KiasuParents - Parenting in Singapore

hi all mommies,

Need your kind advice. For students taking normal chinese and higher chinese, are they having the same set of PSLE t-scores based on the same calculation methodology ?

An example, 2 kids get the same score of 250, 1 doing normal chinese and 1 doing higher chinese. Isn't it a bit unfair as higher chinese paper supposedly will be tougher than normal chinese and yet both get the same score ?

Also when we look at Cut-off points for secondary schools, they are normally based on normal chinese and not higher chinese right ? if so from an "exam" perspective, isn't it tougher if the child does higher chinese ?

Apologies if I ask a very basic question.

Thanks.

Rgds,
Ming

Hi mwchua

Higher Chinese (HCL) is an extra subject. Those taking HCL must also take Normal Chinese. The aggregate T-score is computed based on the result of the normal Chinese ONLY. The result of HCL is reflected separately from the aggregate as merit or distinction.

Why take HCL at PSLE?

It allows the kid to do HCL in secondary school if he/she attained at least a merit at PSLE.
Those who did not take HCL at PSLE CANNOT take HCL in secondary school.

Why take HCL at Sec?

Those who pass HCL at O level NEED NOT take Chinese at JC
Therefore, if a kid did not take HCL at PSLE it is as good as confirming that he/she MUST take Chinese in JC (very important factor to consider!!)

regards

atutor2001 wrote:Hi mwchua

Higher Chinese (HCL) is an extra subject. Those taking HCL must also take Normal Chinese. The aggregate T-score is computed based on the result of the normal Chinese ONLY. The result of HCL is reflected separately from the aggregate as merit or distinction.

Why take HCL at PSLE?

It allows the kid to do HCL in secondary school if he/she attained at least a merit at PSLE.
Those who did not take HCL at PSLE CANNOT take HCL in secondary school.

Why take HCL at Sec?

Those who pass HCL at O level NEED NOT take Chinese at JC
Therefore, if a kid did not take HCL at PSLE it is as good as confirming that he/she MUST take Chinese in JC (very important factor to consider!!)

regards

While I think the first and the third answers are true, I believe the line in bold is not true. Students who are at the top 10 % of the cohort at PSLE and do well in CL are given a letter to qualify them to opt for HCL irregardless of whether they have taken HCL.

wiimum wrote:While I think the first and the third answers are true, I believe the line in bold is not true. Students who are at the top 10 % of the cohort at PSLE and do well in CL are given a letter to qualify them to opt for HCL irregardless of whether they have taken HCL.

Thank you for the correction, forgotten about that - but must be A* for Chinese is it?

So must last statement is also wrong. It should be that a kid who did not take HCL at PSLE must aim for A* if he/she wish to avoid taking Chinese at JC.

atutor2001 wrote:Hi mwchua

Higher Chinese (HCL) is an extra subject. Those taking HCL must also take Normal Chinese. The aggregate T-score is computed based on the result of the normal Chinese ONLY. The result of HCL is reflected separately from the aggregate as merit or distinction.

Why take HCL at PSLE?

It allows the kid to do HCL in secondary school if he/she attained at least a merit at PSLE.
Those who did not take HCL at PSLE CANNOT take HCL in secondary school.

Why take HCL at Sec?

Those who pass HCL at O level NEED NOT take Chinese at JC
Therefore, if a kid did not take HCL at PSLE it is as good as confirming that he/she MUST take Chinese in JC (very important factor to consider!!)

regards

Hi

My son did not take HCL in primary school. In his S1 option form, it is stated that " Your child/ward is eligible to study a HMTL at secondary school level. etc etc "

He gets a A for Chinese, not A*.

I think A TOP 10% okay --> HMTL
or A* TOP 11% to XX% okay ---> HMTL, not sure on XX% , maybe 30% ?

He is also eligible to apply for approval to study a Third Language.

Hi jitancat

Thanks for the correction. So it is Top 10% with A.

Regards

wiimum wrote:While I think the first and the third answers are true, I believe the line in bold is not true. Students who are at the top 10 % of the cohort at PSLE and do well in CL are given a letter to qualify them to opt for HCL irregardless of whether they have taken HCL.

Because of the falsehood in that sentence, you have put in "BOLD" above, the rest that follows what aTutor writes is all wrong already.

You do NOT need to have take HMT to be eligible to do HMT in Sec School. Gee.... you don't need HMT to be eligible to apply for a SAP school secondary either!

Generally all students who fall into the top 10% of their PSLE cohort will receive the sealed letter when they receive their PSLE results that offers them the chance to apply for HMT / 3rd Language.

Taking HMT in primary school is only for your child's "enrichment". You can only use the bonus points from HMT if going to SAP school - but well, since all SAP schools are chinese, we should be talking about HCL here.

Hope that clarifies!

atutor2001 wrote:Thank you for the correction, forgotten about that - but must be A* for Chinese is it?

So must last statement is also wrong. It should be that a kid who did not take HCL at PSLE must aim for A* if he/she wish to avoid taking Chinese at JC.

Thanks for the info!

karmeleon wrote:Because of the falsehood in that sentence, you have put in "BOLD" above, the rest that follows what aTutor writes is all wrong already.

You do NOT need to have take HMT to be eligible to do HMT in Sec School. Gee.... you don't need HMT to be eligible to apply for a SAP school secondary either!

Generally all students who fall into the top 10% of their PSLE cohort will receive the sealed letter when they receive their PSLE results that offers them the chance to apply for HMT / 3rd Language.

Taking HMT in primary school is only for your child's "enrichment". You can only use the bonus points from HMT if going to SAP school - but well, since all SAP schools are chinese, we should be talking about HCL here.

Hope that clarifies!

atutor2001 wrote:Hi jitancat

Thanks for the correction. So it is Top 10% with A.

Regards

That's right. Like " jitancat", my son also did not take HCL and did not get A*. Only got A for CL. But received the letter to do HMT for Sec.

So for those who get A, must be within Top 10% of cohort.