This year’s Primary School Leaving Examination or PSLE is fast approaching and students are now clamouring to review for the exams so they can get into the secondary school they wish to enrol into. However, with the COVID-19 virus influencing this year’s exam coverage and the fact some of the lessons are done online, it can be a challenge for students to do their revisions before the exams.
As parents, how can we help our children during their PSLE revisions? Here are some tips we recommend that you and your child try so they are ready for the exams:
Be smart with revisions
Since the PSLE is getting closer, your child must use their revision time wisely to review everything they have to study for the exams.
Before they study, remove any distractions like these that may cause your child to lose their focus and give them a space where they can study.
If they have co-curricular activities and other studies that aren’t related to the PSLE, have them stop these activities and studies temporarily until your child completes their PSLE.
Aim to tackle the weakest subject first
While doing their revisions, your children should look into the latest PSLE subject list and analyse which areas they need to focus on.
Once they identify the subjects they are having problems in, they can do focused practices in these areas so that they are ready to face these subjects in the exams.
Understand and analyse mistakes
When studying for an exam, it is important that your child has a clear goal on what they need to review. Even if they finish all our recommended assessment books for them to practice on and review, it is not enough to get them to be prepared for the exams.
They must be able to recognise and understand the mistakes they make during these exams and focus on them in order to improve. Let them know that it is ok to ask for help if they have mistakes or have weak spots.
Have a clear overview of the commonly examined topics in PSLE
Since the PSLE this year will have a different coverage due to the COVID-19 spread, it is important that you check previous PSLEs to see how topics are distributed in the exams. You can check the overviews online or check the old exams to see the common topics included in the exams.
Once you know the overview of the common topics used in the PSLE, rank them based on how well your child knows it and start reviewing the ones they are not too good with.
Create a great rhythm as your child revises
Before the PSLE happens, you can get your child to get used to the exams by using our practice papers.
When they do these practice papers, get them to finish the papers as if they are taking the actual exam. As they practice, see if they are able to use their time wisely and answer a lot of the questions correctly. These practice exams will also help you and your child determine where your focus should be when it comes to their revisions.
During these test runs, make sure that there are not distractions around your child that may affect the rate they answer these exams. You should also ask your child after the test to see which areas they think they need to review more on so that they can ask our tutor or teacher about it for more clarification.
Establish Clear Goals
If you want your child to succeed in their PSLE and in other exams, you must help them establish the right goals like these that will inspire them during these exams.
Ask your child what they want to achieve during these exams or what they want to be as in the future. When they tell you their response, let them know that their goals are admirable and that they should study well to achieve these goals.
With a clear goal in their mind, your children will be inspired to do their best and study hard.
Targeted practice
Practice always makes perfect when it comes to studies. Best when it is combined with good study habits like these.
However, when it comes to exam preparations, it is important that your child practices on the right subjects that will make relevance to their test scores. Since the exams are coming, there is little time to teach them new topics and strategies for the exams.
While they practice, look at the areas they tend to score poorly and see what can be done to improve their knowledge in these areas.By focusing on these areas, your child’s grades will be higher and it will reduce the amount of time your child loses when they review areas they already score well in.
If you will be monitoring your child’s progress and review, talk to them about the topics they have to focus on and which ones they have to spend little time on. This will definitely help reduce the stress your child is feeling when it comes to the topics they find hard to understand.
Parental support is key
Finally, it is important that you support them during their PSLE revisions.
Even if you can’t help them directly, the fact that you are there to give them some cheering up or even a shoulder to lean on when the exam preparations get too tough is enough. Here is how you can ease your child’s stress during exam period.
Your children will definitely appreciate it and show their appreciation by doing well in the exams. Let your child know that you can be approached at any time if they need help, especially as they focus on their exams.
Conclusion
The PSLE is an important exam your children will have to take in their life because it will set them to the schools that can help them realize their future careers. Even though there are changes to the exam and each child may have subjects which they need extra help with, there are techniques available to help them revise for the exams. With the tips we listed above, we hope that it will be enough to guide your child in the right direction and make their preparations more efficient.
For further support on PSLE revision, here are some tips for you:
PSLE Maths Paper: ‘Tough’ PSLE Maths Questions & How to Prepare For It
5 Must-Have Apps to Boost Your Child’s Brain Power for PSLE
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