Q&A - PSLE Tamil

[HAPPYH]

If anyone is aware of good tuition centre, could you please pm me? Thank you

[AnotherKiasu]

HAPPYH:

If anyone is aware of good tuition centre, could you please pm me? Thank you

Since there are many talks about having tuition, I would like to point out my experience.
My son just completed PSLE and joined NJC for his secondary. So I think I can share some thoughts.

If your DS/DH is self motivated and/or if you(father or mother) can follow up and coach your DS/DH and sustain it continuously, then there is no need for tuition. Some parents may have opposite thoughts. So, no offence.

The 1.5 or 2 hrs spent on tuition is not going to contribute much except that he/she can gain some more practice. On the other hand, if you know that a particular teacher is good and can drill the concepts well in creative ways, then you can give a try.

My son, in his P6 year had the following tuitions:
Tamil - No, I coach him
English - In Mavis tutorial center, there is a special tuition for English Creative writing. Since my son is already good at English and I saw the notes given to him is not that great, I consider this tuition is useless.
Maths - In Just Education, there is a course called \"Advanced Maths\". The material are good and I consider this as a Practice session.
Science - No, I coach him.

Last 2 months before PSLE, I've stopped sending him to tuition. It's all my coaching only.

Talk to your DS/DH freely and drill these points:
1. It's your life. And singapore being a meritocratic society, education is the only way to come up in life. (For those rich, this rule doesn't apply )

2. Drill the concept - \"You can do...just a little bit more effort\"

3. All other things - like TV, computer, story books, games, playground, cinema etc etc can wait. PSLE CANNOT WAIT for you.

4. Show unconditional love

5. Tell him/her - \"Put your best effort...whatever the result we'll accept\"

6. Having said that, continuously monitor them, but discreetly.

Hope this helps.

[HAPPYH]

AnotherKiasu:

HAPPYH:

If anyone is aware of good tuition centre, could you please pm me? Thank you

Since there are many talks about having tuition, I would like to point out my experience.
My son just completed PSLE and joined NJC for his secondary. So I think I can share some thoughts.

If your DS/DH is self motivated and/or if you(father or mother) can follow up and coach your DS/DH and sustain it continuously, then there is no need for tuition. Some parents may have opposite thoughts. So, no offence.

The 1.5 or 2 hrs spent on tuition is not going to contribute much except that he/she can gain some more practice. On the other hand, if you know that a particular teacher is good and can drill the concepts well in creative ways, then you can give a try.

My son, in his P6 year had the following tuitions:
Tamil - No, I coach him
English - In Mavis tutorial center, there is a special tuition for English Creative writing. Since my son is already good at English and I saw the notes given to him is not that great, I consider this tuition is useless.
Maths - In Just Education, there is a course called \"Advanced Maths\". The material are good and I consider this as a Practice session.
Science - No, I coach him.

Last 2 months before PSLE, I've stopped sending him to tuition. It's all my coaching only.

Talk to your DS/DH freely and drill these points:
1. It's your life. And singapore being a meritocratic society, education is the only way to come up in life. (For those rich, this rule doesn't apply )

2. Drill the concept - \"You can do...just a little bit more effort\"

3. All other things - like TV, computer, story books, games, playground, cinema etc etc can wait. PSLE CANNOT WAIT for you.

4. Show unconditional love

5. Tell him/her - \"Put your best effort...whatever the result we'll accept\"

6. Having said that, continuously monitor them, but discreetly.Hope this helps.

:goodpost: Yes, you are right to say that tuition is only for 1.5 to 2 hours per week. But the commitment to do the homework/assessment book is missing with my DD. If she goes to tuition centre, she puts in some effort (most of the times after constant reminders and nagging).

I really like those highlighted in blue. Although I am following all those (just that my DD is in P3), it serves as the reminder. Thank you

[AnotherKiasu]

HAPPYH:

(just that my DD is in P3)

Don't worry at this stage too much. Preparation for PSLE starts from P5, not even P4.

Let her enjoy his school and childhood. My second DS is now in P4, I let him work on his own pace. But one thing is important - Get the fundamentals strong and right. For example, we cannot teach multiplication tables at P5.

[smartmummy]

Hi AnotherKiasu!

May I know how did u teach ur son tamil. My son’s problem is he hates Tamil. Still he didn’t talk in tamil with us but he can.he doesn’t want to read aloud. In the dec holiday my DH read for him, then he repeat the story in English.I talked to him many times but not working. Now in p4 need to write compo.
Last few weeks very busy didn’t teach properly. I follow the tamiloli book and write down the words for oliverupadu and asked him.tense also I did like that. Chorporul,haven’t yet start. Today my son brought a list from school for book fair, I noticed that a book for oliverupadu, chorporul. Is it useful? May I know what books and story books are useful for p4?thanks

[AnotherKiasu]

smartmummy:

Hi AnotherKiasu!

May I know how did u teach ur son tamil. My son's problem is he hates Tamil. Still he didn't talk in tamil with us but he can.he doesn't want to read aloud. In the dec holiday my DH read for him, then he repeat the story in English.I talked to him many times but not working. Now in p4 need to write compo.
Last few weeks very busy didn't teach properly. I follow the tamiloli book and write down the words for oliverupadu and asked him.tense also I did like that. Chorporul,haven't yet start. Today my son brought a list from school for book fair, I noticed that a book for oliverupadu, chorporul. Is it useful? May I know what books and story books are useful for p4?thanks

First thing is, eventhough your son may not like Tamil (I hate to use the word \"Hate\"), for examination purposes, he MUST master it. Remember, in PSLE, MT carries equal weightage like other subjects. There are many cases in my DS school, the children very good in Eng, Mat and Sci got poor PSLE scoring because the MT score pulled them down (like A* for all and B for MT). This not only applies for Tamil, but for other MTL also. In PSLE, the compo is supposed to be in high standard to score good marks. The sentences must be creative and normal usage of words, will not help.
So, your DS must realise this point.

Slowly (but painfully), you need to cultivate the habit of speaking in Tamil.

Below pointers may help you. All these worked for my sons.

1. During dinner, take some interesting topic from newspaper (For eg. a fire at neighbourhood, man drowned in bedok reservoir etc) and start to discuss in Tamil. The children may say in English, no problem, then you ask them to translate in Tamil. You can see, they'll struggle for correct words. Then you chip in... say the correct work and also how it can be improved, polished. Since it's a fun way, they'll learn it easily.

2. Prepare a list of Tamil words from their Tamil book and/or any equivalent tamil books. Write meaning in TAMIL and English. (For example Thee - Neruppu, Anal - Fire). Ask them to memorise and write 5-10 words every day. Most schools will give list of Tamil words necessary to learn at P4/P5/P6 level. You can use such list also.

3. For compo, prepare sentences for them to use. For example, how to describe early morning poetically. Most schools will give this list of useful Tamil sentences to use in Compo. Ask them to memorise and rewrite a few times so that they don't forget. Revisit this every 3 months. Also, how these sentences can be used in Compo also need to be drilled. For example, in every compo, atleast at one place, the children need to describe morning/afternoon/evening/night. So atleast 2 sentences must remember for each of the timings. The same goes for feelings - sad, very sad, happy, very happy, laugh, tear, fight, play etc.

4. You can get past year/current year question papers for various schools. You can try at Raj publications at Dalhousie lane, adjacent to Tekka mall (The Verge) in Little India. They also sell Tamil books. I found this resource as useful.

5. Buy \"Tamil Murasu\" every monday. They publish sample Q papers from P1 to P6 in \"Maanavar Murasu\". Also the articles and stories are quite helpful.

6. Borrow simple story books (like Thenaliraman Kathaigal, Birbaul Kathaigal) from Library and ask them to read.

7. Maintain an exercise note separately (Sol Valam) and cultivate a habit of writing any new Tamil word they learn with equivalent Tamil and English meaning. Eventually this note will grow bigger and serve as a good resource. You don't write for them; ask them to write in their own handwriting.

8. Watch Vasantham Central Tamil news at 8:30 regularly with your child. The news readers tamil is just fantastic. You can watch some good Tamil program/movies also with them to improve their spoken Tamil.

Hope this helps.

[smartmummy]

:goodpost: wow! very good pointers! :thankyou:

Sometimes we watch movies he just read the English titles and understood. So no point to let him to watch movie, only he can learn violence and bad things.
Sometimes I forced him to listen news, he said that he didn't understand anyword. After some sittings now no complaint, he asking meaning of any word.
We play like speaking tamil line on. When we go out if he say a sentence he add 1 dollar , if I or any family members use e words add one dollar to him. Its quite worked.
I never try the pick a topic and speak. Sometimes. I find myself poor bilingual person as very difficult to find a Tamil word for e . May be i can try sci topics- he likes very much.
Raji publication comes to our school. I found they have lot of useful books. Last two years bought from them. I bought story books from them. Thennali Raman stories used to take , he complained very difficult words.now have to borrow again.

AnotherKiasu:

smartmummy:

Hi AnotherKiasu!
May I know how did u teach ur son tamil. My son's problem is he hates Tamil. Still he didn't talk in tamil with us but he can.he doesn't want to read aloud. In the dec holiday my DH read for him, then he repeat the story in English.I talked to him many times but not working. Now in p4 need to write compo.
Last few weeks very busy didn't teach properly. I follow the tamiloli book and write down the words for oliverupadu and asked him.tense also I did like that. Chorporul,haven't yet start. Today my son brought a list from school for book fair, I noticed that a book for oliverupadu, chorporul. Is it useful? May I know what books and story books are useful for p4?thanks

First thing is, eventhough your son may not like Tamil (I hate to use the word \"Hate\"), for examination purposes, he MUST master it. Remember, in PSLE, MT carries equal weightage like other subjects. There are many cases in my DS school, the children very good in Eng, Mat and Sci got poor PSLE scoring because the MT score pulled them down (like A* for all and B for MT). This not only applies for Tamil, but for other MTL also. In PSLE, the compo is supposed to be in high standard to score good marks. The sentences must be creative and normal usage of words, will not help.
So, your DS must realise this point.

Slowly (but painfully), you need to cultivate the habit of speaking in Tamil.

Below pointers may help you. All these worked for my sons.

1. During dinner, take some interesting topic from newspaper (For eg. a fire at neighbourhood, man drowned in bedok reservoir etc) and start to discuss in Tamil. The children may say in English, no problem, then you ask them to translate in Tamil. You can see, they'll struggle for correct words. Then you chip in... say the correct work and also how it can be improved, polished. Since it's a fun way, they'll learn it easily.

2. Prepare a list of Tamil words from their Tamil book and/or any equivalent tamil books. Write meaning in TAMIL and English. (For example Thee - Neruppu, Anal - Fire). Ask them to memorise and write 5-10 words every day. Most schools will give list of Tamil words necessary to learn at P4/P5/P6 level. You can use such list also.

3. For compo, prepare sentences for them to use. For example, how to describe early morning poetically. Most schools will give this list of useful Tamil sentences to use in Compo. Ask them to memorise and rewrite a few times so that they don't forget. Revisit this every 3 months. Also, how these sentences can be used in Compo also need to be drilled. For example, in every compo, atleast at one place, the children need to describe morning/afternoon/evening/night. So atleast 2 sentences must remember for each of the timings. The same goes for feelings - sad, very sad, happy, very happy, laugh, tear, fight, play etc.

4. You can get past year/current year question papers for various schools. You can try at Raj publications at Dalhousie lane, adjacent to Tekka mall (The Verge) in Little India. They also sell Tamil books. I found this resource as useful.

5. Buy \"Tamil Murasu\" every monday. They publish sample Q papers from P1 to P6 in \"Maanavar Murasu\". Also the articles and stories are quite helpful.

6. Borrow simple story books (like Thenaliraman Kathaigal, Birbaul Kathaigal) from Library and ask them to read.

7. Maintain an exercise note separately (Sol Valam) and cultivate a habit of writing any new Tamil word they learn with equivalent Tamil and English meaning. Eventually this note will grow bigger and serve as a good resource. You don't write for them; ask them to write in their own handwriting.

8. Watch Vasantham Central Tamil news at 8:30 regularly with your child. The news readers tamil is just fantastic. You can watch some good Tamil program/movies also with them to improve their spoken Tamil.

Hope this helps.

[AnotherKiasu]

smartmummy:

We play like speaking tamil line on. When we go out if he say a sentence he add 1 dollar , if I or any family members use e words add one dollar to him. Its quite worked.

I learned a new trick from you.

[HAPPYH]

AnotherKiasu:

smartmummy:

Hi AnotherKiasu!

May I know how did u teach ur son tamil. My son's problem is he hates Tamil. Still he didn't talk in tamil with us but he can.he doesn't want to read aloud. In the dec holiday my DH read for him, then he repeat the story in English.I talked to him many times but not working. Now in p4 need to write compo.
Last few weeks very busy didn't teach properly. I follow the tamiloli book and write down the words for oliverupadu and asked him.tense also I did like that. Chorporul,haven't yet start. Today my son brought a list from school for book fair, I noticed that a book for oliverupadu, chorporul. Is it useful? May I know what books and story books are useful for p4?thanks

First thing is, eventhough your son may not like Tamil (I hate to use the word \"Hate\"), for examination purposes, he MUST master it. Remember, in PSLE, MT carries equal weightage like other subjects. There are many cases in my DS school, the children very good in Eng, Mat and Sci got poor PSLE scoring because the MT score pulled them down (like A* for all and B for MT). This not only applies for Tamil, but for other MTL also. In PSLE, the compo is supposed to be in high standard to score good marks. The sentences must be creative and normal usage of words, will not help.
So, your DS must realise this point.

Slowly (but painfully), you need to cultivate the habit of speaking in Tamil.

Below pointers may help you. All these worked for my sons.

1. During dinner, take some interesting topic from newspaper (For eg. a fire at neighbourhood, man drowned in bedok reservoir etc) and start to discuss in Tamil. The children may say in English, no problem, then you ask them to translate in Tamil. You can see, they'll struggle for correct words. Then you chip in... say the correct work and also how it can be improved, polished. Since it's a fun way, they'll learn it easily.

2. Prepare a list of Tamil words from their Tamil book and/or any equivalent tamil books. Write meaning in TAMIL and English. (For example Thee - Neruppu, Anal - Fire). Ask them to memorise and write 5-10 words every day. Most schools will give list of Tamil words necessary to learn at P4/P5/P6 level. You can use such list also.

3. For compo, prepare sentences for them to use. For example, how to describe early morning poetically. Most schools will give this list of useful Tamil sentences to use in Compo. Ask them to memorise and rewrite a few times so that they don't forget. Revisit this every 3 months. Also, how these sentences can be used in Compo also need to be drilled. For example, in every compo, atleast at one place, the children need to describe morning/afternoon/evening/night. So atleast 2 sentences must remember for each of the timings. The same goes for feelings - sad, very sad, happy, very happy, laugh, tear, fight, play etc.

4. You can get past year/current year question papers for various schools. You can try at Raj publications at Dalhousie lane, adjacent to Tekka mall (The Verge) in Little India. They also sell Tamil books. I found this resource as useful.

5. Buy \"Tamil Murasu\" every monday. They publish sample Q papers from P1 to P6 in \"Maanavar Murasu\". Also the articles and stories are quite helpful.

6. Borrow simple story books (like Thenaliraman Kathaigal, Birbaul Kathaigal) from Library and ask them to read.

7. Maintain an exercise note separately (Sol Valam) and cultivate a habit of writing any new Tamil word they learn with equivalent Tamil and English meaning. Eventually this note will grow bigger and serve as a good resource. You don't write for them; ask them to write in their own handwriting.

8. Watch Vasantham Central Tamil news at 8:30 regularly with your child. The news readers tamil is just fantastic. You can watch some good Tamil program/movies also with them to improve their spoken Tamil.

Hope this helps.

:goodpost: :lovesite: :thankyou: so much.

[HAPPYH]

smartmummy:

leeven:

Hi AnotherKiasuSorry for late reply, was away for holidays. Thank you very much Happy New year to all

Hi leevan! ur sonis in P6 this year?Did u find a good tutor/tuition?
I found one tuition,but don't know how good it is.

Could you kindly share your Tamil tuition experience after a few classess? Thank you in advance.