question order
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question order
My son likes to do what he calls 'easy' questions first when doing a test. Is this allowed during the real thing?
With this in mind - in the real test are the questions titled e.g type G etc?
If he can do them in any order then being able to find them is crucial...
With this in mind - in the real test are the questions titled e.g type G etc?
If he can do them in any order then being able to find them is crucial...
You can do them in any order but the types are not 'labelled' - it might be easier to work from the beginning and 'jump over' the types not liked. However this could be risky timewise as you will not have an idea how many you have completed.
The only recommendation I would give is to leave those Z type - which are obvious because all others are in groups of five or so - to last.
The only recommendation I would give is to leave those Z type - which are obvious because all others are in groups of five or so - to last.
Hi njg
Agree with G55 on leaving Z type questions till last.
As we are still in May and the tests are in October, it may be okay for your son to cherry pick questions now.
However, the general guidance immediately before the test is that he should complete questions in the order they are set, leaving out any he cannot complete within 10-15 seconds and returning to them at the end.
If he is cherry-picking questions it will be even more important that additional focus is given on those questions he does not like.
Challenge him to challenge himself.
There is a signifigant increase in the self-esteem of students who achieve something that they think is difficult.
Regards
Mike
Agree with G55 on leaving Z type questions till last.
As we are still in May and the tests are in October, it may be okay for your son to cherry pick questions now.
However, the general guidance immediately before the test is that he should complete questions in the order they are set, leaving out any he cannot complete within 10-15 seconds and returning to them at the end.
If he is cherry-picking questions it will be even more important that additional focus is given on those questions he does not like.
Challenge him to challenge himself.
There is a signifigant increase in the self-esteem of students who achieve something that they think is difficult.
Regards
Mike
Mike Edwards is a co-author of The Tutors product range.
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Sally-Anne
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- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
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Hi njg
He is allowed to do the questions in any order, but I would advise very strongly indeed against that approach. As Guest55 has said, time-wise it is a very high-risk strategy, and she is correct (of course) in saying that the question types are not labelled in the real test.
Usually the only question that should be left to the end is Type Z, and he should circle on the question sheet any questions that he has left unanswered because he was unable to solve them, so that he can revisit those at the end.
If he were to do that for all the questions he doesn't like, he would be wasting a great deal of time moving around both the question and answer sheets. It also means that by the end of the test he has a big pile of nasty question types waiting for him, which is hardly conducive to motivation!
A better idea would be to insist that he does them in the order that they appear and, once he has got through a type that he doesn't like, think to himself "phew, I made it over that hill"!
I am finding with my son that, when he says "I hate/I'm rubbish at Type ...", it is best to just sit down with him again and go through the technique and allow him to answer some of that type of questions in his own time. That restores his confidence, and the next time that they come up in a test he is back on track.
Sally-Anne
He is allowed to do the questions in any order, but I would advise very strongly indeed against that approach. As Guest55 has said, time-wise it is a very high-risk strategy, and she is correct (of course) in saying that the question types are not labelled in the real test.
Usually the only question that should be left to the end is Type Z, and he should circle on the question sheet any questions that he has left unanswered because he was unable to solve them, so that he can revisit those at the end.
If he were to do that for all the questions he doesn't like, he would be wasting a great deal of time moving around both the question and answer sheets. It also means that by the end of the test he has a big pile of nasty question types waiting for him, which is hardly conducive to motivation!
A better idea would be to insist that he does them in the order that they appear and, once he has got through a type that he doesn't like, think to himself "phew, I made it over that hill"!
I am finding with my son that, when he says "I hate/I'm rubbish at Type ...", it is best to just sit down with him again and go through the technique and allow him to answer some of that type of questions in his own time. That restores his confidence, and the next time that they come up in a test he is back on track.
Sally-Anne
Dear Njg
Totally agree with above comments. Most of my students 'hate' type C long codes ad type K bracket maths, not because they cannot do them, its just that they are 'boring' and time consuming.
Although the sections are not labelled, your child will recognise each type just by the look of each question.
I tell my students they are not allowed to leave out whole sections, they have to say to themselves yes I know these will take me a bit longer [about 5/6 minutes for a section of 7 codes] but it doesnt matter because I know I will get 100% marks. If a student leaves out a whole section, as they near the end of the test, they think the are doing great for time, only to suddenly realise that they have to go back to those dreaded questions, panic sets in, which goes hand in hand with silly mistakes.
Zs are the only ones allowed to be left, until the end. [but a quick mark should be made on the answer sheet, in case they do not have time to go back to them]
If a child really gets stuck on a question [vocab only] they must take a good guess, after eliminating all possibilities, ring the question and if time they can go back to it. Must take that guess just in case time is running out.
My children must not guess, codes [C, L, N, U] maths [G, I, K, P] finding the 4 letter word [E] where does the letter come from [O and R] and Zs. In addition, they may not guess compound words [Q] unless I can see evidence that they have written out the words [together, so PUT and RID become putrid]
Why are they not allowed to guess, because 1] I insist! and 2] all the information is there for them, unlike Vocab questions where a little more thought is required. I like the children to keep to my 'rules' from the very begining, so they become second nature.
I know it sounds like I am a hard task master and yes I am but I do 'mess' around with them too, and reward with smiley stickers, which they love. They put them inside their folders [lever arch files] some make patterns, some stick randomly, some make pictures and others try to make their initials. I reward for working well in the lesson and scoring 90% or above in their tests. Should I forget to give a sticker, I have been appropriately told off by many a child.
Patricia
Totally agree with above comments. Most of my students 'hate' type C long codes ad type K bracket maths, not because they cannot do them, its just that they are 'boring' and time consuming.
Although the sections are not labelled, your child will recognise each type just by the look of each question.
I tell my students they are not allowed to leave out whole sections, they have to say to themselves yes I know these will take me a bit longer [about 5/6 minutes for a section of 7 codes] but it doesnt matter because I know I will get 100% marks. If a student leaves out a whole section, as they near the end of the test, they think the are doing great for time, only to suddenly realise that they have to go back to those dreaded questions, panic sets in, which goes hand in hand with silly mistakes.
Zs are the only ones allowed to be left, until the end. [but a quick mark should be made on the answer sheet, in case they do not have time to go back to them]
If a child really gets stuck on a question [vocab only] they must take a good guess, after eliminating all possibilities, ring the question and if time they can go back to it. Must take that guess just in case time is running out.
My children must not guess, codes [C, L, N, U] maths [G, I, K, P] finding the 4 letter word [E] where does the letter come from [O and R] and Zs. In addition, they may not guess compound words [Q] unless I can see evidence that they have written out the words [together, so PUT and RID become putrid]
Why are they not allowed to guess, because 1] I insist! and 2] all the information is there for them, unlike Vocab questions where a little more thought is required. I like the children to keep to my 'rules' from the very begining, so they become second nature.
I know it sounds like I am a hard task master and yes I am but I do 'mess' around with them too, and reward with smiley stickers, which they love. They put them inside their folders [lever arch files] some make patterns, some stick randomly, some make pictures and others try to make their initials. I reward for working well in the lesson and scoring 90% or above in their tests. Should I forget to give a sticker, I have been appropriately told off by many a child.
Patricia
Could someone tell me what is the procedure for changing an answer, please? For example, if my son checks his answer and realises it is wrong should he be crossing it out or rubbing it out? Up to now he has been putting a diagonal line through the wrong answer and a new horizontal one for the correct answer. I am concerned that using a rubber may either damage the answer sheet or may not rub out completely, but on the other hand the computer marking may not recognize a crossing out.
Dear Andy
Absolutely as Guest55 states. Your son MUST rub out completely the incorrect answer. A crossing out plus the correct answer to the computer means 2 answers, therefore NO marks.
Please get your son used to rubbing out now. I am so mean when marking that if my children do not rub out completely [ie I can still see a mark] I tell them that the computer will not ring them up and say Johnny did you mean to put this answer or this one, it will just give you no marks, so I will too. I dont deduct marks for a first time offence, I just give a 'warning' that I will in future.
Patricia
Absolutely as Guest55 states. Your son MUST rub out completely the incorrect answer. A crossing out plus the correct answer to the computer means 2 answers, therefore NO marks.
Please get your son used to rubbing out now. I am so mean when marking that if my children do not rub out completely [ie I can still see a mark] I tell them that the computer will not ring them up and say Johnny did you mean to put this answer or this one, it will just give you no marks, so I will too. I dont deduct marks for a first time offence, I just give a 'warning' that I will in future.
Patricia