Is your child sitting the 11+ in September, or a grammar school Common Entrance exam? It’s closer than you think.
‘Brain drain’ can strike even the most hard working student – where all those concepts and techniques seem to fly out of the window during the holidays.
Here are some useful tips to keep the brain topped up over the summer:
- Read! Reading a variety of different books improves comprehension skills and widens vocabulary knowledge.
- Stretch word power. Practise synonyms and antonyms; list as many different verbs for ‘walk’ ‘speak’ ‘moved’; go adjective crazy by thinking of different words for scary, big, pretty, good.
- Play word games. What about dictionary games (guess the meaning, find the most obscure words) or how many words begin with a letter blend such as tr or bl. Try Scrabble, anagrams and crosswords. Improves verbal reasoning skills.
- Get problem solving. Play Sudoku, Tetris, origami and jigsaw puzzles to sharpen non-verbal reasoning knowledge.
- Mental maths games. Going supermarket shopping? Get your children to keep a tally of purchases that go in the trolley … in their heads! They could also count different types of foods if they get bored. While cooking, revise fractions and measurements.
And if you have any practise papers or revision books, dipping into a chapter rather than studying for hours on end will keep your child’s interest for longer.
Of course, if you’re unsure how to get started 121 Home Tutors can help. With specialist Eleven Plus and Entrance Exam teachers available over the summer hols, just drop us a line.
Tags: Comprehension Skills, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning