New Letts v old Letts papers

Advice on 11 Plus VR papers and problems

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Tolstoy
Posts: 2755
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:25 pm

New Letts v old Letts papers

Post by Tolstoy »

Hi,

With DS1 and DS2 I used the old Letts papers and my DSs seemed fine with them. I am currently using the new Letts papers with a friend's DS and he seems to be having problems with the vocab. Has anybody else used both types and would you say the vocab in the newer papers is harder?

Thanks.
mum23*
Posts: 417
Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2010 1:28 pm

Re: New Letts v old Letts papers

Post by mum23* »

Hi, I remember this coming up before and it was generally thought that the vocab was more challenging. I haven't bought the new set yet but intend to. It's a tricky one, you can't teach them every word but I try and get them to use elimination on some vocab questions which can narrow it down. The Tommies prep involved giving the boys a list of 20 words per week to learn to spell and learn the definition. I go through each test and do the same with unknown vocab that comes up.

Apart from the type of things suggested before on here...free rice, Patricia's word list, word games I don't think there is a magic bullet. I haven't tried the Tutors vocab builder but maybe others could post if it has helped.

DS sailed through the AFN papers but is getting about 85% on Walsh and it's the vocab questions so I think it is a common area of difficulty.
JaneEyre
Posts: 4843
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 1:04 pm

Re: New Letts v old Letts papers

Post by JaneEyre »

mum23* wrote:Hi, I remember this coming up before and it was generally thought that the vocab was more challenging. I haven't bought the new set yet but intend to.
Hi mum 23,
excuse-me if it is a stupid question but I am a bit lost with the VR new/old version.

I have presently this set of papers:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/ ... php%23bs12" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Does it have the same content as this one, except that the version is not the same?
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/ ... php%23bs14" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

another question: Is the following pack different from the giraffes one mentioned earlier?
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/ ... hp%23bs397" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is the latter the pack you were refering to in your post (newer version), stating that the vocab is harder? In that case, there are two packes to buy, aren't there?

thanks in advance for any clarification :D
I just spend more than £50 on 11+ papers and don't want to do any mistake in my purchases
mitasol
Posts: 2756
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:59 am

Re: New Letts v old Letts papers

Post by mitasol »

All three links are for GL Assessment/Nfer Pack one. Only difference is the first link is the standard version rather than multiple choice.

There is a MC GL/Nfer Pack 2 here http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/ ... D30%23b444" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The new Letts papers (which are not GL/Nfer) are here http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/ ... p?g=f&p=17" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There are only 8 unique Nfer/GL VR papers and 4 unique Letts VR papers. If you look at the top of the page in the bookshop they have categorised them in the following way to avoid confusion.

By Publisher:
GL Assessment (New for 2010 / 11) All the latest editions of the 8 unique VR papers contained in pack one and two.
GL Assessment for Letts Educational These are the old but identical editions of pack one. They are mainly out of print but you may find the odd one still available.
Letts (New for 2010) When Nfer/GL Assessment started to distribute their own papers Letts decided to publish a set of their own papers.
mitasol
Posts: 2756
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:59 am

Re: New Letts v old Letts papers

Post by mitasol »

Tolstoy wrote:Hi,

With DS1 and DS2 I used the old Letts papers and my DSs seemed fine with them. I am currently using the new Letts papers with a friend's DS and he seems to be having problems with the vocab. Has anybody else used both types and would you say the vocab in the newer papers is harder?

Thanks.
I thought the vocab was a bit harder/more obscure and some of the questions were ambiguous. Other than vocab, they seemed less difficult than Bright Sparks.

New publications tend to have a few problems that hopefully get ironed out in later print runs.
  • Misprint - VR paper A, Q.48 prise/price
    Maths types e.g. Type 17/I Complete the sum (Bidmas) questions mathematically incorrect.
    Alphabet type questions split across two pages so you need to turn back to view the printed alphabet
I'm sticking with the usual suspects: Tutors, GL pack one and Bright Sparks as full practice papers. I'm only using these (and the new GL papers) selectively.
mum23*
Posts: 417
Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2010 1:28 pm

Re: New Letts v old Letts papers

Post by mum23* »

Mitasol, what a comprehensive reply, brilliant! The errors can be really confusing/annoying to find so it helps to have those flagged up. I was confused too about the GL/Letts papers.

JaneEyre, make sure you buy the 11+ material specific to the test in your area so multichoice not standard if that is what is used and if you don't need the maths and english then avoid variety packs. As you have bought your materials then it seems to be considered acceptable to copy papers for your own use so you can re-use them if you need to. Having had to rub out answers to use for siblings I have learned the hard way!

I have found it useful to buy the downloadable papers from this site especially the shorter ones.
JaneEyre
Posts: 4843
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 1:04 pm

Re: New Letts v old Letts papers

Post by JaneEyre »

Hi mitasol,
mitasol wrote:All three links are for GL Assessment/Nfer Pack one. Only difference is the first link is the standard version rather than multiple choice.
Thanks mitasol, as without your explanation, I would have gone head first into buying papers that I already have.

If the school my DS is applying to recommands GL Assessment/Nfer Pack one and two, what other papers should he practise with?
He has studied the Daughtrey practise book 1,2 and 3 to learn the techniques though I don't know if some of these types are not in the GL Assessment/Nfer papers...And I am afraid to buy papers which are not relevant for him.
mitasol wrote: I'm sticking with the usual suspects: Tutors, GL pack one and Bright Sparks as full practice papers. I'm only using these (and the new GL papers) selectively.
Would you recommand him to do these papers also, i.e. Tutors, GL pack one and Bright Sparks?

Curiously, I havent' been able to spot 'the tutors' in the shop. What are they?
JaneEyre
Posts: 4843
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 1:04 pm

Re: New Letts v old Letts papers

Post by JaneEyre »

mum23* wrote: JaneEyre, make sure you buy the 11+ material specific to the test in your area so multichoice not standard if that is what is used and if you don't need the maths and english then avoid variety packs. As you have bought your materials then it seems to be considered acceptable to copy papers for your own use so you can re-use them if you need to. Having had to rub out answers to use for siblings I have learned the hard way!

I have found it useful to buy the downloadable papers from this site especially the shorter ones.
Thanks for your advice mum23!

Indeed, at the moment, I am struggling to see what I have to buy.
Yesterday, DS did his first GL assesment VR test. I asked him to write the answers on a piece of paper (with the number of question already written), but afterwards, he was not happy, saying that copying the words takes more time than underlining... so I'll be back to copying the papers I bought and buying cartridges for our printer! :roll:

Thanks for the idea of buying downloadable papers from this site. Is there some I should avoid, knowing that the school aims at GL Assessment?
JaneEyre
Posts: 4843
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 1:04 pm

Re: New Letts v old Letts papers

Post by JaneEyre »

mum23* wrote: JaneEyre, make sure you buy the 11+ material specific to the test in your area so multichoice not standard if that is what is used.
Don't you think it is better to practise with standard even thought the school has multiple choice papers?
I feel standard is far more strechching, and might be a better preparation?
patricia
Posts: 2803
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:07 pm

Re: New Letts v old Letts papers

Post by patricia »

JaneEyre wrote: Don't you think it is better to practise with standard even thought the school has multiple choice papers?
I feel standard is far more strechching, and might be a better preparation?
No.

There are different methods and techniques for Multiple Choice.

If the school you are applying for use GL Assessment Multiple Choice, take a look at my second post in the following link for relevant publishers.

The Daughtrey Technique books are not particularly relevant as they cover 35 plus types in standard form. GL Assessment only use 21 types. A better buy would be IPS [shown in the link]

You also need to find out whether the school allows the child to write on the question booklet or are made to use rough paper. In Bucks no rough paper is allowed.

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... =12&t=4782" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good Luck

Patricia
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