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    Foundation versus standard chinese how does it affects PSLE

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Secondary Schools - Selection
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    • L Offline
      lego
      last edited by

      Sorry, not able to help with your query but just wondering : are you given a choice to choose between foundation or standard chinese with 52 marks?


      A friend’s child was not given the choice to choose foundation subject (for maths) even though the child didn’t pass the subject. (think 40+ marks)

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      • L Offline
        lego
        last edited by

        Btw, have you considered DSA?

        If DSA, she won't be depending on her PSLE score which may be pulled down by chinese, esp since she is doing very well in other subjects?

        DSA is not just for top schools, there are some very good sec schools in the list too. All the best! 😄

        https://www.moe.gov.sg/admissions/direct-admissions/dsa-sec/participating-schools

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        • L Offline
          limws1
          last edited by

          If I am correct, as long as a student takes a Foundation subject, he/she is not allowed to go to the Express stream in sec schools. That makes all sec schools without Normal stream unavailable for the student.

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          • G Offline
            grimm
            last edited by

            limws1:
            If I am correct, as long as a student takes a Foundation subject, he/she is not allowed to go to the Express stream in sec schools. That makes all sec schools without Normal stream unavailable for the student.

            Do you have a reference for that? I'm also very interested to know since I'm pretty sure my son will have to take foundation chinese.

            Unfortunately, MOE seems to be vague on this but they do seem to say that this is not the case (hence the move to subject banding):

            \"The different expectations of standard and foundation subjects will be taken into account when
            your child’s PSLE score is calculated. Previously, students from EM3 stream would mostly enter the Normal (Technical) course at secondary level.

            With Subject-based Banding, some students with clear strengths in some areas are able
            to offer at least one subject at the standard level. If they excel in these subjects, they will
            then have the opportunity to pursue higher level options at secondary school.\"

            Taken from https://www.moe.gov.sg/docs/default-source/document/education/primary/files/subject-based-banding2015.pdf

            My view is that if a child is taking only one Foundation subject, I think there is a strong chance he/she is able to go to Express if he does well in his other subjects. If he is taking 2 Foundation subjects or more, likely he/she is not suitable for Express stream...

            Also this applies to the current scoring system, it is not clear how taking foundation will impact the future scoring system. (my guess is probably some form of penalty i.e. the foundation subject score will be say +2 of the standard score)

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            • L Offline
              limws1
              last edited by

              There is a possibility taking 3 std subjects and 1 foundation subject may go to express stream with enough t-score. Maybe I am wrong. But you would know by now foundation subject would result in lower scoring compared to std subject.


              I don’t see why a child needs to do foundation subject if he/she is still passing the subject. Even passing with lowarks, is still a pass. My DD school only recommend foundation subject when the student consistently fail the subject.

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              • N Offline
                nicnac
                last edited by

                Maybe she meant taking Normal Chinese vs Higher Chinese? Strange if she has to take foundation level when she is passing the subject. For other subjects, school usually recommend taking foundation level only if they are scoring consistently in the 30s.

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                • phtthpP Offline
                  phtthp
                  last edited by

                  limws1:
                  There is a possibility taking 3 std subjects and 1 foundation subject may go to Express stream with enough t-score. Maybe I am wrong. But you would know by now foundation subject would result in lower scoring compared to std subject.


                  I don't see why a child needs to do foundation subject if he/she is still passing the subject. Even passing with lowarks, is still a pass.

                  My DD school only recommend Foundation subject when the student consistently fail the subject.
                  My friend's daughter, (ASD) child :
                  from a mission primary school, tried very hard to get exempted from Chinese, year after year.

                  In the end :
                  at P6, she still failed to get exempted from Chinese, in spite of submitting reports to Educational psychologists, trying hard to seek exemption.

                  at PSLE :
                  her daughter did 3 Standard subjects for (English, Maths, Science) & Foundation Chinese.

                  Her primary school is affliated, to the Secondary school.
                  She managed to enter Express stream in Secondary, as her Total aggregate exceeded the minimum requirement (200), for Express stream.
                  She did well, in her 3 Standard subjects.

                  My friend said Foundation Chinese is easier to cope with, compared to Standard Chinese.

                  from SEAB (S'pore Examination Psle Assessment Board) -
                  Foundation Chinese : students still have to take Chinese Oral.

                  But, do you see any Zuowen (Chinese Compo) requirement, inside ?
                  You may check :
                  http://www.seab.gov.sg/content/syllabus ... 5_2016.pdf



                  in contrast, here I s Psle Standard Chinese, must do Zuowen :
                  http://www.seab.gov.sg/content/syllabus ... 5_2016.pdf

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                  • G Offline
                    grimm
                    last edited by

                    Thanks for the input, limws1 and nicnac.


                    I didn’t know what is the criteria for using foundation level previously. Nevertheless my son will most likely be a borderline case. (I will be happy if he can just pass Chinese for the next 12 years)

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                    • L Offline
                      limws1
                      last edited by

                      I will be happy for you too. It is the learning that counts and not the marks.

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