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    Secondary School Literature

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Secondary Schools - Academic Support
    700 Posts 243 Posters 395.7k Views 1 Watching
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    • sharonkhooS Offline
      sharonkhoo
      last edited by

      00skyblue00\" post_id=\"2069546\" time=\"1654310166\" user_id=\"143605:

      Any insight if kid is choosing between Eng Lit and Geo?
      In terms of O level time table, which subj has more interval for revision between other subjects?
      Geo is more popular with most students, would it be harder to score among the stronger ones?
      Personally, I feel the main (maybe only) factor is the child's interest and aptitude in the subject. If the child is interested, he is likely to also have the aptitude. Interval between exams and popularity may have some effect, but I think it is minimal.

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      • D3-nD Offline
        D3-n
        last edited by

        slmkhoo\" post_id=\"2069569\" time=\"1654329769\" user_id=\"28674:

        Personally, I feel the main (maybe only) factor is the child's interest and aptitude in the subject. If the child is interested, he is likely to also have the aptitude. Interval between exams and popularity may have some effect, but I think it is minimal.
        I agree. Don't decide on a subject based on the exam timetable.
        Actually you can have the best of both worlds.
        Your child can do either
        1. Pure Geo
        2. SS + Lit
        or
        1. Pure Lit
        2. SS + Geo
        Of course this also depends on the combinations available in that particular school.

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        • D3-nD Offline
          D3-n
          last edited by

          ChiefKiasu\" post_id=\"2069542\" time=\"1654306445\" user_id=\"3:

          :goodpost: :goodpost:
          I'm starting to remember Antonio 😂 . I think there was also a lady who dressed up as a male lawyer for Antonio... forgot her name. I must have loved it then if I can even remember it now...
          Portia is her name. And yes, she has to be disguised as a man to save the day. This reflects how sexist society was back then (and to some extent, it is still very true today). Only a man can solve problems and be the hero. If you follow closely, in many of Shakespeare's plays, the females are actually the ones with more wisdom, insight and even ambition. But to execute their plans, they have to do it through a man, or to cross-dress as one.

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          • Zeal mummyZ Offline
            Zeal mummy
            last edited by

            D3@n\" post_id=\"2069465\" time=\"1654216163\" user_id=\"124020:

            Hi Zeal Mummy,

            I was never with any tuition center. I am currently teaching English & Literature in a Secondary School, and also giving private tuition for these subjects - I believe 1-1 sessions are most effective for Languages/Literature as each student's competence and style are different.

            Your understanding of what a Lit student needs to do it pretty spot-on. :salute:
            Some of the themes for this book are loss of individual identity, technology's control over mankind, the negative impact of mass media/censorship, knowledge is power etc.
            Also prepare an analysis of the main characters like Guy, Mildred, Clarisse and Captain Beatty
            It is quite a hands on process so you need to show him how to apply all these processes that you have mentioned. Knowing is one thing, but it is usually the execution that lets the student down. It is the sensitivity to the text and the application of that knowledge that determine how well the student answers the question.

            The purpose of a combined Humanities, as with a combined Science is to lessen the academic load of a student without sacrificing scope. You learn half the load of the \"pure\" subject but at least get some exposure to that subject.
            SS is the only compulsory subject among the combined Humanities. While some may feel that it is a waste of time, it exposes students to the world outside of their own time and space, and broadens their world view. By understanding the world they live in, they are able make more informed decisions in their live, and survive well in our global village when they grow up.
            SS actually ties in very nicely with Lit as they both show us what it means to be human, and in the process shaping us to be better versions of ourselves.
            If you look at the themes I mentioned for Fahrenheit, it is a book written in the 1950s, yet the themes of Knowledge/Ignorance, Technology and Power are so ever relevant in today's context.

            Hope this helps 🙂
            Thank you for the reply and it helps greatly!

            .. Do we need to pay special attention to certain quotes too? .. For a narrative like this, are there key words/quotes too and what are some of the literary devices used?

            Do you teach SS too? I was wondering if they need to relate their lit text to their SS, and vice visa? Or is it a separate “study” altogether, even though it’s combined.

            Do you take primary levels or JC too?

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            • Zeal mummyZ Offline
              Zeal mummy
              last edited by

              D3@n\" post_id=\"2069578\" time=\"1654341614\" user_id=\"124020:

              Portia is her name. And yes, she has to be disguised as a man to save the day. This reflects how sexist society was back then (and to some extent, it is still very true today). Only a man can solve problems and be the hero. If you follow closely, in many of Shakespeare's plays, the females are actually the ones with more wisdom, insight and even ambition. But to execute their plans, they have to do it through a man, or to cross-dress as one.
              They need to watch Bai Feng Xi to know who is the woman and hero, today. Yeah so sexist back in their century.

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              • Zeal mummyZ Offline
                Zeal mummy
                last edited by

                D3@n\" post_id=\"2069577\" time=\"1654341280\" user_id=\"124020:

                I agree. Don't decide on a subject based on the exam timetable.
                Actually you can have the best of both worlds.
                Your child can do either
                1. Pure Geo
                2. SS + Lit
                or
                1. Pure Lit
                2. SS + Geo
                Of course this also depends on the combinations available in that particular school.
                Heard somewhere that history + SS is the more popular combination as these two are quite similar in answering techniques. Right? (I actually don’t know, hearsay)

                However, if you don’t fancy history/Geography (content heavy) then SS +Lit seem to be the best choice? How do you study for SS? Any ideas? Thanks!

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                • Zeal mummyZ Offline
                  Zeal mummy
                  last edited by

                  slmkhoo\" post_id=\"2069569\" time=\"1654329769\" user_id=\"28674:

                  Personally, I feel the main (maybe only) factor is the child's interest and aptitude in the subject. If the child is interested, he is likely to also have the aptitude. Interval between exams and popularity may have some effect, but I think it is minimal.
                  Besides the child’s interest and aptitude, if these are equal, I would look at the schools’ results for each subject. The choice is clear if 8/10 gets distinction vs 6/10 or 7/10.

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                  • phtthpP Offline
                    phtthp
                    last edited by

                    D3@n\" post_id=\"2069577\" time=\"1654341280\" user_id=\"124020:

                    I agree. Don't decide on a subject based on the exam timetable.
                    Actually you can have the best of both worlds.

                    Your child can do either
                    1. Pure Geo
                    2. SS + Lit
                    or
                    1. Pure Lit
                    2. SS + Geo
                    Of course this also depends on the combinations available in that particular school.
                    If you take Pure Lit,
                    drama (eg. Scene 1, Act 1 or Scene 5, Act 2, etc) like Shakespeare is compulsory,

                    because

                    for O-level (Pure Lit exam), must remember what took place, what happened in certain important scene(s), or what the main character(s) spoke aloud in certain scene(s).

                    Eg.
                    in Shakespeare drama (Julius Caesar, Macbeth), etc.

                    So, if don't like above drama, don't take Pure Lit, but you still can take Elective Lit, where you study the novel (storybook) only, no need to study any drama. Study novel is easier, than study drama.

                    To do Pure Lit, your English must be strong. Otherwise, safer to stick to either (Geog or History).

                    If take (Elective History + SS ),
                    History is like doing an ...
                    extension of Social studies, lots of stuff to remember. That is why some Triple Science students, because Biology itself already is a heavy intensive memory subject, so these students will \"siam\" (avoid) History, because History is another equally memory intensive subject. In other words, try not to take (Bio + History) together.

                    But, if take (Elective Geog + SS),
                    then u will be doing two entirely totally different, separate un-related subjects.

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                    • D3-nD Offline
                      D3-n
                      last edited by

                      phtthp\" post_id=\"2069588\" time=\"1654350523\" user_id=\"35251:

                      If you take Pure Lit,
                      drama (eg. Scene 1, Act 1 or Scene 5, Act 2, etc) like Shakespeare is compulsory,

                      because

                      for O-level (Pure Lit exam), must remember what took place, what happened in certain important scene(s), or what the main character(s) spoke aloud in certain scene(s).

                      Eg.
                      in Shakespeare drama (Julius Caesar, Macbeth), etc.

                      So, if don't like above drama, don't take Pure Lit, but you still can take Elective Lit, where you study the novel (storybook) only, no need to study any drama. Study novel is easier, than study drama.

                      To do Pure Lit, your English must be strong. Otherwise, safer to stick to either (Geog or History).

                      If take (Elective History + SS ),
                      History is like doing an ...
                      extension of Social studies, lots of stuff to remember. That is why some Triple Science students, because Biology itself already is a heavy intensive memory subject, so these students will \"siam\" (avoid) History, because History is another equally memory intensive subject. In other words, try not to take (Bio + History) together.

                      But, if take (Elective Geog + SS),
                      then u will be doing two entirely totally different, separate un-related subjects.
                      I didn't include History because her child is just deciding between Lit and Geo.
                      Content-wise I too think History is the most siong, followed by Geography.
                      Aptitude and Interest aside, Literature is the lightest in terms of content. Just a novel and a drama - 2 \"storybooks\" for the 2 years.
                      For Literature, one factor to help decide is to find out what text your school has chosen for the Pure Lit. There are about 5 to 6 prescribed texts each for the prose (novel) and the drama (not all the drama are Shakespeare plays if that is a worry). Some texts are more difficult or \"dry\" than others. So if you find that your school has chosen texts that you are keen on, then that can be a deciding factor.

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                      • D3-nD Offline
                        D3-n
                        last edited by

                        Zeal mummy\" post_id=\"2069579\" time=\"1654343216\" user_id=\"58173:[quote=\"Zeal mummy\" post_id=2069579 time=1654343216 user_id=58173]
                        Thank you for the reply and it helps greatly!

                        .. Do we need to pay special attention to certain quotes too? .. For a narrative like this, are there key words/quotes too and what are some of the literary devices used?

                        Do you teach SS too? I was wondering if they need to relate their lit text to their SS, and vice visa? Or is it a separate “study” altogether, even though it’s combined.

                        Do you take primary levels or JC too?[/quote]
                        Yes, there are certain famous key quotes for every text. But some teachers will advise students not to go for the \"usual suspects\" as they have become somewhat cliche. For me, if it is a strong evidence, I don't see why the student should avoid it simply because it has been \"overused\".
                        Literary devices common in Shakespeare will be metaphor, diction, pun, alliteration, symbolism, dramatic irony and repetition.
                        I used to teach SS. Students do not need to cross reference any of their combined Humanities.
                        It is separate study. Only in JC GP, then cross-reference may be required.
                        I am teaching in a Secondary School, but I tutor from Primary to JC.

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