[PSLE MT] PSLE less weightage in Chinese / Mother Tongue
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rags:
Not following for the sake of following, but there is a REASON why no one else in the world has this. It's because it doesn't make sense. Eg. even China, which knows English is important because it's the most widely used business language, doesn't expect their children to score the same weightage for English and Chinese at the basic primary school level.[/quote]The fact is that in China, there is no PSLE at all!
:? Why you say that when the weightage is equal across all 4 subjects today?Busymom:
[quote=\"rags\"]
The question is now, those who do ok in EMS but good in MT are scoring higher than those who do well in EMS but badly in MT. That's not reflective of true overall ability. Are we saying that the first group are more well-rounded than the seoncd group?
The scoring in PSLE is very funny. You tend to get higher if everything is slightly above average than if you do well in 3 and do badly in one. It's the bell curve, those towards the the end of bell curve will pull down by a lot.rags:
:? Why do we have to follow the rest of the world? Are we where we are today by following other countries' policies?A second language same weightage as a first language is not right and is not done ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.
On the contrary, PRC parents are eager to invest in their kids' English learning....there are many English tuition/enrichment program catered not only for Primary but also for pre-schoolers!! -
rags:
Sigh... please read carefully before you post. Jedamum was referring to the group that are slightly above average in 3 other subjects (ie the average joe). Of course those who excel in all 4 subjects will do better than only those who ace EMS and not MT. That's fair. The question is now, those who do ok in EMS but good in MT are scoring higher than those who do well in EMS but badly in MT. That's not reflective of true overall ability. Are we saying that the first group are more well-rounded than the seoncd group?ihavethingtosay:
and based on your argument, the truly all rounders are those who excel in 4 subjects. therefore ppl who ace EMS and not MT should accept it that they are not good enough to get into top schools, based on your logic. by the way, those who are good in other subjects but not english definitely do not deserve to be higher. since when do they obtain a higher grade? mind you, everything is all 25% now. and not MT 30%.ihavethingtosay:
So why don't we just include art, music, PE, social studies and have everything equal weightage? Fair right? Because the weightage needs to be representative of what is core for basic primary education. A second language same weightage as a first language is not right and is not done ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.therefore, there is no need to cut here and there. just face it. so isn't it best for equal weightage for all? it balances out and you get an average. tada. the ones who have higher Tscores get into 'their top schools'. DONE
I dun quite agree with it.
If Chinese has to be classified as a 2nd lang only because it is not Truly Mother tongue, then what is your mother tongue? dialect? If so why Cantonese/Houkien follows similar/same structure as Mandarin?
Isn't Mandarin the Mother of a dialect?
even if Chinese is only 75% MT and Chinese is only a 2nd lang, then 75%MT + 100% 2nd lang will never be < 1st lang ![/b] -
rags:
Sigh... please read carefully before you post. Jedamum was referring to the group that are slightly above average in 3 other subjects (ie the average joe). Of course those who excel in all 4 subjects will do better than only those who ace EMS and not MT. That's fair. The question is now, those who do ok in EMS but good in MT are scoring higher than those who do well in EMS but badly in MT. That's not reflective of true overall ability. Are we saying that the first group are more well-rounded than the seoncd group?ihavethingtosay:
and based on your argument, the truly all rounders are those who excel in 4 subjects. therefore ppl who ace EMS and not MT should accept it that they are not good enough to get into top schools, based on your logic. by the way, those who are good in other subjects but not english definitely do not deserve to be higher. since when do they obtain a higher grade? mind you, everything is all 25% now. and not MT 30%.ihavethingtosay:
So why don't we just include art, music, PE, social studies and have everything equal weightage? Fair right? Because the weightage needs to be representative of what is core for basic primary education. A second language same weightage as a first language is not right and is not done ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.therefore, there is no need to cut here and there. just face it. so isn't it best for equal weightage for all? it balances out and you get an average. tada. the ones who have higher Tscores get into 'their top schools'. DONE
It is not ture.
Taking PRC (our favourie country of topic), Eng is very emphasized. They dun have PSLE, but they have test similar as O/A levels, and Eng weightage is SAME as Chinese. [/b] -
PRC students in China, esp those top ones, are crazy learning Eng. Not only becoz of the weightage, but becoz they have to sore high in GMAT/GRE/Toefl etc to go to top U in USA, Europe…though their oral is very weak
No matter what motivate ppl to learn a 2nd lang, 2nd lang is highly valued/emphasized/recognized… in country other than SG. -
jedamum:
I was from a big name school. I did not get better teachers or resources. Only stress and competition. Being in a big name school only taught me that no matter how hard I try, I am not going to be number 1 like in my primary school (no name school). This was because I could never do very well in English.
although i agree, but i tend to also agree that (on a broad basis) 'bigger name schools' have more resources and opportunity and exposure for the students to do well (or at least the student himself must also want to do well to start withtamarind:
If a student is motivated to work hard, he can get excellent grades even if he studies in Queenstown Secondary School.
) -
jedamum:
I agree. Even if Chinese is reduced to zero weighting, I am still going to make my kids read Chinese books everyday, because there are many wonderful books written in Chinese, and the language itself is beautiful.
those who really are concerned about culture will continue to focus on MT education despite lesser weightage.
I don't worry about the future of the Chinese language at all. And I am not bothered about those who don't know what they are losing out. -
Yes. I agreed. No matter what is going to change we will not reduce the effort in MT as future is difficult to predict. Do not want to in the situation of 书到用时方恨少
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Hi all,
I understand that the petition website have some error and some of you have received this error message:
\"You have already signed this petition. If you believe this is an error, please wait 24 hours and try again.\"
May I know how did you manage to solve this problem?
I need to provide a solution to this problem so that more people can sign the petition. Let me know yeah?
Have a nice day!
P/S: Have you signed the petition? http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/pslemothertongue/ -
tamarind:
Same sentiments.
I agree. Even if Chinese is reduced to zero weighting, I am still going to make my kids read Chinese books everyday, because there are many wonderful books written in Chinese, and the language itself is beautiful.
I don't worry about the future of the Chinese language at all. And I am not bothered about those who don't know what they are losing out.
I send my kids to a SAP school so that they can learn Chinese in a conducive environment right from P1. The Chinese standard in SAP schools is higher, so the students learn more. Languages are better learnt early in life. The earlier, the better. I know of a Korean boy who came to Singapore when he was 5 years old, and only started learning Chinese then. Know what, he can still do very well in all his subjects, including Chinese, so as to get into the first class in a SAP school. He is also good in his own korean language, speaking the language with his parents everyday. :love: If others can keep their MT and learn Chinese at the same time, I really don't see the need for our own Singaporean Chinese to ask for lower MT weightage. -
Picolo:
Languages are better learnt early in life. The earlier, the better.
I absolutely agree. The best age to learn Chinese is between 3 to 6. At this age, kids are capable of learning all the Chinese characters required to read about 80% of Chinese newspapers. No hanyu pinyin, only character recognition is most important. I have read about at least 2 famous authors in China who taught their daughters to be able to do so. My daughter is able to read Chinese chapter books before the age of 7.
For a child who focus only on English before the age of 7, and then taught hanyu pinyin at P1, this is a big mistake. He will naturally find Chinese difficult to learn, because he already knows English and prefers English. Anything new and different, is difficult for a child, and even an adult.
I wonder when MOE is going to realized what are the best methods of teaching Chinese, instead of thinking of ways to reduce the weighting. I think perhaps all those making decisions are not good in Chinese ?
I hope that parents, instead of complaining that Chinese is difficult to learn, start teaching your kids no later than 3 years old (best to start reading Chinese books to them since birth). If parents cannot read Chinese, then send the kids to enrichment class or get a good Chinese tutor. If kids start learning from a very young age, they only need to learn for a short time everyday, and Chinese will become very easy for him when he is older.
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