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Preparing for the PSLE English Oral 

As parents, you often wish that your child has the gift of the gab and hope he/she would not get tongue-tied or clueless when you facinge the oral examiners. However, it does happen. What can you do?

Here are a few simple tips and techniques to help overcome the issue and score better. 

Before that, you need to know more about the oral examination, such as the oral format, marks allocation, and marking criteria, to understand better what your child will experience be facing.

Oral Format, Marks Allocation and Marking Criteria

The oral paper is Paper 4 of the entire English examination. It comprises two sections, and a total of 40 marks be awarded for this paper. 

1. Reading aloud (15 marks)
2. Stimulus based conversation (25 marks)

Your child is given a preparation time of five minutes to practise reading the passage and to look at the given stimulus. Unlike past years, the two components will not be thematically linked.

Your child will be tested individually by a pair of examiners at the same time.

Reading Aloud

 It will be graded according to the following criteria.

Articulation

It is important to pronounce the words clearly. One needs to be able to read the passage out clearly with minimal errors, hesitations and pauses.

Fluency & pace

One needs to read at the right speed. Reading too fast may cause errors in pronunciation and also miss out on certain words. Reading too slowly may make one seem unsure. Therefore, try to sound as natural as possible.

Also, pauses must be given at punctuation marks. A shorter pause for commas and a longer pause for full stops and paragraph breaks.

 

Tone / Expression

The tone will convey the emotions in parts of the text and words. This will make the reading sound more interesting and help to score more marks. This is especially important for any dialogue in the passage.

Stimulus Based Conversation

The format from this current year onwards will show a real-life photograph. It may not have any text.

Three questions will be asked. The first question will be directly linked to the picture, so one has to refer to it to answer the question. The second and third questions will be loosely linked to the topic of the picture.

Try to preempt the questions that may be asked by studying it closely during the preparation time.

For the first question:

• Observe the actions & facial expressions of the character(s).
• Additionally, consider the character’s thoughts and reactions.
• Consider the setting of the image.
• Being in the shoes of the character(s)
• Keep a look out for any special or jarring elements in the stimulus.

For the second and third questions, one has to consider the general theme of the picture and questions related to it.

This will aid in answering the type of questions that may be asked by the examiner. One has to listen carefully to the questions posed by the examiner and understand the requirements so that one does not go out of point.

Always give an opinion, support the answer with two reasons and elaborate. If possible relate it to a personal experience.

It will be graded according to the following criteria.

Personal Response

After answering the question, try to relate the response to a personal experience. This shows an advanced ability to apply one’s viewpoint to a real-life scenario.

Expression: Vocabulary, Pronunciation & Fluency

The ability to express oneself with the usage of appropriate words and the right language structure is important. It would provide a smooth flow of conversation and enable one to express the answers clearly.

Engagement in Conversation

Remember, this is not a one-sided monologue. It is a response to the examiners’ questions. One has to maintain eye contact and keep them engaged when speaking. Most importantly, one needs to keep the question requirements in mind and not go off-topicout of point. 

Now that you are familiar with the oral component, here are a few tips and techniques to aid you in your child's journey.

Tips and Techniques 

Practice

Practice is key! How can you go about practising for oral with your child?

Exposure to Different Reading Passages:

Expose your child to different reading passages. The style and tone will differ from passage to passage. Also, your child can be exposed to more words to build up his/her vocabulary.

Build a Word Bank:

Whenever your child comes across a difficult word to pronounce or something completely new, take note of it. Do some research and learn to pronounce the words and keep practising them with your child. If possible, have a word bank book or list to facilitate this.

Record the Practice:

Take an audio or video recording of your child when he/she is practising. When you review the recording with your child, you can point out the mistakes and try to improve. You can also observe the body language, eye contact, expressions and posture. You can work on these with your child to make him/her appear more confident and engaging.

Mirror Mirror on the Wall:

Another alternative to a recording is to practise in front of a mirror. Your child can observe and improve on expressions and eye contact.

Audience Interaction:

Practising with a group of friends or family members will help your child build up confidence. The feedback gjven by the audience will help to improve oral skills.

Let's Talk:

Practise asking questions about random objects and issues at home while having dinner or when you are out. This will aid yopur child to have constant practice and understand that having a conversation can be fun.

You can also have them pick random conversation topics for you to practise. Observe,

Research and Understanding:

Observing people's actions in a situation, finding out more about social issues happening

around and understanding why it happens or people's reactions is a great way to build up more knowledge for the stimulus section of the oral.

Oral Examination Day

Before the actual day and on the actual day of the examination, do stress the importance of the following to your child and remind them again.

Eye Contact and Body Language:

During the oral examination, remember to maintain eye contact. Do not cover your face with the given text and stimulus. Sit properly and try not to fidget.

Audible Voice:

You do not have to shout, but ensure that your voice is audible to the examiners. Do not cover your mouth or look down so that your voice can be heard clearly..

Stay Calm:

Take deep breaths and stay calm. Do not feel nervous. Remember you have already practised and prepared for the oral. When you are calm, you will also feel confident while reading and conversing.

Hydrate, Rest and Sleep:

Remember to carry a bottle of water. Taking sips of water can help you calm down and keep your throat hydrated. Enough rest and sleep will ensure your mind is sharp and working to the best of its ability.

Final Words

We hope these tips have been useful and easy for you to follow and implement with your child. Do remind your child that Rome was not built in a day. You need to start early and do constant practice. All the best for your child's PSLE English Oral!