Last Minute Tips - Cloze Tests

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KenR
Posts: 1506
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 6:12 pm
Location: Birmingham

Last Minute Tips - Cloze Tests

Post by KenR »

For those of you with children taking the KE Foundation 11+ exam this Saturday it might be worthwhile trying a few cloze tests to add a bit a variety in the run up from the usual NVR, VR & Maths papers. Cloze tests have come up in previous years and in the similar Warwickshire 11+ also set by the Univ of Durham.

The following are a few links on the Using English EFL you can try:-

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ask-t ... -test.html

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ask-t ... -test.html

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ask-t ... -test.html

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ask-t ... -test.html

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ask-t ... -test.html

http://www.usingenglish.com/files/pdf/t ... nguage.pdf

Suggest you cut and paste the text into a word document and tidy-up. You may also need to change the US English spellings in some cases.

Best of luck
mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Post by mike1880 »

It would be nice to be unstressed enough to be able to administer a test at this stage without descending into panic when I see the results...

Mike
fm

Post by fm »

As a tutor, I cease administering tests in the final week. The last thing the children need is a bad mark just before an exam and a parent stressing about it.
Instead I would do such an exercise with them, talking about the best way of approaching something like this and showing them that even you don't know the answers instantly and have to think about it.
I'd say these cloze tests are at the 'hard end' of the spectrum but then much of the material in the King Edward is and it is good for the children to have experience of challenging work before the exam.
Above all, they need to know there will be a good number of things they can't do on the paper, either because of time restrictions or unfamiliarity, but they should just keep plugging away rather than worrying how they are doing. Determination and steadiness, in my opinion, seems to count for a lot in this exam.

Good luck to all, anyway.
clarendon
Posts: 253
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2008 6:15 pm
Location: Birmingham

Post by clarendon »

Thank you KenR.. may have a look throught some of those with my daughter if we have time. They look really difficult for 10/11 yr olds to tackle and many adults would struggle with these. I can't believe the real test will be quite at that level? However, I appreciate looking over them together can do no harm. Thanks for your good luck message.
Thank you fm for your good luck message also and advice to keep plugging away. I've forewarned my d that it will be nothing like Sutton which she found really easy.
mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Post by mike1880 »

It's an awkward balance; on the one hand there are one or two areas I'd really like to do some more work, on the other hand I don't want to hand out anything in the last few days that will undermine him.

My focus is on finding a way to gently get across the number of questions and time pressure; he's used to finishing test papers with huge amounts of time to spare (you can imagine the standard of results when he finishes in 50% of the time :roll:) and I don't want him to crumble when he realises (a) the questions are really hard and (b) he isn't going to finish.

Mike
clarendon
Posts: 253
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2008 6:15 pm
Location: Birmingham

Post by clarendon »

Mike.. I'm trying a combination of revision and dealing with any unfamiliar topics that pass our way by chance.. for eg my son had some maths homework set for half term which he found hard and self and daughter had a look at it... altho' he's in yr 5 at the same school she hadn't covered that particular topic... well certainly not in the same way.

Other than that am going over her notes and getting her to identify areas she feels she needs to go over. Nothing high pressured just reading over stuff together.

Am getting concerned about her sleeping as she was having nighmares last night over the film Boy in Striped PJs which we saw a while ago. You don't know how kids' minds work do you and what plays on their subconscious. Want her to feel awake to sit the test tho'!
mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Post by mike1880 »

I managed to avoid The Boy in Striped Pyjamas, they were taken last week while I was at work. Apparently didn't upset our son at all, weirdly - although he spends large parts of even the most innocuous films with his coat over his head. Our Y4 daughter on the other hand has always been as tough as old boots, although she has cried once in a film - it was during...The Simpsons Movie. Really.

I think I shall just spring the odd exercise on him to keep him alert this week, like the "Vasa" passage above which should appeal. (Does anyone else think the Elamite art passage is really, really bad writing, by the way, or is it just me? I won't be giving that one!)

Mike
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