Preparing kids for P5 in 2011
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My dd also p5 next year. Even though she got 87 for MT but was not selected to do HCL, we still sign her up. My DH was saying no harm letting her try out. If she can't keep up to the standard at the end of nxt year, the sch will decide for her. Hopefully, she can cope wif HCL.

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KoalaMummy:
well, looks like we are in the same shoe...so, what do you plan to do for him then?? actually they still have 2 more years to catch up for PSLE... not sure if it's enough time...[/quote]My son's CL tutor just dropped the bombshell on me last night...until now, I'm still suffering the after-effects of that 'bomb'. She wants to raise daughter's fee to $40 an hour and son to $45 an hour next yr. Understand where she is coming from but P1 rates doesn't cost $40 what.
My son flunked his Paper 2...did badly in ηζε‘«η©Ί and open-ended comprehension...according to his teacher, the former shows we are not conversant in Mandarin.janet_lee88:
[quote=\"KoalaMummy\"]Hi, my ds is also in P5 next year. Really hope to get much advise here.
My ds did not do well for his MT (Chinese) and really worried for him.
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Mummyprincess:
My dd also p5 next year. Even though she got 87 for MT but was not selected to do HCL, we still sign her up. My DH was saying no harm letting her try out. If she can't keep up to the standard at the end of nxt year, the sch will decide for her. Hopefully, she can cope wif HCL.

87 for MT and still not offered HCL :?
My son's teacher told me minimum must get 70 in order to continue with HCL next year. Went through P5 normal Chinese activity book yesterday...found that most of the exercises have this section on finding 'ci2 yu3' related to what is asked from the passage...that's tough. I personally have this problem finding it from the passage, let alone a kid. -
janet_lee88:
For my DD's school, HCL is given to students who score at least a Band 1 in MT and also provided they also do very well in all other subjects. My DD was told by her Form Teacher that she did not fare well for her Science (she got 74), that's why the school decided that she took Normal Chinese instead so that she will not be overloaded with extra lesson aft school.Mummyprincess:
My dd also p5 next year. Even though she got 87 for MT but was not selected to do HCL, we still sign her up. My DH was saying no harm letting her try out. If she can't keep up to the standard at the end of nxt year, the sch will decide for her. Hopefully, she can cope wif HCL.

87 for MT and still not offered HCL :?
My son's teacher told me minimum must get 70 in order to continue with HCL next year. Went through P5 normal Chinese activity book yesterday...found that most of the exercises have this section on finding 'ci2 yu3' related to what is asked from the passage...that's tough. I personally have this problem finding it from the passage, let alone a kid. -
Mine also P5 in 2011.
livewith_vanilla - Thanks for your inputs. It really helps to see things from the kid's perspective. Please come and share your experience when you have time. About making notes, can you show some examples ? My son doesn't make notes and doesn't know how to ! :stupid:
Janet_lee88 & KoalaMummy - Are your kids taking HCL ? Mine taking NCL and did poorly for OE compre and oral. I am in panic mode. Any suggestions what to do to help our kids with MT ? I am really worried this subject will pull down the T-score. Everyone keeps saying read more Chinese books but it is like so little time left
Leanne - See the last post by James Ang on this thread.
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6640&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
The Secondary science guides were mentioned. I went to Popular to have a look but I think they are a bit over-kill for my P5. Very wordy with a lot of information. At the moment we are fighting fire so I am not introducing these secondary guides. Probably high ability children who have covered their own syllabus and guides books will find them useful - just my 2cents worth. -
Leanne - See the last post by James Ang on this thread.
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6640&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
The Secondary science guides were mentioned. I went to Popular to have a look but I think they are a bit over-kill for my P5. Very wordy with a lot of information. At the moment we are fighting fire so I am not introducing these secondary guides. Probably high ability children who have covered their own syllabus and guides books will find them useful - just my 2cents worth.[/quote]
Like I mentioned I just use the experiment illustrations and some of the notes during revision with my ds. Arr...i don't really think must be high ability children to understand the guide book. Just that need to sit down to go through a bit cos some notes too much for them.
Actually after I read James's post, I was also wonder wow sec guide book. So I went to have a look and I find it not bad with the experiments shown. (*which i don't find it PSLE sci guide)James also mentioned that.
@leanne>> Maybe you have a look yrself at popular to decide. -
@MoonFlower, I donβt mean that only high ability children can understand the secondary guides. The guide books, especially experiments, are useful surely. What I meant was that my child donβt have time to cover the core primary guide books and assessments for the 4 subjects already so I have to give up the secondary guidebooks (and the marks allocated to those questions).
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janet_lee88:
I don't really remember the books I used since i've given most of them away.Hi livewith_vanilla,
Thank you for your valuable post. As a parent, I am worried for my son going to P5 next year.
Can you advise what titles of guide books as well as assessment books are useful for P5 ? Like English & Science for eg. Your input is valuable.
Well for science, can get the PSLE revision guides already. PSLE revision guides covers the p3-p6 topics. I got my first PSLE in P3
I bought EPH Ultimate Guide and the orange one in P6.
I say, should start in p5, since p6 will be hectic. When your DS has the time, do go through the p3 and p4 topics with him, it will certainly ease your burden next year.
Since my english is strong, i don't really buy assessment books. Just did the outside-school exam papers my mom bought for me.
I would say, read widely.
Usually the cloze passages are non fiction, so very good to read newspapers daily, read non-fiction books.
Also, for compo, must build up good vocabulary.
I would suggest keeping a vocab book.
You can ask your DS to get an exercise book.
Then inside it, he can fill the book with good vocab and phrases.
Lets say, I read a book and found a new phrase, \"a bull in a chinashop\".
I write it in my vocab book and look up its meaning.
I then write the meaning next to the phrase/word.
I find this very useful.
For maths, practice makes perfect. Focus on topics/areas your DS is weak in. Like if he is weak in fractions, let him do more sums on fractions. Clear his doubts if you can, if not, tell him to ask him teacher.
Important note: The major topics covered in PSLE is usually: Fractions,percentage,decimals,speed,circles,area and perimeter and abit of algebra.
Thus, must build up strong foundation for fractions,percentage,decimals and area and perimeter first.
I can tell you that speed and circle are two very confusing topics if one does not fully understand the methods.
I hope i helped. ^^pixiedust:
Sorry I haven't been checking in often. ^^Mine also P5 in 2011.
livewith_vanilla - Thanks for your inputs. It really helps to see things from the kid's perspective. Please come and share your experience when you have time. About making notes, can you show some examples ? My son doesn't make notes and doesn't know how to ! :stupid:
Well making notes is really simple actually. Let me do an example.
First, i suggest you to get your DS his own lecture pads. I bought a set of 5 lecture pads(can use for next time also) at popular.
Then you can let him design the cover, so it won't look so boring.
Tell him to focus on a topic, lets say Digestive Systems.
Usually I will do notes for english and science.
So i will mark out my title on the top of the page- Digestive Systems.
Usually for science, i will have my guide books by my side.So get your DS a good guidebook , it makes things easier.
Okay so first i do a read up on the topic, a quick recap. After reading the whole chapter, i take out my highlighter(use yellow, other colours too dark) and highlight the keypoints.
For digestive systems, the keypoints would mainly be the digestive parts, when does digestion happens, when does digestion not happen, when does digestion stop etc.
After that, I would copy the keypoints neatly onto my lecture pad. So my paper would look something like this (Note: The following is inaccurate information, I'm just typing whatever I can remember):
Digestive System
-Starts from the mouth
-Sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream here.
-Teeth grinds the food and saliva softens it (I don't know. :P).
-Food is swallowed and enters the gullet.
-No digestion takes place in the gullet.
-Food enters the stomach.
-Digestive juices in the stomach further breaks down the food.
-The simpler substances enter the small intestine.
-Digested food/Water is absorbed into the bloodstream.
-Remaining substances/water goes into the large intestines.
-Water is absorbed into the bloodstream here.
-Digestion stops here.
-Undigested food is then stored in the rectum.
-It comes out from the anus as waste.
Something like this. Remember to get your DS to spice up the page (not too much) so that he won't feel its boring.
He can also include pictures to help him remember.
I hoped i helped.
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janet_lee88:
I don't remember ηζε‘«η©Ί is which one. But i remember OE(my favourite, cause I usually get close to full marks or full marks for this)
My son flunked his Paper 2...did badly in ηζε‘«η©Ί and open-ended comprehension...according to his teacher, the former shows we are not conversant in Mandarin.KoalaMummy:
Hi, my ds is also in P5 next year. Really hope to get much advise here.
My ds did not do well for his MT (Chinese) and really worried for him.
For OE, must understand the passage well, know what the passage is talking about.
My techniques for OE:
Read the questions first.
Know and highlight the key points in the qn.
After highlighting and reading the questions, read the passage once.
Then read the passage again, this time armed with pens.
For each paragraph, bracket it up and write at the side a brief summary of what the passage is talking about.
If your DS remember what is the first question and found the ans in the paragraph, get him to highlight the ans.
If not, get your DS to go back to the qn.
Start from the first qn.
Using the brief summary on the side of the paper of each paragraph, your DS should be able to find the ans he wants quickly enough.
I'm only able to type eng, so bear with me. ^^
Example:
At the end of that summer, all the Jewish children from Anne's school were kept behind after assembly. The headmistress faced them from the front of the room. \"I'm afraid you won't be allowed to return to this school next term.\" she began, her hands clasping and unclasping as she spoke.\"The Nazis have passed a new law.Jewish children can no longer go to school with non-jews.\"
I would draw a big bracket( } ) at the side of the paragraph and write:
New law- Jews can't go to schl with non jews\"
It summarizes the paragraph up, thus if the qn is like this:
What was the new law that was passed down by the Nazis?
Your child would be able to find the ans quickly instead of looking through the passage again, wasting valuable time.
Hoped this helped. ^^ -
Good post and share livewith_vanilla
Bless u dear.......
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