Actual Question: Hi PiAcademy, My son is in year 5 and struggles with word problems. He is excellent in Arithmetic and can solve many sums but gets stuck in word problems. I don't know how to explain to him the reasoning and logic to apply to his sums. Please guide me on how I can help my son on Word Problems in 11 Plus Exam?
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Most of the questions within the 11 Plus Exam are word problems. There might be some simple questions or puzzle type questions, to begin with for warm-up. One can check specific school or county familiarisation papers to get the best idea.
Understanding word problems in 11 Plus Exam
Step 1
Read the question and then reread it, emphasizing important words and numbers. So, reading the question with annotations a second-time lets students figure out the necessary details from the background noise.
Step 2
Draw an illustration of the situation the question poses because visualizing a plot first or seeing a movie scene can be useful. So, it can be an effective technique to imagine a narrative that lets students construct an image or diagram of the question.
Step 3
To represent the image, create a plan or write an equation. Estimate, if possible, an answer because it allows students to determine if they are on the right track by predicting or approximating a solution.
Step 4
Solve the question and search your response for reasonableness. Reminding students that it is challenging to complete a question on the first attempt correctly helps them to recognize failures and mistakes.
Summary of word problems in 11 Plus Exam
For some students who are dealing with word problems are just a jumble of words and numbers. However, you can help students make sense of these challenges by showing them how to solve problems.
Students need to consider the meaning and build a plan to overcome it to address a wording dilemma. There are also ways to help students improve these skills and to learn how to apply them in particular circumstances.
Recommended books for word problems in 11 Plus Exam
- 11+ Essentials Mathematics: Worded Problems Book 1
- 11+ Essentials Mathematics: Worded Problems Book 2
- Letts 11+ Problem Solving
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