Recommended Reading
Taking an exam is a multi- faceted experience. There are many books and plentiful advice about the academic side of the 11+. You can buy past papers, practice books and tick off the subjects you have learnt and revised, in a methodical fashion. However, there are key skills needed for any exam which can be learnt and reinforced by non- academic means.
Planning/ Organisation
- Students need to understand the importance of planning; both for academic tasks, i.e. writing an essay in the exam, and in terms of their work load. I frequently hear, from certain students, that all the week's homework was completed in one long sitting of four-six hours on a weekend day. I clearly state that I don't advise this approach. The pieces of work that are addressed later will suffer due to mental exhaustion and difficulties with attention. If students plan their work/ homework tasks over the week, they will fare much better.
- Small chunks at a time are key. I do not subscribe to giving a specific time per se, as I feel it varies with all people. If your attention repeatedly starts to wander, you find yourself wishing this work was already complete and you are struggling to recall things, it is time to stop.
- Respect planning as a very useful tool.
- Think of it as necessary to give you focus.
- Get organised by creating a weekly timetable scheduling in when work will be completed and ensuring you have made time for other pleasurable activities. Stick this timetable up on the wall in your house, where you and your family can see it.
- Create a system i.e. colour code different tasks and tick them off when complete. This will give you a deserved sense of accomplishment and serve to remind you of what exactly you have covered.
- Being organised will greatly help you to cope with stress. Try developing organisation skills for something that is completely unrelated to the exam. I.e. domestic related tasks. If a family get together is happening, the student can help with planning what needs to be done and how it will be done. Students should not feel afraid of responsibility. The four key steps are: planning, organisation, delivery and evaluation.
Speed
- This is key to exam success. Although you may know the answers and methods, you are in a time limited situation.
- Websites such as www.lumosity.com, www.brainexperiment.org provide brain training exercises, specifically focused on developing speed. Play some games for ten-fifteen minutes on a daily basis; you will see improvement.
- Practice reading articles, stories, leaflets etc. Post reading - write down a five bullet point summary, as fast as you can, of what you have just read. This will help develop your active reading skills and help you with comprehension tasks.
- Stick to the time limit on practice papers and short tests. Have your tutor/ parent decide where you spend the longest time and how that can be addressed.
- Your speed, even for more mundane tasks i.e. long division in maths, will increase with regular practice.
- Playing word games, crosswords, sudoku, puzzles, spot the difference, interpreting the instructions for a family board game......
- All the above activities will develop speed, familiarity with words, problem solving skills and can be nothing but beneficial for the brain of someone who is taking a major exam. They also really assist with verbal and non verbal reasoning skills.
Memory
- Students have to learn so many facts, formulas, vocabulary etc. It is essential that a system is devised to aid memory. If you haven't looked at the topic you learnt a few months ago, chances are, you will have forgotten large parts of it.
- Coloured index cards displaying key words, terms and formulas may be useful.
- Bedroom posters displaying facts and definitions with colour and visuals can be very helpful.
- Doing regular assessment/ practice papers will keep challenging your memory.
- Every time you learn a new concept or topic, spend a few minutes thinking of real-life objects, words, phrases you associate with it. These can serve as triggers when you need this information later.
Finally .....
Not getting into your preferred school is definitely NOT the end of the world.
You have NOT failed. Competition is fierce and luck, nerves etc play a big role on the day.
We can only do the best we can. If you can say that is true of you, then you have succeeded in the sense that truly matters.
Good Luck!
