History teachers of TikTok share their top exam tips

RTÉ News​

24-05-2025

History teachers of TikTok share their top tips for revising ahead of the Junior and Leaving Cert exams.
Patrick Hickey @lchistorytutor
For Junior Cert students, what topics would you encourage students to focus on?
The great news for Junior Cert students is that much of the exam paper focuses on comprehension skills. Students are asked to analyse sources, which might include photos, paintings, infographics, diaries, or letters. They need to read, understand, analyse and discuss their views based on evidence.
For those long questions, you might be asked to discuss the impact of significant historical developments, the contributions of key figures, and I would be expecting a question on the role of organisations like the UN or EU, given what's going on in the world at the moment. We haven't had a question on this yet for the new Junior Cycle, so it's an area worth particular attention.
When doing long questions, make sure you go into detail, showing evidence for your points and demonstrating knowledge of the topic. This level of detail is what gets the Distinction.
For Leaving Cert students?
Leaving Cert History is naturally more challenging. The Document-Based Question (DBQ) is worth 60 marks and tests understanding of historical documents.
There are only three case studies that can appear in the DBQ: Stalin's show trials, the Jarrow Crusade, and the Nuremberg Rallies. For the exam paper, especially the essays, there's also a strong emphasis on case studies.
It's crucial that students understand all case studies thoroughly, recognise that these topics don't exist in isolation for long questions, connect material to other relevant areas, and maintain broad knowledge of key personalities.
I think a lot of students would be happy to see a question on Vietnam, as we haven't had one in a while in the American section.
What kind of details will earn extra points?
For Junior Cert: For questions requiring evidence, include specific examples from texts. When discussing case studies, go into detail about impacts, consequences, and causes.
For Leaving Cert: Students should demonstrate evidence of outside reading or viewing. For example, they might reference a historian's interpretation of events, cite a documentary they've watched, or mention a podcast episode that offered valuable insights. This shows examiners that students have engaged with the material beyond textbooks and class notes.
Tips for calming exam nerves?
Remember that much of the work is already done. Your mock exams were valuable learning experiences. Rest and exercise regularly. Consider incorporating history podcasts into your revision routine. Focus on what you know rather than what you don't know, and remember that understanding the structure of the exam will give you confidence.
Any tips for time management?
Allow approximately 45 minutes for the DBQ to give extra time for reading and understanding documents. Allocate 40 minutes for each essay. Even if you're doing really well in an essay, move on after 40 minutes. Don't sacrifice the final essay—students who write only a few lines for the last essay risk dropping down to H3 or H4.
Abbreviations are acceptable and great time savers (e.g., MLK for Martin Luther King, WWII for World War II). When using a unique abbreviation, explain it in brackets the first time.
What topics do you find do particularly well in your videos?
What works best are videos directly based on student questions. These allow me to explain complex topics in plain, jargon-free English. I often use slightly exaggerated reactions or humour to keep things engaging, especially for students who struggle with historical language or context. This approach helps demystify what the exam marking scheme actually expects.
I've found that running the channel like a Q&A — rather than a lecture — gives me more room to respond naturally and clearly, and students seem to appreciate that style.
What time in history/events/figures remain most popular with students?
American history consistently attracts strong interest. Northern Irish history is very popular. Students are particularly drawn to content about the Revolutionary period and Civil War in Ireland, with figures like Michael Collins and Éamon de Valera generating significant engagement and lively discussion in the comments!
How can teachers/parents make history more engaging to students?
While textbooks are valuable resources and providing notes is helpful, these should be supplemented by encouraging students to make their own notes and engaging in outside reading. Using varied media like videos and podcasts can supplement traditional learning. Making connections between historical patterns and contemporary events helps students see the relevance of history to their own lives. Presenting information in accessible language and through engaging delivery methods can transform students' relationship with the subject.
What do you most enjoy about the subject?
The most engaging aspects of history include the fascinating historical figures and rich cultural elements within the course. Recognising patterns that repeat throughout history—themes like misinformation, power dynamics, and conflict—remains relevant today. There's an enduring fascination in understanding how past events have shaped our present world, providing context for the challenges and opportunities we face as a society.
For Junior Cert students - what topics would you encourage students to focus on?
One of the biggest challenges for students with the Junior Cycle exam is that it's incredibly difficult to anticipate what will come up. Some topics have appeared two years in a row and others haven't appeared at all!
Make sure you revise the work of the historian and archaeology as questions relating to these topics have come up each year. Ensure you are familiar with each topic on the course, it's normal to prefer some topics to others, but as there's no choice on the exam, if a topic you haven't studied comes up, you might find yourself in trouble.
Start off by learning five keywords for each topic, or watch short explainer videos on TikTok, or play revision games on Blooket, Quizlet or Kahoot, or listen to brief podcast overviews while walking the dog or on the way to school.
For Leaving Cert students?
The only guarantee that anyone can give you in relation to LC History is that Q1 will either be on the Nuremberg Rallies, the Show Trials, or the Jarrow March. Stalin's Show Trials came up last year, which means a lot of people will prioritise the Rallies and Jarrow but, as there is no choice with the DBQ, make sure you look over the Show Trails too just in case it appears again.
In relation to the essay topics, the volume of content can seem overwhelming so break it down, start by learning the case studies for each topic as one usually appears in some way, shape or form, and then branch out from there. For example, start by looking at LBJ and Vietnam, then branch out and look at the rest of US foreign policy. Or look at the Montgomery Bus Boycott and then branch out to look at the rest of the Civil Rights Movement.
What kind of details will earn extra points?
An issue that I've noticed for Junior Cycle students is that many of the questions on the exam can seem like 'common sense' questions or might be phrased like they're asking for the student's opinion but this is still a history exam, and students need to show off all of the information that they have learned over the past three years. They need to fill the writing space available and fully develop their answers as many answers are marked on a sliding scale. Each point that students write should include a fact, or an explanation, or a definition, or an example, or a statistic, or a keyword.
To do well in Leaving Cert History, make sure you have enough paragraphs in each essay. I encourage my students to include an introduction, at least six-eight paragraphs, and a conclusion. To enhance your chance of securing a really good result, each essay should have evidence of external reading, such as a quote, and show evidence of analytical/critical thinking, such as making a judgement call or assessment about the topic being discussed or using your conclusion to connect the subject matter of the essay with subsequent events.
Tips for calming exam nerves?
It's normal to feel nervous before any sort of exam or test, that shows that you care. Familiarise yourself with the layout of the exam so you know what to expect when you go in. Have a short list of key points, or a set of flashcards, or Quizlet set ready for you to quickly run through before you go in. You can answer the paper in whatever order you like, so it might help to settle your nerves by answering your favourite topic first.
Make sure you bring all the supplies you might need such as working pens, highlighters, water, and tissues. Some people like to bring a stress ball or Blu Tack to fiddle with. Ensure you leave plenty of time to get to school so you're not late or rushing. If other people are nervous and their panic is rubbing off on you, it's ok to remove yourself from that situation and say you need to revise alone or in quiet, before heading into your exam.
Any tips for time management?
Both JC and LC exams can be a challenge in terms of time management so it's incredibly important that you stick to suggested timings to ensure you have a chance to answer every question. For Junior Cycle students, spend no more than 15 minutes on each question.
There is no choice on the JC exam so it's important to attempt every question on the paper. For Leaving Cert students you will see slightly different suggestions but I would recommend spending 50 minutes on the DBQ and then 40 minutes on each essay.
For LC History, you must answer your DBQ and three essays, so make sure you give yourself time to adequately address each of these as each is worth 100 marks. Ensure you can see the clock in the exam centre, but it might also be helpful to bring a watch or small clock to leave on your desk. You're more likely to get more marks by starting the next question and writing about something new, than trying to squeeze the last few marks out of the end of the previous question.
What topics do you find do particularly well in your videos?
Students want to succeed and be well-informed learners. The topics that do particularly well are usually exam tips, lists of what students need to revise, suggestions on how to improve the quality of their answers, and quick revision overviews.
What time in history / events / figures remain most popular with students?
Unsurprising, students are usually fascinate by anything gross or gory. As a result of this, they tend to enjoy Ancient Rome and Medieval Times, who wouldn't be interested in the purpose of a fullery, or the use of barber surgeons, or gladiator games? Topics that explore issues that often seem incomprehensible such as Nazi Germany, the Holocaust, and WWII also ignite interest.
Finally, events that can be linked to the make-up and understanding of our world today usually spark significant discussion, such as the Anglo-Irish Treaty, the Ulster Plantation, and 20th century US history.
How can teachers / parents make history more engaging to students?
History teachers are some of the most passionate and enthusiastic people I know. An interest in History can be a hobby for many, so when given the opportunity to turn that into a career, they excel.
Every year when I correct family history CBAs, I'm always astonished at the wide variety of events that students' family members have witnessed or experienced. If you know about something interesting or significant in your family's past, make sure to share that with students so the knowledge can live on.
What do you most enjoy about the subject?
History is essentially storytelling, and who doesn't love a good story? I enjoy seeing how engaged students are when they're learning something new they didn't expect, like the fact some Romans had underfloor heating. It's fascinating to watch students make connections between the past and the world we live in today.
It is incredibly rewarding to watch students develop critical and analytical skills, see their opinions emerge, and argue their points using evidence and well-thought out statements. Most of all, I enjoy the creativity that teaching History gives me. Students make model stone castles, debate the policy of appeasement, reenact Roman battle tactics, make a human Feudal Pyramid, excavate chocolate chips from chocolate chip cookies, come up with a sales pitch to convince me to go exploring, draw like Michelangelo when he painted the Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, learn about taxation through the distribution and then confiscation of sweets!
There's not many jobs where you can say you spent time that day creating Roman togas from sheets, or introduced an important event in 1996 by playing the Spice Girls to set the scene.