Preparatory Course for Admission to Government Schools (Primary 4)

Course Aims:

International students who wish to enter primary in Singapore are required to sit and pass centralised entrance examinations conducted by the Ministry of Education. And the course aim is to help students pass either of the examination (Admission Exercise for International Students (AEIS) or S(Supplementary)-AEIS examinations) to help them to admit to Singapore government school.

Major Learning outcomes:

Be able to handle lower primary level English and Mathematics in a local school.

Preparation for the AEIS examination, as well as syllabuses in Mathematics and English to prepare students for the new academic year, after completing the course, students will sit for the AEIS or S-AEIS examination to enter Government schools.

These are the courses conducted for the Preparatory Course for Admission to Government Schools:

English

The English module is based on the Ministry of Education English Syllabus. Emphasis will be given to the components tested in the English AEIS / S-AEIS test. Skills in reading, writing, vocabulary acquisition, and grammar knowledge will be emphasized and taught throughout the course. Speaking and listening skills will also be fostered through a variety of texts, media, and teaching strategies.

We emphasize English in our preparatory course, both as a subject and as a medium for learning other subjects. The teachers will also help students understand mathematical or scientific concepts which are expressed in English.

Mathematics

The Mathematics module is based on the Ministry of Education Mathematics Syllabus.

Emphasis will be given to the components tested in the Mathematics AEIS / S-AEIS test. Conceptual knowledge, problem-solving heuristics, reasoning skills, and procedural skills will be emphasized and taught throughout the course. Students will learn to solve both routine and non-routine problems.

The teachers ensure that students are familiar with mathematical terms in English apart from learning mathematical skills. Our teachers will help every student master the skill of answering mathematics questions in English, rather than in his native language.

The Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS) exam is a centralized admissions exercise conducted by the MOE. It will be conducted around the corner of September or October each year for international students.

International students [non-Singapore citizens or non-permanent residents] who do not have a place in the mainstream schools and wish to seek admission to Primary 2-5 and Secondary 1-3 levels in January of the following academic year.

S-AEIS stands for Supplementary Admissions Exercise for International Students who are unable to make it for AEIS (Admissions Exercise for International Students) in September or October.

International students currently not studying in mainstream schools and who wish to seek admission to Primary 2-4 and Secondary 1-2 are eligible to take part in the S-AEIS.

The general learning objectives and syllabus contents for each level are as detailed in the lesson plans for each level.

AEIS Preparatory Programme (Primary 4) - Primary 4 English

The Primary 4 AEIS syllabus English test contains two parts. Applicants are given 2 hours to do Part 1 and 2. This paper is done in one sitting.

The first part is the writing format which has 2 topics set, of which one comes with an image. Applicants pick one topic then they write a 100-word composition on it.

Write neatly, legibly, and fluently. Apply spelling skills and learner strategies accurately for writing frequently misspelled and multisyllabic words.

Part 2 contains 50 mandatory multiple-choice questions with the following breakdown:

• Comprehension based on 2 passages (10 items)

• Comprehension cloze based on 2 passages (12 items)

• Vocabulary (14 items)

• Grammar (14 items)

AEIS Preparatory Programme (Primary 4) - Primary 4 Mathematics

The Primary 4 AEIS Mathematics test contains two parts. And applicants have 35 minutes to do Part 1, and 50 minutes to do Part 2. Calculators are not allowed in the exam room.

Part 1 of the test has 30 questions that use multiple-choice format and part 2 has 8 questions that use short answer format. Then there are 6 Open-ended questions. Applicants should clearly show the computation of the short-answer questions (working steps) and then write their answers in the given space.

Generally, the Open-ended questions need longer or more complex solution methods compared to the short-answer questions. This segment requires applicants to clearly show the working steps and place the answer in a given space.

The syllabus of this level is as follows:

i. Numbers up to 10,000 (counting in hundreds/thousands)

ii. Addition and subtraction

a. Addition and subtraction algorithms (up to 4 digits)

b. Solving up to 2-step word problems involving addition and subtraction

iii. Multiplication and Division

a. Multiplication table of 6,7,8 & 9

b. Division with the remainder

iv. Fractions

a. Equivalent fractions

b. Expressing a fraction in its simplest form

v. Money

a. Adding and subtracting money in decimal notation

b. Solving word problem involving addition and subtraction of money in decimal notation

vi. Measurement and Geometry

a. Length: measuring it in kilometers (km)

b. Volume: measuring volume of liquid in milliliters (ml)

c. Converting a measurement in compound units to the smallest unit, and vice versa.

d. Time: telling time to the minute and can solve a problem involving time in hours and minutes

e. Perimeter: know the perimeter of rectilinear figure/rectangle/square

f. Area: know the area of rectangle and square

g. Geometry

· Concept of angles and right angle

· Concept of Perpendicular and parallel line

vii. Statistics—Bar Graphs

a. Reading and interpreting data from bar graphs

b. Using different scales on-axis

c. Solving one-step problems using data from bar graphs

30 students: 1 teacher

Levels with more than thirty students will be divided into two classes.

This programme is offered to international students.

b) Placement Test

After applying, students are required to take an English and Mathematics Diagnostic Test. Students will be advised to the appropriate level depending on their score achieved.

c) Minimum Language Requirement

Students must pass English Year 3 in their home countries.

d) Minimum Age

9 years old or above as of 1st Jan of the year of admission

Students are given regular homework and assessment exercises that match the MOE School Curriculum. The assignment including grammar exercises, cloze exercises, reading comprehension, composition, all kinds of mathematic problems. In addition to assigned homework, students will be required to do a number of hours of self-study on daily basis.

A test will be conducted every 4 weeks to allow tutors to monitor student’s progression. In keeping with our policy of involving parents and guardians, we will be sending patents and guardians quarterly detailed course reports.

Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive an in-house certificate within one month from the last day of the course.

Your performance grading will be as follows: