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PSLE ORAL | Compiled Prelim 2021 Oral Topics + Questions!
- Posted By Lil' but Mighty
- 12/03/2021
Hi everyone, I am Ms Siow! You must be gearing up towards the upcoming 2021 PSLE Oral exams. As such, we have compiled a list of the topics and questions tested by the various schools during the recent preliminary examinations, based on our students’ sharing. If you’re looking at getting your hands on some practice questions, this will be an excellent resource for you!
Do bear in mind that this compilation does not come with the actual stimulus so it may be difficult to practise Q1 since this question is directly linked to the stimulus and will require the student to reference details from the stimulus in his/ her answer. However, you can still refer to Q2 and Q3 as these questions no longer require the reference to the stimulus.
3 Observations on Prelim Oral to Take Note for PSLE!
Additionally, I would like to share with you 3 observations I’ve made based on my analysis of the Prelim topics and questions.
1) Accessibility of Oral Topics
Many of the schools tend to test topics relating to a child’s everyday or school experiences or experiences demonstrating the positive values and habits a child should have. This is very much in line with what we see being tested during the PSLE. The selection of topics is usually those which are accessible to a 12-year-old. This further reiterates a point which we’ve shared in our previous blog post. There is nothing considered too obvious or common to be tested 😉
2) Focus of the First Question (Would you like to…)
If the stimulus is a poster advertising a baking class, it would not be far-fetched of a child to make the prediction that the first question would be asking if he/ she would like to attend the baking class. Consequently, when he/ she answers this question, he/ she will go on to share his/ her reasons for why he/ she would choose to or not to attend the class.
However, what I’ve noticed is that the focus of the first question may not always be on “you” (the student). In the oral examination during last year’s PSLE, the question was posed as such:
The question focus has shifted to family member or friend. Hence, if the child’s answer is ‘Yes, I would like to invite…’ then the child will need to link his/ her reasons to the family member or friend he/ she is intending to invite. Similarly, if the child’s answer is ‘No, I would not like to invite…’ then then the child will need to link his/ her reasons to why he/ she is not keen on inviting family member or friend.
Based on my analysis of the recent Preliminary questions, I have noticed that the focus of the first question has undergone a slight shift from being predominantly on ‘you’ (the student himself or herself) to one that’s asking about family member(s) or friend(s). For the recent prelims, there seems to be a combination of both types being tested across the various schools. While there isn’t a big difference in the way the question is answered, I do think that it is important for students to pay attention to the focus of the question and provide his/ her answer accordingly to ensure that he/ she is answering the question accurately.
Below is a comparison of the difference in the answer when the question focus is on “you” vs “family member or friend”.
3) Preference-Type Questions (Would you prefer to…)
Preference-type questions such as “Do you prefer to participate in activities alone or with friends?” have come up several times across the various schools. This question type has gained popularity especially after it has been tested thrice during PSLE in the recent years.
There are two ways in which a child can answer this question:
(a) Pick a side (state preference) and elaborate with explanation on why he/ she has chosen the particular side
(b) State the pros and cons of each side before making a choice (stating his/ her preference)
Ultimately, there’s no right or wrong. The value of the answer comes from the child’s ability to substantiate his/ her preference. As a rule of thumb, we recommend giving 2-3 reasons to substantiate! 🙂
And that’s all I have for you! I hope the compilation of topics and questions, as well as the analysis, has been useful to you. As the Oral examination draws near, remember to stay calm and share readily. All the best!
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Ms Siow
Ms Siow is a dedicated teacher who is committed to providing an environment where a child can grow and thrive. She enjoys developing strategies to help students learn in a fun and meaningful way. Through her lessons, she hopes to help students lay a sound foundation in grammar and gain independence in their work. She strongly believes that good grammar is essential in students to gain proficiency in the language and finds joy in watching the bricks of their strong grammar foundation take form.
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