How much is enough practise?

Advice on 11 Plus NVR papers and problems

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sherry_d
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Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

How much is enough practise?

Post by sherry_d »

DD has been working on her NVR since october and I am feeling like she has got to the climax and that she may soon get bored of it.

We have mainly worked on AE tuition workbook 1 and recently on bond but unlike other subjects NVR is now just giving her exercises, marking it and then explaining what she hasnt got right. We did go through the initial familiarisation when we started.

I really didnt want to start giving her practise test papers just yet and wonder if we should just continue like this or maybe put a backseat on NVR to just the bare minimum weekly.

Also how much can really be learnt with NVR or is it more of grasping the techinques? Can you really improve that much after you have grasped the techniques like you do say with maths by doing more practice?
Impossible is Nothing.
bromley mum
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Post by bromley mum »

I can only tell how how we did it. Once the techniques had been mastered, we did some practise at the weekends only. This ensured that DC didn't get fed up, had time to do homework and relax but didn't forget what had been learnt. Bond do a good series of 10 minutes papers which are good for this. You are right to leave the papers for now, especially since there are only 4 Nfer ones and if those are the ones your DC will get in the real thing, its best to hold off till just before the exams. But do keep doing the bare minimum as i found that if we left it then my DC got a bit rusty and had to start again. The major work was done in the summer before the actual exams. Good luck.
stevew61
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Location: caversham

Post by stevew61 »

We have also used AE book 2 and Bond ten mins tests 10/11 and 11/12 skipping out the nets of cubes which we will do later as a fun activity with cut outs one wet weekend, something to look forward to. :lol:

Also start to introduce exam technique and the concept of timed sections if appropiate to your area?

Little and often, keeping it fun, but secretly identifying problem areas and working on them....

steve
sherry_d
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Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Post by sherry_d »

Thank you Bromley mum and Stevew61

I think we will work on the AE book 2 and Bond 10mins papers and try and time her. I found she resist being timed and had thought maybe I should leave it until we start doing papers? She really hates being timed and is one thing she will moan about so I was thinking maybe build up her confidence until May and then maybe start timing around June for early sept 11+
Impossible is Nothing.
stevew61
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Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 9:54 pm
Location: caversham

Post by stevew61 »

My DS2 hated timing, we did the sit still for thirty seconds and see how long it is routine :lol: which helped. Followed by some easy NVR sections to see how time could be gained on easy questions and used on harder ones. In our area NVR (if it comes up - how lucky are we to put in all this practice possibly for nothing :roll: ) is in timed sections, you can not go backwards or forwards in the paper......


With DS1 we had competitions which he always won, in the end because he was faster than me, in the beginning because I let him. :oops: :D

I would have a gentle go at timing now, the sooner it is cracked the better. :)

steve
sherry_d
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Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Post by sherry_d »

stevew61 wrote:In our area NVR (if it comes up - how lucky are we to put in all this practice possibly for nothing :roll: ) is in timed sections, you can not go backwards or forwards in the paper......
My understanding is in kent each section is time so you get 18 questions in 9mins and cant go back to it. That must mean even if she whizz past one section she wont be able to carry over time so that means we need to crack the difficult areas. So far I have spotted reflections which she struggles with. It doesnt help that I struggle with them too. You know the ones where they put something like a stripped isosceles triangle inside and ask which one is odd one out. The answer would normally be that while the other have rotated 180 degrees, the odd one will not have
With DS1 we had competitions which he always won, in the end because he was faster than me, in the beginning because I let him. :oops: :D I would have a gentle go at timing now, the sooner it is cracked the better.
I may have to use the competition approach too as she loves beating mum :roll: so that could be a start and then gently cox her to do the timed Bond 10mins. I will start using this approach across the other subjects too, just for her to get it in her mind that timing is important
Impossible is Nothing.
bromley mum
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Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2009 5:04 pm

Post by bromley mum »

I have an old mobile phone which I don't use (long story. I lost it, bought a new one, then found the old one). My DD asked if she could use it to time herself. I gave it to her and she enjoyed timing herself with the phone. She especially enjoyed the fact that although she does not have a phone that particular one was her for the duration (only for timing, not for calls). Is this something maybe you could adapt (like getting her a funky timer)?
sherry_d
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Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Post by sherry_d »

That without a doubt will get her motivated. She has been begging for a phone and we have told her no way. She begs for my old ones but no chance. Giving her my old phone for timing and let it be hers for that time will surely work wonders. I can see a big smile coming already. I think a mobile phone timer will work way much better than any funkier alarm I could ever get her.

Great tip :D
Impossible is Nothing.
fm

Post by fm »

You could try timing her secretly. That's what I do with my pupils in the beginning. Sneaky, I know.

If it's any consolation, the ones who are slower initially can sometimes end up with higer scores because they are more accurate than the speed merchants who can't slow down.
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