After 2023, the Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing has announced that there will be no mid-year exams for all primary and secondary school students in all levels. Instead, there will be ongoing assessments to identify what a student has learned and the areas in which they have difficulties. In each term, there will be a range of assessments, including Weighted Assessments to determine whether the student has mastered the content being taught thus far. Schools have the autonomy to set the Weighted Assessment questions – they may be exam-style or unstructured.
The aim of removing mid-year exams is to lessen the academic stress of students. It is no secret that the Singaporean education system is highly stressful, and the pressure to do well academically from teachers, peers, and parents may leave a student feeling overwhelmed and frustrated as they want to be the best. Students may overstretch themselves in trying to compete with others and attain goals which are high standards they have set for themselves.
Although students may be jumping for joy at the prospect of not having to take an extra exam apart from their finals, many parents will have the burning question of whether their children are sufficiently prepared to undertake their finals, or even major examinations like PSLE. Without any benchmark like an exam to identify where the student stands, they may not know that they need to revise hard before the final exams or before major exams to score a good mark.
Despite the Weighted Assessments acting as a substitute for mid-year exams, the format of these Weighted Assessments may test different skill sets as compared to an exam. Some Weighted Assessments may be exam practice questions which the student can take home and do, but other Weighted Assessment questions may involve the student needing to treat the assessment as a project – they may be asked to write a speech, present on a topic, or even make a video! As such, the Weighted Assessment functions as a holistic test of a student’s skills instead of a clean substitute for exam practice. This is rightly so, as MOE has the aim of creating holistically-educated students who have more experience and exposure to events beyond their traditional classroom settings.
A consequence of the removal of mid-year exams which may disadvantage students is the lack of practice under timed conditions they will get for their subjects. One area that students struggle with is writing good quality compositions for PSLE English, with the appropriate number of words and a good structure of paragraphs. In the entirety of primary school, students only get to practise writing as many as 8 to 12 compositions before sitting for the final PSLE exams!
This is a problem, as especially for language subjects, students cannot expect to get better overnight – it is not a secret that consistent practice allows the student to understand the nuances of writing good essays. Furthermore, there are soft skills such as understanding the question, time management, and handwriting quality which students need to practise to get a handle on them before exams. Students need to be trained in these things – they require careful attention and effort to improve.
At W@W, our teachers are trained to help students get the regular practice for composition writing they need, even though they do not have the chance to sit for mid-year exams anymore! With our technique of teaching one story per week, students will come to their PSLE exams armed with a bank of stories and plots in which they can vary the plot and characters to meet the requirements of the questions asked of them. Students will be able to plan their essay plots in a systematic, structured way to ensure they create a clear and coherent storyline without going off on irrelevant tangents or leaving the plot with an unsatisfying conclusion.
Perhaps the best way to see the removal of mid-year exams is as a chance for the student to find out how to improve themselves at school in a self-directed way. Having no mid-year exams does not mean that a student can push all the revision they need to do for their final exams to the last minute – instead, it means that students now have more of their own time to improve and get regular practice before their final exams roll around.
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?
