Atome learning for 11+

[OutlookStalking]

I have a trial of Atom Learning for 5 days and trying to work out what I think. Would love other opinions.

I have put in the school exam she will be sitting and her age.

Will it just test her on yr 5 maths ? She will need some yr 6 maths for the exam so yr 5 wont be enough. Do i manually change it? Or does she work through yr 5 islands to get to yr 5 stuff?

Some verbal reasoning questions I think are types not in the GL assessment. Is the training not specific to your type (ie we buy GL not CEM books)

She quite likes the idea of doing a "quick island" on my phone in the way she wouldn't a quick 10mins of 11+ book.

And in general where is everyone with 11+ currently (for september grammar).

I'm feeling a bit lost with my plan. I wanted to work through all the cgp workbooks and feel secure before doing the 10 a day, then pastpaers but someone mentioned atom and I dont know whether to do that alongside or if its a gimmick.

She does a sport and isnt as eager to study as her sister so need to make any 11+ time count.

She doesnt like codebreaking (mad that's my favourite !).

I'm going to teach her some algebra tomorrow but obviously that's not once and done!! Aware there's some more I need to do. She's less likely to learn from a screen and more likely to revise/practice so has been good for the main VR from that perspective.

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all.
I dont want to do sheets and sheets of cgp book for the sake of it and starting to feel there isn't as much time to do this.

Sorry thats 2 separate q really.

1 is regarding atom learning for 11+
2 is generally where to go next !

Oh gosh its Atom leanring not Atome 🤦🏼‍♀️. I'd delete thread if I could and redo!!

Final Atom question. When you have been through the different realms (so for example "swamp " has 15 Islands) when you've covered the syllabus does it just keep giving you more realms or do you do it again?

And if the AI has made it easier for you does ithen increase the level?

I can't quite get my head around it. Ithink she'd answer more questiins on this but the actual exam will be paper based and working out on paper is good for codes!

Atom is an excellent system. If you sign up, then you can schedule a call with an Atom person and they will tell you how to best use the system. Several DD's I know used the system extensively with brilliant 11+ results.

As to how to use it, the first thing to note is that you should not help your DD can the questions right. If you do that, then you will mess up the AI system as it will not know what your DD knows and doesn't know. If your DD is unsure of a question, then she should click the I'm not sure/Help button.

Next, in Year 5 you should not have her doing loads of mock tests, that comes later. For now, she should spend most of her time doing the Islands Lessons. When she completes an Island, it will move her on to the next one, covering both new material and what she needs extra help on.

Lastly, the Atom diagnostic section is excellent. It will tell you exactly where your DD needs extra help. For extra help, you can set custom assignments for her.

Atom explains that students who spend time doing more Island lessons versus just doing loads of mock tests tend to perform better.

Good luck.

Yes agree mock tests mainly comes later ! However she did a real life mock test at easter and will at may andn july. I also think past papers are quite useful once they are familiar with all areas (she is for VR, still some content to go for maths) I think I would rather do actual mock tests on paper as her real test is on paper and it is quite different to the screen.

We've had another go this morning and I am not sure how useful we will find it. I keep changing my mind! She has done 2 whole worlds and nearly completed the VR topics once through (although many with 2 stars admittedly as often getting 1 from the set wrong). I guess if we went past the trial period it would take her back through the 2 star questions.

Quite a few are laid out differently to the GL assessment . I can see how the skill is useful but at this stage I am tempted to use GL specific work.

On the other hand she is keen to press buttons in a way getting out a book doesn't have the same appeal. And she did some this morning on my bed which she wouldn't have if it was a book!

Other problem is several times the screen has completely frozen on my phone. We have had to come out and restart and then she has to restart the island completely. This has now happend a few times and drives her potty. This might be what makes it unworkable!

You cannot do Atom on a mobile, it needs to be on a laptop.

Oh we have been! Managed 25 mins before it froze.... and was part of the appeal. It looked like it was just supposed to run from a web browser?

I want to get rid of the science and nv reasoning blocks /targets and can't see how to do that yet.

I do think she covers more than in the "10minnl a day" books so currently tempted to stick with it if it did work reliably on a phone! Hmmm. Will try her on the laptop later.

Thankyou.

Remember, if you DD take a computer based entrance exam, it will be on a laptop, not a mobile phone. Just ignore the Science if she doesn't need it, I never figured a way to eliminate it.

Ah yes I missed that point. She will be sitting a paper based grammar test in September which is why for proper mocks/ timed past papers etc I want her doing paper based tests.

I can see how brilliant atom is designed and if I met those doing computer based tests I would definitely recommend it. I was thinking of using it more for practice/speed in our case. Its 4 months to the test and although I'm confident in what we've done so far (apart from needing work on algebra!) It's more wondering whether to change things up/add atom for these 4 months.

If I had a child sitting a computer test and a year to go I'd wholeheartedly recommend!

For paper-based 11+, I'm not sure how useful Atom will be. I find paper-based mock exams the most useful preparation technique with 4 months to go. You can slowly go up from your current score (50% or 60% of whatever) to around 90%+ which is where you need to be for the most competitive grammars.

Exampapersplus also has theme-based paper questions in maths (like fractions or algebra) and comprehension. They have an increasing level of difficulty with questions, so I find those useful as well, along with CGP 10 minute tests. Tbh, I haven't met many parents who use Atom for grammar preparation - but it's fantastic for anyone doing computer tests and ISEBs.

Thanks I think that's probably the conclusion I'm coming to!

It's a shame as she'd happily sit and spend 10 mins clicking "puzzles" on my phone in a way she isn't so keen to sit and do some work on paper!!

@OutlookStalking whereabouts in the country is she sitting the 11+?

I've used the name too much to be specific. But it's GL assesment/paper based and not an area with lots of grammar schools! If that helps!?

My Dd2 is doing a similar (the same?) exam in September, and have just registered her with Atom in an effort to get her to do a bit more. I think it will be OK for Maths and VR, not as convinced for the English paper as the reading seems a bit easier and not sure they test writing in the same way. Mine has been having Maths tuition but I really need to get her to do more English now.

Have her do the English Islands lessons on Atom. Then separately, do vocabulary words and idioms with her. For writing, just teach her the story mountain.

I wasn't convinced the English islands were the same... or to a certain extent se of the verbal reasonomg questions weren't phrased/laid out the same way.

I had wondered about using it for VR and for maths but I think we will be better off using cgp bits that are GL specific.

Pkim - if its the same one as us there is no writing. Its multiple choice.

@OutlookStalking I think it must be different then. Our English paper is 50% reading and 50% creative writing.

I'll look at the Story Mountain @pkim123 DD is certainly more enthusiastic about it than traditional learning so that's a bonus.

Ah yes that is different!

It's a shame it doesnt exactly match up with ours as, as uou say, its easier to be a bit excited about it. Certainly my 10 year old answered more q in a session than she would on paper with nme d loced it being on a screen. But overall Im not convinced it will be great for us.

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