[PSLE MT] PSLE less weightage in Chinese / Mother Tongue

[James Ang]

What is the best weighting for Maths and Science in the PSLE?



Mother tongue weighting in PSLE could be cut - SPH News ST Headlines 21/04/2010


http://www.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20100421-211509.html

Mother tongue weighting in PSLE could be cut - SPH News ST Headlines 21/04/2010

THE high weighting given to mother tongue languages in the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) is now under review and could be reduced.

Education Minister Ng Eng Hen says his ministry is studying whether it is educationally sound for mother tongue language performance to count for so much at the Primary 6 level.

'The worry is whether it could exclude someone from progressing in his educational pathway even if he did well in other subjects,' said Dr Ng in an interview with The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao.

[joconde]

James Ang:

Education Minister Ng Eng Hen says his ministry is studying whether it is educationally sound for mother tongue language performance to count for so much at the Primary 6 level.


'The worry is whether it could exclude someone from progressing in his educational pathway even if he did well in other subjects,' said Dr Ng in an interview with The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao.

This makes sense to students who are weak in MT but strong in math/sci. However, it would be unfair to students who are strong in MT and not math/sci-inclined. They will be greatly disadvantaged when it comes to sec 1 posting.

Wouldn't it be fairer to have a system like L1R5 ? That is, student can choose to place the lower weightage on either mother tongue or math/sci, depending on his weak area.

[MMM]

Is there a avenue that we can get our feedback to the MOE/ the Minister in charge on this issue ?


We are already losing our dialect speaking ability in our kiddos… Are we going to lose Chinese too? :!:

[junrahmat]

Will this affect only Chinese or other MT as well? As I’ve seen many new initiatives taken to help the Chinese ppls with their Chinese lang in sch but not much being done to other MT.

[James Ang]

joconde:

James Ang:

Education Minister Ng Eng Hen says his ministry is studying whether it is educationally sound for mother tongue language performance to count for so much at the Primary 6 level.


'The worry is whether it could exclude someone from progressing in his educational pathway even if he did well in other subjects,' said Dr Ng in an interview with The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao.

This makes sense to students who are weak in MT but strong in math/sci. However, it would be unfair to students who are strong in MT and not math/sci-inclined. They will be greatly disadvantaged when it comes to sec 1 posting.

Wouldn't it be fairer to have a system like L1R5 ? That is, student can choose to place the lower weightage on either mother tongue or math/sci, depending on his weak area.

Singapore's Primary Maths and Science are top in the world, I don't think it is wise to risk the prestigious world placing by having Maths and Science as \"optional\" per the L1R5 style of system. More likely, this top in the world placing will be further strengthened to keep us at the top in the world every year.

[tamarind]

MMM:

Is there a avenue that we can get our feedback to the MOE/ the Minister in charge on this issue ?


We are already losing our dialect speaking ability in our kiddos.... Are we going to lose Chinese too? :!:

As I have written above :

Please use this feedback form and send your comments to MOE.
http://www.moe.gov.sg/feedback/

[tamarind]

watmekiasu:

As a parent, it doesn't make any difference to me the weightage of Chinese in an exam. My daughter is learning Chinese for the language itself. No doubt with less weightage, there will be less stress on her as she spends an inordinate amount of time (70%) on that one subject alone. With less weightage, she can learn it at a more leisurely and enjoyable pace. I believe in the long run, because Chinese was not such a torture, it will bear fruits.


The PRC do well in English here because there is a total English immersion here. Try sending your child to China and you will see their Mandarin improve heaps.

I totally agree with you too. I want my kids to enjoy learning Chinese, because of the wonderful language and culture. I don't understand why parents say that learning Chinese is a torture. Both my kids are very happy reading our wonderful Chinese picture books every night. Parents only have to make an effort to expose their kids to Chinese books from as young as possible. The best age to learn Chinese is from 3 to 6 years old. It is sad that because parents have prejudice towards the Chinese language, they influence their kids in a negative way.

One billion people in China are able to learn Chinese. It is totally not logical to say that there are kids who are excellent in English and Maths, but do not have the ability to do well in Chinese. The only problem is that the parents started to let them learn Chinese too late.

For example, if parents only read English books to kids before the age of 5, and only teach them ABCs and phonics, then kids will certainly be more comfortable with English and refuse to learn any other languages that is different from English.

In the case of my kids, I teach them to read English, while my mother reads many Chinese story books to them every night, since they were babies. That is why my kids enjoy reading both English and Chinese books, so long as the books are good.

[verykiasu2010]

tamarind:

verykiasu2010:

need to combine some effort to present our views to the MOE on Chn ? I know some will shoot me down now .....lol

Please use this feedback form and send your comments to MOE.
http://www.moe.gov.sg/feedback/

I have written to them a few times on other matters, they do get the relevant officer to send a proper reply. We need thousands of parents to send in their comments in order for something to be done.

This is the best way to get our views heard. The gahmen do not care about comments in the internet forums. They want to hear comments from real people.

Thanks for the link

Yah, they are worried about \"astroturfing\" ...

[money9090]

my first impression: WT…


unfair to those non-english speaking family, should cut english weighting.

same apply to those weak at Math, Science

[verykiasu2010]

tamarind:

watmekiasu:

As a parent, it doesn't make any difference to me the weightage of Chinese in an exam. My daughter is learning Chinese for the language itself. No doubt with less weightage, there will be less stress on her as she spends an inordinate amount of time (70%) on that one subject alone. With less weightage, she can learn it at a more leisurely and enjoyable pace. I believe in the long run, because Chinese was not such a torture, it will bear fruits.


The PRC do well in English here because there is a total English immersion here. Try sending your child to China and you will see their Mandarin improve heaps.

I totally agree with you too. I want my kids to enjoy learning Chinese, because of the wonderful language and culture. I don't understand why parents say that learning Chinese is a torture. Both my kids are very happy reading our wonderful Chinese picture books every night. Parents only have to make an effort to expose their kids to Chinese books from as young as possible. The best age to learn Chinese is from 3 to 6 years old. It is sad that because parents have prejudice towards the Chinese language, they influence their kids in a negative way.

One billion people in China are able to learn Chinese. It is totally not logical to say that there are kids who are excellent in English and Maths, but do not have the ability to do well in Chinese. The only problem is that the parents started to let them learn Chinese too late.

don't think that it is easy for the people in PRC to learn and teach chinese language too, they have at least 56 major language groups & tribes ....and if you notice their money, the Rmb, at least has 4 languages printed on it ......

we are just taking the easy way out