This program is designed as a lead-up to our IP secondary classes, tutors in charge will be putting a greater emphasis on process questions instead of pure content and drilling. Tutors in charge will be our IP tutors who have been training PSLE high scorers for many years, who are graduates from schools offering the IP stream, on top of being NIE trained as well as NUS graduates
If your child is getting an A but is struggling to attain A* in PSLE science, this program will interest you. The common weakness of students who fail to achieve A* standard is the inability to handle creative open ended questions found at the end of the paper which cannot be answered using rote-learning methods, in fact, memorizing will be a detriment. This program aims to equip prospective students with the necessary skills and knowledge to confidently break down and solve such problems. Students who are aiming to attend Integrated Program(IP) with an aggregate of AL4-AL8 are strongly recommended to attend, as those schools will have very competitive Maths and Science syllabus.
Level/Subject: P6 A-Star SCIENCE
Dates: Friday
Time: 330pm – 5.00 pm
Benefits of the PSLE A-Star Science program:
-Keyword spotting and recalling important content
-Custom summary topical notes for efficient reading
-Reading and classifying questions under topical categories
-Visualizing and solving of abstract or creative type questions
-Focus on questions that require Higher Order Thinking(HOT) e.g. Experimental Questions
-Small class size and individual checking of working and solution
-Term tests to gauge progress
-Constant feedback from tutor
-Detailed analysis of school exam papers and common mistakes of the students
Level/Subject: P6 A-Star MATHS
Dates: Friday
Time: 530pm – 7.00 pm
Benefits of the PSLE A-Star Maths program:
-Heuristics heavy curriculum
-3D mensuration (shapes, figures, volume, area, perimeter)
-Visualizing and solving of abstract or creative type questions
-Focus on questions that require Higher Order Thinking(HOT) e.g. Challenging Problem sums
-Small class size and individual checking of working and solution
-Term tests to gauge progress
-Constant feedback from tutor
-Detailed analysis of school exam papers and common mistakes of the students
Level/Subject: P6 A-Star ENGLISH
Dates: Monday
Time: 330pm – 5.00 pm
Benefits of the PSLE A-Star English program:
-Strong focus on creative writing weekly practice with marking and review
-Challenging Comprehension practice with step by step guidance
-Customized notes and lesson structure to assist in writing within a Singaporean context
-Highly dynamic and creative class to ensure constant engagement and interest with a results oriented focus
-FREE listening comprehension and oral workshop
-Small class size and individual checking of composition and comprehension
-Term tests to gauge progress
-Constant feedback from tutor
-Detailed analysis of school exam papers and common mistakes of the students
Fees: 280 per student, for each additional subject taken, a permanent discount of $30 is applied
i.e student takes EMS, each subject is 280-30-30=220, total is 660/month
Singapore Learner @ Bukit Batok
Admin Address: Blk 644, Bukit Batok Central, #01-68. S(650644).
Tel: +(65) 6569 4897, +(65) 88765498 (WHATAPPS ADMIN) http://wa.link/w0xxk2
PSLE MATHS TYS RATIO QUESTION WITH SOLUTION(adapted due to copyright issues)
The ratio of the number of goldfish to guppy in a fish tank is 5:4. After 3 guppies died, the ratio of the number of goldfish to guppy is 4:3. What was the total number of angelfish and clownish in the aquarium at first? [2]
How to solve this question?
First of all, the student has to identify the topic. In this question it is clear cut, and the topic in question is obviously ratio.
Next, what technique to use? Ratio is a concept introduced in P5, and as such, students are typically motivated to use models. However, the ratios given will make modeling difficult, as the numbers are very close to one another, and there has been a subtraction somewhere down the road.
So, how do we address this issue? For most questions on ratio, I would use my ratio method! The method is simplistic and easy to visualize.
Before: After:
GF:GP GF:GP
5:4 4:3
Note that there is one variable that remains constant! That is the value of the goldfish. Since the total goldfish does not change, we can hold that value constant. This means, that the value of the goldfish before and after will remain the same. Based on what the student knows about ratio, the student must recall that you can expand a ratio beyond its simplest form. Since we want the ratio or the units of goldfish to be uniform for before and after, we shall expand by multiplying the ratio in before by x4, and multiplying the ratio in after by x5.
Before: After:
GF:GP GF:GP
20:16 20:15
As you can see, now the ratio of goldfish is uniform, and it makes it so much easier to compare! The guppies have decreased from 16 units to 15 units, and goldfish remains the same, this checks out with regard to the question. Next, the question says that 3 guppies died, so the decrease of 1unit has to be representing the death of the 3 guppies!
Therefore, 1 unit for both ratio represents 3, and since there are 20+16=36 units at first, the answer is simply 36×3=108!
Drop us a message if you would like to see demonstrations of other PSLE math solving techniques! Stay tuned for more detailed solutions and techniques to popular PSLE or promo math questions!
For queries on my tuition schedule, you may contact Admin Staff at 88765498.
Mr Y.S Pang, B.Eng(hons)NUS, Math tutor at Singapore Learner and Concept Learning
PSLE SCIENCE TYS MIST QUESTION
DETAILED SOLUTION TO PSLE SCIENCE TYS QUESTION(question adapted due to copyright issue)
Question:
For some buildings, water mist systems are used to cool the surrounding air, and tiny water droplets are produced in the form of mist, as shown in the figure
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Explain how such a system is able to lower the temperature of the surrounding air and give a reason for your answer. [2]
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If you were to add fans to the water mist system, how would it help to cool the surrounding air more effectively? [1]
Answer:
How to tackle PART 1?
First off, we identify the topic in question. Based on the keywords used which is mist, and temperature, the student has to identify that this is a multi-topic question, and topics involved are water cycle and heat, specifically, on the concepts of the 3 states of water and temperature.
Next, recall the information learnt from these topics. Water has three states, solid, liquid, gas, and different processes convert water into its individual forms.
So, the mist is used to lower the temperature of the surrounding air. The student has to be able to recall that water is a cooling substance, and its different forms can act to cool environments. Based on the question, the mist form seems gaseous at some point, so the student must recall that evaporation results in gas, and during evaporation, water absorbs heat and changes into water vapor.
Now, we piece the clues together and form our solution.
The mist system will release mist, which are tiny water droplets, into the surroundings. The water droplets absorb heat from the surroundings and they evaporate. This cools the surrounding air, and the temperature of the surrounding air is lowered.
How to tackle PART 2?
Part 2 is what we like to unofficially call a creative question. These sort of open ended questions are follow-up questions to part 1, meaning, if you have failed to understand part 1, you will not be able to do part 2, and lose 3 whole marks. These questions are typically designed such that the answers cannot be found in the textbook, and to make the student think deeply about the subject matter. So how do we go about doing this?
By looking at the figure, we can see that there is now a fan behind the mist system. So what is the fan doing? The student must be able to identify that fans generate wind, and wind typically blows things around. But this is a layman term, we have to explain it in scientific terms.
So, what does the act of wind blowing things around cause? It causes things to move further away. Based on part A, the student has to realize that the purpose of the mist system is to cool the surroundings. So what does blowing the mist further away achieve? At this point, the student has to come to the conclusion, that blowing it further away covers more ground, and cools more people! Now we piece the clues together and form our solution.
The fans blow the mist further away to other nearby places, and this cools the other places as well, because now the mist covers a larger surface area.
Stay tuned for more solutions to popular promo and TYS questions!
Any inquiries.,do contact our Admin Staff at 88765498
Mr Y.S Pang, B.Eng(hons) NUS, Science tutor, Singapore Learner and Concept Learning
FREE SEC 1 MATH TUITION AT SINGAPORE LEARNER!
Using the CER(Claim, Evidence, Reasoning) method in Primary 3 and 4 Science
As parents, many of you would have seen your child bring home science worksheets which require them to answer using the CER method, and are unsure of how to guide them to solve those questions. So what is the CER method? The CER method stands for Claim, Evidence and Reasoning. It is developed to encourage students to answer a scientific problem using data to support their answers. This method is used to train students to develop the necessary skillset to tackle the PSLE answering format.
C – Claim. When you make a claim, it is supposed to be a statement which is unsubstantiated. This statement has to answer the original question. For example, in a question with woodlice in a box, a student can make a claim which is “woodlice prefer to live in dark areas”
E – Evidence. Provide evidence to your claim. This evidence must always be based on whatever diagram, model, table or graph that is presented in the question. Evidence is typically numerical in nature, i.e. the student must quote the significant numbers to substantiate their claims. For example, in the same woodlice question, a student can say “after 2h, there are 10 woodlice in the sheltered area, and 0 woodlice in the lighted area”. Note that in the answer, the student needs to quote and compare these statistics presented.
R – Reasoning. Reasoning is the use of scientific concepts to explain your claim and evidence. These scientific concepts are usually limited by the scope of your issued textbook, i.e. your answer should include keywords or key concepts quoted in that specific topic in the textbook. An example of a good reasoning answer would be “some animals are nocturnal in nature. Because more woodlice are in the sheltered area, this means that they are nocturnal and prefer the dark or will be more active in the dark”
Some parents might ask, is this exact answering scheme required of my child in PSLE? Of course not, the questions in PSLE science do not segregate the questions into its individual CER components and expect an answer as such. However, you must bear in mind that this mode of answering is effective for training your child to become a learner who can give proper scientific answers, which is what the PSLE is looking for. I hope you find this information useful for your child’s academic growth.
Bridging the gap from AL2-3 to AL1 in P6 Science
Many parents of academically gifted children are often perplexed by their inability to secure an A* for Science, especially if their child is already doing exceedingly well in other subjects such as Mathematics, which also requires higher order thinking. Based on my experience from training such students, as well as my personal experience, I can offer some insight into this matter.
1) Primary level Science, unlike Mathematics, follow a strict marking scheme with a range of keywords. Mathematics on the other hand, accept a wide array of solving techniques, even if they are of a more advanced nature. (i.e. using simultaneous equations to solve problem sums is a valid technique, even if it involves competencies which are taught in Lower Secondary maths) A strong Maths student at P6 may find themselves knowledgable on Science, but unable to be a high achiever because their phrasing is not within the acceptable parameters of the P6 Examination. A very knowledgable student in Science can still fail to get A* if they do not use the correct terminology. Drilling of keywords is necessary, but can be memory intensive and inefficient. It is important to teach them that there are a set of keywords instead of just one acceptable answer, so their thinking is nimble, and able to adapt to different questions. It is also less taxing on their memory.
2) Carelessness in MCQ. Even after the changes to MCQ section, moving from 30 questions to 28 questions, the MCQ still forms the bulk of the grades in the PSLE. Securing near full marks in MCQ is vital to securing A*. As a parent, you must understand that almost every year without fail, there will be an extremely challenging or creative section B question which most students cannot handle. In order to hedge against the scenario that your child might be unable to get the question right, you must have near perfect MCQ grades. That marginal difference in MCQ means that carelessness cannot be tolerated, and MCQ techniques or skills have to be properly taught to them, and it has to be taught early. Last minute preparation will not serve you well.
3) Overanswering in section B may cost you more than you think. Parents, students, or even some teachers, may have the mentality that overanswering is the way to go, and better be safe than sorry. This tactic will not serve you well if you are aiming for A*. Overwriting often leads to less time allocated to reading long questions and understanding complex diagrams. This is costly as the students might find themselves misinterpreting the question and going out of point. It is much more efficient to learn how to interpret certain prompts(state, explain, describe) in the questions and answer accordingly. (i.e. not all 2 marks questions must have lengthy answer, and not all 1 mark questions are that straightforward. The specific wording used in the question will determine the depth of your answer)
4) Last but not least, a healthy interest in the pursuit of Science is important. A driven and motivated child will be well read, and in turn, that makes the child very resilient to challenging questions which involve scenarios that test heavily on external knowledge. It is not surprising that many of my students who eventually made it into specialist science schools (SST, NUS High) have a deep interest in the sciences, and are very well read or engaged(perhaps even more knowledgable than myself in certain aspects, which is a very impressive feat). Providing them with an environment which encourages the pursuit of science beyond grades alone, will actually improve their grades in the long run.
Tough IP Maths question: Indices and Surds
This is an example of how a typical IP school paper can supercharge a basic topic like Indices and Surds in Y3. The technique used in the second part of this question references a H2 topic called sequences and series, using method of differences. Such difficult questions can still fall under the category of Y3 questions, and as such will be tested in Y3 exams.
Below are the question, the tips, and our answers.
If you are interested in IP Maths tuition, contact Admin Staff at 88765498. Stay tuned for more updates on tough IP style Maths questions.
Our IP page and schedule:
SEC 3 PHYSICS TOPICAL LEARNING PROGRAM
WITH SCIENCE PRACTICAL TRAINING
Friday | 5.30 pm – 7.00 pm
FEE: $360 per mth of 4 sessions ($280 if sign up in Jan)
Early-bird Promotion: Students who sign up for the above before 31st Mar can opt for (a) one 1.5 hr practical lesson to replace one theory lesson per month at no extra cost OR (b) a discount of 50% to attend any number of 2 hr standard practical lessons outside of their theory lesson.
TO REGISTER, SMS <STUDENT NAME>, <SUBJECT, DAY> TO 88765498
The Tutor for our PHYSICS program is a former MOE school teacher (ex-Rafflesian) who has been coaching students in ‘A’ Level & IB Physics and Mathematics for more than 8 years, as well as ‘O’ Level & IP Physics, Additional Math, E. Math and PSLE Math for more than 10 years. An alumnus of RI and RJC, he also holds both a Master of Education degree and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education with Credit from the National Institute of Education (NIE), as well as a Bachelor of Science degree from the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Administrative Matters:
Location: Blk 644, Bukit Batok Central, #01-68. S(650644).
Our location is just a 3-min walk from either the Bukit Batok MRT station or the Bukit Batok Bus Interchange. Buses that stop along the roads surrounding our location are numbers 157, 178, 66, 506, 173, 174, 176, 187, 985. Buses services which terminate at Bukit Batok Bus Interchange are 61, 77, 106, 173, 177, 189, 852, 941, 945, 947.
TUITION CLASSES:
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES:
By EX-MOE TEACHERS & EXPERIENCED TUTORS
@ BLK 644, BUKIT BATOK CENTRAL, #01-68. S(650644).
CALL 65694897 OR SMS 88765498.
SEC 3 A. MATH TOPICAL RELEARNING
These are private 1-1 individual lessons.
Start Date: YOUR CHOICE
Location: Blk 644, Bukit Batok Central, #01-68, S(650644).
Focus: CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING & APPLICATION OF SKILLS
Format: Teaching + Worksheets + Discussions
Target Group: Current S3 students who obtained a grade of B4 or lower in their Sec 3 A.MATH SA2/EOY/Final Exam.
Days, Dates and Time slots : To be agreed upon.
Topics: Student can decide, or start from Chapter 1
Fee: $80 per hour only.
$30 registration fee.
Background of Tutor:
The tutor is a RI & RJC alumnus and a NIE-trained graduate (NUS) ex-teacher who has been teaching A.MATH for more than 15 years.
To register, sms <Student Name><S3AMRL> to 97860411.
For any queries, you may also talk directly to the tutor at 97860411.
If instead you are looking for SEC 4 HEAD START programs, click on the link below:
HEAD START PROGRAMS (NOV-DEC)
SCIENCE PRACTICALS:
O-LEVEL PRACTICALS
IGCSE PRACTICALS
INTEGRATED PROGRAMME (IP) PRACTICALS
SEC 3 PRACTICALS
_______________________________________
TUITION CLASSES:
_______________________________________________________________
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES:
______________________________________________________________
By EX-MOE TEACHERS & EXPERIENCED TUTORS
@ BLK 644, BUKIT BATOK CENTRAL, #01-68. S(650644).
CALL 65694897 OR SMS 88765498.
Integrated Programme Year 5 (2023) H2 Mathematics Headstart
For IP Y5 students, get a Headstart in your H2 Maths during the holidays! We will be covering the introductory topics in JC1, as well as going through what to expect as a Y5 H2 Mathematics Student.
Dates: Mondays and Fridays
Time: 7:45pm – 9:15pm
Topics covered: Arithmetic Progression and Geometric Progression
Fees: $360 all inclusive
Location: Blk 644, Bukit Batok Central, #01-68, S(650644).
Focus: CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING & APPLICATION OF SKILLS
Format: Teaching + Worksheets + Discussions
For enquiries call 65694897 or message tutor at 90065997 (Whatapps)
Tutor has a B.Eng(HONS) NUS, ex RVHS student, specializing in IP and H2 Maths for over 6 years
Integrated Programme subject combination and promotion criteria
Q: Is triple Science good?
A: Triple Science gives you options, as you are still young and have time to figure out which discipline of science they are more interested in. Triple Science is a premium in certain IP schools and will only accept students of a high GPA. Many triple science students are in the course because they enjoy the pursuit of a challenging, all rounded science syllabus. If you know what you want, it’s fine to just take two sciences as well. There are no “bad choices”, subject combination should be selected based on talent and passion. Remember that triple science is not a must have, it is an avenue for the student to take on an additional challenge in their academic life.
Q: What is the safest combination?
A: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and any humanities of your own choosing at Y3. PCME(physics, chemistry, mathematics and econs) at Y5. This combination caters to almost all jobs that IP students are traditionally interested in pursuing in Singapore (medicine, law, finance, consulting, accountancy, engineering, research etc)
Q: What if I am forced to take 3H2 at Y5, will that affect me badly?
A: Many 3H2 students I know from IP schools eventually go on to do very well post graduation, don’t let it affect your confidence. Study properly for your promos, prelims and A-level and do yourself and the school proud.
Q: Will I be retained?
A: Schools enforce a certain GPA for promotion criteria for Y1-Y4, 3.0 is usually a good gauge. However, 2.5 – 2.9 usually qualifies the student for conditional promotion. Anything else would be a case by case basis, but safe to say that if you fall short of 2.0GPA, chances are slim. At Y5 you typically need a few H2 passes. Your conduct and recommendation from teachers will also affect promotion criteria, so please be cordial and respectful to your teachers who work so hard to educate you. In the off chance that you are retained, take it as an opportunity to prove yourself again.
Q: Can I take H1 instead of H2 Math at Y5 and Y6 and still qualify for good university courses?
A: H2 MATH is NOT a pre-requisite for MOST courses in NUS and NTU, our highly-ranked world-class universities. This makes perfect sense. Why? You see, two large and difficult topics in H2 Math are Vectors and Complex Numbers. Non-engineers don’t need to know these topics, and many other topics in H2 Math.
Believe it or not, WITHOUT H2 MATH, you can still enrol in the following courses in NUS and NTU:
ACCOUNTANCY, BUSINESS ADMIN, BUSINESS, ARTS & SOCIAL SCIENCES, SCIENCE, COMPUTING, DENTISTRY, MEDICINE, NURSING, PHARMACY, LAW, ARCHITECTURE, PROJECT & FACILITIES MANAGEMENT, REAL ESTATE, INDUSTRIAL DESIGN, ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, MARITIME STUDIES, BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, SPORTS SCIENCE & MANAGEMENT.
This post is compiled by the IP tutoring team at Singapore Learner, based on our personal experience studying in an IP school or teaching in an IP school.
For IP tuition,do contact Admin Staff at 88765498 (Whatapps).
OUR IP TUTORS:
Mr Pang: Mr Pang graduated with a B.Eng(Honors) from NUS, and has been coaching students in O-level/IP and A-level Mathematics and Science for more than 5 years. An alumnus of RVHS(IP) and an experienced tutor in IP/A-level education, Mr Pang is a results oriented tutor whose students do very well in exams through efficient learning methods and exam preparation skills. Mr Pang employs a variety of teaching methods to cater to every type of learner, as well as teaching them the skill of self diagnostics, giving them the ability to constantly spot and rectify their own errors. He takes pride in inspiring his students to become confident learners and critical thinkers.
Mr Ilyasa: An NIE-trained Teacher, Mr Ilyasa has been coaching students in O-Level & IP Chemistry, Physics and Math for more than 12 years. An alumnus of Raffles Institution, Mr Ilyasa holds a a Bachelor of Science degree from the NUS as well as a Master of Education (Curriculum & Teaching) degree from the National Institute of Education. Mr Ilyasa’s thinking and metacognitive approaches to problem solving has helped many students of varying abilities to excel in Math and the Sciences. He has coached students from many different schools and streams, including IP, SAP, and IB.