PSLE T-Score Secrets Revealed

Reply to PSLE T-Score Secrets Revealed on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:24:04 GMT

MrBin — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:24:04 GMT

To make it more clearer, just make use of the formula below:

T = 200 + 10* ((English-70)/10.43+(Maths-64)/12.93+(Science-66)/12.33+(Chinese-73)/9.43)
According to above formula, The highest achieveable T-score for chinese is 50 + 10*(Chinese-73)/9.43 = 50+ 10*(100-73)/9.43 = 78.6

If we make chinese test much easy, increase its average score to 78, then the highest achieveable T-score for chinese will be 50+10*(100-78)/9.43= 73.3, down 5 points, if the other subjects’ highest achieveable T-score maintain around 78, then the weightage of chinese actually decrease.

In order to compare different MT, to be fair we need bring in one more factor to normalize the difference. For example we use Malay as a reference.

Then the T-score for chinese student should translate to the following formula:
50 + (highest achieveable Malay T-score/highest achieveable Chinese T-score)10(Chinese-73)/9.43. Only by doing so, different MT can compare at same level

Reply to PSLE T-Score Secrets Revealed on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:32:21 GMT

MrBin — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:32:21 GMT

verykiasu2010:
1. the advice to work harder on languages is probably due to smaller SD (standard deviation) in the t-score computation, hence you need to have higher raw score to ensure higher t-score for the subject. subjects like math & science based on observations at school exams tend to show larger SD, hence a difference by one SD can send the candidate to higher t-score for the subject compared with another subject with smaller SD

2. it has been repeated often enough that all 4 subjects carry equal weightage in PSLE. Even when the former Education minister tried to suggest a lower weightage for a certain subject, he quickly kena hailstones from all parents and PM Lee got to come out to assure all parents that all 4 subjects carry equal weightage. How can the teacher anyhow say MT has lowest weightage ??

the seemingly \"lower weightage\" is basically due to the smaller SD in the transformation of the raw score to the t-score, hence it looks like more difficult to achieve higher t-score for the languages

the smaller SD is not due to less weightage, it is due to most kids scoring around the similar marks, resulting in very close differences from the mean, giving rise to smaller SD

when the marks scored by the kids are widely scattered, it creates a larger SD, hence it is easier to get high t-score for that subject

it is now rather well established that if the exam papers are easy, more kids will get high raw scores, then the top PSLE aggregate t-score tend to be lower, eg last two years without any controversial papers, the top scores were only 282 / 283

every year when parents and kids cry over \"tough\" papers, the top t-scores are well beyond the high 28x, above 29x....294 in one year...

I think MT has the same weightage as the other subjects by theory.But look at the quality pass rate of MT which is more than 80% for every year. It's obviously there is a magic hand behind to control. It made MT test is very easy, it's benefit for the students whose MT are not strong enough, but it's not good for students whose MT are very strong. Give you an example, if you let P6 student test P3 maths, I believe most of the students can get very high mark, but no matter how good you are, you have a roof, it's 100 mark, in the end, the students who are good at maths can't be differenciated with the other students. MOE play the same game here on MT. If you really want to promote MT, instead of raising 100M fund, just redesign the MT test, let quality pass rate down to the same level as other three subjects (44%), I am sure all the students will work much harder than before on MT

Reply to PSLE T-Score Secrets Revealed on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 03:13:59 GMT

daniel212 — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 03:13:59 GMT

The article is very interesting! Thanks for sharing :lol:

Reply to PSLE T-Score Secrets Revealed on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 04:43:52 GMT

looking4Tutor — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 04:43:52 GMT

HCH:
I have also verified with MOE that the marks of A/A*/Pass for different PSLE subjusts are confidential and not a fixed value.

This is a known fact. It depends who is in the cohort sitting for the PSLE.

Reply to PSLE T-Score Secrets Revealed on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 04:23:06 GMT

kitty2 — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 04:23:06 GMT

HCH:
Found an interesting article about PSLE T-score. Reminded me of previous discussion in this forum about marks of A/A*/Pass. I have also verified with MOE that the marks of A/A*/Pass for different PSLE subjusts are confidential and not a fixed value.

Anyway, would like to share the article here. The interesting conclusion from this article is if you would like to get high T-score, you should work harder on language subjects, that is English and MT.

Happy reading.

http://www.greatminds.edu.sg/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=89:disclose-t-score-secret&catid=59:great-minds-club&Itemid=91

This's interesting,thanks for sharing

Reply to PSLE T-Score Secrets Revealed on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 18:43:41 GMT

verykiasu2010 — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 18:43:41 GMT

1. the advice to work harder on languages is probably due to smaller SD (standard deviation) in the t-score computation, hence you need to have higher raw score to ensure higher t-score for the subject. subjects like math & science based on observations at school exams tend to show larger SD, hence a difference by one SD can send the candidate to higher t-score for the subject compared with another subject with smaller SD

2. it has been repeated often enough that all 4 subjects carry equal weightage in PSLE. Even when the former Education minister tried to suggest a lower weightage for a certain subject, he quickly kena hailstones from all parents and PM Lee got to come out to assure all parents that all 4 subjects carry equal weightage. How can the teacher anyhow say MT has lowest weightage ??

the seemingly "lower weightage" is basically due to the smaller SD in the transformation of the raw score to the t-score, hence it looks like more difficult to achieve higher t-score for the languages

the smaller SD is not due to less weightage, it is due to most kids scoring around the similar marks, resulting in very close differences from the mean, giving rise to smaller SD

when the marks scored by the kids are widely scattered, it creates a larger SD, hence it is easier to get high t-score for that subject

it is now rather well established that if the exam papers are easy, more kids will get high raw scores, then the top PSLE aggregate t-score tend to be lower, eg last two years without any controversial papers, the top scores were only 282 / 283

every year when parents and kids cry over "tough" papers, the top t-scores are well beyond the high 28x, above 29x…294 in one year…

Reply to PSLE T-Score Secrets Revealed on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:23:13 GMT

work4astar — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:23:13 GMT

Zhuge:
HCH:
Found an interesting article about PSLE T-score. Reminded me of previous discussion in this forum about marks of A/A*/Pass. I have also verified with MOE that the marks of A/A*/Pass for different PSLE subjusts are confidential and not a fixed value.

Anyway, would like to share the article here. The interesting conclusion from this article is if you would like to get high T-score, you should work harder on language subjects, that is English and MT.

Happy reading.

http://www.greatminds.edu.sg/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=89:disclose-t-score-secret&catid=59:great-minds-club&Itemid=91
Is it true?

I think its not true. I spoke to my friend who is a current teacher, he told me MT carries the lowest weightage.

Reply to PSLE T-Score Secrets Revealed on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:35:36 GMT

Augmum — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:35:36 GMT

parentof3:
I got to know from a MOE teacher who told me that the passing mark for Maths in 2009 PSLE was 39. So passing mark is not constant is true. That also explains why my friend's DD who did not manage to complete the paper yet she scored a A*

passing mark was only at 39 ?? that's very low.....
no wonder.....in that yr, despite many of gal's classmates expected a very lousy grade
as they could neither do nor finish the maths paper, but it turned out that many were getting a \"A\" grade.

Reply to PSLE T-Score Secrets Revealed on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:27:42 GMT

Augmum — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:27:42 GMT

HCH:
Found an interesting article about PSLE T-score. Reminded me of previous discussion in this forum about marks of A/A*/Pass. I have also verified with MOE that the marks of A/A*/Pass for different PSLE subjusts are confidential and not a fixed value.

oh.... u had also vertified with MOE.
Yup, MOE had confirmed \"my belief\" that A* is NOT prefixed at raw marks of 91,
(or rather my suspicion that it cant possibly fixed at 91)
where most parents/pupils have this misconception.

Reply to PSLE T-Score Secrets Revealed on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 02:21:12 GMT

MrBin — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 02:21:12 GMT

I agree with your comments. Just checked their web, they updated their article, Newly recommended T-score formula is :

T = 200 + 10* ((English-70)/10.43+(Maths-64)/12.93+(Science-66)/12.33+(Chinese-73)/9.43)

Reply to PSLE T-Score Secrets Revealed on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:29:36 GMT

oliveminx — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:29:36 GMT

It looks plausible but I disagree with their conclusion that it’s easier to get higher T-score if you do well in languages. This is only true if the mean remains the same for all the subjects. In reality, with a higher SD, the mean tends to be lower while with lower SD, the mean tends to be higher.

Reply to PSLE T-Score Secrets Revealed on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:19:49 GMT

MrBin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:19:49 GMT

It’s true. According to this formula. the lowest 4A could be ~200, the highest 4A* could be ~310. This is very logic. I believe someday in the future,somebody can break the record 294

Reply to PSLE T-Score Secrets Revealed on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:33:22 GMT

parentof3 — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:33:22 GMT

I got to know from a MOE teacher who told me that the passing mark for Maths in 2009 PSLE was 39. So passing mark is not constant is true. That also explains why my friend’s DD who did not manage to complete the paper yet she scored a A*

Reply to PSLE T-Score Secrets Revealed on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:01:58 GMT

Zhuge — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:01:58 GMT

HCH:
Found an interesting article about PSLE T-score. Reminded me of previous discussion in this forum about marks of A/A*/Pass. I have also verified with MOE that the marks of A/A*/Pass for different PSLE subjusts are confidential and not a fixed value.

Anyway, would like to share the article here. The interesting conclusion from this article is if you would like to get high T-score, you should work harder on language subjects, that is English and MT.

Happy reading.

http://www.greatminds.edu.sg/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=89:disclose-t-score-secret&catid=59:great-minds-club&Itemid=91

Is it true?