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Page 1 Parents’ Guide to Ta’allum Exams 2019 For Ta’allum Group Issued in the Year 2019

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Page 1: Parents’ Guide to Ta’allum Exams 2019aja.edu.qa/media/bccab38f-cf16-4047-bd24-da5c6264ad8e... · 2019-05-02 · Exams test both your child's knowledge of the subject and the skills

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Parents’ Guide to Ta’allum Exams 2019 For Ta’allum Group

Issued in the Year 2019

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Table of Contents

Ta’allum Vision, Mission and Motto ................................................................................................................................ 3

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5

Important points to remember ........................................................................................................................................ 6

OWLTS – Online Assessment………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7

Exam techniques .............................................................................................................................................................. 8

Command words .............................................................................................................................................................. 9

Hints and tips in the exam ............................................................................................................................................. 10

Spotting signs of stress & ways to deal with it…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..11

Encouragement .......................................................................................................................................... ………………….13

Appendix - Accessing and Using Practice Questions…………………………………………………………………………………………………13

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Ta’allum Vision, Mission and Motto

Ta’allum Group’s Vision

We aspire towards being a progressive institution of learning experiences by offering a quality education based on an Islamic ethos that aims to serve humanity.

Ta’allum Group’s Mission

To establish premier educational institutions which are committed to a unique brand of holistic education.

Our goal is to help every student to learn and acquire Islamic knowledge alongside building a solid foundation in all academic subjects. This will help them develop and gain true Islamic values and thereby make a valuable, correct moral and social contribution to the community in which they live.

Ta’allum Group’s Motto

‘’Creative learners today, our future leaders tomorrow”

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Ta’allum Schools Learner Outcomes

Academic Achievement and Leadership with Islamic Values are the characteristic hallmarks of our students.

Here at Ta’allum schools we believe that in order to ensure all our students to achieve at the highest level we

need to actively support them through curriculum and enrichment in developing the right characteristics. This

is what distinguishes our students from other.

Learner Outcome 1 Our students are Academic Strand 1:1 They are lifelong learners Strand 1:2 They are creative thinkers Strand 1:3 They are bilingual

Strand 1:4 They are confident Strand 1:5 They are innovative Strand 1:6 They are independent

Learner Outcome 2 Our students are Leaders Strand 2:1 They have strength of character Strand 2:2 They are organised Strand 2:3 They are confident Strand 2:4 They are responsible Strand 2:5 They are future leaders

Learner Outcome 3 Our students practice and exemplify Islamic values Strand 3:1 They adhere to the Five Pillars of Islam Strand 3:2 They have good morals Strand 3:3 They are polite Strand 3:4 They are considerate

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Introduction

Dear Parents,

This booklet is intended to provide you with information, advice and guidance on different aspects of the exams processes for our Ta’allum schools.

At Ta’allum Group Schools we know that having a rigorous and challenging exam system throughout your child’s years in school will increase their motivation, accelerate their learning and act as a benchmark of their progress. We are seeking to build a ‘culture of assessment’ which will allow all our students to move on to the next stage of their school journey with confidence. We aim for our students to be well placed to succeed in their future external IGCSE and AS Level exams and beyond to University and their career.

It is important to recognise that for many students’ exams can be a source of stress and anxiety. Parents and staff will seek to allay these fears, building the knowledge, skills, confidence and resilience which will enable our pupils to thrive in exams. Good preparation and organised revision are essential components.

Ta’allum exams are based on high academic standards linked to the demands of the external exam system. Strong Quality Assurance processes ensure that our exam questions are constructed to be accessible and yet to challenge pupils to aspire to higher levels. In the recent past Ta’allum Schools have pioneered the use of online assessment. Students in Years 5-9 will sit many of their exams on the OWLTS system.

We place great value on maintaining the highest standards of integrity and security for the Ta’allum exam system, including the marking. This means you can be sure that success in the Ta’allum exams is credible, worthwhile and achieved through a student’s hard work and dedication.

We wish your child the best of success in the forthcoming tests.

Yours faithfully

The Ta’allum Group

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Some important points for us all to remember:

The world is changing rapidly and we are preparing our young people for that changing world. Qatar is at the forefront of development. It is likely to be a world in which our children will work with technology which has not yet been invented! Ta’allum assessment is adapting to meet this challenge.

In keeping with those changes exams themselves have changed significantly since parents and teachers were at school. Today the way students are assessed is based on knowledge, skills, understanding and application of that knowledge.

This means that students can no longer rely on rote learning, simply being filled full of facts in order to be successful. It is not helpful to believe that a child can know the questions beforehand or find the answers in chapters of a textbook as this will not help them. Developing a good understanding of exam techniques will give students the tools to be successful. The way students approach the exam and the techniques they apply, ensuring that they understand what and how exam questions are asking them, will be key to success.

To enable students to know and understand the style of questions they will find some helpful practice questions posted on the website and by logging on the OWLTS system.

OWLTS – Online Assessment

In Higher Education, in nearly every job and in our modern society, we use the internet to communicate and accomplish

our work. It is the way of our world. We must prepare students for their future, which requires comfort with technology.

OWLTS online tests enable us to meet these demands.

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The OWL Test Management System is a flexible online test builder and exam management system. OWL allows Ta’allum

staff to create, deliver and manage computer-based assessments.

Students can respond to Questions in formats which include Multiple Choice, Cloze, ‘Drop Down’ menus and Short

Answers.

Tips for success on OWLTS

Practice materials

Practice tests allow students to do the following:

Become familiar with the testing format. The answers are short but a high degree of concentration and accuracy

are required.

Practice using the online tools for online tests.

Respond to some of the types of questions they may find on the end of semester tests.

How to access the Practice Tests

Parents and students can access the online practice tests by copying and pasting the following link into a browser and

using the student login and password provided by the academy - https://taallum.owlts.com

Important Tips

Create a practice schedule on OWLTS, and stick to it. We recommend that students practice on the software 15−30

minutes every other day before the test.

Help your child get ready to learn: ensure your child is going to school every day well rested and ready to take on new

challenges.

Meet with your child’s teacher: Ask about your child’s strengths and areas to grow and how you can support them at

home.

Rest the day before the test, cramming until the early hours does little to relax students in the run up to their tests.

Exam Techniques

Put simply, exam techniques are not just about what your child knows but how their knowledge is applied under exam conditions. Whilst revision is a vital part of getting good exam results in the Ta’allum tests, exam technique is also important.

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Skills relating to exam technique include:

Following instructions and responding appropriately to command words.

Taking time to read the question carefully, particularly in online assessment where very high degree of precision is required in differentiating and selecting from alternative answers provided.

Writing using language suitable to the task or subject.

Using knowledge from different parts of the syllabus and Learning Objectives to answer specific questions.

Before we look at each of these in turn, it's important to understand how assessment or learning objectives are used.

Your child's teacher will most probably have discussed these within class, so your child will have an appreciation

of what the objectives are. Ta’allum Schools publish Learning Objectives on their website ahead of the exams so you too will be aware.

Exams test both your child's knowledge of the subject and the skills they've obtained in demonstrating this knowledge. It's important to know the proportion of marks awarded for question or part question. Three common requirements are:

1 Recall, select and communicate

The meaning of this objective is straightforward; it tests the information and learning your child has acquired and

how well they can comprehend meanings and interpret information in written or graphic form.

2 Apply knowledge, understanding and skills

This objective requires your child to be able to recognise when and where the knowledge they have might be

useful in real life. Application is the skill of being able to apply their knowledge to different contexts and circumstances in order to understand why problems and issues arise.

3 Analyse and evaluate

Analysis covers a range of areas. It can involve:

Looking at a piece of data, a table, chart or diagram and interpreting it.

Identifying trends.

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Identifying the elements that make up the problem, issue or case that you are considering.

Evaluation involves judgement and opinion. When your child evaluates, they will make some comment about how important, significant or valuable something is.

To be successful, your child will need to demonstrate that they have the confidence to make judgements based on their knowledge.

What are 'Command words?' Command words are the guides in the question which identify what exactly is being targeted by that question. They are used carefully and the word order is chosen to make it clear what the examiner is looking for. All exam questions go through a rigorous process of scrutiny at Ta’allum to ensure that they provide your child with the best chance to show their knowledge and understanding. Certain command words are associated with certain assessment objectives, so it pays to have some idea of what these mean to inform your child which skill they should be focusing on in the question. It is important to read the whole question and to understand what the question is getting at, as the command word on its own may need reinforcing with the remainder of the question. A useful hint would be to highlight the command words in each question. Below is a table with a list of command words associated with the relevant assessment objectives. Your child should be familiar with the meanings

Assessment objective - recall, select and communicate

Define

Describe

Explain

Give

Identify

Name

Outline

State

What is meant by

Assessment objective - apply knowledge, understanding and skills

Apply

Calculate

Demonstrate

Describe

Examine

Explain

Give

Give an example

Graph

Identify

Name

How

Show how

Assessment Objective - analyse and evaluate

Advise

Analyse

Assess

Assess the importance

Calculate

Compare and contrast

Consider

Critically assess

Discuss

Evaluate

Examine

Explain

Identify

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Using

Using examples

What would be the benefits/costs of

What trends

Which

Why

Justify

Organise

Predict

Show how

What

Which

Why

Hints and Tips in the Exam - Advice for your Child To support your child to prepare for the exam, share with them these hints and tips for when sitting the exam The first few minutes after the invigilator says "You may now begin" avoid the temptation to rush in. Adopt a calm approach by doing the following:

Read the instructions and make sure you understand them (e.g. How many questions from how many parts, how many questions in total, do the questions attract the same proportion of marks.

Read the whole paper, checking both sides of the page (or screen) so that you don't miss anything.

Plan how you are going to use your time - allocate time for each question relating to the number of marks it has. Make a note of this plan and stick to it.

Selecting questions.

Look for questions that relate to those parts of the course that you've revised. Read the questions carefully before you attempt to answer - what exactly is it asking? Does the question have more than one part? Make sure you underline key words in the question - looking for the command words. Having done all this, is the question about what you think it is and do you still want to answer it if you have a choice?

Writing essay style questions in exam conditions

Answering essay style questions is both about the knowledge you hold and the way in which you use that knowledge. Writing extended response answers in examinations is similar to writing essays. Spend a few moments planning your answer before you write it.

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Think about the following points:

You need to have a structure with a proper introduction and conclusion and cover points in an organised way. It may be

best to write less on each point and leave out some of the background. You need to include analysis of the points being raised and reflect upon them critically. Show understanding of different and possibly opposing points of view. Read the question carefully. You must demonstrate relevant knowledge by using terms, ideas and concepts from the course. Evidence and examples are important ways of supporting the points you make. Always ask yourself "is what I am including relevant to the question". Use proper sentences and paragraphs or bullet points. Keep your writing concise but always spell words out properly and never use texting abbreviations. Make sure that very thing you include is relevant to the question. If your mind goes blank don't panic. If you have a plan, you are less likely to go blank in the middle of a question, but should this still happen, go on to the next question and come back later to the one you were tackling. Another way of avoiding these blank moments is to jot down notes whenever ideas come into your head somewhere else on the exam paper.

Spotting Signs of Stress and Ways to Deal with It

Assisting with Revision

The secret to doing well in exams lies in planning. You can help your child to create a clear revision plan and method of studying that will make them feel in control of their work.

Tips for revision planning:

work out a revision timetable for each subject

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break revision time into small chunks - hour-long sessions with short breaks at the end of each session often work well

make sure your child has all the essential books and materials condense notes onto postcards to act as revision prompts buy new stationery, highlighters and pens to make revision more interesting go through school notes with your child or listen while they revise a topic time your child's attempts at practice papers

Providing all-round support

The best way to support your child during the stress of revision and exams is to make home life as calm and pleasant as possible. It helps if other members of the household are aware that your child may be under pressure and that allowances should be made for this.

If your child is given study leave in the run-up to exams, try to be at home as much as possible so that you can share a break and a chat together.

Make sure there are plenty of healthy snacks in the fridge and try to provide good, nutritious food at regular intervals. Encourage your child to join family meals, even if it's a busy revision day - it's important to have a change of scene and get away from the books and computer for a while. Also encourage your child to take regular exercise. A brisk walk can help clear the mind before the next revision session.

Try not to nag or make too many demands on your child during exam time. Arguments are counter-productive and will only add unnecessary stress and distract from revision.

It's important to get a good night's sleep before an exam, so discourage your child from staying up late to cram. And make sure he or she eats a good breakfast on the morning of the exam.

• Trouble sleeping due to worry

• Short tempered, snappy, tired

• Crying, headaches

• Poor appetite

• Loss of interest in things they used to enjoy

• Panic attacks

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Encourage your child to take time off and take some exercise. Going for a short walk allows you time to relax and think

things through. Try to listen and maintain their perspective.

If you have particular concerns, then please feel free to contact the school and they will be more than happy to work

things through with you.

Encouragement

Some children are 'encouraged' to do well in exams and are offered cash or gifts to achieve good grades. But bribery is not a good idea as it implies that the only worthwhile reward for hard work is money and that you don’t trust your child to work hard. Negative messages like these will affect your child’s sense of self-worth.

Encourage your child to do well for his or her own sake rather than for money or to please you. Explain that exams aren't an end in themselves but a gateway to the next stage of life - to another Key Stage or to GCSEs, A levels, university, college or work. Good results are themselves the best reward for hard work and will make your child proud of his or her achievements. Make sure your child knows you're interested in their work and that you'll be proud if they do well.

Appendix – Practice Questions

Ta’allum exams test our students’ ability to show their knowledge, skills, understanding and most of all their ability to

think. Students will clearly not be able to know the exact questions which will arise beforehand but they will be able to

approach their exams with confidence if they are familiar with the style of questions to be asked. The purpose practice

questions, both written and online is to support students by providing some typical question ‘styles’ in a range of subjects

across different years. Teachers work with their students to ensure they know the best ways to approach different

questions.

Practice questions for written exams are posted on school websites for all year groups under ‘Examinations’ OWLTS

Practice Questions are available by logging on to the OWLTS system.

You will notice that the questions are formulated at 3 levels of difficulty. (Easy, Medium and Difficult) All question papers

have been designed to ensure a mix of questions. In Years 7 and 8 the proportions will be one third ‘Easy,’ one third

‘Medium’ and one third ‘Difficult.’ The aim is to provide increasing levels of challenge over time for our students to prepare

them for the demands of international exams. All our students are encouraged to move towards more evaluative and

higher order thinking skills.

We aim to provide positive support to enable our students to achieve their highest potential level in the exams.