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To Patricia
Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2006 7:03 pm
by kerrym
Patricia,
Many thanks for your very quick response and details of the publishers for the Bucks test. As soon as I'd posted my question, I realised I should have put it on the Bucks site!
I thought my son had scored highly, but didnt know if there was any relation to the '121' score in the 11+. I was surprised, particularly in the VR test as he does have a problem accessing vocabulary and we spend a lot of time looking up new words in the dictionary. Therefore I am really pleased you are in the process of submitting to the download section, a list of vocabulary used in the verbal reasoning tests. This, I am sure, will be a huge help to many people.
Whilst writing, I noticed on a previous link you mentined that ********** had been removed from this site. Do you have any idea why? I am only interested as a friend is sending her son on one of their courses.
I have really enjoyed reading all your posts and have learned so much from you about how the Bucks system operates. I must admit I am hooked to this forum and just realised I have been sitting at this computer for the last 3 hours!
Many thanks
Kerry
Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2006 7:53 pm
by patricia
Dear Kerry
Know what you mean by sitting at the computer for long, lengths of time, I tend to be working on the laptop for my work/tutoring and have this forum open in a separate window, just keep popping back!
The vocabulary list does not contain the actual words that crop up in the real tests only NFER know that it's just an extensive list of words that children find difficult to understand when seen out of context.
The children need to recognise words when they stand alone with no clues to the meaning, this can be achieved by reading out loud, discussing unknown words, using the flashcard system, we as parents using more vocabulary in our everyday talk and encouraging our children to use these words in the class.
I have always encouraged the use of a dictionary and thesaurus. Just recently, one of my children asked me to read a short 6 page story. by the second page I gave up, exclaiming that I didn't understand a bleep word, they took GREAT PLEASURE in informing me that the dictionary was on the BOOKSHELF !!!@@%£*&...
Patricia
Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2006 8:42 pm
by kerrym
Hi Patricia,
Yes, sorry I did realise that your list won't necessarily be the actual words that crop up in the VR tests but an extensive list from which to look at will be a great help.
Would you recommend gradually working through such a list and getting your child to understand the meaning or meanings of a word? Recently I've been asking my son to give an explanation of words in his spelling lists and realise how many words he doesn't actually know the meaning of which is slightly worrying!
I've read so much this afternoon - the mind is boggling - need to get myself a glass of wine!
Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2006 8:54 pm
by patricia
Dear Kerry
Gradually work your way through the list, if he knows the word WITHOUT ANY CLUES move on, if unsure, make up a flashcard, I introduce approx 10 words a week. It really is surprising how much our children don't know
Enjoy your wine!
Patricia
Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2006 9:16 pm
by kerrym
Hi Patricia,
The flash cards sound like a really good idea and we can do them alongside his regular daily spellings.
I hope you enjoy your 'girlie' night - My son has a friend sleeping over and they're already discussing their midnight feast!
Thanks for all your advice
Kerry
Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2006 10:04 pm
by Guest
patricia wrote:Dear Kerry
Know what you mean by sitting at the computer for long, lengths of time....I tend to be working on the laptop for my work/tutoring....and have this forum open in a separate window....just keep popping back!
The vocabulary list does not contain the actual words that crop up in the real tests [ only NFER know that] its just an extensive list of words that children find difficult to understand when seen out of context.
The children need to recognize words when they stand alone with no clues to the meaning....this can be achieved by reading out loud, discussing unknown words, using the flashcard system, we as parents using more vocabulary in our everyday talk and encouraging our children to use these words in the class.
I have always encouraged the use of a dictionary and thesaurus. Just recently, one of my children asked me to read a short 6 page story......by the second page I gave up...exclaiming that I didn't understand a bleep word.....they took GREAT PLEASURE in informing me that the dictionary was on the BOOKSHELF !!!@@%£*&...
Patricia
Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 6:50 pm
by Beth
Patricia, are the 'revision practice' verbal reasoning free downloads on this site of comparable difficulty to the real NFER test? Over the past few days I've given a few of them to my 8 year old (Yr 4) as 'quizzes' and she's getting 80-100%. Which makes me think they must be easier than the real thing!
Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 7:27 pm
by Beth
Sorry Patricia-forgot to ask in my post above...I've read your suggested timetable for preparing for the 11 plus, but in my area our grammar tests in NVR aswell as VR. Does that mean that we'll need to start earlier, as we've effectively got twice as much to cover? Would welcome your thoughts.
Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 7:53 pm
by patricia
Dear Beth
What part of the country are you from?
Yes you may have to start a tad earlier, if you have to also teach NVR, not an expert on this [ still learning!]
Patricia
Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:04 pm
by Catherine
Having had the experience of Bucks and Slough (VR,NVR,Maths), I think that the VR standard in Slough is fairly similar the one in Bucks (may be just a bit lower), so overall, there is more work to do with several subjetcs.
However I don't think that NVR requires as much practice as VR because there are less question types and the skills they require overlap. It is just a personal opinion, and you may want to visit the NVR forum to get advice with it.