2012 PSLE Discussions and Strategy

[Chenonceau]

Zekezachzoom:

After seeing the strict psle marking standard that his science teacher applied on the CA1 paper, I think I need to revisit this subject again. It used to be my DS strong subject, but he is now demoralized by his ca mark.Fortunately he is still holding his fort well for the math. I am going to focus more on his science and Chinese compre for this coming holiday

:snuggles: Jiayou!!

[Zekezachzoom]

Chenonceau:

Zekezachzoom:

After seeing the strict psle marking standard that his science teacher applied on the CA1 paper, I think I need to revisit this subject again. It used to be my DS strong subject, but he is now demoralized by his ca mark.Fortunately he is still holding his fort well for the math. I am going to focus more on his science and Chinese compre for this coming holiday

:snuggles: Jiayou!!

一起加油吧 :rahrah:

[mummy so kiasu]

Snow Crystal:

FYI from MOE website >> of the total of 45,261 Primary 6 pupils who sat for PSLE 2011, 97.4% are assessed as suitable to proceed to secondary school. In terms of course eligibility, 62.9% are eligible for the Express course, 23.1% for the Normal (Academic) and 11.4% for the Normal (Technical) course.

Only 62.9% got 188 & above. You can't even get into an average school if your T score is less than 200. Have to work harder!

[Zekezachzoom]

Just want to drop a note here to thanks psle2011mum on sharing the strategy of tackling the compre by using annotation. My DS did well for his compre using this method in his Ca1 paper ( he scored 17/20) which is rare for him. I practiced a few compre with him before his ca1 and he realized that it really useful for him. Though we did not go through the very extensive way of making notes for almost every sentences, but DS has tried to make small notes along the way as he reads. This really helps him to recap what he has read and got the answers accurately and faster.


He could have scored a better mark if he did not \"eat the word\". For example, in one of the paper we practiced , instead of giving the full answer as \" It refers to the gigantic plume of smoke which was mushrooming a hundred meters into the sky and coming over the hill.\" He just wrote \"It refers to the thick plume of smoke.\"

[psle2011mum]

Zekezachzoom:

Just want to drop a note here to thanks psle2011mum on sharing the strategy of tackling the compre by using annotation. My DS did well for his compre using this method in his Ca1 paper ( he scored 17/20) which is rare for him. I practiced a few compre with him before his ca1 and he realized that it really useful for him. Though we did not go through the very extensive way of making notes for almost every sentences, but DS has tried to make small notes along the way as he reads. This really helps him to recap what he has read and got the answers accurately and faster.


He could have scored a better mark if he did not \"eat the word\". For example, in one of the paper we practiced , instead of giving the full answer as \" It refers to the gigantic plume of smoke which was mushrooming a hundred meters into the sky and coming over the hill.\" He just wrote \"It refers to the thick plume of smoke.\"

Hi Zekezachzoom

Was having lunch at the desk and saw this - I am so happy for you and DS :snuggles: and you are very welcome.

You have done a wonderful job with him ! :rahrah:

Jia You!

[beanbear]

elisammom:

Hi beanbear, curious... What strategies you used for Math n sci that your ds has improved so much?
Congrat! Great effort u n ds have put in!

Hi elisammom,

For Math, it was really sheer hard work since last Dec holidays. Because he failed so badly, I really had to spend time analysing the gaps. Where there were gaps in conceptual understanding, I taught him that specific concept, then we did sums from onsponge & ammiel wan's books that match that concept. Because of my background in training & learning, I also analyzed the answers provided and adapted the steps into what I think is a more logical flow of thinking. I did each sum alongside with DS initially because I wanted to experience the thinking process needed to solve each sum. I experienced making mistakes myself so that I learn about where mistakes occur and why they occur. When DS is stuck, I use coaching questions to help them think about how to discover the next step, rather than give him the answer myself. I wanted to impart to him the questioning skills so that he would be able to use the same questioning on himself under exam conditions.

When the gap was not conceptual but what people would think is \"careless\", I discovered through careful observation of DS, that \"carelessness\" is caused by different things. For eg, when he uses algorithm method for addition or subtraction, he makes mistakes because of where he was placing the numbers. Another so called \"careless\" mistake he was making was occurring during Ratio sums. He would provide the answer as Girls : Boys when the question was asking Girls : Total. What I then taught him to do was to slooo....w down his reading of the sums by highlighting, circling, drawing arrows and translating each sentence into a model or into a number sentence, one sentence at a time.
This strategy really helped his visual tracking to be more effective.

Apart from the above, 3 weeks before exam, we set a goal to complete at least 4 past exam papers before his CA. We didnt' do certain schools' papers because I didnt' want DS to feel intimidated by certain Top schools' killer sums. I would say we used moderately difficult school exam papers. We did Paper 2 first, targeting specific problem sums - we didn't do the whole paper at one go. I would assign him 4-5 problem sums at a time, doing similar type questions at one sitting. He gets immediate feedback from me and he re-do any sums that he has made mistakes. My main concern is his brain should remember what is right, rather than simmer in what is wrong. Hence immediate feedback and immediate correction is critical.

About 1 week before the CA, we focused on Paper 1 - MCQ & Short Questions. For Short Questions - again I don't bother to do everything. We focused again by topics. MCQ is all about speed & accuracy so DS would set timer and finish MCQ questions at one sitting.

Now come to the strategies for Science. I came across this strategy from a Science Tutor who shared in KSP. He said that revision can be done by using the answer key and doing the paper by relying on the answer key. But you must do at least 6 exam papers for this to work. I decided to experiment with this. Again, I believe in observing and giving my DS coaching questions. I teach him to question the question. What scientific principle is this question asking of me? Look at the question - when it asks you to \"explain\", what is required in the answer? When the question asks you to \"observe\", what is required? We used the answer key but some answer keys are grammatically quite poorly written so I would help DS with the phrasing but the answer keys help me because I have very little content knowledge when it comes to science. I analyzed the patterns of how science questions are to be answered and then helped DS to learn to see those patterns.

We did science papers 4 weeks before CA. It was really tough trying to do 6 papers. Again immediate feedback and corrections are provided.

All in all, it was good learning and experimenting of strategies. It really requires planning, discipline and commitment. DS saw my commitment to him and he was willing to cooperate. I also learnt from Chenoceau that motivation is really key too, DS needed my validation of him, to be his cheerleader. There were times I was feeling doubts about whether all this will really pay off. I had to trust myself, my understanding about how skills are built, how things go from short-term to long-term memory, about how success breeds success, that confidence is built when DS experiences success frequently. I also firmly believed that I was teaching DS study skills that will help him beyond the PSLE years. It was really a long-term investment.

[belieber13]

I’m in secondary1 now, but after reading all your comments, I can advise that for English, it is much easier to write small notes at the side and what can help is that the child highlights the 4W1H and circles the tenses. For Maths, slowing down and reading the question helps a lot. For Science, I agree with beanbear. Patterns must be seen in order to answer the questions correctly.

All the best to all the mums,dd and ds!

[elisammom]

Thanks beanbear n belieber13 for ur detail advise;)

I will learn frm ur advise n coach my dd… Though she is p4 now but I believe psle preparation should start now … After hearing so much frm this forum i felt the need to help her else she may not be in time to close the gap… The foundation must be strong…

Thanks all the devoted moms n dads who share here;)

[struggling]

Dear ‘annamom’ and ‘PSLE 2012’


Thanks for this.

I’m a newbie so didn’t notice the other PSLE 2012 discussion and strategy thread until after I posted my message.
Yes! A lot of stuff in there…

I’m starting to follow it closely… Rather addictive, I must say!

Cheers

[LOLMum]

take a deep breath before you check out \"PSLE 2012 discussion and strategy\" thread. lots of info for you to absorb and dont freak out because you think you are way behind others.


you have 1 week of school holidays to get things into place.

:rahrah: