SPERS-Sec - IP schools?
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mystuff_corner:
Hi! My ds will likely be doing spers next year tooHi Kingfisher,
We are planning for SPERS-Sec 1 next year. I am worried high percentage of PSLE syllabus questions will be tested in these papers? Can you share with us your experience on these papers? May I know how did you prepare your son for the placement test? Did you specially prepare him on PSLE EL and Math syllabus? -
mystuff_corner:
Hi mystuff_cornerHi Kingfisher,
We are planning for SPERS-Sec 1 next year. I am worried high percentage of PSLE syllabus questions will be tested in these papers? Can you share with us your experience on these papers? May I know how did you prepare your son for the placement test? Did you specially prepare him on PSLE EL and Math syllabus?
Before the SPERS-Sec tests, I have absolutely no idea what will be tested, only hear-say that it will be all MCQs and IQ questions so you can't really study for it.. so I wrote to MOE and was told this :...\"applicants will be expected to know and be familiar with the Singapore syllabus of the subject at the level preceding the level of the School Placement Exercise for Returning Singaporeans - Secondary (SPERS-Sec) tests (e.g. applicants who are seeking admission into Secondary 2 will be assessed on topics covered in Secondary 1)\".
For English, again I have no idea what is the Singapore syllabus..so I just get him to revise according to the format of the test http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/admissions/spers-sec/supplementary-exercise/info-on-tests/. For composition, he just read the compositions he had written in school and take note of the teacher's comments on how he can improve. For the MCQ questions, I bought a 4-in-1 English assessment book while I was in Singapore during the summer vacation but he only focus on doing the grammar and vocabulary MCQs due to time constraints. He only started revision 1 month before the SPERS tests as he had a lot of homework from school since he started sec 1 and also he was more interested in playing computer games than studying for the SPERS test whenever he had spare time.
As for Math, I think it helps that DS is studying Singapore Math, using the same textbk as his peers therefore saving me the time to teach him from scratch. For revision, I printed out other schools' past year SA2 papers from the internet http://www.test-paper.info for him to do. He managed to do 4 papers. He said there were about 10 questions on patterns in the SPERS paper, I guess these are the so called IQ questions.
I hope the above helps and feel free to msg me if you have any questions. -
Kingfisher,
Thanks for your information. Do you know how many EL essay writing questions? Which country do you live in now?
I have piece of information on Math text book used in both IP and Non-IP school:
NJC use Mathematics Matters Express Textbook Sec 1 and 2 published by Marshall Cavendish Education Sec year 1.
A non IP school use Mathematics 1, with consultant Dr Yeap Bon Har, Shing Lee Publishing -
mystuff_corner:
Thanks!Kingfisher,
Thanks for your information. Do you know how many EL essay writing questions? Which country do you live in now?
I have piece of information on Math text book used in both IP and Non-IP school:
NJC use Mathematics Matters Express Textbook Sec 1 and 2 published by Marshall Cavendish Education Sec year 1.
A non IP school use Mathematics 1, with consultant Dr Yeap Bon Har, Shing Lee Publishing
EL essay writing - Choose 1 out of 2 questions. 200-300words for sec 1. We are in Hong Kong. -
mystuff_corner:
What sort of education system is your son in now? Singapore or US or UK etc? My daughter has been doing a US curriculum (with Singapore Maths) since she was in grade 3. The US Math curriculum in elementary school is behind the Singapore one, not sure about others, so you may want to do some preparation for Maths, at least. The Language Arts curriculum is also very different from Singapore's. You can download sample PSLE test papers to see what the questions are likely to look like and the sort of content they expect, although they probably won't be exactly like PSLE questions. SPERS is still quite new so there isn't a lot of available info about the papers. It was this uncertainty that made us decide that my daughter should take the PSLE itself rather than SPERS.Hi Kingfisher,
We are planning for SPERS-Sec 1 next year. I am worried high percentage of PSLE syllabus questions will be tested in these papers? Can you share with us your experience on these papers? May I know how did you prepare your son for the placement test? Did you specially prepare him on PSLE EL and Math syllabus? -
We are in USA. My 2 kids go to public school. Our school district just started on SG math this school year, due to lagging in standard of US education system, SPERS questions that related to PSLE syllabus worried me. I have been home schooled SG Math, but afraid it might not enough to prepare dd for the SPERS. How I wish I have a chance to get a sample of SPERS papers.
Yes. As for language, US and SG are different too. SG emphasize on well structure essay, grammer, vocalbury and phrases whereas US only focus on idea.
Doing past years papers seem like a more practical way to prepare for SPERS. -
mystuff_corner:
No SPERS papers available as far as I know.We are in USA. My 2 kids go to public school. Our school district just started on SG math this school year, due to lagging in standard of US education system, SPERS questions that related to PSLE syllabus worried me. I have been home schooled SG Math, but afraid it might not enough to prepare dd for the SPERS. How I wish I have a chance to get a sample of SPERS papers.
Yes. As for language, US and SG are different too. SG emphasize on well structure essay, grammer, vocalbury and phrases whereas US only focus on idea.
Doing past years papers seem like a more practical way to prepare for SPERS.
Teaching of English may vary between schools in the US, I expect. My girls were under the US curriculum, and I found they had a much better grounding in grammar and vocab than what we found in Singapore schools. The problem I was more concerned about was the 'conversion' between US and UK English, but my girls seem to cope pretty well with that as I remind them about it every now and again when I notice a difference. It's true the US curriculum doesn't emphasise so much on compo writing (Singapore Pr school students don't write 'essays'), but I actually feel that essay writing is more useful in the long run than compo writing. I gave my daughter a few practice runs at compo writing Singapore-style and although she hated it, she could do a fair job in the end.
My daughter prepared for PSLE using mainly past papers and a couple of assessment books which we brought from Singapore, and she did pretty well. She did have 3 mths of Singapore school just before the exams which helped. But it should be OK to use mainly past P6 papers to prepare for SPERS. Anyway, they will take into account that the students come from different education systems so they are unlikely to be as strict about form, style and details as the PSLE. -
mystuff_corner:
Hi, I was hoping there are past SPERS papers but there isn't any. For Math, according to my son, the questions were what he had studied in school which is sg math, so I supposed they followed the syllabus quite closely. Therefore, it helps to do school's past year papers to familiarise with the questions and format, I think math is all about practise. Take note that no calculators are allowed. For English, the format of the paper 2 for SPERS is quite different from PSLE. I think the paper 2 in SPERS is easier than PSLE, eg. no comprehension open-ended questions and no synthesis and transformation questions. So, you may want to just focus on what will be tested, eg, vocab and grammar..For essays, from my son's experience, I don't think MOE expects returning Singaporeans to write the same style as what PSLE students have been taught in school since they may be educated in different systems.We are in USA. My 2 kids go to public school. Our school district just started on SG math this school year, due to lagging in standard of US education system, SPERS questions that related to PSLE syllabus worried me. I have been home schooled SG Math, but afraid it might not enough to prepare dd for the SPERS. How I wish I have a chance to get a sample of SPERS papers.
Yes. As for language, US and SG are different too. SG emphasize on well structure essay, grammer, vocalbury and phrases whereas US only focus on idea.
Doing past years papers seem like a more practical way to prepare for SPERS.
I am not sure if it will help but you may want to take a look at the math lessons on this website. There are demo lessons:-
http://www.superstarteacher.com.sg/classes;0G5fYxwZrPlNzP7ST3ABr47M96aNZZ6m9JBjUkL-shZe8iPpJlPc5AmdwgN8uT-6r4nPnCO -
Hi Kingfisher,
Thanks for the recommendation. I have purchased PSLE Math for my daughter. Did your son try DSA and school admission test?
Can you update us on your sonβs S1 posting result? I am just curious whether MOE will post RS to their 1st or 2nd choice school. -
Never heard of SPERS papers before. What is this?
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Mychildren:
Never heard of SPERS papers before. What is this?
School Placement Exercise for Returning Singaporeans. It's a test for Singaporean students who wish to re-enter the Singapore education system after being overseas. It's one of the ways to get a school place when a student returns to Singapore. -
mystuff_corner:
Hi, hope you will find it useful. No, my son did not try DSA and school admission test. Ok, will update when the posting result is outHi Kingfisher,
Thanks for the recommendation. I have purchased PSLE Math for my daughter. Did your son try DSA and school admission test?
Can you update us on your son's S1 posting result? I am just curious whether MOE will post RS to their 1st or 2nd choice school.Should be soon...
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Hi
Is this an alternative for psle for overseas sporeans? Instead of taking psle can 11yrs ++ take these tests and enter sec 1 the following yr? Do they test for science and Chinese? -
PSLE papers are set and marked by MOE.
who set SPER papers and who mark them ?
how long years has SPER been in existence ?
which are the subjects they test (out of English, Maths, Science, Chinese / Higher Chinese ? -
phtthp:
PSLE papers are set and marked by MOE.
who set SPER papers and who mark them ? MOE.
how long years has SPER been in existence ? Not sure, maybe 5?
which are the subjects they test (out of English, Maths, Science, Chinese / Higher Chinese ?English and Maths. Often, the students will be exempted from MT because they have been overseas for more than 2 yrs. Not sure how schools regard these returning students in comparison with those in Singapore schools. In years other than Sec 1 and JC 1, schools will independently decide whether to accept the student or not. I'm not sure how it works in Sec 1 and JC 1 and whether returning students are at an advantage or disadvantage vis a vis students in Singapore who take the PSLE or 'O' levels. These returning kids have an additional hurdle in that they have usually been educated in a different system with a different curriculum and are less likely to be well-prepared for Singapore-style exams.
In my case, I decided to have one daughter take the PSLE rather than SPERS as she is a stronger student and we wanted the option of competing on a more level ground with students in Singapore. She studied for PSLE while doing her regular schoolwork in international school. For the other girl, we are going to let her take SPERS rather than 'O' levels as she is academically and emotionally weaker and we don't intend for her to try to get into a competitive JC (which might not regard SPERS highly - that's just our guess, not a known fact). -
phtthp:
More information can be found here : http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/admissions/spers-sec/PSLE papers are set and marked by MOE.
who set SPER papers and who mark them ?
how long years has SPER been in existence ?
which are the subjects they test (out of English, Maths, Science, Chinese / Higher Chinese ? -
Kingfisher:
Just to update that my son got posted to his first choice school - HCI. We have applied for LOA for 2013 and is approved. He will need to take placement tests on Eng, Chi and Math if he starts Sec 2 in 2014. Also, in the event that he can't cope in Sec 2, he will be transferred to the 'o' level stream in Sec 3. If we need to renew the LOA in 2014, it will be subjected to the principal's approval.
Hi, hope you will find it useful. No, my son did not try DSA and school admission test. Ok, will update when the posting result is outmystuff_corner:
Hi Kingfisher,
Thanks for the recommendation. I have purchased PSLE Math for my daughter. Did your son try DSA and school admission test?
Can you update us on your son's S1 posting result? I am just curious whether MOE will post RS to their 1st or 2nd choice school.Should be soon...
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Hi Kingfisher
Congrats on your sonβs posting! Wishing you and your family the best in the coming year, keep in touch. -
Song22:
Hi Song22Hi Kingfisher
Congrats on your son's posting! Wishing you and your family the best in the coming year, keep in touch.
Thank you! Wishing you and your family a happy and fruitful 2013! Yes, keep in touch. -
Kingfisher:
Just to update that my son got posted to his first choice school - HCI. We have applied for LOA for 2013 and is approved. He will need to take placement tests on Eng, Chi and Math if he starts Sec 2 in 2014. Also, in the event that he can't cope in Sec 2, he will be transferred to the 'o' level stream in Sec 3. If we need to renew the LOA in 2014, it will be subjected to the principal's approval.
Congratulations! So the schools do allow LOA after acceptance through SPERS. I was uncertain about that which was one of the reasons we didn't try it. Why didn't you wait one more year to take SPERS if you aren't planning to be back till 2014?