Learning is something that goes on all the time. For children, learning happens at home, at school, with friends, with teachers and with you the child's parents.

The SATs tests are snapshot tests of what your child has learned in school over two or more years. To help your child prepare for the SATs you need to support the work done in school on a regular basis. 'A little help and often' is the best way to help your child at home.

Key Points

1. Make learning at home interesting and fun. Everyone learns better when he or she is happy.
2. Talk to your child about what they have done in school so you have a starting point.
3. Listen to your child read every day, especially in the early years. Your child will probably have a class reading book from school that he brings home each day.
4. If your child is reading independently, encourage them to read every day and talk to them about what they have read. Make it part of your everyday conversation. Don't just stick to books - talk about magazine or newspaper articles as well.
5. Read to your child regularly. A good time to read to your child is at bedtime. Make it a fun story - not their class reading book. You do the reading so that they can listen and enjoy the story.
6. Have a selection of books and magazines at home - stories, non-fiction books, dictionaries (picture dictionaries for younger children), reference books. Encourage them to use the books and show them how to use the different types.
7. Encourage your child to write for various purposes - to complete written homework, thank you letters for presents, letters to pen pals, etc. Use pen and paper as well as the computer!
8. Help your child with spellings. Most children have weekly spellings to learn for school.
9. Join the local library together. Let you child complete their own application form if possible. Take them regularly to choose a new set of books.
10. Record some of the Language education programmes shown on the TV during the day and watch these with your children as a starting point for conversation.

The Exercises

Where there are written questions, they are graded for different age groups. Remember this Key Stage covers four school years so you should not expect your child to be able to tackle all the questions if they are in Years 3 or 4.

Print out the exercises to use away from the computer.

Go to the Exercises

The Answers

Go to the Exercises

Resources

Longmans Test Practice Kits For KS2 English - Pub. Longmans

A Parents' Guide to Handwriting - Pub. NAPE

Choosing and Using Books with Children - Pub. NAPE

Children and Computers - Pub. NAPE

Helping Children at Home - Pub. NAPE

Listening for Clues (Thinking Skills) - Pub. NAPE

CD-ROMs

The DK Children's Dictionary - Dorling Kindersley

Publishers

NAPE
Queens Building, Barrack Road, Northampton, NN2 6AF
Tel: 01604 36326 Fax: 01604 36328

LONGMANS
Web site http://www.awl-he.com/studyguides/
Check out the Parents Page for advice and info about Test Kits.

DORLING KINDERSLEY
1 Horsham Gates, North Street, Horsham RH13 5PJ, Tel. 01403 833200
Web site http://www.dk.com

Web Links

The BBC Learning Station
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/schools/ This is a service for children, teachers and parents at school and at home.

Reading
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Reading/
Ideas for helping your child learn to read from the US Department of Education. Activities include 'Family Reading Time', 'Family Stories' and 'How Do I use this Book?'.

Writing
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Writing/
Ideas for help you child learn to write from the US Department of Education. Activities include 'Things to Know', 'Things to Do', 'Pointers for Parents'.

NAPE
http://www.nape.org.uk/
NAPE is an association that promotes a partnership between parents, teachers, school governors, inspectors, education officers and entire school communities. It produces a range of information books and advice for parents.

You will find other Web Links on Learning Exchange at BTHomeCampus