PSLE ORAL 2025: 3 ways P5 students can gear up for the new psle oral grading.

Every year at Thinking Factory, we begin work on the Oral component with our P5 students. With the elimination of the SA1 for all schools, the Oral component is only tested at the end of the P5 year.

While I agree that giving a full Paper 2 and Paper 1 in mid-year for P5 students can be somewhat stressful, oral is a component that requires students to be confident in speaking. Without adequate practice, even the most eloquent of speakers can feel nervous in an examination setting.

In 2025, MOE plans to increase the weightage for the PSLE Oral component from 30 marks to 40 marks. This means that students with the correct skills and sufficient practice, can use this PSLE ORAL 2025 component as an aid in helping them achieve their AL goal for PSLE English. However, this is also true of the reverse.

For now, we are waiting to see if the conversation portion of the oral testing will change in any way for PSLE 2025 students and TF will change their curriculum accordingly. In the meantime, we will continue with our current oral practices in class so that our students will have the opportunity to practise their oral skills and build on their vocabulary and knowledge of different themes.

For those who would like to build their oral skills at home, here are three ways to help you.

Read the Newspapers

I know that this piece of advice has been repeated often but the news in the Home section of the local newspapers is a treasure trove of information that students can use during SBC. News about water conservation, recycling in Singapore, performances, school, and even crime can be used during SBC. This can be part of the Example or Experience that students can use to elaborate on their Reasons.

“Recently, I read a newspaper article about …”

Reading Aloud

The Reading section of the Oral component is now 10 marks but for PSLE 2025, it will be 15 marks. With a higher weightage, students need to read expressively, and with the correct tone, intonation, and pronunciation. Practising reading aloud at home in front of family members or even in front of a mirror can boost a student’s confidence when reading aloud. When we have a student who is struggling to read with intonation and expressively, I often tell them to practise reading aloud at home and this has worked wonders for them.

Reflect on common SBC questions

While no one can truly predict what themes or questions may be asked during PSLE, we can prepare answers to common SBC questions. We like to do this with our students in their P5 year and focus on more complex and thought-provoking questions like ‘What advice would you give a friend who is addicted to gaming?’ in their P6 year.

By preparing their answers to the questions below using the TREES approach, students have time to reflect and elaborate with examples and experiences. The answers to these questions can also be used to respond to similar questions in SBC.

PSLE Oral Common Stimulus-Based Conversation Questions

Personal

1) What do you do during your free time?

2) How do you usually spend your weekends?

3) Do you enjoy reading? What kind of books do you read?

4) Tell us about a time when you felt happy

5) What games or activities do you like?

6) What games/activities do you think are fun for children?

7) Which is your favourite mode of transportation and why?

8) Which country do you wish to visit? Why?

9) What are some things you do with your friends?

Health

1) How do you keep fit/ maintain a healthy lifestyle?

2) Tell us about a visit you made to a clinic.

3) What is your favourite food? Is it good for health?

Family

1) Do you help out with the household chores at home? Tell me about it.

2) Do you keep any pets? Why or why not?

3) How do you spend time with your family? Tell me about it

4) What festival do you celebrate?

Outings/School

1) Tell us about a visit you made to a zoo or a park

2) Tell us about an interesting place you have visited

3) Tell us about a school activity that you have taken part in

4) What do you think pupils can learn from taking part in school outdoor activities

Community

1) Have you helped anyone in need before? Tell me about it

2) Tell us about a time you did something special for someone

3) Tell us about a time that someone helped you