Transfer Test Tutoring in Northern Ireland.

Since the 11+ tests in Northern Ireland were abolished by the then secretary Martin McGuinness, more and more parents have been paying for private transfer tuition to aid their children in securing a place in their school of choice.  Some parents believe children get a better deal at grammar schools, and while the entrance tests remain, so will the push for places, the reliance on tutors and parental tuition.

Tuition includes preparation for the transfer tests that pupils are due to sit in November, covering both AQE and GL tests.  Parents of children who require help with certain subjects are paying considerable fees to ensure their child gets the chance of a grammar school education whilst giving them the best opportunity of doing well in exams.

Transfer tuition can be carried out in one of two ways, children can learn in small groups or on a one-to-one basis; both scenarios place an emphasis on familiarising pupils with the technique for the actual tests.

A lot of parents are helping their children at home, and with the right atmosphere this can prove rewarding once you have distinguished which areas of your child’s learning that could benefit from tuition.

But do remember, there is a danger that children get too much teaching, too much tuition, and too much of an academic overload so do bear this in mind if you are planning on assisting your children in their studies.  You do not want your children to feel that learning becomes a chore as it can cause them to switch off if it is not carried out correctly. Spending as little as one hour per day will go towards supporting your child in their studies and prepare them for the transfer tests.

As a parent it is very possible to tutor your own child and avoid the traditional tutoring fee’s.  You do not need to have a teaching qualification, just access to the resources and the time. 

.  Below are some tips, brought to you by Key Stage Two.com, a National Curriculum approved online learning environment for children aged 7-11.

-Set up a program with your child, and stick to it.  When planning the agenda, and in order to get the best results; involve your child and plan the schedule best suited to their learning styles. Some children perform better first thing in the morning and some function better in the evenings.  Agree a regular time and if you are unsure which time is best for your child, you could test different times of tutoring, perhaps for a week at a time.  This will help both of you understand which timings hold more value.  Once a perfect time has been agreed, display a calendar with days, times, and activities marked. 

-It is essential you have a quiet, comfortable, distraction free environment in which to tutor your child.  Nowadays the internet is a great place to find your tutoring resources, so access to the internet at your tutoring area would be beneficial. 

Ensure your tutoring desk is in easy reach of your educational supplies - pencils, erasers, paper, protractors, rulers, calculators.  Use a wall clock, and always adhere to the agreed times. 

-To encourage better listening when you are tutoring your child, get close to and make eye contact before speaking and try to speak in simple sentences, with an emphasis on important words.

Use body language to illustrate your message and regularly ask your children to repeat what you have told them in their own words to ensure they understand the lesson or point you are trying to make.

-Develop and improve your own tutoring skills. You can use the Internet to brush up on certain subjects that you are due to support your child in.

-Work as closely as possible with your child’s teacher at school. They may be able to provide guidance and suggestions that could help you tutor your own child. Supplementing and complementing what is being taught in class will be more effective than random tutoring; therefore choosing a National Curriculum approved resource, such as Key Stage Two.com would be useful.

Always praise and encourage your child for their hard efforts and don't forget to treat yourself for your own hard work.

If your child is aged between 7 and 11 why not join http://www.keystagetwo.com

It is a virtual learning environment that successfully manages to combine games with education in a fun and engaging way.  KeyStageTwo.com is National Curriculum compliant and is now being used in schools and homes throughout Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales.  Now taking sign-ups for September 2011 at http://www.keystagetwo.com or try the Demo at http://www.keystagetwo.com/demo

Good Luck for the new term folks!

How do I tutor my child?

A growing numbers of parents are now hiring private tutors to help their children through school and exams despite the recession, according to a recent survey; but as a parent it is very possible to tutor your own child and avoid the traditional tutoring fee’s. 

As you may be aware, conventional tutors are fantastic and hold great value, but for some households’ money is tight and you may not have the financial means to send your child to a professional tutor.  This information is to help you, as a parent, step in and provide the necessary tutoring for your child who is in need of academic assistance.

You do not need to have a teaching qualification, just access to the resources and the time.  Spending as little as one hour per day will go towards supporting your child in their studies and help boost their grades.  Below are some tips, brought to you by Key Stage Two.com, a National Curriculum approved online learning environment for children aged 7-11.

Providing Homework Help

Many tutors work with their students on homework, and this is the easiest tutoring you can do with your child. It is easier for you, as a parent because there is the option of working with the child each day instead of only a couple of times a week.

Things to keep in mind when helping your child with their homework:

• Focus on your child and their homework. Do not let dinner preparations, siblings or the telephone interrupt a homework session. Focusing on your child will help maximise the help your child receives with homework.
• Never repeat the same phrase. When helping your child understand homework that is confusing, it is important to not keep repeating the same example, phrase or definition. Reword each explanation differently until your child understands.

Tutoring to Improve Reading or Math Skills

When a tutor is not hired specifically for homework, it is usually to improve reading or math skills in some fashion. This specific academic assistance can be intimidating to parents, but with a little bit of preparation, even if you don’t have a teaching background you can effectively help your own child improve their grades.

How to Improve Reading Skills:

• Ensure that your young children know phonics. This means that your child should be able to match up a sound to a letter or group of letters. Ask your child to try before telling the word, and for difficult or longer words, use two fingers to bracket and split the word into smaller pieces.
• To improve fluency, ask your child to use an index card to keep their place in the text instead of using their finger. Also consider using an index card to cover up words as they read to prevent their eyes from re-reading the same words several times. This forces the eyes to continue to read ahead, often speeding up the reading.
• To improve comprehension, ask your child to review questions from each page of the text, as well as at the end of a book.

Improve Math Skills:

• Work on basic facts – addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Turn drill and practice into a game, providing incentives and encouraging your child to beat their last score.
• Ask your child’s teacher what specific skills and subjects your child could benefit from tuition in, then find creative ways to re-teach the skill or subject using games and real-life examples. 
• Ask your child’s teacher for extra worksheets to assist your child in catching up on any missing skills, or areas requiring improvement.

Providing academic assistance during the summer break.

Although the school summer break has just finished here in the U.K, it is often the busiest season for tutors as parents attempt to brush up on their children’s learning from the previous year or to prepare them for the next school year. In reality; every parent should provide academic tutoring for their child over the summer break.  The summer slide is when students lose academic ground as a result of no schooling for a long period and the less ground a child loses; the easier the next school year will be for them.

Many teachers should be more than willing to suggest a course of study for your child over the summer break, providing suggestions, topics and sometimes even worksheets for you to complete with your child. If nothing else, your child should read each day and complete a few maths sums on a regular basis.  As we are already into September 2011, remember this for summer 2012!

Working with your child to improve their grades, whilst avoiding the cost of a private tutor is within reach for you, as a parent.  

All it requires is a little planning and time for you to devote to your child in whatever area requiring academic assistance.

Finally, if your child is aged between 7 and 11 why not join http://www.keystagetwo.com

It is a virtual learning environment that successfully manages to combine fun games with education, whilst concentrating on the subjects your child is learning in school to help boost their grades in a fun and engaging way.  KeyStageTwo.com is National Curriculum compliant and is now being used in schools and homes throughout Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales.  Now taking sign-ups for September 2011 at http://www.keystagetwo.com or try the Demo at http://www.keystagetwo.com/demo

Good Luck for the new term folks!

Where can I find a good tutor for my child?

Just look in the mirror! Growing numbers of parents are hiring private tutors to help their children through school and exams despite the recession, according to a recent survey; but as a parent it is very possible to tutor your own child and avoid the traditional tutoring fee’s. 

You do not need to have a teaching qualification, just access to the resources and the time.  Spending as little as one hour per day will go towards supporting your child in their studies and help boost their grades.  Below are some tips, brought to you by Key Stage Two.com, a National Curriculum approved online learning environment for children aged 7-11.

-Set up a program with your child, and stick to it.  When planning the agenda, and in order to get the best results; involve your child and plan the schedule best suited to their learning styles. Some children perform better first thing in the morning and some function better in the evenings.  Agree a regular time and if you are unsure which time is best for your child, you could test different times of tutoring, perhaps for a week at a time.  This will help both of you understand which timings hold more value.  Once a perfect time has been agreed, display a calendar with days, times, and activities marked. 

-It is essential you have a quiet, comfortable, distraction free environment in which to tutor your child.  Nowadays the internet is a great place to find your tutoring resources, so access to the internet at your tutoring area would be beneficial. 

Ensure your tutoring desk is in easy reach of your educational supplies - pencils, erasers, paper, protractors, rulers, calculators.  Use a wall clock, and always adhere to the agreed times. 

-To encourage better listening when you are tutoring your child, get close to and make eye contact before speaking and try to speak in simple sentences, with an emphasis on important words.

Use body language to illustrate your message and regularly ask your children to repeat what you have told them in their own words to ensure they understand the lesson or point you are trying to make.

-Develop and improve your own tutoring skills. You can use the Internet to brush up on certain subjects that you are due to support your child in.

-Work as closely as possible with your child’s teacher at school. They may be able to provide guidance and suggestions that could help you tutor your own child. Supplementing and complementing what is being taught in class will be more effective than random tutoring; therefore choosing a National Curriculum approved resource, such as Key Stage Two.com would be useful.

 Always remember to praise and encourage your child for their hard efforts and don't forget to treat yourself for your own hard work!

If your child is aged between 7 and 11 why not join http://www.keystagetwo.com

It is a virtual learning environment that successfully manages to combine fun games with education, whilst concentrating on the subjects your child is learning in school to help boost their grades in a fun and engaging way.  KeyStageTwo.com is National Curriculum compliant and is now being used in schools and homes throughout Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales.  Now taking sign-ups for September 2011 at http://www.keystagetwo.com or try the Demo at http://www.keystagetwo.com/demo

Good Luck for the new term folks!