PSLE has everyone on tenterhooks. The year your child sits for their PSLE can be quite a stressful year for you too. Many students (and parents) start their PSLE preparation as early as Primary 3 or 4. An early start gives them enough time to cover all the necessary topics and questions.

However, when they come to Primary 6, many students start experiencing exam jitters. All those years of preparation suddenly don't seem enough. However, there is one big resource they can rely on- the past year's PSLE question papers.

Take a look at why PSLE question papers can boost your child's PSLE preparation strategies.

PSLE Exam Papers: How This Treasure Trove Helps

1. Gives a sense of the real exam

PSLE past years' exam papers are the only study materials that can provide your child with the experience of taking real exams. Consistent practice with last years papers blesses your child with:

• Adequate exposure to various types of questions
• Ability to explain the concepts in a clear manner
• Effective answering techniques
• Conceptual understanding of various topics
• Ample training to phrase good answers

Essentially, nothing gives your child better exposure to the real deal than the previous PSLE exam papers.

2. Perfects preparation strategies

PSLE exam papers from previous years are excellent sources of exam practice for students.

Often, the amount of practice your child gets from homework and schoolwork isn't enough for them to comprehend core concepts. A child must do a lot of practice on any educational concept before it becomes fully engrained in their minds.

Additionally, your child may feel stressed as the exam approaches, and that anxiety may affect their ability to recall and grasp important material. Past year papers help your child get the key concepts anchored in their mind. It helps them spot and rectify knowledge gaps, which could result in the loss of valuable marks during the actual exam.

3. Improves time management skills

In PSLE, every question carries valuable scores. Knowing how to attend to all the questions within the stipulated three-hour duration is imperative.

Standard tests conducted in school may not impart the importance of finishing the entire question paper on time. However, the PSLE question paper comes with the time limit of the real examination setting. When your child consistently practices these question papers, they understand and learn the value of sticking to the time limit.

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4. Exposes to exam-style questions

The exposure that past years' PSLE papers provide is exceptionally valuable because children get a perspective of the question types they will face on D Day. They also get a clear idea of the question format and the technicalities involved.

5. Provides the examiner's perspective

These question papers are also a direct reflection of the examiner's expectations from students. Once they grasp this concept, they can develop higher-order thinking skills necessary to ace the PSLE exams. The model answers will also give students examples of how to solve the questions and phrase their answers. All of these will help to train them.

6. Allows topic-based preparation

Instead of wasting time trying to cover all the topics in one sitting, your child can choose which ones to focus on based on past exam papers. Often-repeated topics are an indication that they are a top choice, and past examiners liked to set questions on that topic. When a topic is never discussed, it could mean that examiners have no interest in it. However- a word of caution. These predictions aren't foolproof. Hence, your child shouldn't completely ignore other topics based on them. They are just a form of guide to focus on certain topics to revise.

Also Read: The Science Behind Customised Learning in Schools

Where Can You Source Past PSLE Papers?

Generally, a PSLE exam practice book will contain all the question papers from exams conducted over the past three years. You can also find them as a series of question papers categorised into various topics.

PSLE question papers from the previous years could be available in your child's school store at a discounted price. You can also source them from your local book stores and online booksellers. If not, the next best option is to download the papers from internet portals. Ensure you download only the recent papers relevant to the current PSLE syllabus.

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