Posts Tagged ‘A level’

« Older Entries

Disappointing A level results at AS?

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

In our earlier post we took a quick look at the best course of action to take if your A level results and A2 grades weren’t as expected.

But what about if you’re in the same situation a year earlier – you’ve just completed Year 12 and your AS results are not as expected or not quite as good as you’d like? Of course, your situation isn’t quite as critical as those not getting the A2 grades needed, because you don’t have to deal with the potential upheaval of a missed University place. Also, if you’ve only underperformed in an AS that you’re not planning to take through to A2 (and which, therefore, won’t be the basis of a university application) you don’t have too much to worry about.

However, you could still have some problems that you need to deal with, especially if you’re planning to go to university.

First, a generally poor performance at AS level can be a sign that you’ve picked courses that don’t really suit you. If you think that’s the case, you could be better off in the long run starting again with new AS level courses in different subjects. Your school or college will be able to offer advice on this: it’ll take another year, but you’ll be a more mature and experienced student and should stand a greater chance of success.

If you decide to go forward with the grades you’ve got, you won’t be able to retake any of the modules you’ve messed up until after you’ve put in your UCAS application. Universities vary in how much notice they take of AS level results – many admissions tutors are aware that students often go through a process of rapid intellectual and emotional maturity during Year 13, and are inclined to give more weight to predicted grades than to AS results.

All the same, a set of disappointing results can cause application problems. They can also knock your confidence and the confidence that your teachers have in you – which could be a problem when it comes to securing good predicted grades.

So what’s the best course of action to take?

  • If possible, talk to your teachers about how and where things went wrong. They may recommend trying the appeals process. At any rate, it’s important to show them that you recognise you have underperformed and you want to take action to improve.
  • When the new term starts, really make sure you hit the ground running. As well as lots of work, you’re going to be thinking about university applications. Your school or college will give you advice on how to present yourself in the best light on your application – and it’s all the more important that you listen carefully and give the application process your best shot if you’re going into it with lower AS grades than you’d wish.
  • With disappointing AS level grades, a good UCAS Personal Statement could be more important than ever. Remember that if you get stuck writing your Statement, 121 Home Tutors can help.

If you’d like to talk  about A level results, AS results and AS grades try the Exam Results Helpline on 0808 100 8000. Alternatively, if you think you might need a little extra help with your AS or A2 level studies in general, 121 Home Tutors has a wide selection of tutors experienced in coaching A Level students at both AS and A2. So if you live in the Manchester, Stockport, Macclesfield, Wilmslow & Cheshire areas then  get in touch with us today for a no obligation chat about how our tutors can help boost your A Level chances!

Bookmark this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • LinkedIn
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Google Bookmarks

Tags: , , ,
Posted in A level, AS level results, Exam results, General | No Comments »

Summer holiday catch-up for GCSE and A-Level students

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

Now that the exam season is all but finished, it might be time for your older children to think about how they can use the summer holiday break to get a head start, catch up and/or improve on areas where they haven’t performed as well as they might have wished. This is particularly important for students who have just completed Year 9 who will soon begin their GCSE courses, and for those in Years 10 or 12, who will be moving into the critical final phases of GCSE and A-Level next year.

That said, for students in this age group doing a bit of work and catching up over the summer holiday break isn’t just for those who have failed or underperformed in exams. It is also a great opportunity to get a head start and/or keep information fresher. The summer holiday break is quite long: six weeks or so for state schools, around eight weeks for many independent day schools and even more for many boarding schools. Even bright students often lose ground during this time, getting out of good habits, forgetting key information and neglecting skills that they had developed to a high level for the previous exam season.

Three subject areas most at risk from this ‘slippage’ are Maths, Science and modern languages. There are two reasons for this. First, they are among the most difficult subjects any student will be working on, especially at A-Level. Second, each one combines relatively difficult skills with a large amount of knowledge that needs to be learned.

Maths, Science and languages require the student both to develop skills (e.g., solving complex equations; designing, conducting and writing up experiments; forming grammatical sentences) and learn a great deal of information (formulae, physical laws, names of elements and compounds, long lists of vocabulary and tables of noun and verb forms).

It’s not necessary for students to spend their entire summer holiday revising all this stuff to stay on top of it – everyone needs a break, after all. The trick is to ensure that knowledge, skills and relevant thinking habits don’t just drop to the bottom of their minds for six, eight or ten weeks. As a parent, there are several ways you can help:

  • Travel can make an enormous difference. If your child is learning French and German, consider a visit to one country or the other for a holiday or short break.
  • Think about a visit to the Science Museum or the Natural History Museum in London. These aren’t just resources for younger kids – they contain a great deal of thought-provoking, inspirational material for older students, too.
  • Encourage reading – something we’ve blogged about recently.
  • More engaged students can be encouraged to actually pick up their school books during the holiday and have a quick refresher read. You could give them some sort of incentive to do this.
  • Switch on the telly! Keep an eye on the TV listings for programmes relevant to particular areas of study, and encourage them to watch. There’s also tons of good stuff on YouTube, iTunes U and the web in general.
  • Consider hiring a tutor, especially if your child underperformed in the end of year exams. Summer holiday tutoring doesn’t have to be intensive: a ‘slow burn’ approach to help students reinforce key ideas can work very well. It is a worthwhile summer holiday activity that keeps them occupied

If you live in the Greater Manchester or East Cheshire area and you’d like to find out more about how summer holiday tutoring can help your child – especially in tricky subjects like Maths, Science and modern languages – don’t hesitate to get in touch with 121 Home Tutors. We’ll be very happy to advise you, and, if you wish, put you in touch with tutors relevant to your child’s needs.

Bookmark this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • LinkedIn
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Google Bookmarks

Tags: , , ,
Posted in A level, English, GCSE, Languages, Learn a language, maths | No Comments »

Learning a language over the summer

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

If you or one of your kids would like to learn a language – or brush up one you already know – the summer months are a great time to take action. Many people have a little bit more spare time in July and August, and because of the school holidays there will be plenty of tutors available to help you with your studies.

Whether you’re visiting a foreign country on holiday or you’d just like a new challenge, learning a language can be a very rewarding experience. Below is an overview of the most popular options:

  • French is still the most popular modern language for Brits, probably because most of us acquired at least a smattering of it at school. As languages go, it is relatively easy, with quite a small vocabulary and a fairly regular grammar. The big challenge is mastering the accent and the pronunciation of words – for some reason, native English speakers find both difficult. One of the secrets of success is to physically move your mouth more than you do when you’re speaking English.

  • German is a bit trickier than French, because the grammar is more strict and the word order is often very different from what we’re used to in English. That said, modern German is similar to English in many ways (both are “Germanic” languages), and most English-speakers find German pronunciation relatively easy.

  • Spanish and Italian, like French, are Romance languages – basically, modern versions of Latin. The two are quite similar to each other, and are sometimes mutually intelligible if spoken slowly. Most people find them easier to learn than French, with Spanish probably the easiest European language if you want to develop conversational ability quickly. One word of warning: the Italians seem to have a real problem understanding foreigners who try to speak their language – it really pays to work on the accent! If you’re seeking to learn for business or employment reasons, Spanish can be a surprisingly good choice – along with English, Mandarin and Arabic it’s one of the world’s most widespread languages, used by half a billion native speakers globally.

  • Russian – now we’re getting more adventurous! Russian is a Slavic language, and very different from Romance (French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian) and Germanic (English, German, Dutch) tongues. It has a complex grammar and a different alphabet from western European languages (Cyrillic rather than Roman). On the upside, it is very similar to other Slavic languages, so if you get on well with Russian you’ll find Roman-alphabet eastern European languages (e.g., Polish) pretty straightforward. Russian is also a good language to learn if you’re interested in beefing up your CV – many UK businesses work with Russia, and there is a shortage of speakers over here.

  • If you want a real challenge, Mandarin Chinese could be an interesting option – though don’t expect to grasp it right away! Mandarin is the most important Chinese dialect. It is written using a pictogram system that is completely unlike western alphabets, though when you’re learning you can use a system that converts Chinese sounds into western characters. Another interesting feature of Mandarin is the way tone is so important – a word’s meaning can change completely depending on how you say it. Again, Mandarin will look very impressive on your CV!

  • Welsh is a fun option if you want something a little closer to home, if you are making a move to Wales, or you holiday there regularly. The extent to which Welsh is spoken and used often surprises English visitors. This is especially true in North Wales, where there are plenty of people for whom English is very much a second language. The pronunciation is nowhere near as difficult as you might think, and it’s actually quite a straightforward language to learn. However, it’s worth knowing that Welsh dialects are quite different from one another: although it’s possible to learn a single, formal language (”International Welsh” is the tongue-in-cheek expression), you need to be aware of the differences between North Walian and South Walian versions of the language.

  • If you have an academic streak, it’s worth looking at Latin. You won’t get much chance to speak it (unless you go on holiday to the Vatican…), but learning to read Latin offers huge benefits. For a start, it opens up all of Latin literature – 2000 years’ worth of some of the greatest histories, biographies and poetry ever written. In more practical terms, learning Latin is the single best way of learning about language; it’ll help with learning French, Italian and Spanish (which are really just modern dialects of Latin), and if you have a good grasp of Latin, you’ll rarely write an ungrammatical English sentence. Moreover, it’s a ruthlessly logical language that teaches you to think in a clear, structured way. If you have an ambitious and intelligent child, a bit of Latin can make a big difference to his or her prospects – the subject is shamefully neglected in state schools, but recognised by universities, and even by many employers, as the mark of an academic high-flyer.

If live in the Manchester area and you want some help developing language skills, get in touch with 121 Home Tutors today. We can offer personal tuition in a range of languages, and we’ll be more than happy to help you out.

Bookmark this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • LinkedIn
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Google Bookmarks

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in French, German, Learn a language, Spanish | No Comments »

GCSE to A-Level – Making the Jump

Friday, March 12th, 2010

Are you/your child in the first year of A level (sixth form) studies? Maybe you have just sat the first A level (AS) module exams?

If your grades are not as expected, then you’re not alone. The jump between GCSE and A Level is, in most subjects, enormous. Most students struggle to adapt in the first few months, especially if they don’t get the right support. The fact that the first modules are in January doesn’t leave much time to get to grips with the advanced requirements of AS level. AS levels are, for most subjects, more technical and involve a greater volume of work than GCSEs. They are, in general, far more demanding, both in terms of the difficulty of the subjects studied and the approach students are expected to take.

Structure
As you may know, students take one set of qualifications in Year 12 (AS levels) and another in Year 13 (A2). A2s “top up” the marks achieved in AS Levels, meaning that you have to do an AS Level in a particular subject before you can progress to the A2. A typical student might choose four or five AS Levels and then take three or four of them on to A2. However, the term “A Level” is still also used in a general sense to encompass both AS and A2 qualifications.

Both AS Levels and A2s are modular courses in every subject area. Modules can be sat in January and/or June. Some schools/colleges prefer to enter their students for one set of exams in January and one set in June; others do all exams in June. There are advantages and disadvantages to both routes. Sitting the first modules in January means a student has very little time to adapt to AS level. On the other hand, they are forced to get to grips with the higher expectations quickly, and if they pass with a good grade, then that’s less pressure in June. If it’s an unacceptable grade, then they are no worse off than a student that’s taking all modules for the first time in June!

In fact, they might well be better off, because they have experienced the AS exam for real. As with GCSE, module retakes are possible at both AS and A2. However, A levels are different from GCSE, as most A2s involve a synoptic element – in which students are tested on aspects of the whole course in what is usually a more general way. At GCSE the content of a module can effectively be ‘forgotten’ once the exam has passed. This is not true at A level.

Subject difficulty
Obviously, A Levels are harder than GCSEs, though the gap is slightly less than it used to be – one of the reasons the AS/A2 structure was introduced was to give students a stepping stone (in the form of AS Levels) between GCSE standards of difficulty and A2, which is supposed to be comparable in difficulty to the old A Level.

The intellectual “jump” between GCSE and A Level is generally huge, and some subjects cause students more difficulty than others. Chemistry AS level is a good example; GCSE, necessarily, oversimplifies some aspects (otherwise it would be too advanced for the GCSE student!) and at AS level, Chemistry students often have difficulty relating key concepts that appear almost irrelevant to them initially but are in fact vital building blocks to understanding Chemistry as a whole.

Other major subjects where there are quite big leaps are English and Modern Languages. Students of AS Level English will often have to deal with much more difficult texts than they encountered at GCSE, often with mature themes and difficult language. (When teachers talk about “English A Level” they are often referring to English Literature, which is more demanding than English Language A Level and often preferred by universities for that reason.)

Expectations
There is a big difference in the expectations from A Level students from both a learning and exam perspective. A Level students have their hands held far less than GCSE students, and to a large extent are expected to organise themselves and their learning, read around their subjects to make sure they understand a topic and exercise more self-discipline. As already mentioned, the volume of knowledge required is so much greater, but accuracy and precision is also much more important.

A level exams usually require much more ‘precise’ answers than GCSEs and many of our students moan that their teachers are being very ‘picky’ about details. But, it’s a fact – A level exams require much more precision and this can be difficult for the student to accept at first.

Again, chemistry is a good example. Chemistry students – we hope – quickly become aware of the importance of dots and arrows in mechanisms. But when they are first told where to put dots and arrows and that they must be in precisely the right place, they often think their teachers are barking mad. The fact is that a missing pair of dots or an arrow heading to the wrong place can mean lost marks. In Biology, it’s no longer OK to say an enzyme just fits into a substrate – we must say that the shapes are complementary. The use of such precise language, and key words, is essential.

Another difference with A level exams is that marks can be deducted for wrong answers – especially if a student contradicts a correct answer and in the process demonstrates confusion and/or lack of understanding.

So be prepared for a bit of a culture shock with the transition from GCSE! If you’re already experiencing this and have not done as well as expected in the first set of modules, don’t be afraid to ask for help – our tutors across Manchester and Cheshire can help you with your AS and A2 A level studies. Call us on 01625 531 360 or email us: info@121hometutors.co.uk.

Bookmark this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • LinkedIn
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Google Bookmarks

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in A level | No Comments »

Revision tips

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

GCSE’s or A levels looming? Here’s a few tips for revision we hope you find helpful.

1. Get organised!

Don’t leave it until last minute to revise; last minute cramming can lead to panic, lack of sleep and not so great results so be sure to plan ahead and get organised. Honest, it’s easier to do little bits more often and over a longer period of time than try to cram a lot of stuff into your head at once.

  • First, find out when your exams are – in the main summer exam season you may even have several exams on one day with little time in between
  • Second, try to organise a timetable for study – one idea is to follow your school timetable for either lesson or homework.
  • Allocate time for each subject and possibly more time for weaker areas or subjects you really need the best grades in

Be realistic with yourself – its great making a timetable that gives you 2-3 hours revision per night. But is it realistic? Does your revision timetable fit around school/homework; does it give you any free time? If it’s an unrealistic timetable, it may well look good on paper but it may give you added stress because you can’t stick to it!

  • Part of being realistic is planning for free time. Free time is important. Learning is far more effective when our brains are fresh and not worried/panicked about the huge tasks ahead.

 2. Know what stuff you need to learn.

This may sound obvious but it’s no use learning stuff that’s not going to be on the exam.

  • Check you know the exam board and syllabus you are taking for each subject – ask your teacher if unsure and ask for a syllabus. A syllabus is often a great revision guide itself. It lists all the stuff you’ll be tested on.
  • Find a revision guide that’s syllabus specific. Also, when looking for revision guides, look for one that appeals to your learning style and don’t necessarily go with the one all your friends have. For example I prefer the colourful, more picture based books than those full of mind maps and plain boring writing.

 3. Do you understand everything you need to learn?

Trying to learn something that makes no sense is very difficult – remembering facts about stuff you did understand is hard enough. If there’s a particular topic, or topics, you struggle to understand, ask your teacher to explain. Alternatively, ask if your friends know – maybe they understand topics you don’t and vice versa. Or, maybe your parents can help. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask. If teachers, parents and/or friends are not helping you, that’s why many students find a tutor. Tutors can often help you find out your learning style, give you tips/hints to revise as well as knowing what you need to know and explaining the tricky topics.

 4. Work out how you learn best

Or try different methods to find learning techniques that’re right for you – a combination of methods and/or a different method for a different subject may work best for you. Try these….

  • Do mind maps work?
  • Does writing notes help? Care though, many students write notes and think that’s revision, but ask yourself. After writing loads of notes – have you learnt anything? Were/are they useful, or did your mind wander?
  • Do highlighters and colours help?
  • Do pictures help?
  • Do you prefer listening? Revision CD’s & many online revision sites have recordings of teachers talking through the topics.
  • Do discussion and/or question & answer sessions help? Some people learn best by being asked questions and/or discussing topics. If you can explain your answers or knowledge on a topic to someone else, it will show you how well you really understand the topic and also help keep the information in your head. A small study group of friends may be useful (but be careful here not to stray off the subject!).

 5. Split learning into smaller chunks

Try breaking subjects down into headings and learning a little bit at a time. Often, splitting learning into smaller chunks makes the whole task appear much less daunting. ‘Bite size’ revision can be very effective – check out the BBC bite size revision site.

 6. Test yourself & practice using past papers

Past exam papers are a very useful way of testing if you can apply what you learning – ideally you also need the mark scheme so you can check you get the right answers, see where marks are awarded and for what and the type of answers examiners are looking for.

Past papers also give you an idea of the type and style of questions asked and most subjects seem to have favourite/popular topics that are tested more often than others. They also let you see how much time you have and the format of the exams. Knowing what you’re about to face means fewer surprises on the day.

 7. Stay healthy

  • Eat right – ‘brain food’ such as Omega 3 foods are a essential for developing cell membranes and signal pathways. Fish, grass-fed meats, some nuts and blueberries are some good sources. If you are a snacker, try to snack on foods with natural sugars rather than sweets and chocolates.
  • Keep hydrated – drink enough water to keep your body working efficiently.
  • Sleep right – too much or too little sleep can affect learning.
  • Keep fit/healthy. Plan for ‘time out’ – its important not to overload yourself with work as it can be counterproductive. Reward yourself with breaks throughout the day, or even plan for whole/part days off. This will give your something to look forward to and work towards.
  •  Plan right – to avoid stress of last minute cramming and panic

 8. Exam day

Arrive in plenty of time, make sure you’ve got pens, pencils, sharpeners, rulers and other necessary stuff, like calculator for science and maths [best to get this ready night before so you don’t panic on the day]

Stay calm, read the question, don’t panic if you don’t know the answer – move on, answer all questions you can, then come back to the ones you found more difficult – for more on exam tips see our other post. And finally,  Good luck!

 If you need help with revision, exam technique, explanation of topics or just confidence we have private tutors across Manchester and Cheshire that can help you with your GCSE’s and A levels and many tutors will offer Easter revision tutorials. Contact us today

Bookmark this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • LinkedIn
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Google Bookmarks

Tags: , ,
Posted in A level, GCSE, Revision tips | No Comments »

Top Exam Tips Part 2: GCSE Languages

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

In our last post on boosting your child’s exam chances we looked at some GCSE Maths tips. Today it’s the turn of a subject area that many mums and dads find no less scary – modern foreign languages.

How can you help your child revise for a modern foreign language GCSE – say, French or German – if you don’t speak that language, or your skills are so rusty as to be non-existent?

One way you can make a difference is by helping your child learn and revise vocabulary. A strong vocab is one of the big determiners of success in a language GCSE. Some ideas:

• If you’re testing your child from a word list that he or she has learned, ask for the meaning of the words out of list order.

• Remember to test both ways: “what’s le pont in English?”, “what’s the German word for apple?”

• Mix and match lists, or encourage your child to keep a long-term vocab book (which school might insist on, anyway). Often, kids will only remember the words in the most recent list, so being tested on vocab that’s been learned throughout the GCSE course is really good revision.

One pitfall you need to be aware of is gender. Just about every European language divides nouns (the names of things: apple, table, bridge, Jim, Annie, love, hate and so on) into genders: masculine and feminine in French, Italian and Spanish; and masculine, feminine and neuter in German and Latin.

(English is unusual, because gender usually only crops up in third person pronouns – he, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its. In other languages the effects of gender are further-reaching.)

The important point to remember when you’re testing kids’ vocab is that it’s completely pointless them knowing a noun unless they also know that noun’s gender – because the gender will affect the way that sentences are constructed around that noun.

So, for example, it’s no good your child knowing that the French word for house is maison, unless he or she also knows that it’s a feminine noun – la maison.

Luckily, in most languages your child might learn, the gender of a noun is indicated by the definite article that goes with it – that is, the word for ‘the’. If you’re testing vocab, don’t accept an answer that doesn’t have a definite article! For example, don’t accept Glas as the German word for glass – it should be Das Glas. Common definite articles are le and la in French, der, die and das in German, el and la in Spanish and lo, il and la in Italian.

(If your child is studying GCSE Latin, things are a bit trickier, because Latin doesn’t have a word for ‘the’ or ‘a’. Instead, learners have to memorise the gender of each noun separately.)

In French and Italian words that begin with vowels usually have elided articles, where the word for ‘the’ is run into the main word – l’ananas (French), l’ostrica (Italian). When you come across a word like that, make sure your child also knows its gender separately: “l’ostrica – feminine”.

Of course, vocabulary isn’t everything, and there are some aspects of a foreign language that only a native speaker or an expert can teach your child. If you’re in the Manchester or East Cheshire area and you feel a bit of extra help is needed, feel free to get in touch for a no-obligation chat about how one of our modern foreign language tutors might be able to help you.

Bookmark this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • LinkedIn
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Google Bookmarks

Tags: , , ,
Posted in GCSE, Revision tips | No Comments »

Top Exam Tips Part 1: GCSE Maths Help

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

Are your kids ready for their GCSE exams? Or are they finding some subjects, like Maths, a bit challenging? Although we’re in the run-up to Christmas, now’s the time to be getting their heads around subjects they are struggling with.

This is the first in a series of posts in which we’re going to offer some tips on working with your child as they deal with three key GCSE subject areas: Mathematics, Languages and Science.

First up is Maths. If you found your GCSE or ‘O’-level Maths complete torture, you’re not alone – but that doesn’t mean you can’t give your own kids a helping hand. Even if you’re not much of a mathematician yourself, there are some things you can check and discuss:

1. Do they always read the question properly? This is one of the biggest pitfalls in all GCSE exam subjects, but it can be a particular trap in Maths – and it’s often a problem for the sort of confident child who whizzes through work at high speed. Remind your kids that one of the secrets of success in a GCSE Maths exam is to be thorough and methodical!

2. Show all working – you can still get marks for wrong answers. GCSE Maths often involves solving lengthy problems that need a lot of calculation. It’s perfectly possible to get all the working right, yet end up with an incorrect final answer because of a small mistake at some stage. However, long questions are usually worth several marks: even if your child gets the final answer wrong, there will still be some marks up for grabs if the earlier stages of the working are correct. So it’s really important not to skip stages and always write down all the working out. Again, skipping ‘obvious’ working out is a particular danger for brighter kids.

3. If you can’t finish a question, don’t panic! The trick is to get as far as possible – even if your child can’t complete a question, there will still be marks available for half-completed solutions. Remind your child that in an exam situation, it’s far more important to devote time to answering the questions you can do than to agonising over the ones you can’t.

4. Don’t just understand the Maths – understand the way the exam works. This is useful for both you and your child, and an area where a Maths tutor can make a real difference. For example, in a question worth 5 marks, only one is usually allocated to getting the answer right, with the rest awarded for the quality of the working out. You child can be taught to make tactical decisions about which questions to focus on, maximising marks in the exam.

5. Revise with and without a calculator. Even in exams where calculators are allowed, your child can save precious time by doing basic arithmetic in his or her head. It’s also useful to be able to estimate answers to check that a mistake hasn’t been made when using the calculator. All in all, a good head for sums isn’t all your child needs to be successful, but it will come in really useful.

6. Know your calculator. This is another great time-saver. Understanding some of the more complex functions on a calculator can be a big help at GCSE. The ‘memory’ function, for example, may save precious time in the exam hall.

7. Practise! It’s important to remember that Maths – at least at GCSE level – is a practical, applied subject. It’s not about learning facts, but developing skills. Your child’s school may provide him or her with plenty of past papers for practice purposes. You can also get hold of good Maths revision guides – ask your child’s school or tutor of advice.

Finally, if your kids seem to be struggling – or aren’t on target to get the grades they deserve – there’s no substitute for expert help. We represent a range of GCSE Maths tutors in the Manchester area, and we’ll be happy to match you with a specialist tutor who meets your child’s needs. If you’d like a no-obligation chat about how 1-2-1 Home Tutors can help your child with GCSE Maths, get in touch today!

Bookmark this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • LinkedIn
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Google Bookmarks

Tags: , , ,
Posted in GCSE, Revision tips, maths | No Comments »

What to look for in a maths tutor

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Formal education

A good maths tutor will need to have a good understanding and knowledge of the material that s/he is tutoring and so it’s important that they have a strong formal background in mathematics. When teaching young children, of primary school age, a tutor with at least a GCSE grade C in maths would be recommended. Teaching older students, in high school or college, requires more specialist knowledge and so the ideal tutor would have at least an A Level, but ideally an undergraduate degree, in a subject with a strong emphasis on mathematics (engineering or science degrees often have solid maths requirements too).

Experience and training

Helping others learn requires great communication skills, patience and the ability to identify the best way to convey the material that matches the individual needs of the learner. Previous experience in either tutoring or teaching is highly recommended when choosing a maths tutor, and that experience should ideally include the grade-level of the material you are covering.

Practice, practice, practice

The best way of learning maths is through practice, practice, and more practice. It also helps to write it down (it has become very difficult to get students to show their working and write down a maths problem!). A good maths tutor will be able to identify and work on areas of weakness through explanation of the method and practice.

Tutors will also offer homework assignments, if asked, and regular testing is important. Maths tutors often help their students prepare for specific standardised tests such as the eleven plus, 11+, entrance tests, SATs, GCSE’s and A Levels – AS and A2 and so using practice tests in the same format as the expected standardised exams is helpful.

Our tutors have experience and knowledge of the requirements for the different exam boards at the main key stages – e.g. AQA, Edexcel, OCR and for the GCSE, IGCSE, AS and A2 exams.

Student- teacher ratio

Many academic studies have recognised that students learn best when they have more attention to their individual needs. Smaller classroom sizes, or even one-on-one learning, are advisable to maximise the benefits of maths tutoring.

Location & Availability

To save time and travel expense, it is best to have the maths tutoring near you, or even in your own home. A tutor’s availability will depend on several factors, such as your location, the times you require tuition, the time of year [most tutors are fully booked close to public exam times] and the level you require – the most experienced, successful tutors get booked quickly and so often have less availability and/or a waiting list. Some tutors are only available out of school hours and/or at weekends, whereas others may be free at other times.

Pricing

Tutors need to be compensated for their time (they’ve also got families to feed!), so it’s unrealistic to expect good maths tutoring for a very low cost or free – again, the most experienced, highly successful tutors are in high demand and as a result charge higher fees. One to one, individualised tutoring will naturally cost a little extra. Whether or not that is a good investment will depend on the individual needs of the learner, and their enthusiasm to succeed at maths.

If you need a maths tutor in the Manchester or Cheshire area then contact us today.

Bookmark this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • LinkedIn
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Google Bookmarks

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Choosing a tutor, what to look for etc | No Comments »

What makes a good tutor?

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

The first thing that is important when you want to find a good tutor is understanding what the student needs – whether that’s you or your child. That’s why when you come to us, we ask lots of questions and try to get to the bottom of your specific needs.

Does a tutor need to be a qualified teacher?

Some parents are surprised to find out not all of our tutors are teachers by profession. Many of our private tutors are teachers or teacher trained but lots of our 150 male and female tutors come from different backgrounds.

Each one goes through the same stringent application process and we review each application individually. What we have found is that non-teachers can also make superb tutors – some non-teachers have a greater practical/working knowledge of their subject [for example language tutors] and a great deal of passion for their subject.

All our tutors have at least a qualification in the level above that which they teach in (so if they are teaching GCSE Maths they’ll have at least A Level Maths).

A teacher is not always one the best placed to ‘teach’ the student to pass exams. Teachers often teach and cover a lot of information that’s not always needed for a test. It’s information that’s fantastic for subject knowledge but may not be exactly what the student needs to pass a particular test.

So that’s why when you make a tuition enquiry to 121 we’ll ask a lot of questions. We need to find out if you need help and support, then we’ll focus on a particular type of tutor. If you need specific help with exam technique then we’ll find just the right match. And sometimes it can take us more than one go to find just the right tutor – there are as many different styles of tutor as there are teachers!

But we do listen to our parents and anyone receiving private tuition from 121 – if a tutor isn’t meeting your needs or standards then we’ll rectify the problem.

Bookmark this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • LinkedIn
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Google Bookmarks

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Choosing a tutor, what to look for etc | No Comments »

What to look for in a private tutor

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

The Daily Telegraph Independent Schools supplement (19th Sept 2009) had a few handy hints on tracking down and hiring a private tutor.

They include:

  • Using a trusted website like 121hometutors, where you can get a specialised, matched tutor recommendation and read what other parents say about the tutors.
  • Focusing on one or two subjects at any one time. Hiring too many tutors at once can be counter productive as it doesn’t give the student time to absorb the new information.
  • Ensuring the tutor has been fully checked – at 121 we carry out a comprehensive checking process including taking up references and double checking qualifications. We focus on a tutor’s track record and their suitability for your needs.
  • Check costs – at 121 we agree any fees before tutoring starts. Remember that the cheapest is rarely the best and education is always worth paying for. Tutoring isn’t about price; it’s about getting a quality tutor who cares about a student’s education.
  • Looking at results – you need to know your child is making progress. At 121 we continually get feedback from both tutors and parents to make sure the tutor/student relationship is working. We often find the whole relationship is more honest as tutors can be open rather than being pressured to praise.

Bookmark this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • LinkedIn
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Google Bookmarks

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Choosing a tutor, what to look for etc | No Comments »

« Older Entries