The PSLE ( Primary School Leaving Examination ) is a milestone in every Singaporean student’s educational journey. The introduction of significant changes to the PSLE English Syllabus and Format reflects the shift in how language skills are assessed and taught. The updated format places greater emphasis on building essential skills like critical thinking and effective communication, preparing them holistically for a rapidly changing world.
What’s New ?
Paper 1
- Situational Writing
| Old Syllabus | New Syllabus | |
| Format | All of the content points were provided within the stimulus. | One content point requires students to generate their own logical and relevant ideas, based on the context provided by the stimulus. |
| Marks allocation | 15
|
14
|
- Example:
- Continuous Writing
| Changes in : | Old Syllabus | New Syllabus |
| Mark allocation | 40
|
36
|
Paper 2
In the new syllabus, the total marks that Paper 2 carries are reduced from 95 to 90.
- Visual Text Comprehension
| Old Syllabus | New Syllabus | |
| Format | students were provided with just 1 visual text containing both visuals and text.
8 questions are asked. |
students are given 2 texts: one that includes both visuals and text while the other is a text-only passage.
5 questions asked, one of which requires comparison between the 2 texts. |
| Marks | 8 | 5 |
Example:
- Editing Section
| Old Syllabus | New Syllabus | |
| Format | 12 questions | 10 questions |
| Marks | 12 | 10 |
Oral
All mark reductions from Paper 1 and 2 are shifted to the oral component. The total marks for Paper 4 increases from 30 to 40 marks, and the weightage increases from 15% to 20% of the total examination score for the PSLE English Paper.
- Reading Aloud
| Old Syllabus | New Syllabus | |
| Format | Includes a preamble that provides the purpose, audience, and context of the passage that students are to take into consideration to understand the tone and purpose of the passage. | |
| Marks | 10 | 15 |
- It now includes a preamble that provides the purpose, audience and context of the passage that students are to take into consideration. The total marks for this component will be increased from 10 to 15 marks.
- Stimulus-based conversation
| Old Syllabus | New Syllabus | |
| Format | Students are provided with drawings or posters, that may contain text.
Candidates will still need to use details from the stimulus to answer Question 1, whereas Questions 2 and 3 will explore broader aspects of the topic. |
Students are to engage in a conversation based on a real-life photograph, without any texts
Questions asked require students to pay closer attention to details in the stimulus and require them to make inferences from what is given in the picture. |
| Mark allocations | 20 | 25 |
- Example:
For the Oral component, students can strengthen their oral communication skills by practicing expressive reading using passages from books or articles with a clear context and audience to mimic exam conditions. TTT helps your child master the relevant pronunciation techniques for accurate reading and teaches the right techniques to ensure fluency and rhythm when reading. For SBC, we provide detailed thinking and answering frameworks as well as higher-order analytical techniques required to demonstrate a well-thought analysis for spoken interaction. We help your child effectively apply all the techniques and frameworks through intensive practice and step-by-step drills to ensure that he/she is ready for his/her oral reading and spoken interaction examination.
BONUS TIP: As it becomes common for Primary School students to have social media accounts, they can consider setting up a Twitter or Instagram account solely to follow news sites, receiving some current affairs updates in bite-sized formats.
What this means for students and parents
By adapting to these PSLE changes early, adapting and focusing on building the right skills, both students and parents can navigate PSLE 2025 English confidently. At TTT, we understand the unique English challenges posed by these changes and have tailored our programmes to meet them head-on. With detailed notes, fail-proof answering templates, and curated practices, we equip students with the necessary skills and experience for our primary school students to adapt to and tackle the new changes effectively. Let TTT be your partner to ensure your child can achieve their full potential and excel at PSLE English confidently.