H-E-L-P! Explaining Non-VR to a 10 year old is a nightmare.

[Barbara, Newcastle]

My son is doing Non-Verbal Reasoning papers for the first time with the exams 7 weeks away, and I do not have a clue myself on how to answer the questions that he is getting wrong (all I know is that the question is wrong because the parent's answers say so). My husband took one of the questions to work and then cannot work it out either! Is there anyone out there with a suggestion?

[Penny, Dedham]

I can only offer you my sympathy. There is no easy solution, other than keep working at it, but make sure that you are not seen to also struggle with it otherwise your own child will loose heart in attempting nonverbal reasoning papers - eventually the penny does drop. (No pun intended )

[fran]

Try buying one of the help books. When my daughter and I first looked at them, we put them away as they looked very difficult. A few weeks later we tried to do them together by working out why the answer given was correct. Success!!!!! After a few weeks of practising one set of 12-17 questions per day she was getting close to 100%. It doesn't matter if your child sees you struggling as that will encourage him to get the answer before you.
You could also both go to a tutor together for a few weeks.

Good luck
Fran

[Barbara, Newc]

Thanks Fran! Can you recommend a good book?

[Fran, London]

I have looked through my books and can't find any NVR help books. I have probably given them to the girl I tutor ( I enjoyed it so much I have carried on). I will have a look on Saturday.

I do know that Bond do one.....
Bond Assessment Papers How to do Non-Verbal Reasoning
ISBN : 0-7487-7113-1

Do you know which papers your son will be sitting? NFER, Athey....?

Hope this helps.
Fran

[Barbara, Newcastle]

Fran, Past students at the school say that the papers are set by "NFERNELSON".

Your help is appreciated!

[Fran, London]

Barbara,
Sorry I can't find any more books. I have now registered. Maybe you could send me an email with your phone number and I could talk you through any problems.

Fran

[Steve]

The best books of this type that I know of are by Learning Together. They have 2 titles- Step by Step verbal Reasoning and Step by step NV. These help explain how to do verbal and NV type questions. I see that this site sells both.
Steve

[vetgal]

Hi
My Answer To Your Question Is To Wait Untill Your Son Goes Back To School, And Ask Your Sons Teacher To Have A Look At It. My Sister Is Doing The 11+ As well, And She Does The 11+ 19 Days After Going Back To School, So There Would Be Time To Ask The School Why The Answers Are The Answers.

If All Else Fails I would Try To Find Someone Who Has More Experiance With The 11+, Maybe Someone Who You Know Who Has Passed or Maybe You Could Try To Find A Tutor Who Will Look At Them, Even If You Have To Pay To Find Why The Answers Are The Answers It Is Worth It Because You Learn From Your Mistakes !
Good Luck !

[Alex]

We found the AE Tuition Non Verbal Reasoning Workbooks 1 and 2 very helpful for NfER type questions.