PSLE is the first major milestone in the long education journey that all Singaporean students embark on. The mere thought of preparing for such an important examination can be daunting to many Primary 6 students but parents and students can instead revel in this experience, for it is one which can strengthen the parent-child relationship. Nothing beats enduring a challenge together and emerging victorious at the end of it. Working behind the scenes, parents play an indispensable role, spending much of their time ferrying their children to and fro tuition classes, whipping up nutritious meals and providing the occasional nuggets of advice and inspiration. Here are some tips on how to help your child prepare for the battle we call “PSLE”. Do keep the recommendations in mind and tweak them to suit what seems best for your child.
Work out a revision schedule with your child to ensure revision starts early
There is only so much time left before the PSLE as soon as your child starts Term 1 of Primary 6. As we are well aware, a sturdy foundation built in the earlier years of the primary school education serves as a stepping stone to achieving superb results in the PSLE. For students who are still weak in certain topics, there is no need to worry as long as they start revision early and devote effort and time towards clearing their doubts. Mastering a topic well is a work in progress and a student can do so by using resources like psle test papers free Singapore. Students can practise a variety of questions to assess his or her grasp of the concepts. This should be done way before the stress stemming from a ticking clock gets too intense. To truly perform well in an examination, planning ahead is one of the top strategies. Parents can work out a timeline with their children. Rather than cramming many topics into the hours just prior to an examination, a student will definitely benefit from well-spaced revision sessions which commence months before the big day. With the need to juggle CCAs and enrichment classes with revision after school, it may seem difficult to get started on exam revision. The trick is to take on small sections of a topic at a time but there has to be consistent effort in covering the full syllabus. In addition, revision of a topic should be done more than once to cement the concepts. That is why it is so important to start revision as early as possible.
Ensure that your child is familiar with exam formats and question types
It is essential for a PSLE candidate to know the exam format of each subject. There are also different types of questions like MCQs, open-ended questions etc. A student should be well-prepared to tackle them and answer the questions accordingly. For example, PSLE Math is reputed to be challenging and complex. Students are required to first understand and master the concepts, and then develop problem-solving skills to solve tough math questions. In schools, math heuristics are taught. They are strategies that students can employ to solve word problems which are not so straightforward. It is essential for students to be familiar with them and also get exposed to different Singapore Primary 6 Maths questions during their revision.
For PSLE English Paper 2, there are different sections like grammar MCQ, visual text comprehension etc. It is recommended for a student to attempt the full paper to familiarise with the format and question types. This can be a timed practice so students can learn time management and pace themselves to complete the paper within the specified timing.
Encourage learning beyond books to bring out passion in your child
Indeed, the main role of a school teacher is to impart knowledge. A teacher can share much information and knowledge with students. However, the time spent with students is limited by curriculum time and teachers have to adhere to a tight schedule to meet the teaching guidelines of MOE. This is when parents can come into the picture. Children have a natural curiosity to know how this world works and parents can ignite a child’s passion in a particular subject matter by encouraging them to explore or even learning together with them.
Learning can take place beyond books and beyond the classroom. Take for instance, Science is everywhere, from preparing a simple meal to constructing a towering skyscraper. Advances in science and technology are transforming our world at an incredible speed, and the future of our next generations will certainly be filled with technologies beyond our wildest imaginations. The ability to explain phenomena of nature and apply scientific techniques is no longer an advantage but an essential life skill. Science at the primary levels seeks to provide students with the opportunities to develop the fundamental skills and attributes. The analytical, problem-solving and reasoning skills acquired by students are then assessed with the variety of PSLE Science questions in exams. When a student has passion in Science, he or she will not find it a chore to study this subject, even for examinations. In fact, many students perform better in certain subjects simply because they are interested in them. Parents should encourage their children to observe scientific occurrences around them and then endeavour to explain them in a fun and interesting manner. In the age of the Internet, knowledge is at our fingertips and it is not hard to look for information that we do not even know previously. Through parents’ efforts, the passion of children in Science can be ignited.
Instil the right learning attitude
When all is said and done, PSLE will not make or break a student’s education or impact future career choices. However, students should be reminded that ample preparation for an exam will result in better grades. Confidence can be gained simply by making adequate preparation and having a right learning attitude.