silence should not automatically be interpreted as understanding. Some learners are naturally reserved. Others may fear giving the wrong answer or being laughed at by their peers. Some may simply lack the confidence to admit that they have not understood a concept.
This is where the observant teacher becomes important.
Going through a learner’s exercise book, examining the pattern of mistakes, observing participation and, where necessary, having a private conversation can reveal learning gaps that may not be visible during a lesson. A learner who does not raise a hand may still be desperately in need of assistance.
Research supports the importance of active engagement. A meta-analysis by Freeman and colleagues examined 225 studies comparing active learning with traditional lecturing in undergraduate science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses. The researchers found higher examination performance under active-learning approaches and lower failure rates compared with traditional lecturing.
While the study was conducted in higher education and STEM subjects, its broader message is relevant to classroom practice: learners benefit when they are involved in the learning process rather than merely receiving information.
This should make us rethink how we conduct examination preparation. Revision should not simply mean a teacher talking while learners copy notes or memorise answers. Learners should be given opportunities to explain, question, solve problems, discuss difficult concepts, practise and receive feedback.
Confidence matters too.
Some learners are capable but constantly doubt their ability. Others may have experienced repeated failure and have consequently stopped believing that they can improve. A resilient learner, on the other hand, may continue attempting a difficult task despite several setbacks.
Recent research provides useful support for paying attention to this dimension. A 2026 meta-analysis by Shen and colleagues, involving 23 studies, examined the relationships among motivation, self-efficacy and academic performance.
The researchers found relationships between motivation, self-efficacy and academic achievement and reported that self-efficacy played a mediating role between intrinsic motivation and academic performance.
For teachers, the message is significant. Examination preparation should not only ask, “What does this learner know?” It should also ask, “Does this learner believe they can succeed, and what support will help them do so?”
Encouragement therefore has a place in serious academic preparation. Positive reinforcement does not mean lowering standards. It means recognising effort, giving constructive feedback and helping learners understand that difficulty is not necessarily failure.
Looking beyond labels
At the same time, teachers encounter learners who appear indifferent to their studies. They may repeatedly miss assignments, disregard deadlines or show little concern about their results. It is easy to label such a learner careless or lazy, but such labels may conceal the real issue.
A learner’s attitude can be influenced by many factors, including peer relationships, family circumstances, confidence, previous academic experiences and the school environment. The teacher who takes time to understand the learner may discover a problem that punishment alone cannot solve.
The same applies to learners whose behaviour is strongly influenced by their peers. The examination period can expose differences in study habits, discipline and priorities. Some learners encourage one another to work harder, while others may distract their colleagues from their academic responsibilities.
Teachers therefore have a responsibility to create an environment where positive academic habits are encouraged and where learners understand the consequences of their choices.
Career aspirations can also influence how learners approach examinations. A learner who has a clear sense of purpose may see revision differently from one who has not yet connected schoolwork with future aspirations.
This is why career guidance should not be treated as an activity reserved for a particular school term. Helping learners understand their strengths, interests and possible pathways can give greater meaning to academic effort.
However, there is one important caution.
We should be careful about describing learners as fixed “visual”, “auditory”, “active”, “passive” or other permanent learning types. A widely cited review by Pashler and colleagues found insufficient evidence to justify the practice of matching teaching to supposed learning styles.
This does not mean that learners are identical. Far from it. Learners differ in prior knowledge, confidence, motivation, experience, pace of understanding and the kind of support they need. The responsibility of the teacher is therefore not to put a learner into a box, but to understand the individual and respond appropriately.
Knowing the learner
As examinations draw closer, perhaps this is one of the most important preparations we can make.
Let us revise the syllabus. Let us give adequate practice. Let us analyse past performance and address difficult areas. But let us also observe our learners carefully.
Who is struggling silently?
Who has lost confidence?
Who needs more independence?
Who needs closer supervision?
Who has the ability but has not yet discovered it?
Who is working hard but needs encouragement?
And who has become so discouraged that they have stopped trying?
These questions can be as important as the revision timetable itself.
An examination candidate is not simply a name on a class list or a number on an examination register. Behind every candidate is a young person with abilities, weaknesses, aspirations, fears and experiences that can influence how they approach learning.
The final weeks before examinations should therefore be about more than covering content. They should be about knowing the learner, identifying the gap, strengthening confidence and providing the right support.
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When teachers understand the learners in their care, examination preparation becomes more than last-minute academic drilling. It becomes an opportunity to help each learner approach the examination room with knowledge, confidence and a clearer belief in their own capacity to succeed.
Perhaps the real question this examination season is not only whether we have prepared our learners for the examination, but whether we have taken time to understand the learners behind the examination candidates.
By Astiba Kebong’o
Email: jackiekebongo@gmail.com
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