PSLE 2025: Emphasis on Oral Examination Component

In the PSLE 2025, the Oral component’s significance has been rescaled to a higher weightage of 40 marks, marking a notable departure from its former 30 marks.

This change has shed light on something we ought to focus on long ago – the ability to speak and present based on an array of topics that our students need to be able to articulate. While most parents focus much on pen and paper components, the reticence in students will affect their competitiveness amidst the changing global landscape. The Ministry of Education’s dedication to nurturing proficient verbal expression is now more prominent. Henceforth, students will not solely be assessed on their articulation but also on their capacity to engage in real-world communication scenarios through oral communication skills.

This is the new grading breakdown for PSLE Oral:

• Reading Aloud 1 passage – 15 marks
• Stimulus-based Conversation 1 photo stimulus – 25 Marks
• Total weightage – 20% of the English paper

Changes in Oral Component Structure that you need to know:

The Oral component will consist of two separate sections, each designed to assess different aspects of verbal communication.

Reading Aloud (15 Marks):

This segment emphasises the fluency, pronunciation, and comprehension skills of the students. It requires them to read a passage aloud, demonstrating their ability to articulate words clearly, maintain a steady pace, and convey the intended meaning of the text effectively. Additionally, comprehension plays a crucial role, as students must demonstrate their understanding of the passage by conveying its message accurately through the reading.

Stimulus-Based Conversation (25 Marks):

In this section, students are evaluated on their capacity to engage in meaningful discussions based on provided stimuli. These stimuli could include visual prompts such as photographs or written passages. Students are required to analyse the given stimulus independently and with good acumen, formulate coherent responses, and actively participate in a dialogue with the examiner. This component assesses their ability to express ideas clearly, respond thoughtfully to questions, and engage in interactive communication, reflecting real-world conversational skills.

To support your child in adapting to these changes, contemplate incorporating the subsequent tactics: (But first, start at a younger age to avoid undue pressure in the upper years. We recommend starting more regular oral practices at Pri 4)

Here are good activities to do with your child.

To creatively enhance fluency and pronunciation skills through regular reading aloud exercises for P4 kids and above, consider the following suggestions:

• • Character Voice Challenge:Encourage your child to select characters from their favourite fiction books and practice reading aloud in the unique voices of those characters. They can experiment with different accents, tones, and expressions to bring the characters to life. This not only helps improve fluency and pronunciation but also fosters creativity and imagination. Additionally, you can organise a “Character Voice Challenge” where your children can record themselves reading excerpts from their chosen books using character voices and share them with the family. This adds an element of fun and friendly competition to the reading practice.
  • Storytelling Relay:Organise a storytelling relay activity where your child work with you or the siblings to retell a short fictional story aloud. Each team member takes turns reading a paragraph or section of the story aloud, focusing on clear pronunciation and expressive delivery. To add a twist, introduce storytelling props or costume pieces that the kids can use to enhance their performances. This activity not only improves fluency and pronunciation but also promotes teamwork, confidence, and creativity. At the end of the relay, have a vote from the family to determine the most engaging storytelling performance! Do this with any prop, in the comfort of your living room.
  • Participate in Thoughtful Conversations:Cultivate critical thinking and coherent expression by engaging in discussions on diverse subjects. Foster this by having family dinner discussions. This is possible and need only be done weekly. Designate a specific time during family dinners for engaging in meaningful conversations. Encourage each family member, including children, to share their thoughts, opinions, and experiences on various topics.Create a rotating schedule where each family member gets to choose a discussion topic for the evening, ranging from current events to personal interests or even hypothetical scenarios. This not only provides an opportunity for children to express themselves but also promotes active listening, respect for differing viewpoints, and the development of critical thinking skills in a relaxed and supportive environment.

For quicker interventions, join Writers Studio School of English. Choose from our Stellar Integrated Writing Programme where oral is taught at least 5 months a year among the writing and paper 2 components, our Gemini Bilingual Oral Programme for PSLE students (watch out for new releases for Pri 5 students in Term 3) and our Holiday Oral lessons (Next launch in June 2024 for P5 and 6 students).

Writers Studio School of English has been creating PSLE oral boosters to train English students in Singapore for more than ten years (not counting the years of experience as private PSLE educators). Our teachers are equipped with first-hand knowledge of the PSLE, and among them, official ex-MOE examiners. We have taught thousands of students and guided them to improve in their oral skills, including those who scored full marks. Our oral lessons are high impact, with intensive hands-on and constructive feedback.

Click here to enrol your child in our Gemini PSLE Oral Programme that covers English and Chinese Oral skills for the 2024 exams!