Help - diffiering abilities in different siblings
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 2:01 pm
Could I please have some advice.
Is it true that some kids 'can' do the 11+ and some kids just 'can't'?
Lots of people, including ds2's school teacher says that only exceptionally bright kids should take the test. How true is this? I didnt think it was at all, but recently with ds2, it emerging that he really is a slow thinker, and it takes him time to work things out. Could it be he really isnt 11+ material? Is it because I am comparing him to ds1 that I think he is slow? Should I be viewing him as his own person, who has strengths and weaknesses differing from his elder brother, and tackling things differently. My instinct tells me that he is doing fine, and will not be the same as ds1, but I fear that I'm fooling myself!
Certain question types are taking him ages... we have surely started late in the day, with 6 weeks left for Langley, but thankfully 3 1/2 months to Tiffin, our first choice.... we have paced ourselves far too well (!) with exam papers, so far we have only done 3 bright sparks papers and covered IPS. In all weak areas I have printed him extra practice questions and hammered them in with practice, practice, practice, but some questions take up to 1:20 seconds.... do we have any hope?
The main areas which slow him down are:
Word Letter Codes TRAP = USBQ what does DPME mean?
The Letter Connections: CD is to EF as IJ is to [ ]
Word Number Codes: BEND DONE LEAD 8436 1648 7628 He can take up to 3:30 mins on these questions. That's 1:10 seconds per question, as each question has three parts.
Will continued practice speed him up? For tutors, have you ever come across children who you didn't feel 'had it in them'?
Is it true that some kids 'can' do the 11+ and some kids just 'can't'?
Lots of people, including ds2's school teacher says that only exceptionally bright kids should take the test. How true is this? I didnt think it was at all, but recently with ds2, it emerging that he really is a slow thinker, and it takes him time to work things out. Could it be he really isnt 11+ material? Is it because I am comparing him to ds1 that I think he is slow? Should I be viewing him as his own person, who has strengths and weaknesses differing from his elder brother, and tackling things differently. My instinct tells me that he is doing fine, and will not be the same as ds1, but I fear that I'm fooling myself!
Certain question types are taking him ages... we have surely started late in the day, with 6 weeks left for Langley, but thankfully 3 1/2 months to Tiffin, our first choice.... we have paced ourselves far too well (!) with exam papers, so far we have only done 3 bright sparks papers and covered IPS. In all weak areas I have printed him extra practice questions and hammered them in with practice, practice, practice, but some questions take up to 1:20 seconds.... do we have any hope?
The main areas which slow him down are:
Word Letter Codes TRAP = USBQ what does DPME mean?
The Letter Connections: CD is to EF as IJ is to [ ]
Word Number Codes: BEND DONE LEAD 8436 1648 7628 He can take up to 3:30 mins on these questions. That's 1:10 seconds per question, as each question has three parts.
Will continued practice speed him up? For tutors, have you ever come across children who you didn't feel 'had it in them'?