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What books/papers do I need to buy?

Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 11:55 pm
by spam
Can anyone give me some advice on what books I need for the 11 plus. My daughter is going into year 5 on Wednesday, and I am worried I have left it too late, so I have engaged in a bit of panic buying and bought 2 IPS books and a Susan Daughtrey- technique and practice 1, thinking that as she is from Bucks, it would be appropriate, but after reading some other posts I am not so sure, I am now tempted to buy the entire 11 plus section of Waterstones! :?

Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 1:53 am
by Guest
Dear Spam,

See the thread below:

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... .php?t=684


and others posted in the Buckinghamshire threads.

Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 11:27 am
by Jed
Dear Spam

You certainly haven't left it too late. Many children succeed with far less preparation.

Having said that, I did feel guilty that we didn't prepare our daughter better - just a few practice papers 3-4 weeks before the real thing. She never really got up to speed and left about 10-12 questions on both tests, scoring 116. Luckily we have a very good comp across the border and she has a place there so that probably made us (too?) relaxed. However, we could have been a lot worse off in another area of the county.

But you still have plenty of time ahead of you. If a child is prepared properly for a year and still fails to make the mark, then verbal reasoning is probably not for him/her!

Good luck.

Jed

Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 6:04 pm
by Catherine
Hi Spam,

If you are not sure of the best way to prepare tour daughter, read the posts from Patricia in the Bucks and Verbal Reasoning sections. Patricia is a tutor and the VR guru on this forum.
A good thread to read is 'Free hep', page 1 in Bucks
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 0&start=50

According to Patricia, starting at the beginning of year 5 is certainly not too late. She also gives lots of other tips in other threads, and which books to use and in what order.

Best of luck

Catherine

Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:56 pm
by patricia
Dear Spam

There is absolutely no need to panic, you have a whole year to prepare which is over and beyond what is required.

Do NOT buy Susan Daughtrey techniques and practice, in fact do NOT buy any of her books 1-7, mostly irrelevant for Bucks.

Between now and the new year concentrate on your daughter reading out loud to an adult, making note of all unknown vocab, print off my list of important words, cross off known words. make up flash cards accordingly.

In addition start on a mission of ensuring your child can reel off her times tables and can subtract, add and divide with quick recall.

For your own benefit buy IPS method and Technique, to familiarise yourself with the 21 types used by Bucks.

In the new year start your regime, Do NOT buy everything on the shelvesm they do NOT all use the correct 21 types in multiple choice form.

Buy and use in this order, Verbal reasoning, Multiple Choice papers.

IPS additional questions

AFN [tests 1-4 and 5-8]

IPS tests 1-10

Susan Daughtrey Bright Sparks [ 4 tests]

Nfer [ 4 tests]

Start by dividing the first 4 AFN tests into 2 tests of 50 questions, 25 minutes, .before each AFN test teach your child from IPS additional questions the types that appear in that particular test, do this for the first 8 tests [ 4 divided into 8] use the final 4 tests as part of your weekly practice, not tests.

Start IPS 10 tests. 50q 30 minutes

Susan Daughtrey

NFER these left till last to familiarise in the same format BUT they have types HIKNOS missing [ see IPS]must practice these types along side NFER tests.

Your child may or may not need all this input, see how it goes, feel free to ask questions any time.

Patricia

books for girls

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 10:51 am
by vp
Hi

Can anyone recommend some good (11 plus good vocabulary!!) books for my daughter in year 5?

Whenever we go into a book shop / library she heads for Jacqueline Wilson which is great but does not contain words like 'impede' and 'indolent'!! - as far as I know.

She love 'girlie' books and 'fun' books.

Also, any good ways of getting vocab into them without going through a dictionary?

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 1:17 pm
by Jed
I think A Series of Unfortunate Events is great for vocab. Unusual words are a feature of the book and the author treats the explanation as part of the narrative, often incorporating humour. For example, "The lizard had absconded - which in this situation means it had taken a walk without its owner's permission" etc.

And there are 12 books!

Jed