We have put together a range of oral topics that were used for the Stimulus Based Conversation (SBC) in different primary schools for their recent preliminary PSLE Oral exams.
1. Environment / Eco-friendly practices
Stimulus: Poster showing an eco-friendly fair, with discounts on eco-friendly products and hands-on activities to help inculcate good habits in saving the environment
2. Community service (Environment)
Stimulus: Poster showcasing community activities that are related to environmental activities such as beach clean up and tree planting
3. Community service (Charity)
Stimulus: Poster showing an activity where you can raise funds for beneficiaries through an activity such as baking
4. Activity/excursions/hobbies
Stimulus: Poster showing a nature tour
Stimulus: Poster showing a visit to the Zoo
Stimulus: Poster on learning journey and school camps
5. Positive values
Stimulus: Picture showing a boy writing an email to his friend, who was sick and missed school, to inform him about the homework that was assigned that day
6. Food delivery
Stimulus: Picture showing a food delivery rider, delivering food to 1 or 2 customers
Preparation tips for the PSLE Oral
One of the key challenges that many students face is in discussing their experiences. Being able to communicate well using their own personal experiences is an opportunity to showcase their ideas and also represents a golden opportunity to demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary. Even if one has provided an explanation or elaboration to an idea, talking about their experience can truly increase the depth of what they say and adds on the cherry on the top.
Take for example a discussion on healthy food. An elaboration or explanation would go something like this "It is important to eat healthily because it will help us boost our immune system and can contribute towards keeping us free from chronic illnesses and diseases. This is very important as a student as it would mean that we can focus on our studies and attend school diligently without having to take a sick day."
If one adds in their experience, note that the vocabulary range will expand greatly because the focus is now based on your own vision of an occurance and therefore the opportunity to be descriptive is now available. For example "A few weeks ago, I was walking home after school with my mother. We walked past a shop that sells fried chicken and the aroma was so tantalising that it made my mouth water. I asked my mother if I could buy the fried chicken but she reminded me how unhealthy it was and convinced me to eat a salad instead."
Remember that the best type of experiences to discuss are those that you can visualise. An oral exam is not a creative competition but an opportunity to showcase good communication skills.
Written by Siew Ling Hwang, Founder, Discovering Potential Pte Ltd
Siew Ling is the founder of Discovering Potential and she specialises in providing Interview Skills Coaching and Communication Skills Coaching to youths and adults. Her experience includes both 1-on-1 coaching and workshop coaching for clients that come from a wide range of industries and age groups. Siew Ling coaches students for their PSLE Oral examinations. In addition, Siew Ling coaches students for their Primary 6 and JC DSA interviews as well as university entrance interviews in many areas including medicine, dentistry, physiotherapy, law, business, accounting, renaissance engineering and more for both local Singapore universities and overseas universities. She has also coached students for internship opportunities in several of the large consulting firms and financial institutions, as well as scholarship interviews including PSC scholarships, SAF scholarships, MOH scholarships, MOE scholarships and others.
In 2023, the candidates that Siew Ling coached have received confirmed DSA P6 offers for the following schools:
RI, RGS, HCI, NYGH, MGS, SCGS, NUSH, Dunman High, St Nicholas Girls, SOTA, NJC, TJC, Nan Hua, Nan Chiau High, Fairfield Methodist, Catholic High, Temasek Sec, Victoria School, Singapore Sports School as well as entrance into international schools including SJII, ACSI and HCI.
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