message for Mike
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Just seeking a little clarification. Daughter's tutor has advised her in the actual tests to go through the paper answering 'easiest' questions first, not to ponder over troublesome ones and then return to those missed out. This is no doubt good advice and is the same that Hopeful Den had also kindly suggested. But I'm just wondering if it then becomes confusing for the child to go back through the question paper to complete missed out questions. Is there more chance of missing out sections by mistake by not going methodically through the paper?
Hi Kittyhola
How can a student identify easy/difficult questions in a test situation? They would have to spend valuable time assessing whether a question is easy or difficult before they decide to complete it. This process introduces stresses and anxieties into the process that are best avoided.
During the process of preparing for the tests it is okay to miss out questions that the student is taking too long to complete, then review them at the end of a tutition session with the student.
We sometimes recommend, if a child is struggling to complete the test within the time limit, that they miss out the last question in a question set. The last question tends to be the more difficult one, and the last question set may be easier. It is easier to identify the last question on the question paper and answer sheet.
Ultimately the student, when sitting the tests, should be prepared sufficiently well to be able to work methodically through the test, if they get stuck on a question they should be encouraged to "move on". Identify the question that was missed out clearly on the question sheet and go back to it at the end of the test.
Also we recommend that students leaves the type 15 (Z type) questions until last.
If, and only IF, a student is having continual difficulty with one question type would we consider advising him/her to miss out the complete question set. However, this is an unusual situation.
For students who have had a prolonged period of tuition there is sufficient time left to "fine tune" them for the tests without having to consider missing questions out.
Regards
Mike
How can a student identify easy/difficult questions in a test situation? They would have to spend valuable time assessing whether a question is easy or difficult before they decide to complete it. This process introduces stresses and anxieties into the process that are best avoided.
During the process of preparing for the tests it is okay to miss out questions that the student is taking too long to complete, then review them at the end of a tutition session with the student.
We sometimes recommend, if a child is struggling to complete the test within the time limit, that they miss out the last question in a question set. The last question tends to be the more difficult one, and the last question set may be easier. It is easier to identify the last question on the question paper and answer sheet.
Ultimately the student, when sitting the tests, should be prepared sufficiently well to be able to work methodically through the test, if they get stuck on a question they should be encouraged to "move on". Identify the question that was missed out clearly on the question sheet and go back to it at the end of the test.
Also we recommend that students leaves the type 15 (Z type) questions until last.
If, and only IF, a student is having continual difficulty with one question type would we consider advising him/her to miss out the complete question set. However, this is an unusual situation.
For students who have had a prolonged period of tuition there is sufficient time left to "fine tune" them for the tests without having to consider missing questions out.
Regards
Mike
Mike Edwards is a co-author of The Tutors product range.
Thanks Mike for such a prompt and helpful reply. I think I will try and get her to go through in order BUT if she's really stuck on something and spending too much time on it to leave it and go back at the end. You refer to the z questions. Which are they? Are they the story questions eg Jane is 125 cm tall, Rob is not as tall as Jane etc etc.