Peaked too soon?

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andyb
Posts: 645
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:27 am
Location: Buckinghamshire

Peaked too soon?

Post by andyb »

You'll probably think this a strange thing to worry about but for the past few weeks (5 tests) my son has been consistently scoring 95-99% in his practise tests (that one last question always eludes him!) and finishing well within the time limit. I am concerned he has reached his peak too soon.

We have reduced the tests to about one every 10 days or so partly because of outside activities taking over and partly so that the tests I have bought last a little longer!

Is it like riding a bike - once you've got it you've got it? I don't want to stop the practice completely in case we end up back at square one, but on the other hand I don't want complacency to set in and have him completely bomb out when it comes to the real thing.

Any thoughts gratefully received particularly from "professional" tutors who must have come across this situation more often than us mere mortals!

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

Post by patricia »

Dear Andy

Which publisher are you currently using? If its the Tutors, high marks are common. If its Bright Sparks, then your son is doing very well indeed.

In many respects it is like riding a bike, you can become very rusty if practice is not kept up. I would still concentrate on vocabulary and attempt a test at least once a week.

Patricia
andyb
Posts: 645
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:27 am
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by andyb »

Thanks for the reply Patricia.

We are using Tutors, AFN Publishing and Bright Sparks depending on what colour package takes my fancy at the time :lol: - he scores equally well in all of them. It is the vocabulary questions where he invariably loses marks so we shall concentrate our efforts here and aim to keep him ticking over with the tests.

AndyB
Y
Posts: 463
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 12:49 pm

Post by Y »

The AFN questions are very easy. Patricia has already commented on Bright Sparks and Tutors. Have you tried the IPS papers? They offer 30 minute tests of 50 questions, and 10 question 'Daily' tests (10 different question types). They offer a good level of difficulty. Some people use the Walsh papers (never looked at them myself) which you can dip into for some harder questions. I understand that some of the question formats are a bit different to NFER.
andyb
Posts: 645
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:27 am
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by andyb »

Yes we've got IPS. He did the 30 minute tests to get he hang of the methods before we progressed to the 50 minute types. I also have the daily tests which he does when he really can't be persuaded to do a full length test! I've just ordered some Nfer tests (as close to the real thing as you can get- so they say) so we'll see how he gets on with those.
gloucestermum
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Joined: Sat Feb 03, 2007 5:14 pm
Location: Gloucester

Post by gloucestermum »

Just to add-we found the Walsh papers the hardest of all that we tried.

Please don't take this as this will happen in your situation-but I found that practice paper scores were not a true indication of what was achieved on the day.DS was consistenly getting 85-95%-on the day he just scraped a pass!!! So I would agree with Patricia that regular practice and especially vocabulary is a must.

Good luck with your preparations,

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

Post by patricia »

Dear Andy

AFN are known to be easier than most publishers. Next would come the Tutors, 90%+ should be easily attainable. With regard to difficulty, Bright Sparks are probably the closest.

I would not cover NFER until just before the real tests, just remember to keep up practice of HIKNOS [IPS] while completing these tests [ they are missing from shop bought Nfer tests] In addition you need to cross off the last 5 questions [there are 85] The vocabulary is also a tad easier. I leave these till last for one reason only, to practice in the same format as by this time they know the techniques inside out and back to front. Their vocab should also be of a reasonable standard by this time.

For Vocab have you seen my word list? PLay scrabble [adult version] make your son reads out loud to you.

Walsh are good to dip into.

Patricia
Mike
Posts: 625
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 4:29 pm

Post by Mike »

Hi

elevenplusexams.co.uk are "shortly" due to release a series of short graded papers from Level 1 to Level 4.

Levels 1 and 2 are for Beginner´s to the 11+ process, Level 3 are typical of the real test content and Level 4 will be based on the most difficult variations within a question type.

Level 4 questions should be available by the end of July, beginning of August, in plenty of time for completion before the actual tests.

As the real tests contain a range of difficulty levels within a question type, we think it is important for students to be completing questions across the full variations.

The Tutors range of e-papers and published papers (same questions) are part of a course that we ran for twelve weeks (one paper per week), the papers get progressively more difficult and are aimed at preparing students over a period of time. In this perspective it is correct to say that some of The Tutors papers are easier than the real tests, however this is not the case across the full range of papers.

We think that it is important that students are not "thrown in at the deep end" and given work that they may not be able to complete efficiently, causing anxiety and lack of confidence.

For students who require Vocabulary Building across a range of difficulty levels, have a look at the free Vocab Builder CD Demo.

Regards

Mike
Mike Edwards is a co-author of The Tutors product range.
patricia
Posts: 2803
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:07 pm

Post by patricia »

Dear Mike
Mike wrote:
We think that it is important that students are not "thrown in at the deep end" and given work that they may not be able to complete efficiently, causing anxiety and lack of confidence.
Hence, why I put your papers before Bright Sparks, so my children encounter the full length tests in an order of difficulty.

Patricia
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