2011 PSLE Discussions and Strategy

[Chenonceau]

phankao:

Chenonceau:

[quote=\"Pen88n\"]DS as usual came back with unsatisfactory EL and CL results. A handful of mistakes due to carelessness, but mostly overall can see language foundation not exactly there.


Anyone has any effective way to try to improve languages from now till PSLE? I know time is short and it is not easy to see results for languages in a short time, but I am hoping for some tips on how to improve certain sections of the EL or CL paper to assist to pull up the overall marks. Thanks in advance for the sharing.

Is your son in P5? If so, maybe can try memorizing compo using digital audio tracks+ glossary list+ printed text? My son's compo grades went from 8/20 to 16/20 from November 2010 till now. His teacher can't believe it. He has memorized 19 compos and writes an average of 1 compo in 2 weeks.

I also get grandma to read 3 newspaper articles with him everyday.

Where do you get digital audio tracks?[/quote]I get Grandma to record them on the computer. All computers have a sound recorder tool. You need a microphone and then you save the file in th hard disk. I also have them on my iPAD so that he can listen and memorize on the go.

If you want, I can pass you the audio tracks I already have. You'll have to go and buy the book though, from dangdang.com. It's a collection of student model compositions written by PRC students. It's a lot of hard work for my son.

[Chenonceau]

wkong:

Chenonceau:

Is your son in P5? If so, maybe can try memorizing compo using digital audio tracks+ glossary list+ printed text? My son's compo grades went from 8/20 to 16/20 from November 2010 till now. His teacher can't believe it. He has memorized 19 compos and writes an average of 1 compo in 2 weeks.

I also get grandma to read 3 newspaper articles with him everyday.

Hi Chenonceau,

How did you manage to convince your DS to writes an average 1 compo in 2 weeks? I can never convinced my DS to do it. Any tips for that?

Cheers,
wkong

It was very difficult. He had to spend 6 to 7 hours a day in Dec memorizing compos and he wrote ONE compo a week at that time. I had to use a whole combination of motivation strategies together... Too long to explain here leh... I dunno where to start. Must write a book to explain!!

[Chenonceau]

Funx3:

ksme:

Is it possible to score full marks for compo? My expectations must be very low then since I only pray for Ds to get 30 and above.

So Far I Know of Max 39/40 for CL Compo,
Max 38/40 for EL Compo in P6 level in My Gal's Sch.
I Read Copy of the EL Compo Exam Piece done in 50 min = 3 Closely type-written pages, with Some Words I Have Not Even Come Across .... :roll: :roll:

To Get 32 in Compo is Already = 80%
Consider Good ....

And For Full Marks? NOPE, Not That I've ever Seen.

It is possible to get full marks. DS' classmate scored full marks last year. So we asked her how she did it and she said \"memorize good compos\"... not to regurgitate but to increase vocabulary and to develop a feel of how the vocab can be used in context.

But it's terribly hard work and very tedious. For me, it is a last minute last ditch solution.

[Funx3]

Chenonceau:

Funx3:

[quote=\"ksme\"]
Is it possible to score full marks for compo? My expectations must be very low then since I only pray for Ds to get 30 and above.

So Far I Know of Max 39/40 for CL Compo,
Max 38/40 for EL Compo in P6 level in My Gal's Sch.
I Read Copy of the EL Compo Exam Piece done in 50 min = 3 Closely type-written pages, with Some Words I Have Not Even Come Across .... :roll: :roll:

To Get 32 in Compo is Already = 80%
Consider Good ....

And For Full Marks? NOPE, Not That I've ever Seen.

It is possible to get full marks. DS' classmate scored full marks last year. So we asked her how she did it and she said \"memorize good compos\"... not to regurgitate but to increase vocabulary and to develop a feel of how the vocab can be used in context.

But it's terribly hard work and very tedious. For me, it is a last minute last ditch solution.[/quote]Definite-ly Not Something My Gal will Go For ....
We increase Vocab by playing word games, More Relaxing ....
And A Pleasant pass time while we R on our way to Classes ....
:lol: :lol:

[Pen88n]

Chenonceau:

phankao:

[quote=\"Chenonceau\"]
Is your son in P5? If so, maybe can try memorizing compo using digital audio tracks+ glossary list+ printed text? My son's compo grades went from 8/20 to 16/20 from November 2010 till now. His teacher can't believe it. He has memorized 19 compos and writes an average of 1 compo in 2 weeks.

I also get grandma to read 3 newspaper articles with him everyday.

Where do you get digital audio tracks?

I get Grandma to record them on the computer. All computers have a sound recorder tool. You need a microphone and then you save the file in th hard disk. I also have them on my iPAD so that he can listen and memorize on the go.

If you want, I can pass you the audio tracks I already have. You'll have to go and buy the book though, from dangdang.com. It's a collection of student model compositions written by PRC students. It's a lot of hard work for my son.[/quote]Chenonceau, can you please share what is the title of this compo book from dangdang? Thanks

[Chenonceau]

Funx3:

Chenonceau:

[quote=\"Funx3\"]
So Far I Know of Max 39/40 for CL Compo,
Max 38/40 for EL Compo in P6 level in My Gal's Sch.
I Read Copy of the EL Compo Exam Piece done in 50 min = 3 Closely type-written pages, with Some Words I Have Not Even Come Across .... :roll: :roll:

To Get 32 in Compo is Already = 80%
Consider Good ....

And For Full Marks? NOPE, Not That I've ever Seen.

It is possible to get full marks. DS' classmate scored full marks last year. So we asked her how she did it and she said \"memorize good compos\"... not to regurgitate but to increase vocabulary and to develop a feel of how the vocab can be used in context.

But it's terribly hard work and very tedious. For me, it is a last minute last ditch solution.

Definite-ly Not Something My Gal will Go For ....
We increase Vocab by playing word games, More Relaxing ....
And A Pleasant pass time while we R on our way to Classes ....
:lol: :lol:[/quote]I agree. I so agree. I am illiterate in Chinese. Am bilingual French-English only. Believe me, if I had the choice and the time... I would play word games too. Definitely no compo memorizing in English. I tried to get him to read in Chinese but because it isn't a phonetic language and he does not hear the language at home, he just couldn't engage and enjoy it because there were too many characters he didn't know.

This is an unpleasant option and very very hard to make it work. I had to use every motivation strategy I knew in creative combinations to get this off the ground.

[Chenonceau]

Pen88n:

Chenonceau:

[quote=\"phankao\"]
Where do you get digital audio tracks?

I get Grandma to record them on the computer. All computers have a sound recorder tool. You need a microphone and then you save the file in th hard disk. I also have them on my iPAD so that he can listen and memorize on the go.

If you want, I can pass you the audio tracks I already have. You'll have to go and buy the book though, from dangdang.com. It's a collection of student model compositions written by PRC students. It's a lot of hard work for my son.

Chenonceau, can you please share what is the title of this compo book from dangdang? Thanks[/quote]Give me some time... I can't do this myself. Need to ask someone to help me type it out for you.

Do note that whilst this method gets you very fast results, the child needs to be very motivated and it is REALLY VERY TEDIOUS!! It really is a last resort.

[Pen88n]

Brenda10:

Pen88n:

Thanks, everyone, for all your tips. DS is in P6 now, so not much time to catch up for languages. I'm gonna put aside time for him daily to do the languages and improve on the various sections. Unfortunately, he is not weak only in some section, but lose marks in overall. His EL marks lost in S&T, cloze and compre. CL MCQ and compre both lost equal marks. So more work need to be put in.


For a guide, can anyone advise what should be the range of marks to aim for for EL (/95) and CL (/90) for paper 2 for a high A or low A*, taking into consideration compo will lose more marks?? DS is only getting in the range of the 70s and I'm pretty worried that may not be enough to get him even a A and will pull down his T-score for PSLE.

Thanks again for all the advice.

Hi Pen88

No good in this area but just give my 2 cents thought:

EL
Compo. - 40
Situatioanl Writing - 15
Oral - 30
Listening - 20
Paper 2 - 95
----------------
Total 200


CL
Compo. - 40
Listening - 20
Oral - 50
Paper 2 - 90
----------------
Total 200

For high A, E.g 89, mean score 178, that's mean 22 marks loss
For low A, E.g. 78 , mean score 156, that's mean 44 marks loss (If paper 2 loss 20 marks, then the other 3 components cannot loss more than 24 marks)

However, end of the day they will adjust the up or down base on the overall performance by the P6 cohort.

Thanks, Brenda, for your analysis. Will show DS so he realises he doesn't have that many marks to lose else his T-score will be affected.

[ksme]

Brenda10:

ksme:

Is it possible to score full marks for compo? My expectations must be very low then since I only pray for Ds to get 30 and above.

Hi ksme

I think yes as dd had told me one girl (P5 top in level last year) score full marks during the SA2 exam.

Thanks Brenda. Wow, amazing. Is the girl a PRC girl? If she is a local, then it is truly amazing and encouraging. Looks like I must work with Ds to up the goal for compo marks already. Jokes aside, it is really tough to improve compo for both English and Chinese. Need both good plot and good writing skills. If the child doesn't read outside of school work, he/she will have limited ideas for plot which even with good writing skills will pull down the marks. Maybe a quick but painful method is per what Chenonceu has shared, ie memorise a wide array of essays to expose the kids to both good plots and good writing. Although I don't like this method, maybe have to seriously consider it then.

[Pen88n]

pixiedust:

wkong, the chinese teacher's email reply is so inspiring. I wish all schools take that approach. is your child naturally strong in Chinese or you did some magic ?


Leanne, agree lucky you ! compo,compre and oral are really difficult areas to tackle..very elusive. Appreciate if you can share some tips what you do regularly ?

Pen88n
EL - which sections ? Mine loses marks in OE compre and cloze (no more helping words). or it is Grammar MCQ or S&T? Grammar MCQ/S&T - need to practise, esp Grammar, must understand the rule instead of purely rely on 'sounds right'. OE compre is the killer due to the inferential questions. My ds's EL is stronger than CL but he still gets lots of marks deducted for EL OE. I must admit I neglect EL and focused more on the other subjects....now also thinking about how to tackle this issue.

CL - I always tell him HYPY and all MCQ questions must get full marks else the 2 compre will reduce marks further. The graphic stimulus compre (advertisement/notices), I use the greenleaf assessment and drill, teach him how to look for the usual questions : purpose of notice, dates, etc. Just my 2cents worth.

Thanks, Pixiedust. I will work at his S&T for EL and use the greenleaf assessment ot drill on MCQ compre (he lost quite some marks on these 2 sections for CA1).