What will pupils be tested on Oral Communication

What will pupils be tested on? Oral Communication Listening Comprehension Situational and Continuous Writing Language Use & Comprehension

30 marks [ 15 % ] 3 tested components: Reading Picture Discussion Conversation

20 marks [ 10% ] Pupils will: Listen to a variety of texts read Respond to 20 Multiple Choice Questions

55 marks [ 27. 5% ] 2 tested components: 1 Situational Writing [ 15 marks ] 1 Continuous Writing from a choice of 2 questions [ 40 marks ]

95 marks [ 47. 5% ] Components to be tested : Comprehension – Graphic Stimulus / MCQ / OE Grammar (MCQ / Cloze) Vocabulary (MCQ / Cloze)

Tested components (cont): Editing (for Grammar and Spelling) Punctuation (MCQ) Synthesis & Transformation Open-ended Cloze Passage

Oral : Mid August LC : Mid September Paper 1 : End September Paper 2 : End September

Create a conducive environment that promotes language acquisition. Read with your child about current issues and discuss. Do not transmit fear to your child. Ensure that he exercises and does not put on too much weight

How can parents help? Ensure that computer usage is strictly controlled. Ensure that your child has a proper plan of action translated into a detailed timetable that is adhered to. A proper routine is indispensible Keep the handphone once the child arrives home. Peaceful , quiet home environment. Proper study area assigned to him alone Monitor interest in card games such as Vanguard. Monitor amount/type of homework given by tuition teachers – clarification of concepts and application of are more important.

Non. Fiction Genres of literature The two main categories separating the different genres of literature are fiction and nonfiction. Types of Nonfiction: Narrative Nonfiction is information based on fact that is presented in a format which tells a story. Essays are a short literary composition that reflects the author’s outlook or point. It is generally in prose and is generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative. A Biography is a written account of another person’s life. An Autobiography gives the history of a person’s life, written or told by that person. Often written in Narrative form of that person’s life. Speech is the faculty or power of speaking Finally there is the general genre of Nonfiction. This is Informational text dealing with an actual, real-life subject. This genre of literature offers opinions or conjectures on facts and reality. This includes biographies, history, essays, speech, and narrative non fiction. Nonfiction opposes fiction and is distinguished from those fiction genres of literature like poetry and drama which is the next section we will discuss.

Fiction Genres of Fiction: Drama This genre is stories composed in verse or prose, usually for theatrical performance, where conflicts and emotion are expressed through dialogue and action. Poetry is verse and rhythmic writing with imagery that evokes an emotional response from the reader. This genre of literature is for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts. Fantasy is the forming of mental images with strange or other worldly settings or characters; fiction which invites suspension of reality. Humor Fiction full of fun, fancy, and excitement which is meant to entertain.

Fiction Genres A Fable is a story about supernatural or extraordinary people Usually in the form of narration that demonstrates a useful truth. In Fables, animals often speak as humans that are legendary and supernatural tales. Fairy Tales or wonder tales are a kind of folktale or fable. Sometimes the stories are about fairies or other magical creatures, usually for children. Science Fiction is a story based on impact of potential science, either actual or imagined. Science fiction is one of the genres of literature that is set in the future or on other planets. Short Story is fiction of such briefness that is not able to support any subplots. Realistic Fiction is a story that can actually happen and is true to real life. Folklore are songs, stories, myths, and proverbs of a person of “folk” that was handed down by word of mouth. Folklore is a genre of literature that is widely held, but false and based on unsubstantiated beliefs.

Build up on your child’s ability to understand various types of texts. Create opportunities through daily interactions and activities eg a simple trip to the supermarket can be a rich learning experience. Provide good models of speech and minimise the use of Singlish. Help your child style-switch according to context, audience and purpose.

Expectations • ORAL Reading (10 marks) Candidates are assessed in their ability to: pronounce and articulate the words clearly. read fluently with appropriate expression and rhythm.

Picture Discussion (10 marks) Candidates are assessed in their ability to: interpret the situation in the picture, using correct grammar and appropriate vocabulary. The candidate who scores well is one who is able to focus the discussion on the point of interest in the picture and is also able to give personal responses to the issue.

Conversation (10 marks) Examiners would like to see an interaction taking place. Hence, your child needs to be clear and there should be elements of a conversation taking place such as eyecontact, a two way speak / listen and then listen / speak.

• Situational Writing

In order to do well, candidates will have to look for the 6 points in the contents and present it according to the purpose, audience and context.

MEMORY ACRONYMS SALUTATION ADDRESSEE DATE NAMES SIGN OFF PURPOSE TONE

• Continuous Writing Candidates are required to write a composition on one of the two given topics: a piece of recount or narrative writing based on a pictorial stimulus or an account of a given situation.

When writing, it is important for your child to: Win In Content -organise -focus(relevance) -develop -detail Win In Language -GRAMMAR -Spelling -Punctuation -Word Choice

Comprehension OE Q-Answer the correct question G-Grammar S-Complete Sentences A-Completeness of answer* Q-Quotations misquoted

Synthesis and Transformation In this section, candidates are given 5 sentences that they have to synthesise (join) or transform eg from a direct to an indirect speech with grammatical accuracy. In order to improve, pupils need to: - read widely for familiarity - draw up time change schedules for reported speech and word forms - build up spelling especially of commonly misspelt words

• Cloze Passage In order to do well, candidates must be able to see the passage in totality and be able to pick on contextual clues. Some blanks are controlled by the word that comes before or after the blanks such as phrasal verbs and infinitives. To illustrate, please see the examples below: Wild animals in the Safari feed on the smaller prey…. . - the word ‘on’ has restricted the choice of the word in the blank. If a child writes ‘eat’, the answer will be wrong (although it means the same thing). Before he realised it, the burglar had snuck into the house. - the word ‘had’ before the blank shows the use of the participle, so a child who fills in the blank with ‘sneak’, ‘sneaks’, ‘sneaked’ or ‘sneaking’ will not get any mark even though the root word ‘sneak’ is correct.

In order to do well in this section, your child must read widely so that he/she has good comprehension because of prior knowledge. Reading will also expose your child to the conventions of the different texts and he/she will be familiar with the types of words used in short passages of different topics. Hence, reading magazines and newspaper articles is strongly encouraged.

General Tips • Start the preparation today • Provide ample practice (not necessarily assessment • • books) Speak the language Expose your child to the language through both the print (newspaper articles, Reader’s Digest, Sports Magazines, Kids Geographic Magazines, What’s Up, Little Red Dot etc) and broadcast media (Channel News. Asia, 93. 8 Live, News etc) Create a conducive environment (physical and emotional) Help your child: - identify headlines, key words, word connectors - acquire reasoning skills - summarize main points - develop reflective skills - give and support opinions