Preparing kids for P5 in 2011

[ksme]

janet_lee88:

For Chinese, he is only doing activity chapter 9 when the whole book will be tested Anyway, I'll revise with him up to Chap 9 and pray for the best.

Looks like your son's teacher is behind schedule for chinese. If teacher has completed the textbook but not done the activity book for chapter 10 and 11, should ask him to learn the spelling for the words in chapters 10 and 11. We usually just run through the spelling for the words in all the chapters before day before chinese exams and pray for the best.

[Brenda10]

ksme:

janet_lee88:

For Chinese, he is only doing activity chapter 9 when the whole book will be tested Anyway, I'll revise with him up to Chap 9 and pray for the best.

Looks like your son's teacher is behind schedule for chinese. If teacher has completed the textbook but not done the activity book for chapter 10 and 11, should ask him to learn the spelling for the words in chapters 10 and 11. We usually just run through the spelling for the words in all the chapters before day before chinese exams and pray for the best.

For us, few days before the CL exam we would just zoom into the pass year papers to practice on those MCQ:
Paper 1
语文应用 - 10 questions for 20 marks
短文填空 - 6 questions for 12 marks

Paper 2
完成对话 - 5 questions for 10 marks

As for compreh, just selective go through those questions that require to use certain key words that not stated in the passage.

Just my 2 cents thought

[ksme]

Brenda10:

For us, few days before the CL exam we would just zoom into the pass year papers to practice on those MCQ:
Paper 1
语文应用 - 10 questions for 20 marks
短文填空 - 6 questions for 12 marks

Paper 2
完成对话 - 5 questions for 10 marks

As for compreh, just selective go through those questions that require to use certain key words that not stated in the passage.

Just my 2 cents thought

Brenda,
Thanks for your tips! We do the Paper 1 语文应用, 短文填空 too. Usually not enough time to cover compre.

[Brenda10]

ksme:

Brenda,

Thanks for your tips! We do the Paper 1 语文应用, 短文填空 too. Usually not enough time to cover compre.

Hi ksme,

It's difficult to get them to write out those answers for compre. at home unless that is the school work. Therefore I just make sure dd know how to use and write those appropriate words when attempt to compre.

[cimman]

janet_lee88:

I wish I could give him some time to brelax but it isn't possible. His teachers (Science & Math) are still teaching and homework alone is not able to help him pass Maths paper.

this would be where pre teaching would be most beneficial. It is a common phenomenon that teachers always cram the syllabus in the last 2 weeks leading to the exams. I don't know how this goes on year after year after year, but it does. So the best way is to pre teach the subject ahead of the class so that you can start the revisions 4 weeks before exams. That will give you time to relax 2 weeks before the exams. The alternative is fire fighting every year,..... very stressful.....

[Chenonceau]

cimman:

janet_lee88:

I wish I could give him some time to brelax but it isn't possible. His teachers (Science & Math) are still teaching and homework alone is not able to help him pass Maths paper.

this would be where pre teaching would be most beneficial. It is a common phenomenon that teachers always cram the syllabus in the last 2 weeks leading to the exams. I don't know how this goes on year after year after year, but it does. So the best way is to pre teach the subject ahead of the class so that you can start the revisions 4 weeks before exams. That will give you time to relax 2 weeks before the exams. The alternative is fire fighting every year,..... very stressful.....

Oh oh oh... I agree. Gentle and well-paced pre-teaching helps manage stress levels downwards.

[janet88]

Brenda10:

ksme:

[quote=\"janet_lee88\"]
For Chinese, he is only doing activity chapter 9 when the whole book will be tested Anyway, I'll revise with him up to Chap 9 and pray for the best.

Looks like your son's teacher is behind schedule for chinese. If teacher has completed the textbook but not done the activity book for chapter 10 and 11, should ask him to learn the spelling for the words in chapters 10 and 11. We usually just run through the spelling for the words in all the chapters before day before chinese exams and pray for the best.

For us, few days before the CL exam we would just zoom into the pass year papers to practice on those MCQ:
Paper 1
语文应用 - 10 questions for 20 marks
短文填空 - 6 questions for 12 marks

Paper 2
完成对话 - 5 questions for 10 marks[/quote]Hi Brenda,
Thank you for the tip...I'll go through those sections with him.
He's doing Chap 9 in activity book today.

[JRLam]

Chenonceau:

He's actually looking forward now to the Science, Math and English exams. He won't be top in any of these but he'll do well enough to please him and me. But for HCL and CL, we both know the jump in P5 is too big for him to bridge so he's quite nervous. I had no choice. I had to tell him \"You WILL fail. But I will still love you as long as you learn from your mistakes.\" In every other subject his goal target is 90+ because that challenge will spur his effort. Chinese alone is calibrated at 50 because the challenge of 90+ will demoralize him completely.


If he gets above 50 for either HCL or CL, I am gonna make a big deal. We are gonna CELEBRATE.

Just curious - do u set individual subject goal for your kid or overall aggregate or X subjects of Band 1 or 2 etc? If it is different target for each subject, and he/she achieves 1 or 2 but not the rest, will you still celebrate the 'wins'?

Also, for those subjects that u know are more challenging for them, will you set a target that u know is achievable (but respectable, eg 50 marks) or a target which u know is achievable but kind of a stretch to spur him to do better?

I fix individual subject goals but also a collective one (ie total scores > X) to cover all corners :lol: , with key objectives being so long as there are improvements and realistic. Will like to hear from other parents if there are better ideas

[janet88]

Hi JRLam,

I set individual subject goal for my boy. Math is his weakest subject, so I don't set a high target...if he passes this SA1, it's calls for celebration. For the other 3 subjects, there is diff target for each subject. I want to see effort put in and it will show if he does.
He is aiming for a Lego toy, so I told him firstly I must see all passes. His school has a fond habit of setting tough papers, I have to be reasonable too...take the EL mock paper, I can't believe he flunk it he was afraid I would be angry but I told him I do NOT want to see this grade again.
No effort, no reward and definitely NO Wii.

[Peony]

I’m with Janet.


It’s different for P5, so must set different target for each subject.

I can’t help but feel that the "transition" phase/learning curve has not ended, so I will still "personalise" expectations that will motivate and encourage her, especially since DD tends to be hard on herself.