Rabbit, Headlights, Me!

[Taj]

Hi Everyone,
My son is due to take the tests (bucks and berks) in Nov2008. I am faced with so many options with preparation I feel almost paralized. I want to do the right things and really have a plan that my son and I can follow that will give him the best preparation. He really enjoys maths, but like most boys, reading is a chore. So vocab will clearly be a focus....but what is the best method, books? CD's?

In terms of preparation options, I can send him on a 1 year course by ae tuition for a fee of £2000...ouch. I can purchase their books the tutors CD's and do it myself or a combination.

The question still arises....which books? which cd's? when? in which order?

Does anyone have a "winning formula" they can share?

So in summary, I could tutor him, but am struggling to build a 1 year curricullum/syllabus that will do the trick.

thanks in advance.

[Catherine]

Hi Taj,

You have come to the right place, and I am sure that you can get enough information from this forum for DIY tutoring.
In case you don't know yet, the Bucks test consists of 2 Verbal Reasoning tests, NFER format, multichoice. Patricia is the grand VB guru here, and I am sure that she will give you all the advice you need. In the mean time, you can try and find her posts in the Verbal Reasoning and Bucks sections of the forum.
For Berks, the question is: Are you thinking of the Slough or Reading tests? or both?

Best of luck

Catherine

[Taj]

Sorry, its the Slough tests as well as the Bucks test.

[Mike]

Hi Taj

For Bucks

Start with the free Demo for The Tutors VR CD1 and familiarise yourself with the 21 question types. If you feel you need advice on any question type, post a message on the forum. If you feel you need to study method and technique then purchase the method & technique book by IPS.

Work through The Tutors VR CD1 at least twice.

Work through The Tutors VR CD2 at least twice, referring back to CD1 for extra revision on types that are proving difficult.

Work through either The Tutors published papers or the e-papers.

CD1, CD2, both Demos and either the published papers or e-papers contain unique questions.

If you work for one hour per week initially, then increase tuition as required closer to the tests there are more than enough questions for you to work on.

If there are any problems with the vocabulary questions, then use The Tutors Vocabulary Builder.

Other authors that follow the NFER format closely and have material available on this site are IPS, Susan Daughtery Bright Sparks and AFN.

Regards

Mike

[Taj]

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the reply. What's your view on the vocab cd's....do them first or in parallel? Just looking at the samples, my soon to be 10 year old has no clue what festoon, bejewel etc are right now. Is the idea that by going through the vocab tests repeatedly, this in effect builds vocab? Even though first time round doing the vocab tests, they will not do that well?

Its interesting that the method to build vocab seems to be tests.

Taj.

[patricia]

Dear Taj

Definitely can DIY, for Slough, post again in the Berks Section. I will transfer this thread to the Bucks section. There is, I believe, a strict order of papers to complete. You need to gradually get close and closer to the real format.

Therefore, the order of PEN and PAPER tests would be.

IPS [30 minute tests], Susan Daughtrey [Bright Sparks ONLY] then NFER [ the Publisher of the real test]

As explained in the following copy and paste Nfer are always left till last, BUT do not contain 6 types of questions [ HIKNOS] these types as identified by IPS must therefore be practised along side NFER.

A copy and paste of one of my previous posts follows.....

Are you ready for this?.......

The 11 plus exam in Bucks consists of 2 Verbal Reasoning, Multiple choice tests. Each paper has 80 questions to complete in 50 minutes. Your child only needs to pass one of the tests, the average score is no longer used. The school will provide 5 familiarisation sessions [covering the 21 types of questions] followed by 3 practice tests.

The tests are published by NFER.

Publishers which currently cover the 21 types required for Bucks include:

AFN, IPS, SUSAN DAUGHTREY [Bright Sparks only, NOT her books 1-7], [AFN, are generally easier and come in 100q in 50 minutes, I would only use these as sections to dip into, if you wish, not as tests.]

NFER, who publish the Bucks tests only contain 15 types of questions…..it is therefore necessary to practice HIKNOS while completing these tests. [HIKNOS are 6 types as identified by IPS]

I would recommend that you start by buying a method and technique book in order to teach yourself how approach each of the questions [IPS]

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/list.php?ex=85" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

IPS also publishes a book containing a selection of each type. Before you administer your first test, teach your child the types contained in that test using the IPS additional questions book, continue this method for the first few tests.

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/list.php?ex=90" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Use tests in the following order…..

1] IPS, 10 tests 50 questions, 30 minutes [shorter tests good to begin with]

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/list.php?ex=88" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2] SUSAN DAUGHTREY [Bright Sparks only], 4 tests 80 questions 50 minutes [soon to be 8 tests]
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/list.php?ex=120" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

3] NFER, 4 tests, 85 questions 50 minutes [remember to practice HIKNOS from IPS when completing these tests, also need to cross off the last 5 questions, as the real test only has 80 not 85]

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/list.php?ex=14" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Do not start until the New Year, between now and then [and for the rest of year 5] ensure your child reads out loud to you at least 3 times a week, making note of all unknown vocabulary. If you look at some of the posts concerning the 2006 11 plus, the majority of posters, mention vocabulary as being the biggest problem [and I whole heartedly agree]
See the following link, bottom of the page, for my list of words with an explanation of how to use flash cards as an aid

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/revisi" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... wnload.php

In addition, there are 4 types of maths questions, they are not rocket science, BUT require an ability to quickly recall the 4 maths operations i.e. adding, subtraction, multiplying and dividing. The quicker the child can recall, the more time can be spent on codes [easy marks, but time consuming] Basically if you ask for 8 x 7 you want the answer 56, now not in 10 seconds time, once they know their times tables inside out and back to front [ up to 12 x] then division becomes easy. Adding and subtraction should be practised using numbers under 150….try making up games, giving quick fire questions in the car, out for walks etc.

This forum is a wealth of information, look around, take note and get teaching! Any problems just ask, there is always someone willing to help.

Patricia

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Patricia

[HopefulDen]

Patricia
do they only need to pass one of the two tests in the Wirral exams too?
Denis

[Newbie But Stressed]

Hi Denise

No..

Wirral scoring is different than Bucks, Berks etc

You need to score 236 and above over both tests. Don't ask how they make this score up, but it involves Raw test score, Age of Child etc,,

So you could do badly in one and better in the second one to make up the score.. But you effectively need to pass both tests on the wirral.

NBS

[Catherine]

Wirral scoring is different than Bucks, Berks etc

Hi, NBS,

Just for the record, Bucks and Berks are different. In Bucks, you need to pass one paper. In Berks, you need the pass the average of the three papers.

Catherine