Walsh papers question to Patricia!!!!!!!!

[stressedparent]

Hi Patricia,
I have read so many different views and myths about the Walsh papers on this forum.Patricia, I know you have said many times that you use these papers in small sections for practice , I am going to let my DD practice the test, from your vast wealth of experience , what do you think is a good score. Barbra Walsh recommends that your child should be scoring a minimum of 84 % in these papers.

[patricia]

The score depends on where you live.

84% may easily pass in some areas, in others it would fall short.

When they were first published I gave them to all my students with varying results, most scored within the region of 84%- 95% but it was a dip in their previous scores. I have since given these as tests to my very brightest and they score very well, but our grammars are not made up of the very brightest ie top 2%

Do you need to use it as a test?

Patricia

[blessedmum]

Morning Patricia,

I have used these tests for my dd as well. She is sitting the Bexley and Kent tests. What sort of scores should i be aiming for. Her main problem area are the vocab ques, we've been using a word bank, flash cards and use of words in sentences to help.

[yoyo123]

try www.freerice.com for vocabulary too

[stressedparent]

Hi Patricia,
The answer is yes, my eldest already in tiffin. I have never used them in the past specially with my eldest daughter, but I intend to use them as tests for my younger daughter as she will be taking the tiffin test this year.

[blessedmum]

Thks Yoyo. its aanxious times now, just a few weeks to the tests.

[stressedparent]

Hi blessed mum,
You said that you have used these test papers, I appreciate if you could pass your experience on. I am a bit concerned about using them late on with some exams in 4 weeks time. My daughter strength is vocabulary as she is always read lots of books, so rarely struggles with vocabulary type questions.

[blessedmum]

Hi stressed parent.
I went through the first paper with her myself and then timed her on the rest. she started getting about 58/80 and i identiifed the issue was her vocabulary. we worked on the words and i got her to repeat the same tests again. her marks improved significantly. I think this give her more confidence. to help her also, I used some of the words I had seen in the books a day before the tests i will set her and then explained the words. this also helped her as she remembered them.
You can still use them even with four weeks to go in my opinion. especially if her vocabulary is good. every little helps.
The highest she has managed in this tests is still 75 out of 80 but her average is about 68/80.

[stressedparent]

Thanks blessed mum that was very helpful,I will will let her sit test 1 and may be 2 today .

[blessedmum]

She will be ok, just assure her that the test is just to highlight area where she may need your support. I keep telling my DD that the test is just to give her practice and to highlight areas where i can support her more so she should not beat her sef down if she does not do too well in them.
The truth is when we mark the tests which we tend to do together therew are questions I cant answer and we have to look at the answer book so she knows no one knows it all. everyone is learning all the time and as long as you do your bests then its ok.