2014 PSLE Discussions and Strategy

[whitecarrotcake]

My view is that eng and math have set the tone of what is to be expected for science and Chinese - easy qns as well as what are seemingly easy but are tricky qns.

[GiftedGem]

To certain extent, both papers are easy but yet tricky.

The options are quite close to one another if you read more on the PSLE 2014 strategies and discussion thread.

No point guessing whether the next 2 papers are easy or difficult.
Just hope our kids can decipher the qns with care esp the tricky ones.

[urbanemale]

ASLMUM:

:roll:

MommyM:

Hi ASLMUm, i think they will consider for as long as the child used american english throughout the entire paper. They will check for consistency.

Thanks MommyM. Quite worrying. DS keeps insisting it is acceptable but i would think in Singapore, we generally use the British version.

Yes, both American English spelling and British English spelling are accepted in the PSLE. This is clearly spelt out in the PSLE Information Booklet issued to schools and English HODs. I was an English HOD for many years before I left the system. I was a supervisor at the PSLE marking exercise for years. If American English isn't accepted in the PSLE, why do teachers and pupils use American English vocabulary such as \"apartment\" , \"cookies\" , \"movie\" , \"vacation\" and \"elevator\" instead of \"flat\", \"biscuits\" , \"film\", \"holiday\" and \"lift\" (only)? A lot of teachers and parents have this misconception that our kids are learning British English in school. We are actually using Standard Singapore English in school, not British English or American English.

[urbanemale]

ASLMUM:

:roll:

MommyM:

Hi ASLMUm, i think they will consider for as long as the child used american english throughout the entire paper. They will check for consistency.

Thanks MommyM. Quite worrying. DS keeps insisting it is acceptable but i would think in Singapore, we generally use the British version.

Yes, both American English spelling and British English spelling are accepted in the PSLE. This is clearly spelt out in the PSLE Information Booklet issued to schools and English HODs. I was an English HOD for many years before I left the system. I was a supervisor at the PSLE marking exercise for years. If American English isn't accepted in the PSLE, why do teachers and pupils use American English vocabulary such as \"apartment\" , \"cookies\" , \"movie\" , \"vacation\" and \"elevator\" instead of \"flat\", \"biscuits\" , \"film\", \"holiday\" and \"lift\" (only)? A lot of teachers and parents have this misconception that our kids are learning British English in school. We are actually using Standard Singapore English in school, not British English or American English.

[urbanemale]

panickymum:

GiftedGem:

[quote=\"Kitty\"]both appetising and appetizing will be mark correct.

Not sure about this....but DD's Eng tr would mark the class wrong when they spelt colour as color, neighbour as neighbor, realise as realize.

I personally felt unfair as our children expose to US novels and shows . They may learn this words through reading .[/quote]
Don't worry about this because American English is accepted in the PSLE. In fact, it is stated explicitly in the PSLE Information Booklet issued to schools. Unfortunately I cannot upload a picture of this but you may want to check with your kid's English HOD. What I can do here is to quote verbatim from the booklet :

Speak, write and represent in internationally acceptable English (Standard English) that is grammatical, fluent, mutually intelligible and appropriate for different purposes ...

Understand and use internationally acceptable English (Standard English) grammar and vocabulary accurately and appropriately...

In 2013, both \"practised\" (British English) and \"practiced\" (American English) were listed in the Compre Cloze mark scheme at the PSLE marking exercise. Teachers who were involved in the marking of Paper 2 last year would know this fact.

[urbanemale]

panickymum:

GiftedGem:

[quote=\"Kitty\"]both appetising and appetizing will be mark correct.

Not sure about this....but DD's Eng tr would mark the class wrong when they spelt colour as color, neighbour as neighbor, realise as realize.

I personally felt unfair as our children expose to US novels and shows . They may learn this words through reading .[/quote]
Don't worry about this because American English is acceptable in the PSLE. In fact, it is stated explicitly in the PSLE Information Booklet issued to school. Unfortunately I cannot upload a picture of this but if you may want to check with your kid's English HOD. What I can do here is to quote verbatim -

Speak, write and represent in internationally acceptable English (Standard English) that is grammatical, fluent, mutually intelligible and appropriate for different purposes ...

Understand and use internationally acceptable English (Standard English) grammar and vocabulary accurately and appropriately...

In 2013, both \"practised\" (British English) and \"practiced\" (American English) were listed in the Compre Cloze mark scheme at the PSLE marking exercise. Teachers who were involved in the marking of Paper 2 last year would know this fact.

[Mama Mania]

From my observation, the languages either make or break the Tscore. 2A* in EL n MT with 2As in Sc n Maths can bring a child’s Tscore to 260s as opposed to 2A* in Sc n Maths n 2As in EL n MT, speaking from experience.So really jia you to 2nd lang paper tomorrow.


Whats done for Maths cant be undone and needless to agonise whose answers may be right as no parents other than the kids themselves have seen the questions. They may be browsing this website and be very affected by the "answers". Accordingly to a teacher friend, this Maths paper is indeed a very tricky paper not seemingly easy one.

All the very best to the next 2 important papers. Give them your very best cheers hugs n kisses n encouragement to fight this last leg of good fight.

[Mumflower]

Mama Mania:

From my observation, the languages either make or break the Tscore. 2A* in EL n MT with 2As in Sc n Maths can bring a child's Tscore to 260s as opposed to 2A* in Sc n Maths n 2As in EL n MT, speaking from experience.So really jia you to 2nd lang paper tomorrow.


Whats done for Maths cant be undone and needless to agonise whose answers may be right as no parents other than the kids themselves have seen the questions. They may be browsing this website and be very affected by the \"answers\". Accordingly to a teacher friend, this Maths paper is indeed a very tricky paper not seemingly easy one.

All the very best to the next 2 important papers. Give them your very best cheers hugs n kisses n encouragement to fight this last leg of good fight.

:goodpost:

[whitecarrotcake]

Mama Mania:

From my observation, the languages either make or break the Tscore. 2A* in EL n MT with 2As in Sc n Maths can bring a child's Tscore to 260s as opposed to 2A* in Sc n Maths n 2As in EL n MT, speaking from experience.So really jia you to 2nd lang paper tomorrow.


Whats done for Maths cant be undone and needless to agonise whose answers may be right as no parents other than the kids themselves have seen the questions. They may be browsing this website and be very affected by the \"answers\". Accordingly to a teacher friend, this Maths paper is indeed a very tricky paper not seemingly easy one.

All the very best to the next 2 important papers. Give them your very best cheers hugs n kisses n encouragement to fight this last leg of good fight.

I think it's how strong one's A star is and how strong one's A is that'll tip the t-score, not so much on languages or math/science making or breaking the t-score.

[janet88]

all the best for today’s paper.