How to improve your child’s speed for the 11 Plus exams

Mother with daughter help lessons learned. Family portrait

The 11 Plus exams are one of the most competitive exams your child will ever sit. The competition will be fierce, whether for a grammar school or an independent (private) school place. Here are some tips to help your child improve their speed for the 11 Plus exams.

Help them develop a good work ethic

This means encouraging them to persevere when they find something challenging and always try their best.

Encourage them to read as much as possible

Reading helps with concentration, focus, and understanding of complex text. It will also help them build up their vocabulary and improve their spelling.

Make reading fun: Find books that your child is interested in and read them together. Let them choose the books they want to read and make time for bedtime stories.

Set a good example for your child by letting them see you read. If you read regularly, your child will be more likely to follow your example. Show them that you enjoy reading and it will start to influence their motivation for reading.

happy little child reading book on couch at home

Drill them with basic math facts

The more familiar your child is with basic arithmetic, the faster they can do calculations in their actual 11 Plus exams under time pressure.

According to recent scientific research, there are several ways that you can help your child learn maths more quickly. One way is to ensure that they have a strong basic foundation in arithmetic. This means drilling them into the basic math facts, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. You can also help them practice mental calculations, which will help them work faster under time pressure.

Another way to improve their maths speed is to encourage them to solve problems quickly. One beneficial system to use is setting a timer for each question and seeing how quickly they can answer it correctly.

Finally, make sure that your child is comfortable working at pace, which means practicing various timed tests so that they are used to working under pressure.

6. Encourage them to do their best, even when it’s tricky

The 11 Plus exams can be daunting, but it’s essential to encourage your child to persevere and do their best.

In the past, the 11 Plus exams have been tarnished with a reputation for being unfair. However, recent changes to the exams have made them more accessible and fair for all children. Suppose your child is preparing for the 11 Plus exams. In that case, it’s essential to help them develop a good work ethic, encourage them to read as much as possible, get them used to solving problems quickly, drill them on basic math facts, and help them practice handwriting and grammar. Most importantly, please encourage your child to do their best, even when it’s tough. With your support, they can succeed!

Remind them that you are there to support them and that they can always ask for help if they need it.

With these tips, you can help your child improve their speed for the 11 Plus exams and give them the best chance of success.

11 Plus 11+ 11 Plus tutor 11+ tutor

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.