The transition from Primary 4 to Primary 5 can be very demanding in every way if students are unprepared. What does this transition involve? Piles of homework to tackle, longer school hours to soldier, and an abrupt plunge in grades. Additionally, there is the unstated expectation that Primary 5 students are well-prepared to take the last leap to the PSLE. Not only are they expected to be academically strong, but they must also balance several school activities, ranging from CCA to leadership programmes. In short, many Primary 5 students have a packed schedule – a huge swing from a school life that was relatively easy to handle in the past. Given such a situation, how do we guide the Primary 4 students to manage their studies and yet, enjoy the offered novelties of Primary 5?
How to manage academic expectations?
Possible Challenges:
Undoubtedly, the bar of difficulty level rises dramatically with the introduction of new concepts and topics across all subjects. Students tackle complex questions, for which they are compelled to adopt different approaches. For instance, the English language introduces Situational Writing during this year, wherein students are taught to write concise formal and informal letters and emails. The writing component is also pegged higher, both in terms of quality and quantity. Comprehension passages are no longer cut and dried. Instead, they require a good deal of understanding and analysing between the lines to answer inferential questions. In short, almost every segment becomes something to reckon with.
Possible solutions:
The good news is that every challenge is not without a solution. With a positive approach, students can deal with the situation quite efficiently.
- Planning, planning and more planning-The importance of a structured study time cannot be over-emphasised. This is because children normally give their best output if their daily activities are compartmentalised. Time for homework, time for recreation, time for occasional breaks during studies- all of these go a long way towards keeping the children on track.
- Additional support outside of school- If the student is having difficulty trying to catch up with his or her peers academically, additional support in the form of tuition is beneficial. Why is this so? Tuition helps to fill the learning gaps and boosts proficiency in a subject. For example, even though a student is adept at churning out amazing compositions with impactful vocabulary and descriptions, he or she may lack the essential skills needed to string concise sentences for emails or letters, or vice versa. In such scenarios, English tuition that caters to the individual learner’s needs works best.
In Write Edge classes, several strategies are taught and brainstormed and shared for a deeper understanding in answering difficult questions. Such a personalised setup allows students to learn according to their learning styles. Over time, confidence rises and anxiety dips.
In fact, the digitalised environment takes one step forward for those who are unable to attend physical classes. Online English classes are gaining popularity for a variety of reasons.With the technology becoming more user-friendly, students and teachers are able to interact in a manner akin to a physical class. Students enjoy similar positive vibes and deliver learning outcomes from the comfort of their homes. In fact, an online English writing class is as effective as a physical class with shared editing features on reliable platforms. Thus, it is great that students now have the option to choose their preferred learning modes.
How to boost emotional intelligence?
Possible challenges:
A low morale resulting from poor grades creates a rippling effect in a student’s academic progress. When parental expectations also mount, the student feels pressurised to meet their goals. Failure to do so demotivates the students.Overwhelming stress levels cause the student to experience poor concentration and difficulty recalling concepts, resulting in poor performance. This turns out to be a vicious cycle! Therefore, we need to think about how we can de-stress students and make them feel more motivated during this high-pressure time?
Possible solutions:
Parents and educators can step in to steer students towards the right path. Intrinsic motivation is one such path. Students can set achievable study goals based on what needs to be accomplished. Such concrete plans mitigate stress. Setting goals gives a student clear direction on what needs to be done, and boosts confidence when he or she accomplishes these goals. Next, praise effort rather than results. For instance, a student is encouraged as such: “I observed that you focused and worked hard, well done’ or “You asked for support when you needed it – I liked that.” Teaching the students to take ownership of their learning and giving them enough downtime to unwind enables them to maintain their motivation for learning.
In life, change is the only constant. Therefore, instead of getting stressed and pressing the panic button, give guidance and support to our Primary 5 students to sail through the last lap of their primary school life, so that the experience leaves a lasting impression on them. There is no doubt that every kid deserves such a precious memory!
If you wish to find out more about the Creative Writing programmes at Write Edge, you can reach out to us to arrange for a trial class and find out more.