Primary school can be a fun time in a Singaporean kid’s life, but it can also be a stressful time. Children go from the carefree, happy-go-lucky days of kindergarten and preschool to the increasingly demanding Singaporean educational system. Primary school might start out slowly in Primary One, but it gradually increases in intensity until it reaches a crescendo at Primary Six, where the all-important PSLEs happen, and at the heart of it all is English.
The foresight of Lee Kwan Yew and his party made English a mandatory subject not just at the primary level but throughout a student’s academic life in Singapore. If your child is lagging in English, fret not. It is more common than you think to struggle with the subject. That’s what we, are Private Tutor SG, are here for!
Overview of Our PSLE English Tutoring Services
Primary School English Tuition
We believe that primary school learning should be fun, exciting, and motivating, which is why our tuition lessons are planned with the young student in mind. With loads of games, interactive puzzles, positive reinforcement, and motivational exercises, we strive to instill a genuine love and curiosity for the language which usually leads to a greater interest and more effort.
Starting small with lots of prep work, we’ll build a solid foundation in the language with the youngest students, gradually increasing the difficulty level of the lessons and the range of information taught. In addition to following the Singapore syllabus to the tee, we also encourage students to do their own reading and will suggest educational, fun books with child-friendly themes.
PSLE English Preparation
At the end of the adventure called primary school, young students will sit for the PSLE examinations which will determine the opportunities available to them for the next step in their academic life. Together with Science, Math, and Mother Tongue, English remains a mandatory subject not just for the PSLE but also for future studies.
By exposing our students to an extensive range of practice tests and exam papers, we will thoroughly prepare them for the rigors of their first major examination. When a student makes a mistake, the tutor will gently give a correction and thoroughly explain the right answer until the student understands and is unlikely to repeat the error.
Our Private PSLE English Tutors
Our PSLE English tutors come from all walks of life armed with Bachelor’s Degrees, Master’s, and PhDs. However, they all have one thing in common, which is the love for the English language and a formidable command of it. From avid readers to budding and established writers, our English tutors are perfectly positioned to instill a sense of curiosity and wonder at the beauty of the written and spoken word.
In addition, we understand how sensitive young minds can be, which is why our tutors are painstakingly selected not only on academic qualifications but also soft skills like patience, empathy, ability to excite and inspire, and kindness. A proven track record also doesn’t hurt!
Educational Philosophy and Approach
Our Educational Philosophy and Approach for PSLE English Tutoring
We pride ourselves in providing all our students with an engaging and supportive environment for them to be their best.
The Singaporean educational system can be a stressful one. We know, we’ve all been there and many of us have taught in it. However, at the primary school level, we try to help students reduce the stress and anxiety levels that school often causes. By adopting a more holistic approach, we’ll first identify the needs, knowledge levels, and learning styles of each student, then suggest a suitable tutor to make the best possible match.
We know that not all students learn the same way. Some might prefer to learn or improve their language skills by watching films, while others might be total bookworms that you’ll have to tear text away from. The job of our tutors is to identify how each student learns best and tailor their teaching methods to optimise learning and grow interest.
Why Have Private PSLE English Tuition
Common Challenges When Learning English
While some of us speak English at home, many others speak their mother tongue. Whether it be Chinese, Malay, or Tamil, a student’s English might be limited to what they practice in school or with friends. They might also be more exposed to reading material in their mother language compared to English.
These students might struggle to keep up with say, someone who speaks, reads, and writes only English at home and with friends. Based on the amount of English language a student gets, a strategy for practice and exposure should be implemented.
To master a language, a significant amount of time should be spent reading in addition to speaking and writing. However, reading is a time-consuming activity and a child has to be allowed access to a calm, quiet environment to focus. Coupled with an increasingly demanding coursework load and homework, students often struggle to find time to dedicate themselves to simply enjoying a good book.
Parents and tutors can help by working together to develop a schedule with allocated reading time. Not only will reading improve a child’s mastery of English in the early years, but language skills often last a lifetime.
Those who learn English as their second language can attest to the fact that sometimes, the language doesn’t make sense! With loads of silent letters like the “k” in “knight” and “knee” to the “w” in “written” and “wrong”, these quirks are what native speakers take for granted, but the rest struggle with.
Our tutors will thoroughly go through the required English primary school syllabus to ensure everything is pronounced the way it should be.
Primary school goes from the ABCs to essay writing. This isn’t an immediate jump but the gradual progression occurs over several years. Still, students who already struggle with reading and listening comprehension will find it an even bigger challenge to articulate their thoughts and put pen to paper.
With loads of writing practice, tutors can help students overcome the hurdles to learning how to write effectively and eventually, love communicating through the written word. After all, practice makes perfect, and Shakespeare wasn’t born with a pen in his hand!