In an earlier post, we discussed why the SA1 examinations still matter very much for those in Primary 4, Primary 6, Secondary 2 and Secondary 4 who have to take them. We now turn our attention to the majority of students who do not have to take the SA1 examinations, and what parents can do to evaluate their children’s mid-year progress in the absence of mid-year examinations.
The mid-year mark is an interesting and important juncture for all students. Enough time has passed for you, your child and his or her teachers to take stock of performance and have an idea of where your child stands for his or her various subjects.
And unlike in September before Term 4, enough time remains for substantial work to be done to either correct your child’s course and make a concerted push for an improved end-of-year showing, or to consolidate the gains already made for a strong finish.
Getting a good understanding of what adjustments your child needs to make will be crucial. Without further ado, here are 5 ways you can use to check in with your child’s mid-year progress:
1. Talk to your child
Examinations gauge how well students know their stuff, but exams don’t tell parents a thing about how their children are coping emotionally or psychologically and other underlying factors that affect academic performance.
To answer the question of “why did my child get X grade” parents have to go further, and one of the simplest ways of doing so is to hear directly from the horse’s mouth.
Talking to your child becomes even more important in the absence of mid-year examinations. Do they actually have any idea of what they are supposed to be learning in class? Are they coping with the workload? Are they struggling with a subject but have been too afraid to let you know?
Set aside some time to sit down with your child for an extended check-in. Because you know your child best, often what they say (or do not say) will give you a much clearer picture of their progress in school.
2. Assess the effectiveness of study routines and habits, and adjust accordingly
Hearing from your child opens up further options that you can tap to understand their mid-year progress. For example, at the beginning of the year you and your child would have embarked upon a study routine based on your expectations and what you hoped to achieve.
The mid-year mark is a good opportunity to assess what has worked for you and your child up to this point, and what has not.
Perhaps you now realise that your child can afford to spend less time on a stronger subject, and to reallocate that time to working on a weaker subject instead during their regular study time.
Your child’s academic performance might have suffered while trying to juggle extracurricular commitments, so you might want to dial down those commitments to let them focus. Or you might simply want to get them started, while there is still time, on good habits like properly organising their notes and worksheets or reading widely and often.
3. Review your child's homework
Homework is a constant in the lives of students and their parents. What this means for evaluating your child’s mid-year progress is that, whether or not he or she is sitting for mid-year examinations, you still have readily available material which can tell you the full story.
While this requires an extra effort on your part, looking over your child’s homework not only helps you understand what he or she has to learn in the classroom, but also gauge how well he or she has grasped that content.
Your child may be struggling with certain types of assignments or a particular subject, and although you may not be able to help them directly with their homework, your support is still vital in boosting their confidence and helping them feel heard. And if your child never has any homework for you to look over, then that also tells you what you need to know!
4. Look for or come up with alternative modes of assessment
If you must rely upon some form of assessment to check in with your child’s progress, there are various alternatives for you to consider. Assessment books and practice exam papers are the traditional option, but if you feel confident enough about a particular subject you can adopt a more DIY approach too.
Doing so can be as simple as running through your child’s notes and testing them on their understanding of various concepts or facts.
At The Learning Lab, our teachers also regularly assess students’ understanding of the concepts taught through a variety of ways, such as through discussions and presentations, or informal quizzes.
5. Talk to and devise a game plan with your child’s teachers
Lastly, talk to the professionals who are in charge of overseeing your child’s education — their teachers.
The chances are that there are already opportunities in place for you to speak to your child’s teachers through regularly scheduled parent-teacher meetings. Our TLL teachers also welcome and encourage feedback and input from both parents and students alike.
The mid-year mark is the perfect juncture to have a polite and informed discussion with your child’s teachers on what adjustments your child needs to make to get into the best possible position for the end of the year. If you already have an idea of your child’s weak areas and can bring this awareness to your discussion, so much the better.
The Learning Lab is now at 9 locations. Find a location that suits your needs.
If you have any questions about our range of programmes or class schedules, you may contact us at 6733 8711 or drop us an email at enquiry@thelearninglab.com.sg.
Preparing Students for Long-Term Academic Success
Parents have many options to stay on top of their children’s mid-year progress even without mid-year exams in the equation.
By investing in a little more time and effort, you may even end up with a better understanding of your child’s performance than you would have by relying upon the mid-year exams.
At The Learning Lab, we believe in tapping a holistic suite of pedagogical instruments to unlock our students’ full potential and monitor their academic progress. Click here to find out more about how we can work alongside you and your child to bring out the best in his or her academic journey.
Tracking the Path Your Child Trekked
If you wish to better understand your child’s holistic academic progress, check out these additional resources:
Download this comprehensive quiz that allows your child to discover the extent of their strengths and weaknesses and chart their own learning progress.
Standardised exams need not be the only way for you to understand where your child stands leading up to their end-of-year examinations and beyond.
In this article, our Lower Primary English Subject Head shares her insights and tips on how you can track your child's progress in school.
The Learning Lab is now at 9 locations. Find a location that suits your needs.
If you have any questions about our programmes, please email us at enquiry@thelearninglab.com.sg or call us at 6733 8711 and we will be happy to assist you.