Alpha pair questions - any hints for speeding these up

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manicmum
Posts: 55
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2011 2:14 pm

Alpha pair questions - any hints for speeding these up

Post by manicmum »

There's so much info on here if I've missed something could you point me in the correct direction.

DS is getting ready and we did the Bright Sparks Pack 2 paper 1 on Monday. He imploded at the alpha pairs section where you use the alphabet above to work out the next 2 letters in the pattern. Took him 19 mins & a while to spot the one thrown in where it jumped. Are there any helpful hints that I can give him to make this easier. I've already nagged about putting down the steps that he's worked out above each pair.

As he's an Oct birthday we've not got much space for any types that slow him down.

Thanks!

:(
patricia
Posts: 2803
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:07 pm

Re: Alpha pair questions - any hints for speeding these up

Post by patricia »

Dear Manicmum

1] Not treated as pairs, 2 different sequences.

2] Write the differences between the 1st letter of each pair @ the top and the second of each pair on the bottom. [+2 +3+4 etc etc ]

3] Non writing hand pointing to pair of letters looking at.

2] Writing hand using pencil to jump forward and backwards on alphabet. [using their eyes with their head bobbing up and down only opens them up to making silly mistakes]

3] Do not look at answer sheet to see if 1st letter found is the only one there.

a] It wastes time as most of the time there is more than one option which starts with that letter.
b] If a mistake has been made finding that 1st letter and there is only one option on the answer sheet, the mistake will never be rectified.

4] Alternating patterns tend to be reasonably obvious once they have seen a few. I chant to my children each time they attempt these questions "sometimes there is an alternating pattern"

AZ GB CX HC EV ID Answer = GT

5] Practice. Practice. Practice

6] I expect this type to be sorted within 50 seconds per question.

7] Tell them not to panic, they do take up time but that does not matter, they are easy 100% marks.

Patricia
manicmum
Posts: 55
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2011 2:14 pm

Re: Alpha pair questions - any hints for speeding these up

Post by manicmum »

Thank you Patricia, that's a real help, I'll read that through with the small one at home tonight let's hope he listens! :wink: Very helpful to know that they are one of the longer to answer types so that I don't try to rush him too much and harm his confidence.

(I was using the term pairs to help identify the question type I was aware that there was a pattern for each.)
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