Is PSLE so important?

[atutor2001]

lwm99:

Likely the 4 subjects have different average marks (and standard deviation). Example Maths may have higher average mark than English. So a kid needs to get higher marks in those \"easier-to-score\" subjects to get a good T-score.

Thanks CSC and Iwm99

I fully agree with your comments that the same mark will not earn the same T-score for different papers.

The estimate was intended as a gauge to find out the equivalent actual score that a student needs to get inorder to achieve a certain T-score. This estimate was derived purely from empirical data of past records - not mathematical method. Basic assumption for the estimate to work is that the standard of the PSLE paper must not deviate too much from the past years. Therefore, the estimate will be \"off\" if this year's paper is extremely difficult. (When the papers are difficult, the top scorer will get very high T-score - nearing 290.)

[Dharma]

atutor2001:

Basic assumption for the estimate to work is that the standard of the PSLE paper must not deviate too much from the past years. Therefore, the estimate will be \"off\" if this year's paper is extremely difficult. (When the papers are difficult, the top scorer will get very high T-score - nearing 290.)

Hi atutor2001,

Is it true then that the 2007 PSLE exam was very difficult considering the number of pupils w/ very high scores?

[atutor2001]

Dharma:

atutor2001:

Is it true then that the 2007 PSLE exam was very difficult considering the number of pupils w/ very high scores?

Yes I would say so. It means that the average marks for a number of subjects is low. So those who did well (A*) will get relatively higher T-score than other years.

Do you notice that in most years, the top student is Malay? One possible factor is that the average mark of the \"Malay\" mother tongue paper is usually much lower than the \"Chinese\" paper. So these students will have an advantage over the Chinese students when their marks are converted to T-score. Therefore, the top student in 2007 might have gotten higher T-score from the mother tongue paper even though the actual score is the same as the Chinese counterpart.

[Merlion]

atutor2001, very good point !

[Dharma]

atutor2001:

Dharma:

[quote=\"atutor2001\"]


Do you notice that in most years, the top student is Malay? One possible factor is that the average mark of the \"Malay\" mother tongue paper is usually much lower than the \"Chinese\" paper. So these students will have an advantage over the Chinese students when their marks are converted to T-score. Therefore, the top student in 2007 might have gotten higher T-score from the mother tongue paper even though the actual score is the same as the Chinese counterpart.

[/quote]There were only 2 Malay pupils in recent years who topped the cohort ie. in 2005 and 2007.

I don’t think MT has as much an impact on the aggregate score as compared to Maths, Science and English as these 3 subjects have a much lower average score compared to MT.

To be fair to the 2007 top Malay girl, she is still doing extremely well in RGS.

[Merlion]

Please don’t forget that for CL, there are kids from China who are 2 years older than our kids. It is so hard to be among the top students in CL for local kids as compare to other languages. And there are a lot of China students here.

[Dharma]

Merlion:

Please don't forget that for CL, there are kids from China who are 2 years older than our kids. It is so hard to be among the top students in CL for local kids as compare to other languages. And there are a lot of China students here.

Agreed but they are not as strong in English.

[turquoise]

Dharma:

Agreed but they are not as strong in English.

Actually, a number of them do score very well in English. They may not speak well but they do perform well in written English.

[atutor2001]

Dharma:

There were only 2 Malay pupils in recent years who topped the cohort ie. in 2005 and 2007.


I don’t think MT has as much an impact on the aggregate score as compared to Maths, Science and English as these 3 subjects have a much lower average score compared to MT.

To be fair to the 2007 top Malay girl, she is still doing extremely well in RGS

The impact of MT on the general student population may not be great but it is there. However, when it comes to deciding \"who is No. 1?\" it does matter.

Incidentally, hope you can share any information regarding the average marks for Malay and Chinese in the past PSLE. If the average Malay mark is more than Chinese, then I am totally wrong in my analysis. My gut feeling is that with the influx of Chinese student, it will only cause the average mark of Chinese to be raised.

There is no doubt that the 2007 top PSLE student is bright. The question is - is she the brightest in that cohort (based on PSLE result)? Is she still no. 1 in RGS?

An example of a top PSLE student that remains no. 1 all the way is another student from St Hildas, I think in 2000. She remained no. 1 in her A-level.

[Dharma]

turquoise:

Actually, a number of them do score very well in English. They may not speak well but they do perform well in written English.

The amt of money spent on tuition + ability to memorize dictionaries may have done the trick.