How to Get Your Child Ready for the English PSLE

Every year, the PSLE alters Singapore’s pace of life. Everything turns into PSLE during this test, including the news, discussions, daily activities, and even sleeping. As a result, there is significant pressure on parents to participate fully in the process. If you are not keen or are unable to enrol your child into an English tuition centre in Singapore, don’t worry! There are plenty of other ways for you to score well during the exam periods.

Here are 5 pieces of advice that each family may use to prepare for the upcoming English PSLE.

1. Specified Practice

Practice is essential, but make sure it’s focused. Make sure your youngster concentrates on topics that will genuinely matter as the exam date approaches. Learning new techniques and approaches for exam tasks that they perform poorly on is actually too late.

Instead, focus on the assignments where they only score 50% or so. These imply that a solid knowledge basis exists to strengthen it. Improvements in grades are more likely to result from concentrating on these.

2. Language vs Exam Skills

Your child’s linguistic abilities are at their peak in the weeks leading up to test day. So don’t have them memorise word lists or sample questions.

Instead, insist on time limitations, buy an egg timer, or utilise the countdown timer on your phone whenever kids complete activities from practice books. Setting a time limit, doing the exercise, checking the answers, reflecting on the answers, resting, and then repeating helps with time management and breaks up the revision into more manageable pieces.

3. Continue Reading

Reading time is time spent developing one’s writing skills. But, even now, if you help your kids think about what they read, encouraging them to read broadly can have a good effect. There are several model texts available that address each Paper 1 task.

Together, read them and consider what makes them successful, such as how the story is made fascinating. What clarifies the report? Your child’s knowledge is enhanced when you discuss concepts together. Do not mistake this for memorisation!

4. Examine and Consider Older Compositions

Your youngster will already have a sizable collection of “vintage” compositions. Find them at the bottom of your backpacks and under your desks! They are treasure troves for hurried revision. On one level, they will have mistakes that your youngster frequently makes, like the simple past. On the other hand, they are excellent for encouraging your youngster to consider ideas that will enhance their own writing.

Find out why they liked the sentences they produced by asking them about them. Which ones, and why, may they alter? How could they make their work clearer or more exciting? It is vital to ensure they comprehend and consider the teacher’s remarks.

Parents must remember that it might be challenging for kids to present you with their work, mainly if it contains a “sea of red ink”! This is useful in discussing with your child what they would do differently for the exam. Don’t freak out or be critical.

5. Encourage the Good

Doing your best to ensure your child is as confident as they can be on the day of the test is valid, whether or not you have the academic abilities to be more hands-on during the final review session.

Children who solely consider their inadequacies when approaching an exam room are already psychologically disadvantaged. Every youngster has a skill that they excel at compared to others. Spend some time discussing these with your youngster to learn what they are. Knowing your child’s abilities outside of the exam, and reminding them of them, will boost their confidence.