Eleven Plus Reasoning

Parents working with their children on non verbal reasoning exercises may be captivated by the article in today’s Observer. The article is about finding new ways of looking at familiar settings.

At one time or another most of us will have played with magic squares but it took an original thinker to visualise a different way of understanding basic precepts and permutations. The wonder of magic squares lies around the fact that it must be possible to prove the answer. Eleven plus children seem to have to take a lot for granted when they are working through exercises. Some eleven plus questions seem to need an act of faith rather than a calm logical and reasoned solution.

As the article develops we are drawn into new ways of looking at algebra. There may be some parents who may want to try out some of the topics mentioned with their children to look at their logic and reasoning and ability to comprehend new concepts.

There are also revealing comments on the article – and these make fascinating reading too – and it may be worth while having a look at the comments to see the views of others.

A search on 'geomagic squares' on Google gives more information. The link to the gallery shows how the human brain can take an idea and run with it.

Some of us involved in the eleven plus have felt the need to have new and fresh questions in eleven plus papers – not so much to challenge the premise behind the eleven plus but offer bright children wider options and more variety. Trying to solve 'geomagic squares' could cause a few tears – but offer magic moments to some.