Many people will look to start tutoring for the 11+ at the beginning of Year 4 or Year 5 depending on the level of support they would like for their child. Whichever the start point though, one of the key aspects of success in the Wirral 11+ is to have a strong vocabulary as the exam will contain comprehension tasks and questions that will require students to add missing words.
The approach to developing vocabulary varies wildly across tutoring provisions. Some tutors will go for the book/word list approach. This can work if the student is diligent and regular reflection on the words occurs. However, this approach can also prove tedious and students soon tire of it.
At Every Lesson Counts we focus on providing students with a range of activities to help boost their vocabulary in preparation for the Eleven Plus exam. We have several challenges within lessons and then follow this up with our weekly homework package. When looking at vocabulary we believe in going back regularly to words until they become standard parts of the day to day words that students choose to use. We also actively encourage our students to try to use the words during school activies in order to secure their understanding of each one.
Ultimately, developing vocabulary for the 11+ requires time and persistence. An hour on a Sunday will have little impact unless it is followed up with further activites during the week to reinforce understanding of the words that are being used.
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