The 11 Plus might be intimidating not just for our 10-year-olds but also for their parents! This is especially true when you and your kid are hit with a barrage of questions you’ve never seen before. You’ll be at an advantage because you can assist your child in studying at home. After all, you thoroughly understand the material covered in the 11 Plus comprehension section. If your child is preparing for an 11 Plus test, they should improve their reading abilities, especially in English.
11 Plus comprehension worksheets often include text that your child must attentively read. The next thing they will expect is to provide answers to questions based on the reading. While this will seem a simple assignment, your child must be a diligent, confident, and capable reader to accomplish this work to a high level in an exam situation.
Which 11 Plus Comprehension Skills Should Your Child Develop?
Unique skill sets are required when answering different types of 11 Plus comprehension multiple-choice and free-response questions. Therefore, we advise that you assist your child in developing the following comprehension skills and strategies.
1. Discovering Evidence
Your child will retrieve relatively brief passages from the text based on their ability to locate evidence. When a query requires children to provide proof, they should use a combination of their own words and, when applicable, brief, relevant passages from the text.
2. Using Their Own Language
Without direct quotations, your child will summarise concepts or facts from the 11 Plus comprehension text. Questions requiring this skill are easy to identify, as the wording will explicitly instruct your child to use their own words when responding.
3. The Point, Evidence, and Justification
Point, Evidence, and Justification (P.E.J.) are essential to 11 Plus comprehension test papers. Your child must feel comfortable structuring their responses using this format. To discover when your child should utilise P.E.J. skills, look for the following indicators: “Suggest explanations why…”, “For what reason do you think…”, “How does the writer use language to…” and ” In what ways does the author demonstrate…”
4. Understanding Word and Phrase Meanings
This ability demands that your child either clarify or describe the meaning of a single word in a text or specific instances to explain the significance of an entire phrase, such as a simile, metaphor, or other brutal imagery or phrasing. Occasionally, these inquiries will include a list of intentionally tricky words and ask your child to define each.
12 Tips for Improving 11 Plus Comprehension Skills
Do many parents ask how to help improve reading comprehension at home? Here are a few tips and techniques that will prove beneficial when preparing for 11 Plus English comprehension tests over the long term.
1. Confused By Unfamiliar Term
When child encounter a word they do not know, they will feel unable to answer a query or comprehend a sentence. Nonetheless, we can learn much from the other terms in a sentence. Encourage your child to disregard the word and describe the sentence’s meaning without it. Frequently, they will have sufficient comprehension to answer the inquiries.
2. Trying To Memorise It All
Children will sometimes read the paragraph once and then answer all the questions without looking back at the passage again. They need to comprehend that to answer each question correctly, so they must first read the paragraph.
3. Answering Questions Too Slowly
Consider how many points each question is worth. If it is identical to the others on the page, you should devote the same amount of time to it. If it is taking too long, proceed and return to the conclusion.
4. Read The Passage Carefully
Reading and understanding are at the core of comprehension. Encourage your child to read the passage entirely before answering any 11 Plus comprehension questions. However, this helps to grasp the context of the text, the flow of ideas and the points the author is trying to convey.
5. Look For Cues
During the assessment, the child should underline important information or highlight keywords that will act as cues while answering the questions. However, this helps children support their chosen answers/choices with conclusive evidence.
6. Avoid Guessing
While it’s tempting to guess the answer when unsure, avoid taking shortcuts for comprehension. Always read the entire passage carefully and analyse each question before answering it.
7. Understand The Question
11 Plus comprehension questions often involve critical thinking and require students to infer or extend their thinking. However, before answering the questions, it is necessary to read and comprehend the prompt carefully.
8. Take Timed Mock Tests
Timed comprehension mock tests will help students build their endurance and improve their overall performance for 11 Plus entrance exams. Therefore, these tests will help familiarise students with the test format and the difficulty level they can expect to face.
9. Enhance Analytical Thinking
Strong analytical and critical thinking skills are crucial for succeeding in comprehension exams. Children will practise these skills by making inferences, drawing conclusions, and interpreting the passage’s underlying meanings.
10. Time Management
Managing time during the exam is essential. Students must spend enough time reading the passage, underlining critical information, and answering the questions. Go through some sample 11 Plus comprehension test papers to get a feel for the time it takes to complete the test effectively.
11. Read Widely and Often
Frequent and extensive reading is one of the best ways to increase comprehension. Encourage your child to read a variety of genres, from fiction to nonfiction, newspapers to magazines. However, this will help them develop their vocabulary and improve their understanding of different types of texts.
12. Teach Active Reading Techniques
Active reading involves engaging with the text and taking notes as you read. Encourage your child to highlight important information, make notes in the margins, and summarise each paragraph. However, this technique will help improve reading comprehension and retention.
Conclusion
These suggestions help children properly learn English and new words. Early English reading development is crucial. With constant practice and proper strategies at the appropriate times, parents may assist their children and enhance their 11 Plus comprehension English-learning abilities.
Children need a good setting to study in and develop their abilities. Even though it may take a lot of effort, it is worthwhile to help your child become more confident and practise their English.