Verbal Reasoning Technique and Practice: Volume 4

I have used this scheme with all the pupils that I have taught for a great many years and I have to say that it really is the best!

It starts off by teaching a technique for solving a particular type of question (best worked through with the child - if you leave them to read it through by themselves, they will skim read it at best!) It then gives the child a ten minute practice test focussing totally on the technique type that has just been taught - ensuring that they have understood and grasped the method.

There is also a book of 'Further Practice Exercises' which give more examples of the same type of question, also grouped into 10 minute practice tests.

The only draw back for those in the Essex area (CSSE) is that these practice questions are not presented in the Multiple Choice format - however, the basic technique for solving questions is similar, whichever the eventual format. IMHO, it is still worth using these books to teach the basic techniques as, once learnt, they are easily adapted.

In addition, there are 2 books of 50 minute practice papers (conventional style) and 2 booklets of practice papers written in the Multiple Choice format.

This scheme is well worth using in preparation for the 11+, and I recommend its use from early Year 5 onwards.

This neat guide is an excellent preparatory tool for parents, pupils and teachers preparing for verbal reasoning tests either as part of the 11+ or elsewhere. It contains separate "Technique" and "Practice" sections for no less than 13 different kinds of verbal reasoning test, ranging from letter swaps to odd-words-out. There's even a "personal record table" and a "Prize Certificate" at the end to encourage kids to keep going. The text is a tiny bit dry, but the practice tests have everything you need.

Summary: well-constructed tool for building verbal reasoning skills.

This book takes pupils through some of the 35 types of questions commonly used in 11+ examinations. (There are 4 books in the Technique and Practice series.) I have found the series invaluable in tutoring pupils and also easy to work through with your own child. I have tried many different ways of teaching this subject but haven't found anything as good as this