Q&A - PSLE English

[anneshirleygilbert]

Hi, I've been following the posts ... they have been most interesting to me. Can't help but make the following observation.


I've compiled the following inputs by RCully for ease of reference :

With regard to the marking of Comprehension Cloze passages in schools, I feel it is not a case that the marking is too strict but rather that the marking is done by non-specialist teachers who lack a certain breadth of vocabulary. Consequently, they are fearful of deviating from the set answers. To be fair, most of the teachers, like some private tutors advertising themselves in this forum, probably teach maths and science as well as English so I can accept that they are making fair effort within their limitations.

With regard to the marking of the Comprehension Cloze passage in the PSLE itself, the markers are reputedly knowledgeable teachers and well supported by MOE guidelines but have to be fairly strict in order to ensure standardisation.

In the course of my teaching, I frequently come across parents and children showing me worksheets marked by school teachers, tuition centre teachers and private tutors full of marking errors, especially in S&T. I wonder what's going on?

On many points, I appreciate the Spore education system. I think the MOE has done a wonderful job for the kids here. The kids are learning... there is a lot for them to learn. I witness that in my daughter when she returns home from school each day.

But, just what is going on? with errors in the marking of the English paper, erroneous answers in Science assessment books that we buy in the stores? Perhaps, you can do something, being a teacher? and bring Spore education to a higher level yet.

[ridcully]

anneshirleygilbert:

But, just what is going on? with errors in the marking of the English paper, erroneous answers in Science assessment books that we buy in the stores? Perhaps, you can do something, being a teacher? and bring Spore education to a higher level yet.

Hi anneshirleygilbert

I am only a humble private tutor who occasionally teaches in an enrichment centre. Also, I am not a Singaporean.

No one will listen to me ...

Rgds
R

[a.038702star101]

Hi everyone,


I have this question to ask with regards to improving composition particularly for the upper primary students preparing for PSLE. I find that composition is really not easy to teach or improve on as in there is no formula or direct approach to it compared to other aspects of PSLE English. :? There are books out there to catered for students who are poor in composition but I am not sure if they really help. :?: I guess my question and reason for this forum is to know what the others think should be inside a good composition assessment book i.e. what you think makes a good composition assessment book? what do you look out for when buying one for your own child? :? :? :?

[ridcully]

Hi a.star1001. To get the ball rolling, because I would like to read other people’s views too:


Composition is not easily taught by a book. Composition needs to be taught by a knowledgeable teacher who can customise the approach according to the needs of the child.

There are several reasons for this:
1. Composition is an amalgam of several subskills. It cannot be readily compartmentalised like vocabulary, punctuation or grammar;
2. Effective writing requires style, not just mechanical skill mastery. That is, it is not sufficient that a child has a firm grasp of the subskills such as grammar, but can put them all together to write expressively and fluently;
3. It requires a personal response from the child. The pictorial and textual questions in the PSLE provide the broad parameters of the question, but interpretive skills are needed to write an interesting story.

In terms of style and interpretive skills, for those students in the lower years, there is time to significantly improve their writing. For students in their PSLE year, there is really no time to make a big difference.

When I teach PSLE students who are weak in style and interpretive skills, I ask them to rewrite (eg changing the ending) the model compositions that can be found in plenty of books from Popular and then go through their ideas. Reusing existing material comes easier to them than facing a blank page! In a sense, I role-model the thinking processes involved so that writing is caught, rather than taught.

Don’t know if that helps.

Rgds
R

[a.038702star101]

Hi ridcully,


First of all, thank you for your insightful response and getting the ball rolling!:)

I see where you're coming from and agree that composition is definitely not something a book can do much to help.

On that note, is there anything that students can do on their own outside school hours to improve their composition? Any recommendations?=) (speaking from parent's perspective)

Thanks once again and hope to hear from the rest!!
Regards.

[anneshirleygilbert]

ridcully:

anneshirleygilbert:

But, just what is going on? with errors in the marking of the English paper, erroneous answers in Science assessment books that we buy in the stores? Perhaps, you can do something, being a teacher? and bring Spore education to a higher level yet.

Hi anneshirleygilbert

I am only a humble private tutor who occasionally teaches in an enrichment centre. Also, I am not a Singaporean.

No one will listen to me ...

Rgds
R

Oh... I was under the impression you were with the MOE. Sorry about that. It's a pity no one will listen to you, for I think you do possess the ability to explain English grammar very clearly. Never mind, just bloom where you're planted then... let those around you and on this thread be recipients of your knowledge.

Best regards.

[ridcully]

anneshirleygilbert


Thanks for the encouragement!

:celebrate:

[pixiedust]

I am also interested in the topic of composition skills :


I am not a good writer and I have never been. I believe writing with style is a talent. Without the talent, one can be trained but probably will never be quite as good as one with the talent ?

For the purpose of PSLE (or even O levels), a composition that has good grammar and spelling, completeness in content but a generally flat storyline ie. not a lot of style, what kind of marks range can we expect ? 30-35/40 ? One with style will be 38-40/40 ? I am trying to set realistic targets here.

My take is that practise is needed to improve on composition writing and the children are not getting enough of that during school hours. Outside school hours, they need to practise writing regularly on their own (one way is using method used by R). I think improvements will be faster if someone is able to mark their practise work correctly and plan improvement steps before the next piece of practise.

Hope to hear everyone’s feedback.

[EET]

To all P6 students, go to this link for composition topics to prepare for! Feel free to add topics of your own to the posting!


http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?p=393512#393512

[pixiedust]

Appreciate if anyone can explain the reason for the correct answer :


Never before had anyone in the school swim/swam/swum/swims as fast as he had that day.