Although students are the ones who sit for PSLE, sometimes it feels like parents and teachers are also being evaluated. They play a critical role in raising and educating the children, and sometimes a child’s performance is a direct reflection of the mentors.
Parents can take several steps to ensure their children are ready for PSLE English and other papers long before the exams arrive.
Enrol Children for Tuition Early
Although the cost of tuition can be prohibitive, sometimes a little sacrifice goes a long way, especially if the child needs extra support to excel. Early intervention is critical because the child gets sufficient time to polish his communication, vocabulary, punctuation, and grammar skills.
English PSLE tests the child’s knowledge of the English language. Unfortunately, it takes time for the child to master the language and understand the tricks used in exams to confirm their knowledge.
Enrolling the child in English tuition in Singapore early gives the child sufficient time to read and understand what is expected in the English PSLE papers.
Cultivate a Reading Culture
Children develop a reading culture from a young age, and parents can steer them in this direction by investing in books. Initially, parents may need to set up time away from electronics so children can focus on reading.
The books may need to be what the children enjoy reading. For example, if a child enjoys reading adventure books, parents can go with them to the store so that they can choose the books they want.
To minimise costs, parents can encourage children to borrow books from the library or form book clubs where they exchange books with other children.
A child who reads has a better vocabulary and is likely to ace all PSLE English papers. The child also develops other skills, such as critical thinking, which are crucial when handling multiple-choice questions with very similar answers, yet one is the most correct.
Choose a Good English Tuition Centre
Singapore has hundreds of English tuition centres, but they all use different teaching strategies. Some have lessons that are similar to those of regular classes, so students do not have personalised learning. This may not be very helpful to a child who needs one-on-one attention.
Parents should consider their child’s needs when choosing an English tuition center. Whenever possible, get a designated tutor who will be responsible for the student. This way, parents get regular updates on the child’s performance, including challenges and how to address them.
Having an English tutor will also give the student the confidence to seek clarification without worrying about holding other students back.
Monitor School Performance
One of your parental responsibilities is to know how your child is performing in school. This is especially important for parents who aren’t sure if their child needs English tuition or not. Meet the teachers and find out what they think of the child’s performance in class. Does the child need extra classes and an English tutor?
If you’re paying for tuition, find out if your child is showing signs of improvement. If not, find out from the child if they are happy with the English tuition centre or if you should look for alternatives.
Ideally, English tuition should have a positive impact on the child’s performance. That is the whole point of it. If it doesn’t, then either the child is not taking the extra classes seriously or the tutor is not doing a good job. Identifying any shortfalls early will help parents find a solution long before PSLE.