2012 PSLE Discussions and Strategy

[SAHM_TAN]

BeContented:

SAHM_TAN:

Am I correct to say that one has to achieve a certain T-score to be offered the option of taking up a 3rd lang? If yes, why some parents and kids are unhappy abt the T-score?

I'm trying to understand the context. Thanks.

This is my understanding.

3rd Languages has 3 categories
Cat 1 - Malay / Chinese (special programme)
Cat 2 - Arabic / Bahasa Indonesia
Cat 3 - French / Japanese / Germain

Not sure about Cat 1&2. For Cat 3, also called Foreign Language, is only offered to the top 10%.
So far, I know that this year, 251 has been offered up to Cat 2.
255 & above is offered all 3 categories.
I suppose the top 10% cut-off would be from 252 - 255 then.

I see. Thank you.

[SAHM_TAN]

Lynn2:

Hi SAHM_TAN,


Nice to see you here!

Yes, there is certain T score for taking certain third languages.

I pm you.

Cheers,
Lynn

SAHM_TAN:

Am I correct to say that one has to achieve a certain T-score to be offered the option of taking up a 3rd lang? If yes, why some parents and kids are unhappy abt the T-score?
I'm trying to understand the context. Thanks.

yup I'm a traveller. Plus with 3 kiddos in school next yr, will not be able to visit the forum often. So best to ask all my qns now

[fifiyeo]

DS’s T-score is rather low and had been offered Cat 1 & 2 3rd Lang. I thought it was a crazy idea. I was so very glad that DS didn’t think it was wise to consider it as an option.

[hercules]

Rational_Parent:

It is more about priority, and the time a student have when in sec sch for his/her whole well-being, be it academic, health, acquiring new skill set, etc is a critical factor.

If a child is already weak in other subjects, then the taking of a 3rd lang of course logically should not be in the equation.

3rd lang is offered to 'capable' kids (kids with higher T score). It's a 'stretch' and a benefit to widen our mere bilingualism (that's a burden to some but just an additional load to some).

Kids, if they express interest and are offered, should ideally try. most of these kids are denied of the opportunity coz many parents want nothing but As for other subjects. In the academic pursuit of many, the child's results have to be straight As else it's a 'black mark' (cannot go HCI). This takes away the true meaning and joy of learning = failed education process.

It is easy to find many many straight As kids in the future. When come to job applications, these kids will be differentiated by the additional skills, such as a 3rd lang skill, that whoever has. So, it maybe myopic to write off the opportunity to take up a 3rd lang if the intention is to let the child focus in the As of other subjects that anyway most if not all will be taking too.

I see many children who did well enough for their 3rd lang in O level as well as many who dropped half way. So, can try after assessing the child's physical capability (here we assume that the child has the mental capability to attempt with a higher T score).

Above's my take.

BTW, there's definitely lot of difference for a person in general trying to pick up a language skills at age 12 vs as an adult. This is well supported by research and go comb for info if one is keen.

[its888me]

I thought Malay/Chinese/Arabic/Bahasa Indonesia offered to all students.

[Rational_Parent]

I'm extremely delighted and humbled to have DOE feature my post re issues with taking up the 3rd language on their website in such a finely edited and eloquent manner.


http://www.domainofexperts.com/2012/12/taking-up-3rd-language-some-key-issues.html

It'll not do you any harm to read it once more on their website.

[mummy so kiasu]

BeContented:

SAHM_TAN:

Am I correct to say that one has to achieve a certain T-score to be offered the option of taking up a 3rd lang? If yes, why some parents and kids are unhappy abt the T-score?

I'm trying to understand the context. Thanks.

This is my understanding.

3rd Languages has 3 categories
Cat 1 - Malay / Chinese (special programme)
Cat 2 - Arabic / Bahasa Indonesia
Cat 3 - French / Japanese / Germain

Not sure about Cat 1&2. For Cat 3, also called Foreign Language, is only offered to the top 10%.
So far, I know that this year, 251 has been offered up to Cat 2.
255 & above is offered all 3 categories.
I suppose the top 10% cut-off would be from 252 - 255 then.

250 & above is top 10% & they are able to opt for Cat 3, third language.

[BeContented]

mummy so kiasu:

BeContented:

[quote=\"SAHM_TAN\"]Am I correct to say that one has to achieve a certain T-score to be offered the option of taking up a 3rd lang? If yes, why some parents and kids are unhappy abt the T-score?

I'm trying to understand the context. Thanks.

This is my understanding.

3rd Languages has 3 categories
Cat 1 - Malay / Chinese (special programme)
Cat 2 - Arabic / Bahasa Indonesia
Cat 3 - French / Japanese / Germain

Not sure about Cat 1&2. For Cat 3, also called Foreign Language, is only offered to the top 10%.
So far, I know that this year, 251 has been offered up to Cat 2.
255 & above is offered all 3 categories.
I suppose the top 10% cut-off would be from 252 - 255 then.

250 & above is top 10% & they are able to opt for Cat 3, third language.[/quote]Why I raised this is because my neighbor score 251+2. But only offered up to cat2, not offered cat3 - French/jap/German.

[mummy so kiasu]

BeContented:

mummy so kiasu:

[quote=\"BeContented\"]
This is my understanding.

3rd Languages has 3 categories
Cat 1 - Malay / Chinese (special programme)
Cat 2 - Arabic / Bahasa Indonesia
Cat 3 - French / Japanese / Germain

Not sure about Cat 1&2. For Cat 3, also called Foreign Language, is only offered to the top 10%.
So far, I know that this year, 251 has been offered up to Cat 2.
255 & above is offered all 3 categories.
I suppose the top 10% cut-off would be from 252 - 255 then.

250 & above is top 10% & they are able to opt for Cat 3, third language.

Why I raised this is because my neighbor score 251+2. But only offered up to cat2, not offered cat3 - French/jap/German.[/quote]What is your neighbor's grade for English? A or A*? Maybe only those who are strong in languages are being offered Cat 3, third language.

[BigDevil]

fifiyeo:

Don't know about you fellows out there. I'm still pulling off my hair trying to arrange our 6 choices. It's now down to which is 1st and last. Hiaz... I bet we all grew lots of white hair over this!

This is too late to help you....but I thought you should always put the school with
the highest COP first, then down to the school with the lowest COP as the 6th choice?
(Except in the case of affiliated sec school which you should put as 1st choice)

From what I understand (disclaimer: this is what I understood about posting 2 yrs
ago when my sister was cracking her head over her DD's selection), the posting starts
with the highest scorer (285 this year), down to the lowest scorer (43).

So starting with the boy who gets 285, he naturally will be posted to his 1st choice.
Next comes those who scored 284...and they too will get posted to their 1st choice.
This goes on until it reaches your child at 2xx. At this point, MOE (or computer) will
first look at your 1st choice. If there is vacancy, then your child will be posted there.
If not, then the 2nd choice will be looked at. This process gets repeated until a vacancy
is found within the 6 choices of schools you have selected. Once your child gets posted,
the system moves on to the next child with the next lower T-score.

So by this process, putting a school in a lower choice does not discount your chances
of getting posted to it.

Eg.
Child1 with score 242 place school A of COP 240 as 3rd choice, while Child2 with
score 241 selected school A as first choice. Since Child1's T-score is higher than Child2's,
he will be posted to school A ahead of Child2, despite school A not being his 1st or 2nd choice school.

fifiyeo:

mummy so kiasu:

[quote=\"fifiyeo\"]Finally! It's done. Now the wait. Hopefully not another death sentence.

Should be alright. As long as your last 2 choices COP is below his score. Good luck!

Only last one is 12 pts above COP. The others below COP or on the dot.[/quote]If what I wrote above is correct, then your child will never be posted to the last choice
school, since you have choices above it with COP lesser than your child's and thus will have vacancies.