Preparing kids for P5 in 2011

[Edureach]

HappyFaye:

Actually I don't expect much in terms of results now as I am looking beyond PSLE. The problem with my DS is that he has no interest in Chinese so I have to tackle the problem from the root cause. I cannot foresee myself still working with him when he goes to secondary school.


For this whole June holidays, I do one Chinese passage with DS everyday. Get him to read out the passage and throw him OE questions with him verbalises the answers. I reckon that he needs to be able to verbalise and converse in Chinese smoothly before he can write and think in Chinese. So far so good and I do sees his interest in picking up Chinese and Comics books to read by himself now and sometimes can throw out those phrases learnt during our small talk. Good improvement I should say.

With this short time span, I can only focus on his speaking and interest in understanding the meaning of the words and phrases. Ability to write will have to depend on himself le. If continue to do too much (to his standard), both of us will start quarrelling...

How well he can score for the rest of his subjects will then depend on how 'hungry' he wants to score. For me - 听天由命. Let nature takes its cause.

Good! Let it be natural as he must want it himself cannot be enforced by others. PSLE is just a starting point and chinese plays a less critical part as a kid moves beyond primary.

[janet88]

Peony:

Janet,

Just keep at it, am sure your son will improve by the time he hits the exams that really matter - PSLE. All these CA and SAs are absurdly difficult to ensure the kids exceed expectations.

Sigh... what has P5 done to me? Awaken the bitter in me.

The CA and SA1 has freaked me out COMPLETELY !!!
My objective NOW is to strengthen the weak areas for Eng, improve Chinese, and PASS Math. For Science, improve. Like you, I feel very bitter bcos I don't know which direction and how to go. Just have to keep going on and on, and hope I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

[Chenonceau]

Just to share… here is a strategy I find useful to motivate my child in his preparation for PSLE. I mark his work in TWO colours.


MARKING COMPOS
For example, for marking compos, I use green to underline or circle phrases and words that I think are good, and then I use red to underline or circle phrases that should be improved. I try to have as much green as possible and all the red that is required.

MARKING OE SCIENCE QUESTIONS
Based on the LiSC answering technique from Science Heuristics, I have been marking around the heuristics of Link (Li), Specific (S) and Comparison . I use green pen to write "specific" when I see that he has answered a question with the S answering heuristic. Or I will use green to write "comparison" when I see he has answered the question with the C answering heuristic.

Conversely, if the S is missing from his answer, I will write "Specific" in red. Of course, one must first ensure that the child is taught the LiSC before this marking code using the words "Specific", "Comparison" and "Link" will make sense to the child.


This manner of marking lets my child know that he has done some things well and this gives him enough motivational energy to tackle those in red. When he gets the marked work back, he tends to lean forwards with joy, rather than lean away, recoiling from a barrage of feedback for improvement that he knows is unpleasant.

[Champion]

Chenonceau:

Just to share... here is a strategy I find useful to motivate my child in his preparation for PSLE. I mark his work in TWO colours.


MARKING OE SCIENCE QUESTIONS
Based on the LiSC answering technique from Science Heuristics, I have been marking around the heuristics of Link (Li), Specific (S) and Comparison (C). I use green pen to write \"specific\" when I see that he has answered a question with the S answering heuristic. Or I will use green to write \"comparison\" when I see he has answered the question with the C answering heuristic.

Hi Chenoceau,
Thanks for your sharing here and I wanna give you a :salute: for your contribution in \"Petition to review the Singapore Education System\". Sorry for intruding here as my DD1 is only P3 but after reading what you have shared here, I was like, \" :yikes: , guess I have not known enough about Science and this LiSC answering technique from Science Heuristics!\" :nailbite:

[Brenda10]

HappyFaye:

How well he can score for the rest of his subjects will then depend on how 'hungry' he wants to score. For me - 听天由命. Let nature takes its cause.

Well said. This is what I always believe that we have done our best but outcome is beyond our control as the PSLE is about 45,000 children taking the test together. A lot of factors are unknown.

As such, we have to prepare to accept whatever outcome be it good or disappointed.

[Brenda10]

Chenonceau:

Just to share... here is a strategy I find useful to motivate my child in his preparation for PSLE. I mark his work in TWO colours.


MARKING COMPOS
For example, for marking compos, I use green to underline or circle phrases and words that I think are good, and then I use red to underline or circle phrases that should be improved. I try to have as much green as possible and all the red that is required.

MARKING OE SCIENCE QUESTIONS
Based on the LiSC answering technique from Science Heuristics, I have been marking around the heuristics of Link (Li), Specific (S) and Comparison (C). I use green pen to write \"specific\" when I see that he has answered a question with the S answering heuristic. Or I will use green to write \"comparison\" when I see he has answered the question with the C answering heuristic.

Conversely, if the S is missing from his answer, I will write \"Specific\" in red. Of course, one must first ensure that the child is taught the LiSC before this marking code using the words \"Specific\", \"Comparison\" and \"Link\" will make sense to the child.


This manner of marking lets my child know that he has done some things well and this gives him enough motivational energy to tackle those in red. When he gets the marked work back, he tends to lean forwards with joy, rather than lean away, recoiling from a barrage of feedback for improvement that he knows is unpleasant.

Thank you for sharing. We bought the answer key for the PSLE Science Booklet and go through with dd to verify what should be the acceptable answer and also check is the important key concept/key word is stated.

[Chenonceau]

Champion:

Hi Chenoceau,

Thanks for your sharing here and I wanna give you a :salute: for your contribution in \"Petition to review the Singapore Education System\". Sorry for intruding here as my DD1 is only P3 but after reading what you have shared here, I was like, \" :yikes: , guess I have not known enough about Science and this LiSC answering technique from Science Heuristics!\" :nailbite:

:oops: :oops: Ok lah... nothing much... was thinking about my grandkids mah... so I COMPLAIN - like the typical Singaporean. Heh! Heh! And anyway, why would you say you're intruding leh? P3 mommies will face P5 in 2 years, you've every right to post here.

I think maybe no need panic about LiSC yet. I think got ample time to teach the exam techniques such as LiSC when come to end-P4... If your kid is in lower primary, don't do assessment books (my 2 cents yeah...). I recommend the Horrible Science series as well as Do-at-Home experiment books. Also, in P3, I taught my son how to do internet research and gave him a computer. I taught him to google and youtube science concepts so he ended up watching lotsa videos and reading Kids' Science websites. We also borrowed DVDs from NLB and watched together. The learning was very unstructured but he learnt a lot and had fun. This forms a strong foundation of knowledge so that in P5 and P6, he only needs to learn the exam answering technique like LiSC.

When google science terms must add the word \"kids\" hor... or else you'll get all the research papers coming out!!

Hope this helps!!

[Champion]

Chenonceau:

If your kid is in lower primary, don't do assessment books (my 2 cents yeah...). I recommend the Horrible Science series as well as Do-at-Home experiment books. Also, in P3, I taught my son how to do internet research and gave him a computer. I taught him to google and youtube science concepts so he ended up watching lotsa videos and reading Kids' Science websites. We also borrowed DVDs from NLB and watched together. The learning was very unstructured but he learnt a lot and had fun. This forms a strong foundation of knowledge so that in P5 and P6, he only needs to learn the exam answering technique like LiSC.

When google science terms must add the word \"kids\" hor... or else you'll get all the research papers coming out!!

Hope this helps!!

Hi thank you very much! I will do a search for the Horrible Science Series :boogie: ...But I must admit I am one that depends quite substantially on Science Assessment Books for my DD1 :nailbite:

[Chenonceau]

Champion:

Chenonceau:

If your kid is in lower primary, don't do assessment books (my 2 cents yeah...). I recommend the Horrible Science series as well as Do-at-Home experiment books. Also, in P3, I taught my son how to do internet research and gave him a computer. I taught him to google and youtube science concepts so he ended up watching lotsa videos and reading Kids' Science websites. We also borrowed DVDs from NLB and watched together. The learning was very unstructured but he learnt a lot and had fun. This forms a strong foundation of knowledge so that in P5 and P6, he only needs to learn the exam answering technique like LiSC.

When google science terms must add the word \"kids\" hor... or else you'll get all the research papers coming out!!

Hope this helps!!

Hi thank you very much! I will do a search for the Horrible Science Series :boogie: ...But I must admit I am one that depends quite substantially on Science Assessment Books for my DD1 :nailbite:

At lower primary, best to stimulate interest. This builds motivational energy that will be in short supply in P5 and P6. If you start drilling too early, you may find that your P6-er will be very rebellious in P6. Might end up like a girl in my son's class who backmails my son so as to be able to copy his Science. Her mom drilled her with assessments from K2 but she hates Science and is poor at it.

Still... it depends on the personality of the child... maybe won't happen to yours, but there is a risk. You'll probably know best though... so just follow your Mommy instincts.

[janet88]

I didn’t start my son in Science until P3 itself. Fortunately, he is more willing to get work done as compared to daughter in P1. He has a strong interest in Science, so now I am trying to find out how to improve his marks…basically it’s a lot to do with practice now (MCQ) and remembering keywords for Section B…really hope he can get an A* in Science.


For my daughter, I bought 2 Science assessment (for 7 year old and 8 year old)…Learning Science. Hope to introduce her to basic concepts end of this year…like what is considered an ‘insect’, ‘fish’ and mammals.