Do you find your child’s English syllabus too advanced?
Have you ever looked at your child’s English exam paper and thought: “Wow, things have really changed!” or “This looks really difficult!”
Other questions you may have thought of are perhaps:
- Why didn’t my child get the marks for this comprehension question?
- What does this comprehension question even mean?
- Why are there so many different essay types and what are the differences between them?
- Why isn’t my child doing well for situational writing / essays?
- What format should my child use to answer oral communication questions?
If you’ve asked yourself any of these questions, you’re not alone! Many parents share your sentiments. We know how stressful it can be when your child isn’t doing as well as they would like for their English paper—and when you’re not quite sure how to help them due to the complex nature of the English syllabus. This is where we come in. We want to make the process of understanding and doing well for the English paper as stress-free as possible for you and your child!
At EnglishMastery (EM), we have a team of MOE curriculum experts who have in depth knowledge and experience designing lessons and materials. Here’s a little more about us:
Our curriculum team is led by
- Esther Peh, head of curriculum at EM. Esther has more than 12 years of MOE teaching experience and more than 7 years of curriculum writing experience.
- Shanti, an English teacher trainer veteran who holds a Doctorate in Applied Linguistics and actively conducts curriculum design training sessions for teachers in MOE schools.
So, how can EM’s lessons help your child?
Here’s how: Each lesson is carefully designed by according to the MOE syllabus to focus on one to two sections of the English paper. This way, your child will be able to:
- Understand the exact requirements of every section of the English paper in order to score well
- Get extensive practice for every section of the English paper (our curriculum team intentionally designs a variety of practice questions according to the MOE syllabus, including more challenging ones)
Here are a few specific examples of what we do in class to sharpen our students’ English exam skills:
Comprehension
Common problems students face: Comprehension questions require very precise answers in order to get full marks for each question. However, students aren’t sure of the methods to answer different question types, resulting in inaccurate answers.
What we do: We pick out the 6 to 8 most common comprehension question types and teach students the exact steps required to answer each question type. Your child will be able to know exactly what to do when they encounter these questions in their exams. We also provide extensive comprehension practice in our lessons, where students get to try out a wide range of questions, both common and challenging.
Essay and Situational Writing
Common problems students face: Students are not sure how to differentiate between the different essay types. They are also often unsure about the different formats required, or how to score well for each essay type.
What we do: We design lessons that focus on a specific essay type, so that students get in depth knowledge on every essay type. They will learn tips and tricks; new and complex vocabulary; as well as get extensive essay writing practice. We will also provide your child with a personalised feedback video for every essay they write, so that they get specific and in depth comments that will help them improve.
Oral Communication
Common problems students face: Students often do not get enough practice to speak up and build their confidence. They may also not know what to say, resulting in responses that are too short.
What we do: Every class is designed to provide students with opportunities to speak and gradually build their confidence, such as “Show and Tell” sessions and dedicated oral communication practice sessions. We teach students exactly how to develop their responses (e.g. the PEEL format) and give them feedback on how to improve.
Do you face any other challenges when trying to help your child with their English paper? Let us know and we’d be happy to help you out – simply
We look forward to helping you and your child find a way to see the English paper as a fun challenge rather than an insurmountable one!
