2020 PSLE Discussions and Strategies(for those born in 2008)

[floppy]

Speed is still in the syllabus. Don’t have to take my word for it, you can read it yourself:

https://www.moe.gov.sg/docs/default-source/document/education/syllabuses/sciences/files/primary_mathematics_syllabus_pri1_to_pri5.pdf.
Probably a good idea to print out the syllabus, burn it and drink the remains if you want to know it by heart by the way, all subjects syllabus are available online, all the way to A Level. So, don’t have to speculate what’s in and what’s out.

Not sure how the rumor started, but what’s in the syllabus and what’s being tested isn’t always the same thing (hence, there’s a term called “spotting”).

[manorway]

I recalled a few tuition centres advised in the parents’ briefings that Speed and Rate is one of those topics that will not be heavily tested. So if a student is running out of time and just cannot understand this topic, some tutors do recommend dropping the topic to focus on the more important topics.

[manorway]

I recalled a few tuition centres advised in the parents’ briefings that Speed and Rate is one of those topics that will not be heavily tested. So if a student is running out of time and just cannot understand this topic, some tutors do recommend dropping the topic to focus on the more important topics.

[phtthp]

Thank you very much, manorway, for kind sharing.


For 2019 P6, "Speed" is an important topic

[floppy]

phtthp\" post_id=\"1947706\" time=\"1574362580\" user_id=\"35251:

Thank you very much, manorway, for kind sharing.

For 2019 P6, \"Speed\" is an important topic

“Important” topic but didn’t come out in 2019. So the topic is not that important actually. The tuition centres are spot on in seeing that.

[floppy]

manorway\" post_id=\"1947691\" time=\"1574355711\" user_id=\"9303:

I recalled a few tuition centres advised in the parents' briefings that Speed and Rate is one of those topics that will not be heavily tested. So if a student is running out of time and just cannot understand this topic, some tutors do recommend dropping the topic to focus on the more important topics.

Exam is as much about testing knowledge and testing exam “techniques”. Knowing when to go for the kill and when to let go is also an important “technique”.

There’s a good sharing by a poster in the thread on working with weaker students. Ultimately, we need to understand the rate of return in investing in one topic. Speed and Rate probably doesn’t offer a decent rate of return given the amount of effort required in understanding vs the number of possible marks at stake.

[manorway]

floppy\" post_id=\"1947721\" time=\"1574377298\" user_id=\"97579:

manorway\" post_id=\"1947691\" time=\"1574355711\" user_id=\"9303:

I recalled a few tuition centres advised in the parents' briefings that Speed and Rate is one of those topics that will not be heavily tested. So if a student is running out of time and just cannot understand this topic, some tutors do recommend dropping the topic to focus on the more important topics.

Exam is as much about testing knowledge and testing exam “techniques”. Knowing when to go for the kill and when to let go is also an important “technique”.

There’s a good sharing by a poster in the thread on working with weaker students. Ultimately, we need to understand the rate of return in investing in one topic. Speed and Rate probably doesn’t offer a decent rate of return given the amount of effort required in understanding vs the number of possible marks at stake.

Agree! This advice by tuition centres was also shared a few times in Facebook forums and for many years already.

The same for Science. Not all topics are equally important.

For strong students aiming for A*, they need to know all.

For weaker students, it is very important to prioritise. Master the topics that will be tested more.

[xn_mummy]

Riding on this topic, what about math’s pattern question

Comparing to speed, rate qns, is these type of question even more diffcult ?

[happypoppy]

manorway\" post_id=\"1947734\" time=\"1574382142\" user_id=\"9303:

floppy\" post_id=\"1947721\" time=\"1574377298\" user_id=\"97579:

[quote=manorway post_id=1947691 time=1574355711 user_id=9303]I recalled a few tuition centres advised in the parents' briefings that Speed and Rate is one of those topics that will not be heavily tested. So if a student is running out of time and just cannot understand this topic, some tutors do recommend dropping the topic to focus on the more important topics.

Exam is as much about testing knowledge and testing exam “techniques”. Knowing when to go for the kill and when to let go is also an important “technique”.

There’s a good sharing by a poster in the thread on working with weaker students. Ultimately, we need to understand the rate of return in investing in one topic. Speed and Rate probably doesn’t offer a decent rate of return given the amount of effort required in understanding vs the number of possible marks at stake.

Agree! This advice by tuition centres was also shared a few times in Facebook forums and for many years already.

The same for Science. Not all topics are equally important.

For strong students aiming for A*, they need to know all.

For weaker students, it is very important to prioritise. Master the topics that will be tested more.[/quote]Hi Manorway,

I’m with you, I believe that indeed, not all topics carry equal weighting. In this regard, in your opinion, could you please share which are the topics that carry a heavier weighting for both Maths and Science? Thks in advance.

[manorway]

happypoppy\" post_id=\"1947759\" time=\"1574386618\" user_id=\"2408:

manorway\" post_id=\"1947734\" time=\"1574382142\" user_id=\"9303:

[quote=floppy post_id=1947721 time=1574377298 user_id=97579]

Exam is as much about testing knowledge and testing exam “techniques”. Knowing when to go for the kill and when to let go is also an important “technique”.

There’s a good sharing by a poster in the thread on working with weaker students. Ultimately, we need to understand the rate of return in investing in one topic. Speed and Rate probably doesn’t offer a decent rate of return given the amount of effort required in understanding vs the number of possible marks at stake.

Agree! This advice by tuition centres was also shared a few times in Facebook forums and for many years already.

The same for Science. Not all topics are equally important.

For strong students aiming for A*, they need to know all.

For weaker students, it is very important to prioritise. Master the topics that will be tested more.

Hi Manorway,

I’m with you, I believe that indeed, not all topics carry equal weighting. In this regard, in your opinion, could you please share which are the topics that carry a heavier weighting for both Maths and Science? Thks in advance.[/quote]I don’t want to mislead any parent, as I am not a tutor. Just a parent who is hands on and very involved with my kids’ PSLE prep. I went through PSLE twice. Not 2019 PSLE though. As my kids did not have tuition, so I had to look through practice papers with them.

I figured topics on numbers, fractions, ratio and % as the most important. If kid can master these, he will pass. If he can do the non-routine/heuristic questions for these topics and understand Volume, he may get a B.

Speed, patterns and circles are for the A and A*.

I went to math tuition centres briefings when my #2 was p6 and the centres also said the same. But I didn’t send to class in the end as kiddo was already 89-92 range with my coaching.

For Science. I used same method as math. Now I cannot recall exact topics and weightage, but I know cells and adaptation are not important. More questions on Electricity and life cycles .