specialised 11+ tuition in creative writing and comprehension
My 11+ tuition is guided by what your child needs with the focus on an enjoyable and encouraging learning environment. Your child is an individual and my creative writing tuition is designed to help them find their voice and their own way of expressing it. My comprehension tuition is often blended with creative writing to show children how their own words work, and how stories they put together relate to stories created by published authors, past and present.
To understand how my tuition works for different age groups, please see the summaries below. I want to show you how I approach the different age ranges as parents come to me at various stages in their 11+ journey and there is no one-size-fits-all solution to your child's needs.
Ages 7 or below
At this age, the work I do is not so much 11+ preparation, it is more about developing English and creative writing skills with an eye towards the 11+ in the future. I don't do test papers, I don't present work as if it must be right or wrong. Younger children need to develop their knowledge and confidence first, and a strong background means they will be better prepared once the work becomes more formal later.
My lessons are fun and engaging, and I do open up our studying to include texts and ideas which feed into what is needed for 11+, but they are always age appropriate and designed to expand skills and ability as the foremost aim.
Ages 8 - 9
With this age group, we are able to study more complex concepts and introduce work which is challenging while still firmly age appropriate and fun. There will be greater emphasis on the technical aspects of English Language as we explore what makes a successful story.
I like to use poetry and prose from different genres and literary history at this age, to open up new ideas and to gently introduce more nuanced sentence structures and vocabulary.
Comprehensions studied at this stage are detailed, helping children think about why a writer makes choices, and what those choices mean for the reader. Most comprehensions will include more than one piece of creative writing, such as continuing the story or stepping outside the text to focus on a character or event.
The knowledge and skills gained in this age range are gradual, introduced supportively, and there is a distinct lack of 'pushing' in my lessons. If children learn happily and are relaxed, they are more likely to be able to use what they learn later.
Ages 10 - 11
This can be a stressful time in the 11+ build-up, especially for parents! My lessons are an oasis as we prepare for the final tests. Whether we have days, weeks or months before The Day, children will not be pressured and will enjoy every opportunity to expand their existing skills and to learn new ones, albeit sometimes at a canter rather than a trot! And if we only have days, (though, please, do come to me earlier!) we will do what we can, and we will be happy doing it.
This is a stage when children often know more of the technical approaches to creative writing and can identify stronger features and facts in their comprehension. While I expand on this, my role is also to help them hesitate long enough to think about why something is done a certain way, how the reader is meant to feel, what the story might mean to someone. And why a list of adjectives is not the best descriptive technique for every test.
For more details of how my tuition could work for your child, please get in touch by the Booking form or the Contact page. I am always happy to discuss my approach and your particular needs.