We have developed a system to guarantee your child better results which no other publisher can offer.

 

 

We provide marking grids in every one of our Excel Basic Skills English and Mathematics Core books. These grids help you identify the areas of work in which your child needs extra help. You can then purchase books in the Excel range to help with specific problem areas. This offers a much more systematic approach to homework than any other series, and we have a large range of up-to-date books covering all the key learning areas. By using the marking grids, you can immediately see where your child needs help—with no guesswork at all.

 

 

Step 1: Your child completes a unit of work in the Excel Basic Skills English and Mathematics core book for the appropriate year level.

 

Step 2: Mark the unit of work, using the pull-out answer section in the centre of the book. On the marking grid, found at the beginning of the book, mark with a cross the questions your child answered incorrectly in the unit. (There are two separate marking grids in each book—one for English and one for Mathematics.)

 

Step 3: If your child consistently answers more than 1 in 5 questions in any area incorrect, he or she may need extra help, and you may want to consider purchasing an Excel Basic Skills book which offers specific help in the area of difficulty. On the page opposite your marking grid, there will be a Sample Marking Grid. Use this grid to find out exactly which Excel books you can purchase to help your child.

 

Let’s look at an example. Your child has completed the first two English units in Core English and Mathematics Year 3, and you have filled out the English Marking Grid. By looking at the Sample Marking Grid on the opposite page, you can see which related books are available in the Excel range.

 

Questions 1–5 in units 1 and 2 are comprehension questions. As your child answered two incorrectly in both units, the Sample English Marking Grid recommends Excel Basic Skills Comprehension & Written Expression Year 3 for extra practice and tuition in comprehension.

 

 

Year 7 represents a big change for students. There is a wide range of subjects with a different teacher for each subject. Students have to be well-organised, both at school and with their homework. There will also be more homework and more competition. Students are placed into classes according to their performance in the school entrance test and their report from primary school. If students don’t have a good foundation in a particular subject, they may need extra help to build up the necessary skills and knowledge needed.

 

 

• Students’ notes have to be kept up-to-date and complete if they are to be good study aids for tests and exams. If a day of school is missed, students should ask a reliable friend for the day’s notes.

 

• Assignments have to be completed on time.

 

• Tests and exams become a way of life and students should learn how to prepare for them properly.

 

• Remember that how well students do in class determines what classes they will be in. If their work improves, they may be able to change classes.

 

• Students must learn to work consistently, which means settling into a routine of study at home. Most students like to have a small break after school and then do some homework. Make sure they have a quiet spot without television blaring in the background. They can then have dinner and study afterwards. Research does show that the more homework students do the more likely they are to succeed at school.

 

 

• Students should find out from their teachers exactly what is in each test and write it in their diaries.

 

 • The relevant textbook for the subject of the test should be easily accessible at home.

 

 • Students’ notes should be complete and up-todate.

 

 • All assignments completed for the subject should be kept with the student at home to use for revision.

 

 • When studying for a test, students should read through their notes, redo questions which they have answers to, and then check that they can do them correctly for the test. They should also read their textbooks and refer to them while studying, and try to complete extra questions if they can.

 

 

For each section of work, students should first read through their notes explaining the relevant concepts, then practise actual questions and always check the answers. The more problems students practise, the better they will perform. Redoing questions which they already have worked solutions to will help, but they should choose a range of problems, not just the easy ones.

 

 

To study for Science, students should follow the same procedure as for Maths. It is more difficult to complete large numbers of problems, but students should read all their notes thoroughly and make sure they understand the key concepts. Then they should redo the questions they already have answers to, and mark them.

 

 

Encourage students to read more—not only novels and poetry, but newspapers, magazines and other publications on topics which interest them. This will improve their vocabulary and comprehension skills. Planning and organisational skills are important in English as a lot of work is assignment-based and has to be handed in on time. It is also important for students to keep good class notes and to review these and their assignments before tests.

 

 

These exams are always a few weeks after the holidays. They test half a year’s work so students have to plan their study well in advance! The key to success is for students to have a solid study plan which is followed as closely as possible. They can do this by drawing up a study timetable outlining what subjects will be studied on which weeknights and on the weekends. Study techniques for specific subjects are described above. Students should keep a copy of all their test paper questions and their marked test papers. It is useful for students to redo their tests and mark their answers.