Sunday, September 14, 2008

Eleven Plus Reading

“What can I read? I am so bored of all the books we have at home. I know you say we have a library but I don’t want to read any of them. They are so boring.”

This is a familiar tale to many parents.

Your child feels frustrated because it is apparent that you just won’t listen,

You feel frustrated because you have bought all those lovely books and they simply sit on the shelf unread and unwanted.

There is a lot to be said for parents continuing to read aloud. This is one way that you and your child can share all the books you have bought. Reading aloud gives you the opportunity to be able to discuss the books – and it allows you to have a valuable time together as you go on an adventure through words. Books allow children and adults to experience and share thoughts and ideas. Books can also offer common ground for Eleven Plus children and their parents where the learning side can be covert rather than overt. (A bit sneaky but could be highly effective.)

You could do worse than to start with school books. These will give you the opportunity to be able to reminisce about your school days. Even better it could offer the grandparents a chance to tell about school in the `olden days’. The Gillian Cross books are a good example of books about school. There is a series about a Demon Headmaster who wants and demands power. The pupils are given the opportunity to be able to try to outwit the head teacher. This type of book offers good material for an “I remember” outburst.

Some families may enjoy fantasy stories. Books like these offer real escapism. It is true that Eleven Plus children need to read `important’ books to develop their vocabulary and broaden their thinking – but they do all need, at times, to be able to transported away.

I am asked on a fairly regular basis by mothers about suitable books for Eleven Plus children to read. A typical conversation could be:

“What is a good book for an Eleven Plus child to read?”

“Before we look at what may interest your child, what are you reading at the moment?”

“I never have time to read. I only read on holiday.”

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