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We are using the NFER practice papers and my child is struggling to complete the 85 questions in the allotted time. The questions where they waste most of their time are the alphabet ones; they usually get most of them right, but to the detriment of their timing.
On the actual day, do they have the opportunity to go back and fill in any gaps they've left, if they have time left over at the end?
Not sure whether to advise them to leave those 7 questions, try and finish the whole paper (possibly gaining 15 extra marks) and go back if they get time?
Aaagh, it's a minefield!
Any advice MUCH appreciated.
On the actual day, do they have the opportunity to go back and fill in any gaps they've left, if they have time left over at the end?
Not sure whether to advise them to leave those 7 questions, try and finish the whole paper (possibly gaining 15 extra marks) and go back if they get time?
Aaagh, it's a minefield!
Any advice MUCH appreciated.
The VR paper actually has 100 questions rather than the 85 in the NfER practice papers so time is pressured. However, some of the questions can be answered very quickly.
Which alphabet questions are you referring to? Is your child using the best technique for tackling them? If they are the only really slow questions (bearing in mind that some questions are always going to take longer than others) then it may be worth leaving them to the end to maximise the score.
Plenty of children do not complete the paper so don't despair but you are right that using some tactics can give a better chance of scoring well.
Which alphabet questions are you referring to? Is your child using the best technique for tackling them? If they are the only really slow questions (bearing in mind that some questions are always going to take longer than others) then it may be worth leaving them to the end to maximise the score.
Plenty of children do not complete the paper so don't despair but you are right that using some tactics can give a better chance of scoring well.
Hi Alex
Thanks for your reply, the questions he takes too long over are the Type 14, Letter Connections. He is quite methodical and as I said in my previous post almost always gets them right, but takes too long doing it!
Not sure which way to play it; my husband doesn't think I should tell him to leave that section and go back later. I'm still mulling it over!
Thanks for your reply, the questions he takes too long over are the Type 14, Letter Connections. He is quite methodical and as I said in my previous post almost always gets them right, but takes too long doing it!
Not sure which way to play it; my husband doesn't think I should tell him to leave that section and go back later. I'm still mulling it over!
Have to say I was always a bit reluctant to tell the children to skip whole sections, though I did tell them to skip any question they were stuck on and go back to it later. I found, however, that they usually forgot even if they had marked the question and had time left over! I guess the most important thing is to have the strategies prepared rather than introducing them at the very last minute which might be a bit disconcerting.
With any luck those questions may not come up at all!
With any luck those questions may not come up at all!
