Secondary School Literature
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SpartanMum:
Our ed system is off balance but MOE doesn't have any intention to fix it as long as I know, and schools will continue to cheong for KPIs minus Lit.
Literature is not a subject you take to fill up your subjects or because you don't qualify for any other subject combination.It a terrific subject that needs a good deal of thought and analysis. It teaches students great values. I really wish there was more importance given to the study of Literature in schools
So we have kids who scored for O Levels
A / Distinction for Literature yet have no more developed sense of empathy (I think many of our MPs belong here)
A / Distinction for Math yet can't do a bit on personal financial budgeting
A / Distinction for Chinese yet can't speak more than 2 sentences of pure Mandarin without kicking in an English word
A / Distinction for pure Biology yet anyhow eat
Etc
Heart bleeding again... -
hercules:
I don't know what schools trying to achieve by using these two books at Sec 1 level. I believe 90% of good life Singapore kids don't have the emotional maturity to appreciate the real meanings of the stories.D3@n:
[quote=\"scotia\"]She asked me what are the books sec 1 students are reading in school, which I've no idea. :? So i ask parents in this forum loh..anyway she loves reading, since she's interested to find out, why not?
You can try The Boy In Striped Pajamas and/or Animal Farm. Most of my students read this. Schools change their literature texts often but these are great books to read even if not in your child's school list.
Dont know what the schools trying to proof (most kids can score due to 'exam prep' more than understanding the 'morals' of the stories and this to me is ultra meaningless).[/quote]I have to agree with you on this.
Frankly speaking, the subject matter may not be easy even for the Upper Secondary students. This only serves to intimidate the students more and lower the level of appreciation for the subject. Only with my A Levels students can I have a more meaningful discussion when we touch on the various themes of their texts. Literature was my favourite subject in school and my first choice as a subject in JC. I had great texts selected by the school and inspiring lecturers and tutors to guide me along. And I really hope there'd be more love for the subject in Singapore.
BTW, I am quite appalled that most of my students are given model answers by their school Literature teachers to memorise for their tests and exams. :mad: -
hercules:
I don't know who chooses the texts, but they have forgotten that just because the vocabulary is within the grasp of a 13yo child, it doesn't mean that the book is one that the child can read and really appreciate. Which then leads to teachers just teaching the kids to learn \"points\" by rote and handing out model answers. This may improve grades but does nothing to inculcate a love for literature, or improve thinking skills. As in many areas, I wonder how this happens when we have very highly-qualified people in Education in MOE and NIE?I had this simple story of Emil & the Detectives (if I remember it correctly) as my Sec 1 Lit storybook. Simple plot that a 13 yo can put him/herself in the story 'easily' to experience like the main characters for us to learn empathy and do 'character analysis' etc out from this book effectively and meaningfully (key objectives of Literature).
Fast forward to now is story such as Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and the like. I went through this book two years ago when my nephew was Sec 1. Teared briefly after reading the thin book while in my heart I lamented how to 'teach' my then 13 yo nephew about the sorrowful plot (before he started reading the book, I let him watch the world wars, talked to him briefly about Hitler, etc, that I didn't feel he was really interested, but without these backgrounds, how to appreciate the plot 'properly'. Anyway, he did well for his exam coz exam technique not difficult to learn. Now at Sec 3, I doubt he remembers much of this book that he read just to clear exam).
Schools are now overboard with kids with such 'heavy' literature materials. I wonder they really dont know that most will not have the emotional maturity nor exposure to understand the plots of such 'chim' stories at 13 yo?
Force feeding system. -
SpartanMum:
This was the case in my day, 40 yrs ago. Looks like it hasn't changed despite the introduction of the Humanities Programme, the requirement for compulsory Humanities subjects in sec school, a contrasting subject in JC etc.4) Many schools have cut off points for students who wish to take Science rich subject combinations ...none for the Humanities. It almost feels like this is a dumping ground for those who cannot make it to Science. Tragic!
Literature is not a subject you take to fill up your subjects or because you don't qualify for any other subject combination.It a terrific subject that needs a good deal of thought and analysis. It teaches students great values. I really wish there was more importance given to the study of Literature in schools -
hercules:
I don't know what schools trying to achieve by using these two books at Sec 1 level. I believe 90% of good life Singapore kids don't have the emotional maturity to appreciate the real meanings of the stories.D3@n:
[quote=\"scotia\"]She asked me what are the books sec 1 students are reading in school, which I've no idea. :? So i ask parents in this forum loh..anyway she loves reading, since she's interested to find out, why not?
You can try The Boy In Striped Pajamas and/or Animal Farm. Most of my students read this. Schools change their literature texts often but these are great books to read even if not in your child's school list.
Dont know what the schools trying to proof (most kids can score due to 'exam prep' more than understanding the 'morals' of the stories and this to me is ultra meaningless).[/quote]What makes you think Sec 1 children cannot understand or do not have the maturity to comprehend those 2 books? They are taught WWI/II and Cold War in lower sec history right? The history texts serve as good backgrounders for those 2 books. Still better than those Austen, Bronte books I had to study in lower sec. Be thankful at least they can reference back to their History textbooks.
A lot of lower primary kids have already read Animal Farm and TBISP for your info. They also can also comprehend Anne Frank, Friedrich, etc. Don't underestimate our young readers
At age 9, I already knew what Holocaust was. I also knew about Soviet Union and Communism in lower primary.
Anyway, this TBISP is all rubbish. Not a big fan of this crazy fable written by an Irish writer in 2006. No 8-year-old would be in the concentration camp as they were systemically sorted upon their arrival by the Nazis. They were killed immediately as they were deemed useless. Those older ones who could labour won't even have the luxury of time to chit chat with Germans across the barbed wire which were heavily guarded by the soldiers and dogs. -
Zeit:
Reading, comprehending and understanding are different matters - even though they all sound / look the same.
...
A lot of lower primary kids have already read Animal Farm and TBISP for your info. They also can also comprehend Anne Frank, Friedrich, etc. Don't underestimate our young readers At age 9, I already knew what Holocaust was. I also knew about Soviet Union and Communism in lower primary.
...
Take an example, I read the Bible.
Do I understand the words used? No \"cheem\" words used (at least in the version I read), so I can read it from end to end and comprehend the text comfortably.
In fact, it's one of my favourite bedtime story book (found in the bedside tables of some of the hotels that I stayed in).
Clearly, I am not a Christian and the Bible is to me, similar to the Disney tales, a book filled with stories about mystery, sorcery, good vs evil kinda thing.
Would I be able to understand it the way a Christian understands or sees it? No, but I could (if I make an effort to).
The lower primary (and even lower secondary) kids are in the same shoes when confronted with such literature texts - able to read it from cover to cover but barely comprehending some of the nuances and meanings inside. This is probably why schools \"would rather 'exam prep' their kids in Literature more than trying to make them understand the 'morals' of the stories\" because the latter is so much more difficult if the kids aren't \"emotionally matured\" enough. -
floppy:
Yes, I know these are different matters, but I do not believe Sec 1 student of this generation (with access to internet, documentaries, war movies and so many library books) doesn't have the maturity to comprehend a simple book like TBISP because it's not high literature in the first place. A fast reader can easily finish in half a day or 3 hours.
Reading, comprehending and understanding are different matters - even though they all sound / look the same.Zeit:
...
A lot of lower primary kids have already read Animal Farm and TBISP for your info. They also can also comprehend Anne Frank, Friedrich, etc. Don't underestimate our young readers At age 9, I already knew what Holocaust was. I also knew about Soviet Union and Communism in lower primary.
...
Take an example, I read the Bible.
Do I understand the words used? No \"cheem\" words used (at least in the version I read), so I can read it from end to end and comprehend the text comfortably.
In fact, it's one of my favourite bedtime story book (found in the bedside tables of some of the hotels that I stayed in).
Clearly, I am not a Christian and the Bible is to me, similar to the Disney tales, a book filled with stories about mystery, sorcery, good vs evil kinda thing.
Would I be able to understand it the way a Christian understands or sees it? No, but I could (if I make an effort to).
The lower primary (and even lower secondary) kids are in the same shoes when confronted with such literature texts - able to read it from cover to cover but barely comprehending some of the nuances and meanings inside. This is probably why schools \"would rather 'exam prep' their kids in Literature more than trying to make them understand the 'morals' of the stories\" because the latter is so much more difficult if the kids aren't \"emotionally matured\" enough.
The themes are very simple to begin with (go to sparknotes), so with correct and proper intervention / guidance by an adult who is an avid reader or by a former Lit student, the student (lower Pri /Sec) can understand it reasonably well. The depth of their book reviews might differ of course. 6 year old may write '4 legs good 2 legs bad', but surely a Sec 1 student can write a better critique after acquiring some techniques like PEEL and literary devices from his Lit teacher? I cannot accept that Sec 1 child cannot comprehend a low literature text like TBISP.
Don't think too highly of this novel or over-interpret it please. Too sensationalised in my opinion. This 20-something Boyne who worked in Waterstones Dublin wrote it in 2 days, probably after watching Schindler's List, Sophie's Choice and Life is Beautiful.
https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/first-draft-of-the-boy-in-striped-pyjamas-took-me-two-days-1.3034687 -
floppy:
For religious scriptures, that's why you need bible studies or Sunday school teachers to guide the readers. If you do not understand, you can always google the verses (Ch + Verse) and get the interpretations online, just like you would google sparknotes to understand some lit texts.Take an example, I read the Bible.
Do I understand the words used? No \"cheem\" words used (at least in the version I read), so I can read it from end to end and comprehend the text comfortably.
In fact, it's one of my favourite bedtime story book (found in the bedside tables of some of the hotels that I stayed in).
Clearly, I am not a Christian and the Bible is to me, similar to the Disney tales, a book filled with stories about mystery, sorcery, good vs evil kinda thing.
Would I be able to understand it the way a Christian understands or sees it? No, but I could (if I make an effort to).
I think for Lit, engaging a good Lit tutor like D3@n may help too.
I'm not sure if Hercules was ever a E Lit student himself or not. If he wasn't, then sorry he is not a good tutor for his Sec 1 nephew. The reason why I understood those heavy themes was because my aunt who was damn good in E Lit from RGS came to coach me and read with me every other weekend when I was little. She borrowed a lot of novels for my siblings and I from the library. She was the right tutor, so coupled with our precocity and reasonably high reading skills, we did not have problems with The Good Earth, Anne Frank, Charlotte's Web and so on. I also understood Communism because I communicated with my PRC cousins in China via snail mail. I knew about Soviet Union because my parents taught us to 'read' the Atlas and bought us a globe in kindergarten. I also watched the news. So understanding Animal Farm wasn't that difficult.
If you bother to intervene, your child will understand those basic moral themes lah. Don't get a fright when you see your child's primary school teachers giving you photocopies of well-written book reviews and newspaper analyses by other classmates. A lot of youngsters can think, imagine and write damn well in lower primary these days. With early intervention, that is. -
Yes, it must be true…not everyone who "gets" Lit or excels in it has emotional maturity, empathy and humility.
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Zeit:
... so coupled with our precocity and reasonably high reading skills...
I think you have answered the question why the majority of students do not cope so well with the type of books chosen for Sec 1. Obviously, those without these attributes would struggle.
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