Secondary School Literature

[phtthp]

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.

[D3-n]

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.

[D3-n]

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.

[00skyblue00]

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.

Kid is equally keen in Geo and Lit currently. Not so much in History as compared to kids I know who are well versed in war strategies, ww2 etc beyond textbook.

Thanks for sharing your view.

[00skyblue00]

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.

This is useful, thanks phtthp. A novel seems doable without much stress if SS+Lit is taken as second humanities subject, a back up. And just focus on Geo as 1st humanities.... Exam strategy.

[00skyblue00]

I noticed that Hist and Geo O level exams are in midst of other main papers but Lit is more spaced out from other main papers.

[00skyblue00]

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.

What do you mean by best of both worlds?
If SS+Geo are two unrelated subjects, how abt SS+Lit?

[Zeal mummy]

D3@n\" post_id=\"2069590\" time=\"1654352528\" user_id=\"124020:

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.

Hi Dean, thank you for the reply! glad you’re here to help!

Oh I am referring to the book “Fahrenheit”—Would like to know what are the common literary devices, key quotes or phrases used in it. Are they the same as Shakespeare? What other books (similar theme) would you make reference to when you do this book Fahrenheit?

Regarding SS, is it the same when combined with any of the other humanities subjects, or are they dealt with differently? Boy just told me that his SS is weaker than his Lit… sigh. May I ask how do you help a student improve SS quickly in the fastest time? Thanks!

[Zeal mummy]

00skyblue00\" post_id=\"2069595\" time=\"1654353703\" user_id=\"143605:

What do you mean by best of both worlds?
If SS+Geo are two unrelated subjects, how abt SS+Lit?

What he meant is that, you can take both Geo and lit. By taking one of them as a pure subject, and the other as a combined one with SS.

.. I have heard that history is the humanities subject that requires similar answering techniques as SS. Both Geo and lit are unrelated, however lit is less content heavy.

[Zeal mummy]

00skyblue00\" post_id=\"2069594\" time=\"1654353505\" user_id=\"143605:

I noticed that Hist and Geo O level exams are in midst of other main papers but Lit is more spaced out from other main papers.

I think that by exam time, most of the students would be well prepared for the subjects that they are doing. They would most likely love to clear it asap and dragging it out is not ideal.