Non-Verbal Reasoning: A Parent’s Guide
The 11+ entrance exam has four main components: Maths, English Comprehension, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. When preparing your child for the 11+ entrance exam, it is important that they have a good understanding of all of the subject areas in order to achieve 11+ success.
Non-Verbal Reasoning plays a crucial role in assessing a child’s ability to understand and analyse visual information and solve problems using visual logic. It can be a challenging; as NVR is not reflected in the school’s syllabus. Therefore, we have produced a guide to help both yourself and your child navigate through the NVR section.
Understanding Non-Verbal Reasoning
Non-Verbal Reasoning is a test of a child's ability to recognise similarities, differences, and patterns in unfamiliar designs and shapes. Topics include the following:
- Series
- Similarities
- Odd one out
- Analogies
- Grids
- Counting cubes
- Hidden shapes
- Square codes
- Adding/ subtracting shapes
- Figure analysis
- Rotation/ reflection
How Children Can Best Prepare
Start Early: Familiarity with the style of questions is key. Begin preparation well in advance of the exam. When enrolling onto one of KSOL’s Year 4 or Year 5 Online programmes, children cover Non-Verbal Reasoning on a weekly basis, ensuring all the topics are covered before their exam.
Develop Observational Skills: Encourage your child to pay attention to detail. Simple activities like spotting differences in pictures can be helpful.
Play Puzzle Games: Games that involve pattern recognition, such as tangrams or jigsaw puzzles, can develop the skills needed for NVR.
Break Down the Problems: Teach your child to approach each question methodically, breaking down the problem into more manageable parts.
Key Techniques to Help
Look for Consistent Changes: In sequences questions, there's often a consistent way that shapes change (e.g., in colour, direction, or number).
Use of Diagrams and Drawings: When practicing NVR questions, encourage your child to draw diagrams or use their fingers to trace shapes and patterns. This can make it easier to visualize and solve problems.
Elimination Method: In 'odd one out' questions, eliminating options that do not fit can often be faster than finding the correct answer immediately.
Teach Pattern Recognition: Help your child recognise common patterns, such as rotation, reflection, shading, and size changes.
Time Management: Practice under timed conditions to help your child get used to the pressure of the exam environment. We recommend spending about 30/40 seconds on a question.
Non-Verbal Reasoning may seem daunting because it is different from what’s taught in school, but with the right approach, your child can begin to master it for the 11+ entrance exam. By incorporating NVR into your child’s routine, you will build both confidence and skills!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch on 0121 733 6558 and our friendly advisors can guide you further.