There is one piece of advice aimed at pupils that is pretty much universally agreed upon: read books.
This advice is common amongst parents, teachers, private tutors and also 11 plus tuition centres. In the context of the 11 plus, pupils will be specifically tested on their reading ability.
But does everyone mean the same thing when they talk about reading? For example, is reading for comprehension the same as skimming for information?
This article has been written specifically for the 11 plus context and is not general advice on reading.
Before getting into how pupils should read the comprehension section in the 11 plus exam, let us quickly deal with what most pupils should probably avoid.
Most pupils should not try to read the text with the aim of memorising the text so well that they feel there is no need to look back at the text. That would require an extraordinary memory, or, more realistically, would consume most of the exam time simply in reading.
In reality, a child must return to the text for most questions. Therefore, there is little point in trying to memorise everything on the first reading. Similarly, highlighting minute details at this stage is often a waste of effort, as many of those details may not even appear in the questions.
So, how should pupils read the comprehension text?
In our view, the first reading of a text has a few specific purposes:
1. Map the passage
Know where particular things are discussed. If a question asks about physical exercise, and that is discussed in the first and last paragraph, a child should have a mental map of where to look.
2. Follow the plot
This point should be self-explanatory; pupils need to understand the basic sequence of what happens. For example, if a story is about a police chase and questions about apprehending a suspect appear, then a child should be looking towards the end of the story rather than the beginning.
3. Identify characters
Who are they? How are they connected? What are their traits? Some of the most avoidable mistakes in the English exam involve confusing a father for a brother, or misreading a manipulative character’s actions as kindness.
4. Assess the style and atmosphere
What kind of text is it? Notice the pacing, sentence length, the use of description, and whether the language is dated or modern. What is the overall mood?
It may be hard to believe for adults, but some children are unclear whether a text is fiction or non-fiction even after reading it. One tell-tale sign is how long it takes to make a point; non-fiction texts tend to get to the point very quickly, whereas fiction texts provide some description before making a point. For fiction texts, there tends to be a greater requirement for inference skills.
5. Establish time, setting, and layout
Are we in the age of computers or type-writers? Build a mental picture. What happens in the sitting room versus the garden? Is there a staircase? Is it raining? Focusing too heavily on metaphors at this stage can cause a student to miss these concrete facts, leading to fundamental errors later.
If you found this article useful, you may wish to read our article on word-based Verbal Reasoning.
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