Introduce Your Child to Current Affairs

My child only reads fiction books. He is not interested in current affairs at all! Do you face this situation at home?

What can you do as a parent? 

Step 1: Cut out interesting news articles and read them together with your child

For a start, you could ignite your child's interest in the current affairs by cutting out interesting newspaper articles and reading them together with your child. For example, you could cut out news articles on how sleep deprivation could affect one's concentration or how the design of certain dinner plates with ridges can trick the mind into seeing a small portion as big and hence help cut obesity. 

In fact, many issues mentioned in the news are potential topics for Oral examinations and General Paper (A level subject). 

Step 2: Use news articles as authentic resources to share opinions on current affairs 

Elicit your child's responses and opinions on the topic or issue mentioned in the news article. Share your insight or opinion with your child too.  You can even start a mini family debate if there are both pros and cons on the topic.

Step 3: Use news articles as authentic resources to develop cloze passage skills

You could use correction tape to blank out certain words in the newspaper article for your child to fill up. 

Step 4: Use news articles as authentic resources to develop vocabulary

You could get your child to highlight new words that he does not know and look up the dictionary for the meaning of the new words.

There are many free resources on the Internet. 

https://www.nytimes.com/

https://www.theguardian.com/international

https://www.straitstimes.com

Tapping on Newspapers and Current Affairs for Learning

We believe that it is important for pupils to be aware of current affairs and what's happening around them. Hence we tap on newspaper articles and other media such as the Internet while preparing our English curriculum. When kids deem what they are learning relevant to them, they will be more motivated to learn.

For instance, pupils in the Primary 5 cohort have read our in-house resources on recent events in Singapore and in the world such as the outbreak of the Zika virus in Singapore, the origins of the Olympics and the Pokemon Go hype. Through our customised resources, pupils are kept abreast of current affairs. At the same time, we integrate essential language skills in the resources.

Keeping abreast of current affairs also gives the pupils an advantage in PSLE Oral as they can support their opinions on relevant issues with what they have gleaned from the articles.

PSLE Oral: Stimulus-based Conversation (Part 1)

As this cohort of P6 pupils is the first batch to be tested with the new PSLE Oral Format, there are very few commercial resources on stimulus-based conversation available in the market. Here is a list of sample stimulus-based conversation topics that parents can use as practice resources:

(A) Theme: Occupations
Picture: Assembly Talk on Four Occupations
Question 1: Will you attend this assembly talk? Why or why not?
Question 2: Which occupation will you be interested to find out more about? / Which occupation is the most challenging?
Question 3: What do you aspire to be when you grow up?

(B) Theme: Sports & Charity
Picture: Poster on POSB PAssion Run for Kids
Question 1: Will you take part in this event? Why or why not?
Question 2: Why do you think people will attend this event?
Question 3: Besides engaging in sports, how can we maintain a healthy lifestyle?

(C) Theme: Reading
Stimulus: Cover page and blurb of a children's story book
Question 1: Will you be interested to read this book? Why or why not?
Question 2: Tell me about your favourite book.
Question 3: You have a friend who does not like to read. How can you persuade your friend to read more books?

(D) Theme: Dengue Fever & Illness
Picture: Poster on Prevention of Dengue Fever and Breeding of Mosquitoes
Question 1: Do you think the poster is effective in preventing the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes?
Question 2: Tell me about a time when you were sick?
Question 3: Besides displaying posters, what else can be done to encourage Singaporeans to do their part to prevent dengue fever?

(E) Theme: Outdoor event & Family
Picture: Poster on Outdoor Family Carnival
Question 1: Will you be interested to take part in this event? Why or why not?
Question 2: Tell me about an outdoor activity that you enjoy.
Question 3: What activities do you and your family engage in on weekends?

PSLE Oral Exam Tip - Commonly Mispronounced Words in Singapore

Let us share a tip for the PSLE Oral Exam. There are some words that pupils have difficulty in pronouncing.

I have found a list of commonly mispronounced words in Singapore compiled by Associate Professor David Deterding from National Institute of Education. Kiddos are able to listen to the correct pronunciation by clicking on the words in the list.
http://videoweb.nie.edu.sg/phonetic/words-ipa/index.htm