Quick "how to" question......Comprehension!!

[YourChildrenSuccess]

My first post.

Ahh.. exactly the kind of thread I came to this website/forum for.

Ive been advising my DC , when you first receive your test paper, do a quick survey of the entire text and questions so that you know how to efficiently budget your time.

How about someone breaking down every type of questions that are usually asked - that would be useful would you agree? I have some ideas but would rather someone start it.

YCS

[2outof3]

Just a quick additional finding from our experimentations - multiple choice comprehensions are often more tricky than standard form. At least in standard form you have to find the relevant part of the text (if you don't remember the answer off the top of your head) and have to then construct a sentence or two from the information given. This means that you are more likely to read the text again. When the format is multiple choice, there will often be a couple of answers that are very similar or one answer that is there to "trick" you and it is all too easy to just rely on memory and tick the most obvious answer (which will frequently be the trick one!)

We found for multiple choice that it was useful to eliminate the obvious wrong answers - there are usually a couple of obviously wrong ones - and to then go back to the text to double check the remaining possibilities whilst looking out for the "trick" answers. I also agree with an earlier post that rereading a couple of lines before and after the relevant bit of text is vital to ensure a full understanding of context.

[rowena]

It is not possible to avoid going back to the text even if you have read it once. It would be difficult for a child to retain everything from the passage to be able to answer all the questions after reading it only once.

It is best to start with the question as it would help focus the child to read the passage with the questions in mind.

[Kingfisher]

I find method 2 works best for my DD, but in some exams, including her recent 11+, she wasn't allowed to read the questions before the text.

[loveyouradvice]

Update from me now that DD has successfully completed her exams....

We tried lots - reading questions first was too confusing as she couldnt remember them when she was reading text.

So we settled for - her choice -
1. Reading text through fairly fast
2. Ditto questions
3. Then if "quick" one - started with high point questions (reading appropriate text), then quickies, then middling ones
4. If longer reading time - marked up text for questions in the above order with Question number alongside various points - then referred to this when wrote answer

What was key for her were:
1. Thinking through the answer BEFORE writing it down
2. Recognising that each had their own pattern of answer and for many it was as simple as : a. answer the question directly b. Quote references from text c. Expand on what these references meant

Hope this helps someone!

She went from a girl who only answered 60% of questions to completing all her quite challenging comprehensions in the time allowed (30-45 mins depending on who it was) - seldom had time to check her answers, but seldom needed it as she'd put the thought in first. I was very pleased - as she managed to do this in just six weeks having not been taught to do it by her very nice tutor

[Miss Marple]

A fantastic thread.
I have found myself giving my DS contradictory advice on how to best tackle the comprehension test.
I've gone from 'read the text slowly' to 'skim read it all', with a sprinkling of 'read the questions first'.
I plan to try out reading each question and finding the answer in the text. I really hope it helps him.
Not long now until he puts it all into practice

[Daogroupie]

You need to read all the questions before starting on the first one as you could accidentally answer the other questions in an earlier answer. Reading all the questions first will also focus the student on why the comprehension has been chosen. What is the main theme that the school is wanting you to explain in your answers? Sometimes students cannot see the wood for the trees. They get bogged down in random details and miss the main points. DG

[RedVelvet]

Some really good tips, thank you.

My boy is an avid reader, who reads all the time for pleasure. His reading age has been excellent for the last couple of years, when we first started 11+ prep I thought this would be fine. How wrong I was, he's really struggled with it.

On reflection I think he is a 'skim reader' especially when it is something he enjoys, the story is more important than the content. This was a tricky habit to break, we've done it by making comprehension an evidence seeking exercise; it's not about what you think it's about the actual words in the text. Fortunately the exam we are preparing for is multiple choice, so when he made a mistake I asked him to show me the evidence for his answer.