Calling MIke - Anagrams!

Eleven Plus (11+) in Wirral

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cyberbird
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 8:09 pm

Calling MIke - Anagrams!

Post by cyberbird »

Hi,

My sons school (St. Bridgets) are just about to start giving the kids some tuition for the 11+ exams coming up in November and they did some questions during lesson time on Monday.

One of the questions was an anagram type which I don't think is one of the types that will come up in the Wirral tests. However my son has asked the teacher and he insists they are part of the test.

Also I've just asked my sons friend whether his tutor has said anything about anagrams and he says he's been told this too. Now I'm still reluctant to believe this but I'm starting to have doubts. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to convince my son that both his teacher and his friend are wrong.

I've shown my son a question type from a book by Bond called "How to do verbal reasoning" and he's confirmed this was the type of question he was given. Here's an example:

A NEPLPIPAE is a sweet tropical fruit. ---------------

In the question he was given he had to write the answer so it wasn't even multiple choice.

Any help appreciated. How can I convince my son about this?
HopefulDen
Posts: 149
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:02 pm
Location: Birkenhead

Question types

Post by HopefulDen »

Hi Cyberbird
Funnily enough I had the same situation last year because my DS was being given anagrams at school and I checked to see if was one of the question types on the paper because he wasn't very good at them. My son's school taught using Bond papers and very out of date photocopies of verbal reasoning they had lying around for about 20 years. As a result they insisted on teaching my son loads of question types he didn't need to know which can be confusing and demoralising for the children. However any teachers argument would be that they are teaching wider English skills and its not all about 11+.
My son did the 11+ last year and I tutored him myself using the resources availiable through this site. I can categorically say that this type of anagram question is not on the Wirral paper. There are question types where you have crack codes or turn numbers into letters but not anagrams . To convince your son go to the 11+ downloads on this site's homepage and download the Tutors free method and technique course. It will give you examples of every question that appears on the Wirral papers. Tell your son that these question types and only these question types (21) are on the test papers and not to worry if he can't do the other types he's being given at school. The Wirral will not have altered the format of the papers for this year without consulting with the schools and informing teachers and parents. It's too close for that now. The papers are all multiple choice answers too. For your info the resources I found most useful were the the IPS method and technique books and practice books and the 11+ exams the tutors CD (they have a beginners version of this now). Apart from a few nfer and Bright Sparks papers towards the end that's all you'll need I promise.
Hope this helps
Denise J
HopefulDen
Posts: 149
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:02 pm
Location: Birkenhead

Bond papers

Post by HopefulDen »

P.S
I forgot to say
I remeber Mike answering my similar post last year saying that using Bond papers to prepare for the Wirral 11+ was like preparing for the drivng test using theory books published in the 1980's
It stuck with me that for some reason
Denise J
cyberbird
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 8:09 pm

Post by cyberbird »

Hi Denise,

Many thanks for your comments.

I already have all the tutors material plus just about everything else that sticks to the 21 types of question. I've been tutoring him for some time now and find the published material and help on this forum excellent. I'm afraid though that his faith in his teacher seems to be stronger than in me.

I must say I can't understand how the teacher could have got this wrong. The same teacher has tutored and held practice 11+ tests for the pupils for many years now. They also get the Nfer practice papers from the council each year so you'd have thought he'd know.

Do you know if using just 21 types in the test is a fairly recent thing? It could then just be that it was something that had passed him by and he's still working to the old format.
guest42
Posts: 138
Joined: Mon May 12, 2008 12:32 pm

ANAGRAMS

Post by guest42 »

Just to confirm my DD sat the Wirral 11+ last year and there are no anagram questions. Believe me I would have been told by her if we hadn't revised a question type that came up!

Somewhere on the Wirral forum it lays out clearly what types are in, what practice question books to use and which not. I will try and seek it out.

Don't be surprised if some teachers don't get this spot on. We were given some inaccurate advice on admission criteria at 1 of the schools
guest42
Posts: 138
Joined: Mon May 12, 2008 12:32 pm

Post by guest42 »

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/11-plus-wirral.php

The dates are wrong but this was our guide last year for the revision material to purchase.
cyberbird
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 8:09 pm

Post by cyberbird »

Thanks guest42.
Mike
Posts: 625
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 4:29 pm

Post by Mike »

Hi

Anagram questions can appear in the tests as connected words such as DESSERTS and STRESSED

as an example;

DESSERTS is to (STRESSED, SANDY, STARTER)
as POTS is to (PANS, STOP, PLANTS)

Regards

Mike
Mike Edwards is a co-author of The Tutors product range.
cyberbird
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 8:09 pm

Post by cyberbird »

Thanks Mike,

I am wondering what risk there is of types other than the 21 types documented in the Tutors Methods & Techniques Course appearing in the actual Wirral 11+ exam.

Are the council/nfer at liberty to vary the test in any way from the previous year without giving plenty of notice?

When did the tests change to consisting of just the 21 documented types and were Schools/Parents notified of this well in advance?
Mike
Posts: 625
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 4:29 pm

Post by Mike »

Hi Cyberbird

The question types are contained within the NFER familiarization booklets that each child in the Wirral receives at their school and out-of-area children receive at their homes. The likelihood that a change in question types will occur this year is highly unlikely, because we would have been notified of any changes.

I am not sure whether the LEA or NFER need to give advanced notice of change in content. Children do receive a set ammount of in-school teaching prior to the tests. Therefore teachers would need to be aware of any changes.

The Wirral LEA tests have been 21 question types for at least the last six years. I cannot remember when they changed last.

Regards

Mike
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