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Entries from August 1, 2010 - August 31, 2010

Tuesday

Aug 31 2010

ACT Prep: Tips for Good Preparation

Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 11:52AM Art Meisler

f your high schooler is planning on taking the ACT Exam, help them prep by sharing these quick tips with them.

Be prepared for what’s on the ACT . The ACT or American College Testing Exam is made up of five tests: English (45 minutes), Reading (35 minutes), Math (60 minutes), Science (35 minutes), and Writing (optional, 30 minutes). There is also a short break period during the test. All of the tests have multiple-cho ice questions, except Writing. Before registering to take the test, find out if the colleges you plan on applying to require applicants to take the Writing portion of the ACT.

Prepare early . Research the colleges you want to apply to and find out if the ACT is required for admittance. Once you find out that you will need to take the ACT, begin to study. The sooner you begin to practice, the more comfortable you will become with the exam. It will be very difficult to cram in the information in the last few days before taking the test. Instead, devote specific ACT study time each day.

Use practice tests to become comfortable with the ACT . The ACT test lasts for 2 hours and 55 minutes, or 3 hours and 30 minutes if you are taking the optional Writing Test. Many high schoolers have never sat for a test this long, so taking practice tests will help to build up your mental endurance. Practice tests will also help you to become familiar with the types of questions that are asked on the ACT so you know what to expect on test day. You can also use a practice test to focus your study time. For instance, if you are getting many of the science, questions incorrect, you may want to brush up in this area.

Set up a study area. Go somewhere quiet to simulate the ACT test environment when you are taking a practice test or studying. Libraries often have a quiet study area or room that you can use. Turn on a timer for each section so you can learn how to pace yourself through the questions. Go through an entire test in one sitting so you won’t be surprised on test day.

Read, write, and review. The content on the Reading portion of the ACT covers a variety of genres and topics including short stories, magazine articles, natural sciences, social studies, and humanities. By exposing yourself to texts that cover these topics before the exam, you may find the content easier to read and understand. Brush up on your writing skills for the English portion of the exam, which will test your knowledge of usage and mechanics. A review of science and math topics, including reading graphs, interpreting results, geometry, algebra, and trigonometry will help you with the Science and Math portions of the ACT.

Familiarize yourself with the directions. It is important to read all the directions carefully on the ACT so that you don’t make a mistake when taking the exam.

Take an ACT Prep Clas s. If you find that after taking several practice tests, you are struggling, don’t be afraid to ask for help. An ACT Prep Class will help to review the content covered on the exam and allow you to work with an experienced tutor. It will also give you the chance to ask questions you have about specific exam content, test registration, and scoring. KnowledgePoints ACT Prep offers customized programs for each student.

Answer all the questions to the best of your ability. Since your score on the ACT is based on the number of multiple-choice questions you answer correctly, answer all of the questions. You won’t lose points for guessing or answering a question incorrectly. If you are stuck on a question, eliminate as many choices as you can and take an educated guess. You can also skip a question and return to it later.

Prepare the night before and the morning of the test . Organize the materials you will need for test day, including, an ID card, admission ticket, two sharpened number 2 pencils with good erasers, and a calculator. Get ready for test day by getting a good night’s sleep, setting your alarm clock, and making sure you have transportation to the ACT exam site. On the day of the test, make sure to eat a good breakfast and arrive early at the test center. Wear a watch to keep the time and help pace yourself through each section of the exam.

Take the ACT several times if needed. If you take the ACT and are not satisfied with your score, you can retake the exam and choose the scores you want to submit to colleges that you apply to.

Good luck and try your best!

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Thursday

Aug 26 2010

Increase Reading Comprehension by Understanding Patterns

Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 11:56AM Art Meisler

One definition of intelligence involves the ability to discern patterns among seemingly disparate bits of information. For example, an Italian mathematician named Fibonacci* made a discovery about the pattern of numbers. If you child can discern a pattern in the writing of a particular author, he can more easily comprehend what the writer is attempting to say.

At Think Tutoring we stress that good writing has a logical flow. And good reading means being able to recognize that flow or structure. "Deduction" is one of the more common patterns of organization. Once your child spots this pattern, she can determine the focus around which the facts are organized. She can actually scan the supporting details once she has determined the premise on which everything else is based.

An example of deductive writing is the following, which begins with the main point (underlined), which is then amplified with supporting details.

Think Tutoring of Florham Park offers a wide array of services. Our headquarters in Florham Park provides learning and tutoring help. Study Skills is offered in Madison at the Adult School of the Chathams, Madison & Florham Park . But no matter which location your child visits, or what subject is being taught, your child will receive specialized attention from outstanding tutors .

Perhaps the simplest way to assert the connection between reading comprehension and patterns is to quote Isaiah Berlin, a leading thinker of the 20th century: “To understand is to perceive patterns.”

*Fibonacci's name is actually a "portmanteau," but that's another blog. We'll study it when we discuss words that will help improve your child's writing.

**Here's a Fibonacci brainteaser: What number is next in this sequence?

0 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 _________

Answer: This problem illustrates the Fibonacci sequence, which has each number equal to the sum of the two numbers that preceded it. Thus, the correct answer is 34. Spotting patterns will help your child on standardized tests and IQ tests that have numerous questions like the one above.

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in Reading Comprehension

Tuesday

Aug 24 2010

Reading Comprehension: How to Help Your Child

Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at 12:00PM Art Meisler

Did you know that 90% of newspaper paragraphs contain the main idea in the first sentence? (See what we mean? The first sentence of this paragraph lets you know finding the main idea will be the focus of the paragraph.) In our SAT preparation classes (and ACT), o ur tutors make students aware of the fact that time is limited in a test situation. And while comprehension depends on a careful reading of all words, too-careful a reading will slow your child down and prevent him from getting a high number of correct answers.

So, acknowledging that speed and accuracy are both important, we encourage finding the main idea as quickly as possible in a test situation. You can help your child at home with main-idea comprehension by encouraging her to get a quick general sense of the paragraph by reading the first line carefully and then reading the remaining sentences more quickly.

If you are eager to add fun to your child's academic amelioration, have another family member (without the advantage of knowing the first-line tip) read a given paragraph, raise her hand, and write down her answer when she thinks she knows what the main point of it is. The child who's already been coached about the main-idea-in-the-first-sentence will start at the same time and will, in all probability, be able to discern the main idea much more quickly. He, too, though, will raise his hand, and then write it down the main idea. Discuss how helpful the first-line tip is. Then, compare the two answers and discuss what may have been omitted.

And, if you truly want to challenge your child (or drive your family crazy), take a few key words from the article. Write them so letters are missing in both the beginning and at the end. For example, if the article were about London's subway system, you might have selected _ _ _ e r g r o _ _ _, an especially difficult brainteaser. It has the same three letters missing at both the beginning and the end of the word. The word itself is a common one. (The answer will appear in next week's blog.)

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Wednesday

Aug 18 2010

Words and Writing - Falling in Love Part II

Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 12:22PM Art Meisler

Poet John Ciardi once remarked that to be a good writer, you have to fall in love with words. You can help your child improve writing skills by encouraging a verbal love affair. Our Writing, Language Arts and SAT Programs Preparation programs direct students on the clear and more-nuanced aspects of good writing. You can assist at home by focusing on some of the more intriguing--and even fun--elements that constitute good writing.

Start with the metaphor. Using it well will benefit your child both now and later in his professional life as well. (Business guru Warren Bennis asserts, "If I were to give off-the-cuff advice to anyone seeking to institute change, the first question I would ask is, 'How clear is your metaphor?' ")

Metaphors are simply comparisons between two things not usually compared. Point them out when your family sees or hears them. Collect some on your own and share them with your child. Encourage her to develop some on her own and include them in her own writing.

Here are a few you to get you started. Discuss their deeper meaning with your child. Be the bridge between your child's current efforts and her future success.

Like cars in amusement parks, our direction is often determined through collisions. -Yahia Lababidi

Everyone is kneaded out of the same dough but not baked in the same oven. -Yiddish proverb

A lawn is nature under totalitarian rule. -Michael Pollan

Conscience is a dog that does not stop us from passing, but that we cannot prevent from barking. -Nicolas de Chamfort

Tears are the safety valve of the heart when too much pressure is laid on it. -Albert Richard Smith

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in Vocabulary , Writing

Tuesday

Aug 10 2010

How Strong is Your Child's Vocabulary?

Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 12:29PM Christy Morris

By Alicia N. Miller

Did you know that by the time your child graduates from high school, they will have encountered over 50,000 words?* One of the best ways to make sure they understand and correctly use the words that they encounter is to introduce vocabulary into their daily activities. In addition to school and tutoring, parents canplay a big role in their child’s vocabulary development. Try some of these tips for helping your child become a top reader and get on the road to reading comprehension.

Use phonics and familiar words to help add to your child’s vocabulary. For instance, if your child knows some words that end in “ock,” such as “clock” or “knock,” they can also learn “rock,” or “block.”

Introduce new vocabulary by writing the word along with a picture on a sticky note and placing it on the item. Encourage your child to say the word when asking about or using the item, rather than just grabbing for it.

Take the time to use sophisticated vocabulary in your conversations with your child, making sure they understand what you are saying. Instead of always using words such as, “good” or “nice,” infuse your conversation with rich vocabulary such as, “pleasant,” “decent,” or “delightful.” Make sure to share the meaning (or meanings) of the word with your child. Use new vocabulary often as it can take several times to become a frequently used word.

Engage your child in vocabulary by playing games such as vocabulary hangman, bingo, crossword puzzles, or word searches. Create a custom game and challenge them to a competition.
Set up a quick memory game for your child. Write vocabulary words on small pieces of scrap paper and draw corresponding pictures to explain the meaning of the word. Play the game by matching the correct word and picture. More advanced students can play the game by matching vocabulary with its corresponding definition.

Have your child become a word detective. As they read and come across unknown words, have them keep an ongoing journal listing the new vocabulary and definition. See how many new words they can find and learn.

Encourage your child to read multiple types of texts on a variety of subjects. Think magazines, newspapers, blogs, biographies, or poetry, to name a few. This diversity will help your child develop a rich and varied vocabulary.

Challenge your child to see how many new vocabulary words they can use in one day.

The more vocabulary your child learns the better their reading comprehension will become. Many students often struggle with reading not because they can’t read a specific word, but because they cannot understand the word. One of the best ways to reinforce the tutoring your child receives is to practice at home what was learned in class.

*Michael Graves, University of Minnesota.

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in Vocabulary