VR

[deepa]

hi
Pl guide me how to improve speed in Question type L
Any tip for solving these
GT, GZ,GF,JI,ML,SL......
QN,XK,BO,CJ,AP,VI.....

OU,TX,QZ,SA,XA,UZ,WX

thanks
deepa

[pixiequeen]

Gosh, I would be interested in an answer to that too! Doesn't matter what we try, these still take DD an inordinately long time (and we have only 3 weeks till test day..)

[patricia]

Child MUST make notes. Trying to retain sequences in their head will lead to mistakes and waste time. Seeing the sequence written down, it becomes obvious.

What is happening between each of the letters.

Do not treat as pairs, 2 sequences.

They will take time, but they are easy 100% marks.

+0 +0 +3 +3 +6 groups of 2 next +6 = Y
+6 +6 +3 +3 +0 groups of 2 next +0 =L


+7 +4 +1 -2 -5 subtracting 3 each time next = -8 = N
-3 +4 -5 +6 -7 adding one number alternating – and + next = +8 = Q

+5 -3 +2 +5 -3 +2 groups of 3 next = +5 = B
+3 +2 +1 +0 -1 -2 take away one each time next one = -3 = U

Patricia

[deepa]

Thanks Patricia
you have relieved the stress

D

[Sally-Anne]

Again, like the brackets you posted about earlier, these can be visually difficult for some children, especially when the sequences are very long and the operations are changing from "+" to "-" by fairly large numbers. It is very easy for them to get confused as to which half of the pair they are working with at any given moment.

In the third example you give:
OU, TX, QZ, SA, XA, UZ, WX ...
it may be less painful to quickly write out the first letters in each pair, i.e.
O T Q S X U W ...
and then use the alphabet from there.

They can then do the second letters from each pair in the same way.

Unfortunately it can take time to write them out, so it really should only be used when children are struggling with this type of question, and they need to be 100% accurate in copying the letters.

My kids did find it reassuring to have this method as a "back up", but what was interesting is that after using it a few times they suddenly found the questions much easier because now they they could really see how they work! After that they were perfectly happy with the standard method.

(I should mention that Patricia will probably storm in to the room at any moment and tick me off for my unconventional ideas on how to do VR! I defer to her as the expert at all times, but I've been chatting to someone about alternative VR techniques today, so it's a hot topic at the moment!)

[patricia]

Here she comes storming...

Over the years I have changed my method and techniques, finding new and better ways of approaching questions, so I am open to new ideas. With some types of questions I have some children using one method and others using a slightly diffferent approach, child dependent.

With letter sequences, my children find the Ist sequence and the letter followed by the 2nd sequence and the letter. They always write their notes for the first sequence above and between the letters and the second sequence below.

I have had to use dots to separate as the forum will not let me use spaces.


.....+7........+4.........+1......-2.......-5........-8
QN ......,XK .......BO........CJ......AP.......VI...... NQ
.......-3 ...... +4........-5.......+6...... -7.......+8

Patricia

[pixiequeen]

What Patricia describes is essentially what my DD is doing. Our problem is that because you cannot write on the question paper in Glos, we have developed a method of writing out the + or - numbers between the first letters of each pair on the rough paper to see the sequence and then finding the next letter and then doing the same for the second letter of each pair. Each question still takes her over a minute to do. Is it possible to speed this up in anyway? She doesn't seem to have a problem 'getting' the sequences.

Thank you.

[patricia]

I would have to teach using rough paper for the Bucks 12 plus.

The left hand should be pointing to the relevant letters while the right hand with pencil is pointing to the letters on the alpahbet. They should take approx 40/60 seconds each. I would not worry too much about taking longer time with these questions, its more encouraging accuracy and 100% marks.

Patricia

[pixiequeen]

Thank you very much Patricia. Think I will time her to make sure she's not taking too much more than your estimate.

[Sally-Anne]

I knew you would be back before long Patricia!

My conversation today was with the parent of a child who has a specific visual difficulty (dominant eye) that has been holding him back, and we were looking for ways around that.