Mid-year exams to be scrapped in all primary, secondary schools by 2023

[chenlaoshi]

Lol Yes, Chinese font can be a headache at times - so ideally we'll stick to 楷体 KaiTi font (for main text/content, at least).

[phtthp]

lee_yl\" post_id=\"2063041\" time=\"1648605457\" user_id=\"17023:

I couldn’t recall where I read this article. It’s about a parent sharing about his P4 son got the answer for frog life-cycle wrong. The question asked kids to briefly describe the frog life-cycle. The boy could describe all the 5 life-cycles of a frog and the teacher was impressed but he still marked the answer wrong cos they only taught about frog’s 3 life-cycle. This is what could happen when a child learns deeper.

This boy, whoever he is, must learn one very impt lesson, from young. And that is -

Different situation, warrant different requirements. You don't add in extra stuff, extra ingredients, to a situation that doesn't warrant, doesn't require it. And the earlier the boy understand this, the better is for him.

Why, so ?

As mentioned earlier, different situation warrant different requirement.

Example

Suppose in a working world, the real world setting, there is this \"Counsellor and Client \" situation.

The Client has a problem and so, he confided his detailed problem to the Counsellor and mentioned that he feel ... sad.

Now, suppose the Counsellor didn't hear properly, or interpreted the message wrongly, then he told the Client \" you said that you feel ... angry ?\"


What happen ?

What was the client's feeling that he himself earlier mentioned? Sad
Did the client say he was angry ? No, client didn't.

But what feeling (word) did the Counsellor use ? Angry.

What happened ?
The counsellor added in extra ingredient : angry

The meaning between sad and angry are so totally different, right ?

In a counselling session, u don't add in extra stuff, extra ingredient. Now, the counselling session been messed up.

So, the same analogy apply in exam condition. Don't add in extra ingredient. Stick to the original context. Then, u won't go wrong

[phtthp]

lee_yl\" post_id=\"2063041\" time=\"1648605457\" user_id=\"17023:

I couldn’t recall where I read this article. It’s about a parent sharing about his P4 son got the answer for frog life-cycle wrong. The question asked kids to briefly describe the frog life-cycle. The boy could describe all the 5 life-cycles of a frog and the teacher was impressed but he still marked the answer wrong cos they only taught about frog’s 3 life-cycle. This is what could happen when a child learns deeper.

Be very careful how students (eg. The boy, in this case) read the exam question, under exam condition.

As u know under the new Psle marking AL scheme, is very easy to lose one point and cross over from AL 1 into AL 2.

In this case, by answering a 5 stage life cycle instead of stick to the original context, 3 stage life cycle, the student will be penalised and could end up with an AL2 instead of AL1. If he had answered the 3 stage life cycle, he could have hit 90 marks. But because he answered 5 stage life cycle, he got penalized, end up with 88 marks, instead of 90. Hence, end up with AL 2, instead of AL1.

So in Psle, stick to the original qn, don't be \"key-kiang\" (try to be impressive, try to be smart, show off that u know a lot), answer more than what u are supposed to.


The same thing, apply to Maths questions too, not just Science.

[lee_yl]

phtthp\" post_id=\"2063076\" time=\"1648618369\" user_id=\"35251:

The teacher should just tell the boy to read the instructions carefully. The qn asked for 3 stage, not 5 stage life cycle. So, tell the boy \"Do not add in extra stuff, stick to the qn, please ! \"

Then the teacher continue to tell the student. In class, at home, u can describe the 5 stage to your siblings / parents. You can impress all those around you at home, with your 5 stage expertise knowledge.

But in exam, nobody ask for 5 stage, then why u add in extra ingredients ? In Chinese, what is that phrase u say ?

\"Bu yao jia yan,
Bu yao jia chu \"

Means \"DONT add in extra salt, don't add in extra vinegar, when u are not requested to\". In fact, you will be penalised because under exam condition, go straight to the point. If the boy doesn't know this, then teacher will explain to him, until the boy fully understand. Nobody is going to be impressed in exam, when the qn never even ask for extra.

Why cannot add ?

Then, teach the boy that
Because Science is \"Precise\".
Science is different from Art, because Art is creative. You can add in any extra ingredients into your Art work, to make it creative, authentic. But No, for Science. Because Science is \"Precise\". When the exam qn ask u for \"3\" stage life cycle, then answer it. DONT be key-kiang (try to be smart), turn the 3 stage life cycle into a 5 stage life cycle, trying to impress people that u are very knowledgeable.

So, what must the boy do, under tight exam condition ?

Read the question carefully, lah ! And use a pencil to underline the key question phrase : 3 stage. Then he won't go off course to answer more than what the qn asked for.

Bear in mind, one impt thing in Psle marking -

Science Tr got several thousands and thousands of students' Science scripts to mark. Where got time to be impressed, by answering beyond what the qn asked for ?

This boy must be taught, asap : different scenario, warrant different things, not try to show off

Just like in school, in working world, the requirements are all different !

I don’t think it’s a case where the boy was asked for 3 stages but ended up trying to show off he knew 5 stages.

The question could go, “How many stages are there in a frog life-cycle?” If the boy is an avid reader and has strong interest in Science, he probably picked up lots of interesting facts about animals etc. So while his classmates wrote 3, he could explain 5 but since that was not the intended answer in teacher’s marking rubric, the boy would be given zero marks

[phtthp]

ChiefKiasu\" post_id=\"2063045\" time=\"1648606295\" user_id=\"3:

Lol. That's why I gave up trying to teach my son science. The Science Subject in primary school is simply a case of memory work and English. Kind of like history.

In PSLE Science,
if use simple English layman terms to explain the results / interpretation of the scientific experiment finding(s), without using any keyword or any scientific terminology or use the wrong scientific principles / concepts applied, students can get zero mark for open-ended Structured questions Section, can fail this whole section.

[sushi88]

chenlaoshi\" post_id=\"2063084\" time=\"1648619559\" user_id=\"162894:

Lol Yes, Chinese font can be a headache at times - so ideally we'll stick to 楷体 KaiTi font (for main text/content, at least).

Hello chenlaoshi....你好！
How about those days when we grew up without a computer? Maybe you are very young, so computers were already available during your growing years. Also, I do not think there was a major announcement that we have to follow new font guidelines for Chinese by China or SEAB.

Otherwise the earlier generation learn from 象形字 or typewriter font gotta relearn?

https://postimg.cc/XX1QFn9t

In the evolution of 月 from 象形字, it has the origin of joining from the pictorial form and I believe in current internet age, all forms except the pictorial form are legitimate versions of 月。 See the automatic font on my computer produced the \"yue\" with lines joining the vertical line on the right? :lol:

We should teach children to observe details in the right way but not to the extent of 钻牛角尖.

[sushi88]

zac's mum\" post_id=\"2063077\" time=\"1648618384\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2063077 time=1648618384 user_id=53606]
Ya my kid has asked me why certain Chinese characters look quite different when printed in different font…and which is the “acceptable” way to write the word…I guess just follow the CL textbook…but then again the 6B CL textbook pages 81-84 are in a cartoony font :slapshead:

https://i.imgur.com/CAn6Vsm.jpg\">

Don’t the 口 and 团团 look like circles instead of squares? Etc…[/quote]

Oh I love your analogy from another font. Seriously, how can we base our standards on computer fonts? There are hundreds of fonts out there... We should go back to the basics of origin of the characters on first principles and not be too much nit-picking.
I think if \"yue\" is written with the horizontal lines both exceeding the vertical lines (出线), then perhaps that is blatantly wrong.

[sharonkhoo]

zac's mum\" post_id=\"2063077\" time=\"1648618384\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2063077 time=1648618384 user_id=53606]
Ya my kid has asked me why certain Chinese characters look quite different when printed in different font…and which is the “acceptable” way to write the word…I guess just follow the CL textbook…but then again the 6B CL textbook pages 81-84 are in a cartoony font :slapshead: [/quote]

Same with English fonts vs handwriting. Kids just have to learn what is acceptable and not.

[sushi88]

slmkhoo\" post_id=\"2063105\" time=\"1648627027\" user_id=\"28674:

Same with English fonts vs handwriting. Kids just have to learn what is acceptable and not.

Actually English is not as strict unless the kids' handwriting is seriously bad like writing \"d\" like an \"a\" or \"g\" like an \"a\" or \"q\" like an \"a\". I have encountered such students...such a pain to read what they write.. :slapshead:

The anecdote shared was specific to a school teacher only, just pointing out what are extreme examples of asking kids to follow unnecessary stuff. Having said this, most things standardised by MOE taught in school have a good rationale behind them though we may not see it at first glance.

For example, in Science, writing in keywords is not only for marking purpose. It is for scientific accuracy in describing a science phenomenon instead of writing in layman's term to bring out the science principle behind it.. Whenever I read medical lab reports, I always think of the keywords taught in science in school. Think of it as technical writing.

[chenlaoshi]

sushi88\" post_id=\"2063096\" time=\"1648623534\" user_id=\"100857:

We should teach children to observe details in the right way but not to the extent of 钻牛角尖.

Yeah, sushi88, I agree. Important differences/mistakes definitely need to be highlighted (e.g. the 部首 of 会 vs. 公) although your earlier example of 月 is too extreme (can understand if it's from calligraphy teaching point of view cos of the 审美观 involved, but not in normal penmanship).

https://i.imgur.com/OSgIqGY.jpg
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