EDUCATION
GIVE YOUR CHILD THE RIGHT TOOLS TO SUCCEED IN THEIR SCHOOL ENTRANCE EXAMS
LOUISE MARTINE , MOTHER OF FOUR AND AUTHOR OF GALORE PARK ’ S STUDY SKILLS 11 +, EXPLAINS HOW PARENTS CAN SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN WHO ARE TAKING SCHOOL ENTRANCE EXAMS .
This year Coronavirus has had a huge impact on all our lives , including our children ’ s education . Now the new school year has begun , you may be breathing a sigh of relief as your responsibilities for home schooling are ending . However , if like me , your child started Year 6 in September and will soon be sitting their entrance exams to senior schools , you may be concerned that a term out of school has left them underprepared .
Here are some ideas which may help you prepare your child for their entrance exams and beyond .
1 . Use the right motivational language
Carol Dweck , a professor of psychology at Stanford University , is a leader in the field of student motivation . She conducted research to show the way in which you praise a child ' s achievement is crucial . If you praise your child ' s achievement by saying how clever they are , it will make them feel their intelligence is being judged . It may cause them to avoid future challenges because they don ' t want to be seen as a failure . Instead , praise your child for their effort , the strategies they use and their focus . Encourage them to believe they can do it . This will give them greater persistence in approaching their entrance exams and the ups and downs of life .
2 . Be a good role model
Make sure you are approachable . Show your child you care and love them , not by constantly saying ' I love you ' but by taking time to talk to them . Find an effective way to communicate with them by praising them and encouraging them to try new things .
3 . Encourage a good frame of mind
If you spend lots of time revising a piece of information , your neural pathways get stronger and information goes more easily into your long-term memory . However , if your child is stressed and worried , hormones are released making it difficult to learn . You can help by :
• Encouraging exercise , relaxation and having a positive mental attitude . Body language can even affect how we feel about ourselves . Adopting a ' high power pose ' for two minutes can make you feel more confident - a great strategy to beat the exam nerves !
• Staying hydrated , getting a good amount of sleep and a healthy diet are also vital .
4 . Organise revision sessions
The greatest key to exam success is preparation . Help by creating a tidy and inviting workspace for your child to do their revision . Start early . If your child gets into a routine it won ' t be such a shock when the pressure is on to revise . You can help your child master certain topics by scheduling in an hour or so once a week . Then , in the run up to exams , set your priorities by choosing key areas which need improving .
Encourage your child to work on their own . Being self-motivated is more valuable than work completed in anger or apathy .
5 . What resources are available ?
If we can teach children how to learn , we can help them reach their full potential . My book Study Skills 11 + explains how you can help your child to improve the effectiveness of their revision by harnessing how they learn best . The book also covers study skills techniques such as identifying key words , revision cards , flow charts , and mind maps .
Revision guides are a good source of information . Although your child probably knows a lot already , they are useful for identifying any knowledge gaps . They could start by reading through the contents pages , highlighting any topics they feel they don ' t know as well . They can then move onto workbooks and practice papers .
The Galore Park 11 +, 13 + and pre-test revision series follows this process . The revision guides teach the essential knowledge and skills required to answer exam questions . Then the workbooks , practice papers and ISEB past papers put what has been learned to the test .
Your level of involvement will undoubtedly vary . All children are different ; some may be very motivated and others might not . This has been my experience as a parent of four . What has kept me going is the belief that every child has the power to succeed - it is just a case of giving them the right support .
Visit galorepark . co . uk / inside-kent to find out more .
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