With just a few days until the PSLE Oral exams, and here are some last minute tips to ace the upcoming exams.

Know what you are being assessed on 

The oral exam comprises 2 sections- Reading Aloud or 朗读篇章(10%) and Conversation or 会话 (15%). You will be given 10 minutes to practise the passage and to watch a video, which will be used as a guideline for the conversation later. 

Reading aloud 

This is the easiest section to secure your marks, as long as you have been revising vocab. Typically, teachers will grade students on two parts – the accuracy of the material being read (内容) as well as how expressive you are while reading (表达).

During the practise time:

1. Take about 2 minutes to go through the passage at least twice.
2. While reading, make a mental note the words that you are unsure about. For each of these words, think about how you want to pronounce it so you don’t end up pausing unnaturally during the assessment.
3. Finally, after you have grasped the entire passage, think about the tone and emotion you want to convey while reading the passage.

 

During the assessment:

1. Read at a good volume to be heard (not overwhelming) and with great energy.
2. Use appropriate pauses to better express the meaning of the passage
3. Take note of words with multiple meaning and/or pronunciations (see below)
4. Remember those words you are unsure of? Do not make an awkward pause, worse still, repeat what you read. Instead, read confidently as what you planned.
5. When you are reading dialogue, make sure your tone matches the person’s age, identity, personality, feelings, etc.

 

Are you able to differentiate these? 

 兴奋 vs 高兴、 背部 vs 背包、了不起 vs 知道了、 你得去 vs 得到

Now practise the following passage with the above tips!

 

Conversation 

This is the harder section, and where students tend to lose the majority of marks. You will be asked to answer three questions based on the video you watched, and typically fall under the following.

Question 1 is directly related to the video, and students will typically be asked to describe the main theme of the video.

Question 2 will require you to relate your personal experience with another underlying concept covered in the video.

Question 3 will tend to be a bigger picture, and requires you to broaden your perspective to the society or surroundings such as school or neighbourhood.

Protip: There is usually a theme linking the video, and there is often a one-liner narration pointing out the theme. Pay attention to this and think of questions related to it, and remember content is normally close to your student life.

Practice time! Let’s imagine you have watched a video on protecting your eyes. 

Q1. 说⼀说你在录像中看到的⼀件有关 保护眼睛的事 (Describe a scene in the video related to protecting your eyes)

• Recap the contents and narration
• Use a mindmap to organise your thoughts
• Use the 5W1H method to answer the question

 

 

Q2.  请你说⼀说平时你是怎样保护眼睛的 (Explain how you protect your eyes in your daily life)

• Make use of your daily happenings or stories from people around you. 
• Provide another perspective, but keep close to the theme 

Start by having an introductory sentence before elaborating  (除了录像中提到的，我们还有很多保护眼睛的⽅法。)

Nex, structure your response, this can also help the examiner gauge how well you have substantiated. 

• Use linkers (首先、其次、再者、最后 | 其一、其二、其三） 
• You may also find the PEEL approach useful

1. 1. Point  → introduce your point 
   2. Evidence/Example → support with an example 
   3. Explanation → explain how the example supports your point 
   4. Link → link to the next paragraph or theme if it is your last point

首先，看书或看电脑的时候，不要⼀直盯着不放，应该多转动眼球，多运动眼球。就像我们的身体，眼睛也是要锻炼的。 

其次，多看绿⾊。附近如果有绿⾊植物的话，可以时不时看看绿⾊植物，绿⾊对眼睛有着舒缓的作用。经常近距离看书或者看电脑，需要偶尔眺望远方，放松眼部肌⾁。 

最后，做眼保健操。眼保健操对于缓解眼部疲劳和⼲涩有很大的益处。若经常看书或电脑可以每隔两三个小时做⼀次眼保健操，按摩眼部⽳位。 

Now, give it a shot! Still unsure? Try another response

眼睛是⼈的⽣命之源，没有眼睛的⼈⽣是没有光明的。因此我们要从小爱护、保护自⼰的眼睛。保护眼睛首先要注意自⼰的日常⽣活习惯，特别是现在⼤家都在用的⼿机和电脑是对眼睛伤害最⼤的。看书写字、用⼿机、 电脑都要时时注意自⼰的身姿，眼睛要和书本电脑保持⼀定的距离。其次，食物对于眼睛也是有影响的，多吃蔬菜⽔果有利于明目。 如果白天用眼太多导致眼睛⼲涩，还可以热敷。

 

Q3. 你建议学校应该采取什么活动让学⽣知道保护眼睛的重要性？(What do you suggest schools to educate students about the importance of protecting their eyes?)

One strategy is to start by providing suggestions on activities that would be help educate students. For instance:

保护眼睛活动周／讲故事比赛／设计海报比赛／做眼保健操／播放录像／张贴海报

Next, we want to explain reasons for your suggestions, keeping close to the theme (purpose of the activities)

时间久了，同学们会养成良好的习惯，自⼰在家里也可以做眼保健操。／保护眼睛的意识。／不断提醒同学们要保护眼睛。

Follow up by explaining how your suggestion works (how the activities are being implemented) 

这些活动可以在周会上进⾏，或者在课前五分钟进⾏/ 上课时可以播放录像，让同学们互相交流⼼得／学⽣上⽹或者去图书馆查阅资料／设计海报可以张贴在学校的⾛廊上或者教室

Conclusion (importance of protecting your eyes) 

总的来说，眼睛是灵魂之窗，我们⼀定要保护它。

Summary

We wish all students taking the upcoming PSLE students all the best! Just remember to rest well, stay hydrated and be confident as undue stress isn’t good!

加油!