2025 PSLE Oral : Tips on answering the first question of the new PSLE Oral format on the theme of Family

Every P6 student will be tested on their first Preliminary Oral test from mid-July till early August. Students will be tested using the new format Oral and will be awarded marks according to the new PSLE marking scheme.

However, this year, several of TF’s students were tested for Oral at the end of Term 2. Our P6 teachers were very pleased because it would give us a gateway into seeing the themes, question types that were asked, and how our students fared. It would also indicate how we can help our students more in their preparation for their Prelim and PSLE Oral component.

Congratulations to our students who did well for their WA2 or NWA2 Oral. The highest mark scored was 39/40, and the average was 36/40. Some students didn’t fare as well, and the school teachers’ feedback was valuable in helping us prepare our students for their upcoming oral examinations.

Questions 2 and 3 remain the same question types (Either an Experience or an Opinion), while question 1 has changed. So has the picture format. Now, pictures have NO words, and students need to infer what is happening in the picture through visual clues.

After the Term 2 oral testing, the following were the three most common first questions asked based on the given pictures.

• What are the people doing in the picture?
• How are the people in the picture feeling?
• The people in the picture look happy. Why do you think that they look happy?

Out of these three questions, which one do you think is the easiest? I asked my students this during our June school holiday Paper 1 and Oral workshops.

Everyone agreed that question 1 is the easiest and question 3 is the most difficult.

Why is question 3 the most challenging?

Question 3 would require students to infer their answers just by studying the picture. Without any words in the picture, students need to make logical guesses on why the people are happy just by studying the image.

How many reasons do they need to give? What follows after?

Let us look at the steps below on how to answer question 3. TF continues to use the TREES approach which is taught by several schools, but you can use any other approach taught at school e.g. PEEL.

Let us take a look now at how to answer this question based on the picture below

The people in the picture seem happy. Why are they happy?

Using the TREES approach, students would first answer the question clearly by stating their Thought. Secondly, they should analyse the picture by giving 2-3 Reasons on why they think the people are happy. Reasons should be elaborated on by giving Examples. Thirdly, students should give a Personal Experience related to the theme of the picture. Fourthly, students should give an Opinion and link it up to the picture. Lastly, students must remember to conclude by summarising their answers to the question asked.

Thought :

I think that the people in the picture are happy because they are spending time as a family doing a fun activity together.

Reason 1

The picture shows a family. The man and the woman are probably the two children’s parents. They are at home, and it is most likely a Sunday as both parents are at home with the children. I think Sundays are a good day to spend some quality time with your family members as most parents do not work on Sundays and there is no school. It looks to me like this family is enjoying their bonding moments, as there are smiles on all their faces.

Reason 2

They are playing a board game. It looks like a simple board game that even the youngest in the family, who is the little girl in the picture, can play without help. The children are moving the pieces on the board while the parents look on. I think everyone is having a relaxing and joyful time together. Playing board games with your family is really fun, and I can attest to that as my family and I love playing board games too. We play games such as Monopoly and Scrabble. The game can last for more than an hour, and there will always be laughter and jokes, just like the family in this picture.

Experience

Every Sunday evening, my family and I will spend some time together. My older siblings will not make any plans to go out with their friends, and I have no tuition scheduled. We will choose an activity that we enjoy doing together. Sometimes, we will take a walk at the Botanic Gardens or swim at my aunt’s condominium pool. Once a month, we will have a family barbecue, which I always look forward to. During the time we spend together, we will talk about our week and things that trouble us. This is my PSLE year, so there are times when I feel overwhelmed and anxious. My siblings and my parents will encourage me and give me some advice on how to manage my stress. I always feel better after our family’s Sunday evening bonding time.

Opinion

In my opinion, what the family in the picture is doing is beneficial to every member. We should always carve out some time with our family, regardless of how busy we are. This will allow us to strengthen our bond as a family and share our problems with people who care about our well-being.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the people in the picture are happy because they are spending time together and playing a fun board game.

We hope this post has helped you understand better how to manage the first question of the new PSLE oral format.