HINTS:
At the beginning of Year 3 purchase the Bond books for Maths, English and verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Start your child completing 3-5 questions of each book each week and gradually increase the time spent over the next few months. This will give you and your child an idea at what level they are at in school.
Your child should:
- Visit the library twice a month for books and audio books
- Read every day (to parents and other family members)
- Write a diary
- Tell you what they have learnt at school that day
- Play scrabble, monopoly, snakes & ladders, ludo, chess etc
- Visit museums, art galleries, theatres, etc
www.thetutorpages.com/tutor-article/11-plus-exam/the-importance-of-reading/2434
Where this advice is followed there has always been an improvement in verbal reasoning and English results: One of the keys to passing the verbal reasoning and English sections of the 11+ is having a good vocabulary. Many of the questions will ask the student to explain a word in the context given, solve anagrams or give an antonym or synonym to a word. If a student does not possess a sound vocabulary, they will struggle with these. By far the best way to improve is by extensive reading. Whether fiction or non-fiction, books, magazines or newspapers, it does not really matter. The important thing is that through frequent reading a child will absorb new words and expressions and see how they are used in everyday English. It is also a good idea for a child to keep a vocabulary journal where they note down any new words they have encountered and their meaning.
To improve their writing in essays students need to visit the seaside, countryside, theme parks, museums, local parks, shopping centres, National Trust and English Heritage sites etc. They need to be aware of different types of sports by watching live or on television etc. These activities will improve their imagination and increase their use of adjectives and adverbs.
Cherry Mattey BA (Hons) Cert Ed MTA
tuitionsutton@gmail.com
0208 669 9794