PSLE is one of the important exams in a student’s life. As the time for this year’s PSLEs is fast approaching, it is time for your children to start preparing for it. This time let’s focus on the Science paper and see what you can do to make your child’s prep for the exam smoother and more effective.
PSLE Science – how to prepare?
Science is one of the papers that most students find tough to crack. But once you prepare and practice well, it is one of the easiest exams you can score well in. Unlike language or other subjects where you might have to write a lot and elaborate on the topics, science rewards you for to-the-point answers.
Look into and understand the Syllabus
This is the first pointer you need to follow. The syllabus tells us what the aims and outcomes are expected of us after the course and what to expect in the exams. The exams will be measuring how many of these aims and outcomes we were able to achieve. Understanding the syllabus will help your children to look into what are the important topics and portions and also understand what is expected of them.
Look into how the exam is structured
After researching the syllabus, the next step is to try to understand the format of the exam. It is vital to know this so your children can plan on how to answer the questions and allot time suitably.
The examination consists of a written paper comprising two booklets: A and B.
Booklet A consists of 28 MCQs with four options. Each question carries two marks.
Booklet B consists of 12-13 open-ended questions. Each question is of two, three, four, or five marks.
All questions in the question paper are compulsory.
Make a study plan
Look into how much time is left and divide it properly for different subjects. For science make sure you allot enough time to learn the topics and also leave ample time for revisions
Prepare a study strategy
Based on your research on the syllabus and topics, prepare a strategy on how you can prepare for the exam. Try to understand what type of questions to expect in the two different booklets. You can refer to the previous year’s question papers for that. It will help your children better understand what topics are to be given priority. Sometimes questions repeat in the exams. Identifying such potential questions might make it easier for your children to score well.
The process of learning science can be a fun one, provided you have the proper mindset, and the biggest asset for a science student is a curious mind. Try to create a hands-on approach to learning.
Work on your basics
You can score well in any subject provided you have a good grasp of the basics. So, help your children to gain a better understanding of the basic concepts and theories. Explain it to them if they find it difficult. You can seek help from other sources if you feel you can’t help them.
Mock Tests
Mock tests are your child’s best companions during exams. More than any other subject, mock tests can make a difference in the case of the Science exam. Attempting as many open-ended questions as they can help the children to get a better idea of how to answer them.
Tackling the exam
Take the initial few minutes of the exam to go through the questions paper. Decide on a strategy for how you’re going to answer.
With the MCQs:
Read the questions and options multiple times to make sure you understood the question.
If you are unsure about a particular question, mark out the options you know are wrong and then revisit the question later.
The open-ended questions can be tricky.
Read the question multiple times and gain an understanding of how to structure your answer.
You have to look at the keywords in a question and the marks before answering anything. Do not waste time by writing lengthy answers to two-mark questions – questions that ask you to list, name, describe, or identify will only require short and to-the-point answers. Explain, discuss, and elaborate on questions which you have to write long answers and might be worth 4 or 5 marks. So, make sure you keep these tips in mind.
Begin with the main topic mentioned in the question and elaborate on it. Then write the points to support. Conclude by connecting your initial section with the supporting points. Stick to the topic, and don’t write ambiguous sentences. Underline any keyword or sentence to highlight it.
Tackle the questions you are confident about first. Keep an eye on the clock and make sure you save time to spend on the hard ones. Also, try to answer all the questions. Even if you don’t know the answer to a question, try to write down something that you think makes sense. Science is about making sense around you. So even if you didn’t read up on them, you might come up with answers if you think about it. For MCQs, there is a 25% chance that you will be correct. If you can eliminate at least one wrong answer, it will increase your chances.
We hope these are of help to you. Remember to breathe well and calm yourself down. We wish you all the best! 🙂
Exam Smart Tips
Exam Smart Tip #1 – How to Encourage Our Kids to Speak Better?
Exam Smart Tip #2 – How to avoid carelessness?
Exam Smart Tip #3 – Establishing Routines!
Exam Smart Tip #4 – Let’s Read Carefully!
Exam Smart Tip #5 – Beating the Exam Fever!
Exam Smart Tip #6 – How to Eat Right for the Exams?
Exam Smart Tip #7 – How to Avoid a Meltdown?
Exam Smart Tip #8 – Taking Stress out of Tests
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