Post-PSLE: Tough Transition to a Vastly Different Secondary School Education

By WR!TERS@WORK

Leaping from Primary School English to Secondary School English

Learning is a continuous process. Children, adults, and the elderly can always find ways to make the most out of their limited time and energy. Even during the holidays, there are always opportunities to learn more and accumulate knowledge which will serve you well in future. When a PSLE Primary 6 student ends their exams, they can make the most out of their holiday break by preparing for secondary school English. After all, there is a steeper learning curve in secondary school as compared to primary school. There are higher expectations, higher weightage, an increase in logic and critical thinking skills, and passages with higher literacy value in secondary school English. Thus, it would be good to come prepared.

There are two aspects of the English assessment to be discussed: (1) Exams and (2) Weighted Assessments. These two aspects demand new sets of skills from students, and students who are not prepared to face these challenges will experience a sort of “culture shock”.

1. English Exams in Secondary School

Secondary school students in Secondary 1 and 2 will have similar curriculums as primary school. For example, in their exams, they will also have Situational Writing – a component similar to PSLE. However, in secondary school, the word count for situational writing jumps from 150 to 750 words. Students who are aiming for A1 quality work should go beyond the required 350 words and try to write more. Writing more does not only mean increasing word count – the writing must add to the essay in a meaningful way. This fact may alarm some students who are not used to writing at such great length – students need more exam stamina to handle the increased word count and write in a coherent and concise way. As a corollary, their exam paper durations will also become longer and more tiring.

For the O Level exams, students will need to learn about new types of essays, such as argumentative essays, discursive essays, and reflective essays. When writing, students need to develop a clear flow of their own ideas which reflect a deeper understanding of the concepts written about. They will also need to think about the format of their writing and the tone. As such, students need to develop important skills like analysing the question, fulfilling the requirements of the task, creating a character, choosing from options in the question, planning thesis statements, and being aware of the format they are writing their essay with.

All this exam preparation sounds like a lot to handle – and it can be overwhelming and difficult at times. Students may be confused as to what genre the essay question is and how they can go about writing the essay. They may also need an essay plan which includes a thesis statement. At W@W, our teachers help by breaking down each part of the notes given during the lesson and building them up in class, teaching students the exact systematic thinking process which they can replicate during the exams to identify keywords in the question, the essay genre, the plots possible to use, and the arguments within an essay which are supported by evidence.

2. Weighted Assessments for English in Secondary School

As there are no more mid-year exams for secondary school students after 2023, students will be given Weighted Assessments to test their mastery of the English language in lieu of the exams. There are 3 to 4 of these Weighted Assessments which need to be completed in secondary school, and not all of them are the same – these assessments could range from essay questions or comprehension questions, to group projects, speeches, or videos which require students to think outside the box and creatively come up with a project according to the assignment brief.

At W@W, our teachers regularly follow up with students about Weighted Assessments. Students are always welcome to ask their teachers for ideas about what they can do so they can attain the best grades for these extra projects. Students will feel much better about keeping up with their schoolwork and additional tasks in secondary school with their teachers at W@W guiding them.

Although secondary school may seem like a daunting process, students need to take it one step at a time to ensure they can cope with their increasing academic workload. Knowing what students are getting into is half the battle – students will feel much more prepared if they know what is coming, and then, they can take concrete steps to craft a plan for action and handle it, with the astute help and guidance from their parents, teachers in school, and teachers in W@W.

Attain Stellar Results With W@W!

English is a compulsory subject which all students must undertake. However, mastering the English language is not something which happens overnight – it takes consistent practice and effort to learn the nuances of the language. Students must read more and practice writing to gradually improve. Cramming for a language subject nearer to the exams is an impossible feat. After all, Rome was not built in a day! Attaining such a skill will have positive implications for not only your child’s education in school, but also employment prospects in future.

At WRITERS@WORK, we are committed to providing the smoothest learning experience for your child sitting for their English exams. With our carefully curated methods of teaching your child how to write well, your child will learn how to present their thoughts and arguments in a coherent and concise manner. W@W reinforces your child’s language skills and provides a strong foundation for their academic success, keeping up with all aspects of their progress both inside and outside of the classroom to nurture them holistically. For more information about how W@W makes a difference, feel free to explore our website and watch our YouTube videos!

If you are interested in our primary English tuition and secondary English tuition in Singapore, WRITERS@WORK has expanded to 9 convenient locations. To find the nearest location that suits your needs, please explore our options. If you have any inquiries regarding our range of programs or class schedules, please feel free to contact WRITERS@WORK!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

1. Which Tuition Centre is Good for English?

W@W is an excellent option to help your child prepare for their English Language classes at school at any level. W@W teaches students how to write compositions which are the basic building blocks for all communication, whether it be in school or outside in the workplace.

2. Why is It Important to Attend English Enrichment Classes?

Students will be able to develop important skills such as critical thinking which will serve them well in all areas of life. Students will learn how to incorporate critical thinking and analysis skills when they read comprehension passages and plan their ideas and arguments out for essays.

3. Is It Worth Getting an English Tutor?

If your child needs help in school, it could be worth considering getting an English tutor as English is a compulsory subject at school. English is used in all areas of life and learning how to read critically and write essays are highly important skills which should be learned early.

4. How Do Students Have Poor Writing Skills?

Students often have poor writing skills as they do not have the knowledge of good exam habits to practice. For example, many students often do not plan their essays, which lead to a poor writing habit of rambling, going off on irrelevant tangents, and forgetting to list all good arguments.

5. Who Creative Writing a Skill or a Talent?

Writing is a skill which can be trained. Anyone, regardless of whether they have a strong language ability or not, can be trained to write well given that they have a structure and are made aware of their writing habits which need to be changed. At W@W, we believe that every child can write – it is up to us to instil good writing habits to improve children’s skills for the better.

6. Why Do People Study Creative Writing?

Writing is an essential skill which is useful even when a child grows up to become a working adult. Communication is the basic foundation of any society, and people study how to write to better communicate their ideas to people. At school, academic performance is measured by how well students can communicate what they know in the context of an examination.