2018 PSLE Discussions & Strategies (Born in 2006)

[private]

I see! I was wondering why parents are ok with that ulu Thomson v-two classroom. Didn’t know the other side of the story. The sight of that classroom put me off totally. It is suitable for beauty/ hair salon but definitely not a tuition class!

[Bochapmum3]

I believe for primary level, there are only 2 main teachers at Academia, who are also the owners, so good thing is you know the teacher won’t anyhow change. But overall if can get a good teacher at TLL, I would have preferred to stay on at TLL. But since the teacher at TLL was hopeless, I am giving Academia a try. I find that most of the work is self-marked? Hardly any red ink, all green corrections done by the child. Standard wise, I feel if even more challenging than TLL. But I do not think more challenging means better. Easy to set challenging questions, difficult part is teaching how to tackle them.


For TLL, really depends on the teacher. For the other subject at TLL, we are lucky to get a good teacher which I don’t have to keep track of whether worksheets are returned, corrections done etc etc… everything v systematic.

[Estéema]

phtthp:

Estéema:

Just read news fr Academia that they now do annotation skills. You can call & check out with them.

Thank you for info, Esteema.

Had just contacted Academia. They said they combined Composition (Paper 1) and Paper 2, together.

eg

Inside one month of 4 lessons, conducted on a weekly, regular basis: they alternate between Paper 1 (compo) and Paper 2. That means only 2 out of 4 lessons :
will be on Comprehension. This is far too little exposure, insufficient practice, on OE Compreh. I asked further, \"Do you then open class just on Paper 2 alone, without tagging any Composition part along ? \" The Officer-in-charge on the phone replied , \"No. Our English tuition always combine with Composition, Paper 1.\"

Once again, nevertheless, Thank you very much for kind info, Esteema. But Academia centre doesn't meet my need.

Hey phtthp,

Did you enquire for Sherman Tseng or speak with him directly?

DC did one year with W@W, so had horned writing skills very well.

2017 was a good year at Academia, tho class gradually grew big, Sherman Tseng was able to spot weakness of each child for whichever element of English he teaches & guide each child well.

I do not vouch for other teachers in the centre. I only go for Sherman Tseng for DC bcoz I attended his parent talk in 2016 & tried to get his class as I know he was ex-HOD of Ai Tong. After 1 year with Sherman Tseng & recommended neighbors, niece & DC's many peers, he had never disappointed as he coached them all very effectively. In fact, only in June, one KSP mum managed to register for DSA & Oral practice class & shared how her son enjoyed learning esp the video interview part as I had described earlier.

One mum (my PRC neighbor) was initially worried her girl wld not benefit coz there was usually no hmwk, but thankfully her DD enjoyed learning in ST's lessons & told her mum she learnt correct techniques & stood well ST's coaching on her weak areas. Now she's in NYGH with T-score 269 and A* for English. Btw, ST is effectively bilingual himself.

Didn't know they've added venue. I know two KSP mum hoping for Academia to start classes in the East but they've decided not to dilute their efforts & worried abt stds too. Wonder why they moved to Thomson V, when 华艺学院 is able to secure space a few steps away in same bldg. :?

Just some notes :-

1. Academia hv a curriculum writer who originally writes all TLL curriculum, so maybe the resemblance of materials but I know ST had been doing a lot of content input & is very nurturing to local writers.

2. Fees are much less than TLL definitely and in my contact with both partners (much less with Johaan Loh as I spoke to him only once) are more passionate about helping the young to learn the English craft, and they're not businessmen per se.

[Bochapmum3]

Hi Esteema


From your experience, are most compositions done in class or at home? I would have preferred if the work is completed in the class, but seems like they usually just start to write one or two paragraphs in class and the rest of the compo needs to be completed at home.

Does the teacher mark the work first, then kids do corrections? Or kids just do, then teacher go through the answers after they are done?

[love1001]

Rainnie3, phtthp, private and bochapmum3, thank you for sharing about Academia. In fact, I am also kind of keen to send my girls there. Esteema is very kind to share so much feedback but I feel I should not use her son as a benchmark. From the few post that I read, I gathered that her child is an extremely bright boy so for this group of students, no matter which tuition place they are enrolled in, they will still do exceedingly well.


At least now, I am able to get a more balance view from the other parents. I fully agree that if we are able to get good EL teachers at TLL, actually TLL English is good. Academia standard is very high. I saw the P4/P5 materials, the content and vocab is certainly as tough as TLL. Do our 12-year old really need to learn such challenging stuff to do well in PSLE?

If students were to mark their own work, how do teachers know about their weakness and if they are following well in class? This is one concern for me. On top of that, I prefer a single EL tuition place that can teach both paper 1 and 2 well. It will be too tiring for my girls to have separate 2hr tuition for compo. There are so many tuition places yet so tough to narrow down to a single place that can help upper primary students ace in all area.

[Bochapmum3]

love1001:

Rainnie3, phtthp, private and bochapmum3, thank you for sharing about Academia. In fact, I am also kind of keen to send my girls there. Esteema is very kind to share so much feedback but I feel I should not use her son as a benchmark. From the few post that I read, I gathered that her child is an extremely bright boy so for this group of students, no matter which tuition place they are enrolled in, they will still do exceedingly well.


At least now, I am able to get a more balance view from the other parents. I fully agree that if we are able to get good EL teachers at TLL, actually TLL English is good. Academia standard is very high. I saw the P4/P5 materials, the content and vocab is certainly as tough as TLL. Do our 12-year old really need to learn such challenging stuff to do well in PSLE?

If students were to mark their own work, how do teachers know about their weakness and if they are following well in class? This is one concern for me. On top of that, I prefer a single EL tuition place that can teach both paper 1 and 2 well. It will be too tiring for my girls to have separate 2hr tuition for compo. There are so many tuition places yet so tough to narrow down to a single place that can help upper primary students ace in all area.

I agree for those kids who are attentive, on auto mode, do markings and correction conscientiously, they will do well even if the teacher is not very on type. My DC is far from that and needs someone to hound over him to hand in homework, do corrections etc. For self-mark, honestly, I don’t know how accurate his own marking is. For handing in of tuition homework, sometimes the teacher of some centres (not necessarily referring to Academia) don’t chase and my DC also don’t hand in. I also feel paiseh if everytime needs to ask the teacher to remind him to hand in his HW.

[laughingcat]

Bochapmum3, can share what level is your DC? Because contrary to what I have heard and seen. Maybe different level different takes.


Would like to hear more if I were to consider for my younger DC.

[lee_yl]

Oh yes, Esteema‘s son is very bright (passed gep round 2!) and is an all rounder who excels in ALL subjects. I think for fast learner, like what 1001 said, should have no problem going any centre. Oh, Academia more challenging than TLL? I feel that TLL’s standard is already pitched higher than mainstream schools.


TLL fees are expensive. Thus, I only let my girls attend one subject, English which they are most famous for. My DD1 went for trial at another centre at Goldhill recently, which is cheaper but the environment is different, 15 students cramped in a small classroom and they allow the students to eat/drink inside which shocked my girl.

My girls had been with TLL English since K2. So far, majority of the teachers are good except 1 or 2. Nonetheless, I am quite satisfied. For DD2, she is lucky to have the same Eng teacher who taught her through P4/P5/P6. The teacher last taught at a GEP centre before joining TLL.

[Bochapmum3]

laughingcat:

Bochapmum3, can share what level is your DC? Because contrary to what I have heard and seen. Maybe different level different takes.


Would like to hear more if I were to consider for my younger DC.

My DC is in P6. Which level have you enquired about?

[laughingcat]

:? Strange. Because I was chit chatting with a P6 student who happens to be waiting for his class. This student told me that when they completed the worksheet in class, the teacher will go through the worksheet with the students using the overhead projector to sift out the answer. The students will highlight or correct on the spot. After all these are done, the teacher will then marked the worksheet.


I am considering getting extra help on English for my DC2 as we are always a few marks shy away our target.