We do provide coaching for students who are free to attend classes in the mornings or early afternoons. Such students are typically those who are re-taking their A-levels or O-levels. The levels and subjects offered are:
A-Level: General Paper, (H2/H1) Economics, (H2/H1) Math, (H2) Management of Business. (H2/H1) Physics (upon request)
O-Level: English, Math, Additional Math, Science (Physics/Chemistry), Pure Physics, Pure Chemistry, Economics, Business Studies.
Class type: Small group or Individual
Location: 3-min walk from Bukit Batok MRT station.
For other details, such as timings and fees, kindly call or sms to 97860411, or send an email to ilyasa@conceptlearning.sg.
The Tutors:
Mr Ilyasa: A former MOE school teacher, Mr Ilyasa has been coaching students in ‘A’ Level Physics, Mathematics and Economics for more than 7 years, as well as ‘O’ Level Physics, Additional Math and Math for more than 10 years. An alumnus of RI and RJC, Mr Ilyasa holds a Bachelor of Science degree with Merit from the National University of Singapore, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education with Credit from the National Institute of Education, Singapore, and a Master of Education (Curriculum & Teaching) degree also from the NIE, Singapore.
Mr Jay Lim: An experienced full-time tutor, Mr Lim holds a Master of International Management (USA), B.Sc (USA) majoring in Finance & Retail Management, Higher Stage Certificate in Economics, The London Chamber of Commerce & Industry. He was formerly a financial services consultant and an ex-bank officer. Mr Lim has been teaching English at various levels in an Integrated Programme school for about 5 years. He will be focusing on General Paper, Management of Business and Economics in Singapore Learner.
For details, such as timings and fees, kindly call or sms to 97860411.
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For our latest timetable, click here => 
A-Level Results: What to do if you get BAD or DEAD, i.e., the ‘middle class’
I guess I have to write a bit for this group of students, who will not be allowed to redo their a-levels in their former schools (unlike students who obtained SUC for their H2 subjects), yet they’d find it difficult to be accepted into popular courses in the university.
With grades like BAD or DEAD, you might still be able to get into a local university, if you choose unpopular courses such as engineering, social work or nursing (I’m not sure if a degree in nursing is available in a local university, but if it does, you should seriously consider it). It also depends on what you had obtained your grade A for. It’s not that these courses don’t require academically bright students (can you imagine the impact to society of incompetent engineers, nursing managers or social workers?), but they are somehow very unpopular with university applicants in Singapore.
With a grade like BAD, you might even get a place in an arts or science faculty (but beware, these faculties have their pride too), and if you possess good O-Level results as well, you might even get a place in the NIE to train to become a teacher (to be admitted to NIE, you must have been at least in the top one-third of your O-level cohort; assuming NIE or MOE has not changed this requirement).
Grades like CCD or CDD might still get you into a university, for very unpopular courses. I’ve not heard of anyone getting into a uni with DDD though, or with anything lower. DEAD might get you somewhere because of the A, if there are very few good competitors for that same course. (Btw, if u obtained ACE, don’t say A,C,E, when anyone asks, just say Ace, so it sounds like AAAs). : )
So should you still accept the offer of a local uni if the course offered is not what you really want? Or should you just retake your A-Levels? If I were you, I will not retake the A-Levels if my grades can send me into any general course in an accredited or recognised university. A general course is typically one of those found in the faculty or school of science or arts. Yes, it’s ok to do an arts or science course or even engineering if you can’t get into the more popular courses such as medicine, law, accountancy and business. Why?
Please don’t forget there is such a thing as a Postgraduate First Degree, or Graduate Programs Leading To A First Degree. WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT IS TO FIRST GET INTO ANY RECOGNISED UNIVERSITY AND WORK HARD TO GET AT LEAST A SECOND UPPER HONOURS DEGREE. Then you can apply to any graduate first degree programme. For example, if you want to be a doctor, lawyer or accountant, you can still become one if you have a very good honours first degree, through the Duke-NUS Doctor of Medicine (MD) course, SMU’s Jurist Doctor (JD) program or SMU’s Master of Professional Accounting (MPA) program, respectively. Or you can apply to any postgraduate program you like, whether it leads to a first degree, master degree or even a direct Ph.D program.
My point is, your first degree may not determine your career, and it need not be in something YOU THINK you are passionate about. It is more important to get into ANY recognised degree programme, and work very hard to achieve at least a 2nd Upper Hons degree ( I didn’t get one, so I had a hell of a time trying to get into a master degree programme. Luckily, NTU gave me a chance and I proved myself right about myself by getting a CGPA of 4.55, out of 5, for my master degree program. I’m still angry with NUS for thinking that I wasn’t good enough for their postgrad programs. Now I intend to a do Ph.D program, and it’ll be interesting to see which university would take me in).
Please also remember that some employers, like banks and the govt, will take you in if you have a very good first degree in ANY discipline. Hence please don’t be fussy about your first degree. I’ll always remember what my father told me when I asked him what course I should do at uni. He said,”Just get yourself into a university and graduate”.
Lastly, dont be fussy about your first job too. In today’s economic environment, having a job is better than having none at all.
Good luck!
Rgds,
Ilyasa
Related post: What to do if your A-level results are bad …
SCIENCE PRACTICAL TRAINING
We provide A-Level / H2 and O-Level Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Science (Physics/Chemistry/Biology) Practical Training for private / school candidates and homeschoolers, for both local (eg. H2, Singapore-Cambridge) and international exams (CIE, IGCSE). School candidates who need more FULL PRACTICAL PRACTICE are also welcome.
You may need science practical lessons if you are a private candidate who needs a science lab and apparatus as well as practical coaching, or you are a school candidate who needs more practical training or timed practice for a FULL PRACTICAL.
For details on Practical Courses, Mock Exams or Schedules, kindly click on any of the following links relevant to the exam and level you will be doing:
A-LEVEL H2 PRACTICALS
CAMBRIDGE CIE A-LEVEL PRACTICALS
Singapore Learner @ Bukit Batok
Blk 644, Bukit Batok Central, #01-68. S(650644).
Tel: +(65) 6569 4897, +(65) 87762711 (SMS)
Email: principal@singaporelearner.com
If you wish to visit us, kindly call or sms first. Thank you.
Yay, my H1 Economics tutee got a ‘B’.
My ex-tutee for H1 Econs, Jong Fei, was the first to give me good news today. Usually failing his econs tests, he just smsed me: “Thank you very much for guiding me through econs when I thot all hope is lost. I got a ‘B’ for my econs. Thank u : )”
It’s not easy to teach econs, and it’s even harder for 18 yr olds to understand economic principles and apply them to essays and case studies. I always tell my students that for microeconomics, you’d have to think like a business owner and for macroeconomics, you’d have to think like a minister. Unfortunately, most Singaporean students have neither the maturity nor experience to analyse economic issues.
It can be quite hard for JC or Poly students to master Economics because most Sporean students have not done Econs in secondary school before. However, Economics done in Spore is more a science than a humanities subject, thus it can actually be mastered, in almost the same way as you master Physics. In fact, there are only around 6 to 8 important concepts in A-Level Economics that you need to understand deeply, one of which is the concept of “margin” or being “marginal” (eg. marginal cost, marginal revenue etc).
Then you’d also need the general writing skills and the specific writing skills for Economics essays. You cannot get an ‘A’ just because you understand all the concepts in Economics. You’d need to be able to write fast and coherently, and write ‘economics’ statements that examiners want to see, just as in Physics or Chemistry.
Then you’d also need the economics acumen to answer Case Studies questions. It’s difficult at first, but after doing many case studies, you’ll begin to see the ‘pattern’ of answering.
Anyway, I wish all current Economics students all the best in your economic studies.
Rgds,
Ilyasa, M.Ed., B.Sc., PGDE, full-time tutor (h/p: 97860411)
JC Tuition:
A-Level: Math, Economics, General Paper.
(1) Economics Revision Package
(2) General Paper Resource & Practice Package
Related Links:
(1) Which subject combination to choose in JC?
(2) JC rankings by A-Level results 2012?
A former MOE school teacher, Mr Ilyasa has been coaching students in ‘A’ Level (H2/H1) Physics, Mathematics and Economics for more than 7 years, as well as ‘O’ Level Physics, Additional Math, Math and PSLE Math for more than 10 years. An alumnus of RI and RJC, Mr Ilyasa holds a Bachelor of Science degree with Merit from the National University of Singapore, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education with Credit from the National Institute of Education, Singapore, and a Master of Education (Curriculum & Teaching) degree also from the NIE, Singapore.
Improvement in a student’s math result …
Daniel, one of A. Math tutees, showed me his class test result yesterday: 34/40. The test was on Indices and Surds, Wow, excellent, I said to him. Daniel is from the N(A) stream, and usually fails his Math tests. That he could obtain 34/40 and top his class in just a few weeks of tuition was phenomenal. So I started reflecting on what went right, because there are many students, even those from top schools, who do not make such a giant leap in such a short amount of time.
So what was the major factor contributing to Daniel’s significant improvement? Well, it’s not some secret special technique. In fact, it’s a well-known technique that some students just don’t want to use – ask many, many questions, even “silly” ones, about the same topic until one is satisfied that understanding has been achieved. Daniel even questions me when he doesn’t understand the steps I show him, whereas many students simply copy or write down my solution. Daniel sometimes takes a while to process the information I give to him; he will pause and ponder, and then sheepishly asks a basic question. He will even ask questions periodically to affirm that his steps are correct.
Students need to make meaning out of what they hear or see; it’s not enough to just listen to teachers or observe what they do in class. And you make meaning when you have a dissonance in your mind; some pieces of the jigsaw puzzle don’t fit and you have the courage to ask and then ponder again.
Regarding asking questions, I have one advice though: you must attempt to answer your own questions first, for the struggle to answer your own questions will make it easier for you to understand another person’s explanation. : )
Good luck!
Rgds,
Ilyasa
Announcement of Release (2013) of A-Level (2012) Results
I think it should be out next week (probably Friday 1 Mar) (It is now confirmed to be on Fri 1 Mar). For those of you who receive good news, you may want to click on one of the links below before you end up in the ‘wrong’ university:
1. List of recognised Universities and Post-secondary Institutes with campuses in Singapore
2. List of Approved Universities for Admission to the Singapore Bar
3. List of Registrable Basic Medical Qualifications for practice in Singapore
For those who receive bad news, you may want to click on the following link for some consolation and advice:
4. What to do if your A Level results are bad.
Wish you all the best!
Rgds,
Ilyasa
Related pages:
(2) JC Math Tuition
Related articles:
(a) Between JC and Poly.
(b) What subject combination to choose in JC.
A former MOE school teacher, Mr Ilyasa has been coaching students in ‘A’ Level (H2/H1) Physics, (H2/H1) Mathematics and (H2/H1) Economics for more than 6 years, as well as ‘O’ Level Physics, Additional Math, Math and PSLE Math for more than 10 years. An alumnus of RI and RJC, Mr Ilyasa holds a Bachelor of Science degree with Merit from the National University of Singapore, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education with Credit from the National Institute of Education, Singapore, and a Master of Education (Curriculum & Teaching) degree also from the NIE, Singapore.
List of Junior Colleges (JC) (2012) in Singapore by Cut-Off L1R5 aggregate score (including bonus points)
SCIENCE PRACTICAL TRAINING
PRACTICAL CRASH COURSES (Mar, Jun, Sep and Oct)
MOCK EXAMS FOR SCIENCE PRACTICAL (Sep and Oct)
H2 PHYSICS PRACTICAL
H2 CHEMISTRY PRACTICAL
H2 BIOLOGY PRACTICAL
The table below shows the net L1R5 aggregate of the lowest ranked students who were admitted to the Junior Colleges (JCs) through the 2012 Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE).
| S/No | Junior College | Arts | Science/IB |
| 1 | Hwa Chong Institution | 3 | 3 |
| 2 | Raffles Institution | 3 | 3 |
| 3 | Victoria JC | 5 | 4 |
| 4 | National JC | 5 | 5 |
| 5 | Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) | – | 5 |
| 6 | Temasek JC | 7 | 6 |
| 7 | Anglo-Chinese JC | 7 | 6 |
| 8 | Anderson JC | 10 | 8 |
| 9 | Meridian JC | 9 | 9 |
| 10 | Nanyang JC | 9 | 9 |
| 11 | St. Andrew’s JC | 9 | 9 |
| 12 | Catholic JC | 10 | 10 |
| 13 | Serangoon JC | 13 | 13 |
| 14 | Tampines JC | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | Jurong JC | 13 | 16 |
| 16 | Pioneer JC | 16 | 16 |
| 17 | Innova JC | 20 | 20 |
| 18 | Yishun JC | 20 | 20 |
| 19 | St. Joseph’s Institution | – | – |
SCIENCE PRACTICAL TRAINING
H2 PHYSICS PRACTICAL
H2 CHEMISTRY PRACTICAL
H2 BIOLOGY PRACTICAL
Effective JC H2 / H1 Economics Model Essays
On Monday, a Mrs Lee came to collect the GP Resource and Practice Package that she ordered. I didn’t realise she had come to my place before, until she mentioned that her daughter’s econs essay marks had improved significantly (from ard 5 to ard 19 marks now)after reading and studying the Economics Essay Revision Package that she had bought from me earlier. If you dont believe this, you can call Mrs Lee directly if she agrees to be ‘interviewed’. However, her daughter’s case study marks didn’t improve so I’m looking into it to understand why.
Well, I wasn’t surprised at all, as the same set of essays had been used by my Math student, Emily, to get an A at her Econs a year earlier (you can verify it with her if she agrees; she’s now studying in the US after getting four As in her H2 subjects). For those of you econs students who are too busy to attend econs tuition, and you can self-study, I would encourage you to purchase this Econs revision package that I had compiled. The essays may not be perfect (you may even add to them), but are far better than those written by average Econs students.
Alternatively, if you live near Bukti Batok, you can come to my place for econs tuition, which will be taught by Mr Jay Lim, an ex-banker in his 50’s, who has wide experience in practising finance and economics, and supported by myself and the materials that I have compiled. Although not an ex-JC teacher, Mr Lim is US-trained, and very comfortable with case studies and very familiar with the world of economics, finance, international trade and banking. He is also currently tutoring an IB student in Business & Management.
For enquiries, just give me a call or sms, to 97860411.
Rgds,
Ilyasa, M.Ed, PGDE, ex-sch teacher
H2 / H1 Economics One-to-One Tuition
For our latest timetable, click here =>
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ORIGINAL POST (OUTDATED):
Objective: Intensive Revision or Crash Course for A-Levels or Promos 2013
Focus: Understanding Key Concepts, Essay Writing Skills, Answering Skills & Techniques for Case Studies.
DETAILS:
Location: Blk 627, Bukit Batok Central, #07-640
Investment Amt: $100 per hr
Available Time Slots: Mon 4 pm – 7 pm; Thur 1.30 pm – 4.30 pm.
Tutor(s):
Mr Jay Lim, Masters of International Management, experienced full-time tutor
Mr Ilyasa; M.Ed (NIE), PGDE (NIE), BSc (NUS), A-Level (RJC); ex-sch teacher, full-time tutor (8 years) of PSLE, O and A Level Math and Physics.
For appointment, call or sms to 97860411. Thank you.
New GP (General paper) group tuition slot on Saturdays ….
For our latest timetable, click here =>
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ORIGINAL POST (OUTDATED):
Updated 6 May 2012.
General Paper: (Investment amt: $240 per mth; 2 hr lesson)
Thur 7.45 pm to 9.45 pm; Course Code: gpthur745; (2 vacancies)
Sat 1.30 pm to 3.30 pm; Course Code: gpsat130; (no vacancies)
Sat 5.00 pm to 7.00 pm; Course Code: gpsat500; (3 vacancies)
To register, kindly call, or send an sms to 97860411, indicating the Student Name and the Course Code, or send an email with the same information to ilyasa@conceptlearning.sg.
JC Prelim & Promo Exam Papers for sale …
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TUITION CLASSES:
_______________________________________________________________
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES:
______________________________________________________________
By EX-MOE TEACHERS & EXPERIENCED TUTORS
@ BLK 644, BUKIT BATOK CENTRAL, #01-68. S(650644).
CALL 65694897 OR SMS 98530744 OR 97860411.
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ORIGINAL POST (OUTDATED):
H2 Economics 2011 Prelim Papers: 20 sets (JCs + IP schs) with answers; Price: $32
H1 Economics 2011 Prelim Papers: 18 sets (JCs + IP schs) with answers; Price: $32
H2 Mathematics 2011 Prelim Papers: 19 sets (JCs + IP schs) with answers; Price: $32
H2 Mathematics 2010 Prelim Papers: 19 sets (JCs + IP schs) with answers; Price: $32
H2 Mathematics 2009 Prelim Papers: 19 sets (JCs + IP schs) with answers; Price: $32
H2 Mathematics 2008 Prelim Papers: 18 sets (JCs + IP schs) with answers; Price: $32
H2 Mathematics 2007 Prelim Papers: 16 sets (JCs + IP schs) with answers; Price: $32
H1 Mathematics 2010 Prelim Papers: 9 sets (JCs + IP schs) with answers; Price: $22
H2 Physics 2009 Promo Papers: 9 sets (JCs + IP schs) with answers; Price: $22
To order, call or sms to 97860411. Self-collect at Singapore Learner’s office at Bukit Batok Central.
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Singapore Learner provides Group Tuition, Individual Tuition, Intensive Revision, Enrichment Workshops, Headstart Classes, Holiday Classes and Crash Courses at the Primary, Secondary and Junior College levels in the areas of Math, Pure Physics, Pure Chemistry, Science, Economics, and General Paper for the Singapore A-Levels, O-Levels and PSLE.