During lessons, I will focus on 4️⃣ areas when guiding students on how to write a good response for structured questions using the ⭐S.T.A.R.⭐ technique.

When starting an answer, students tend to rearrange the question stem or summarise the question instead of answering it. 
Substitute words in question stem using more specific terms. For example, when the question mentioned 'tarnished', we can substitute it with 'oxidised'. If the question mentioned 'the gas', substitute it with the name of the gas if it is possible to tell.

Remove all irrelevant information. DO NOT repeat words or phrases just to lengthen the answer.
Any word written MUST value-add to your answer.
​For example, when question asks for 'Which electrode is the cathode? Explain your answer.', you do not have to write 'The electrode which is the cathode is X. This is because ....' . Instead, just go straight to the point. 'X. Reduction happens at X as ... ' This will save you time⌛ and line space to give a better explanation.

Add all relevant details from the data📊 given. Remember to quote the data​ and also value-add to the data. Expand your answers with relevant concepts to clarify how that specific data answers the question. For example, instead of saying 'Ethanol's boiling point is low and hence volatile.', we can expand our answer by saying 'Ethanol has a low boiling point of 78°C which is near the room temperature of 25°C. Hence, it is volatile and evaporates easily.

The sequence of your answer 📃is important. It makes it much easier for the marker to award marks☑️ if your answer is easy to read. For 'State and explain', 'Describe and explain', 'Explain using an equation' types of questions, it will be beneficial to 'State', 'Describe' and 'write your equation' first before explaining your rationale. Many students start by explaining and forget to link back to the question at the end.

To write ✍🏻a good answer, students have to learn how to break down the question and be clear about the demands of the question. Many students just write what comes to the mind💭 at that moment. Instead, with practice, all these steps will come naturally when students plan their answers in their minds before writing it down in a succinct manner.

​In order to score well for the prelim exam, you have to apply your knowledge and be able to explain concepts. This can be done by doing practice papers using the ten-year-series.

After completing the papers:
- Clarify the learning gaps as soon as possible.
- Understand why you got the answers wrong.
- Be 100% sure what the keywords/phrases are to score full marks.

A week before the paper, it is best to review the questions that were wrong and check if there are any “knowledge leakage”. This can be done by re-doing the same questions again “mentally”. This helps to strengthen the understanding and leaves a deeper impression when you come across similar questions during the prelims.

You should be prepared and be mentally ready for the paper the next day. It is best to focus more on memory work and content such as definitions. There are many recall questions that are easy to score.
​
You should have already done a lot of practice paper. It is a good practice to look through questions you have answered wrongly as a final reminder before the actual paper. If time allows, it would help if you can cover the answers write answers in point form in an exercise book.

​This method of studying requires at least 1 month of preparation and cannot be done within 1 day or 1 week before the exam.

Fundamentally, to do well for Chemistry, there are 3 components: 

1. Content Knowledge (which is basic recall of concepts)
2. Application to a new context (whether you are able to apply the content knowledge into real-life situations)
3. Skills to phrase your answers perfectly (know all the keywords for each topic and answer your answer directly in the most precise manner possible, don’t leave the marker to assume)

Content knowledge can be done as a last-minute revision. However, the ability to apply and explain has to be trained over some time. There is no short-cut to do well.

Know your content, apply your knowledge and brush up your answering technique.

​Don’t stop learning even after prelims. Try your best to have minimal “content leakage” for this last lap towards your O levels!

One of my students pointed out that I didn't update my blog for the entire 2022! 

It had been a really busy 2022. The days passed too fast and I didn't have time to share my thoughts in this blog. It has always been my passion to share study tips, and useful advice with my students. It's so much more convenient to just share my thoughts through Whatsapp with my current students.

To make up for my 'absence', I shall share 6 steps to tackle the Structured Questions in Paper 2. This is also relevant for students taking Combine Chemistry as the skills required are similar.

Paper 2 of the ‘O’ Level Chemistry Paper carries 80 marks and accounts for 50% of the overall ‘O’ Level Chemistry grade. Since the demands of Paper 2 are high and the given duration for you to complete the paper is relatively short, you have to strategise in order to manage this paper.

Time: 1hr 45min

Section A:  Consists of 7 to 9 compulsory structured questions, each with several parts
Section B: Consists of 3 questions

• The first 2 questions are compulsory questions. These questions are 8 to 12 marks each.
• One of the questions will be a data-based question which requires you to interpret, to evaluate or to solve problems using information in the form of tables, graphs, texts, images, diagrams, etc.
• The last question will be presented in an either/or form and will carry 10 marks.

Do note that for students taking the O level exams in 2024, there will be a slight change in the format. 

The Periodic Table has a wealth of information that can help you solve questions. Some information such as proton number, mass number, group number and period number can be obtained directly from the Periodic Table.

Tip: For all my students, they will get a personalised Periodic Table from the 1st session. 

Paper 2 questions require you to use knowledge from more than one specific topic.

Hence, you should be able to link several concepts across different topics to answer questions. A good way to prepare for such questions would be to have strong content knowledge in foundational topics.

Key foundational topics to master by Sec 3 are:

• Chemical Formulae & Equations (the first topic to master)
• Acids Bases Salts
• Mole Calculation

Normally, teachers like to set exam questions with a mix of topics. For example:

• Acids, Bases and Salts + Metals + Qualitative Analysis
• Elements, Compounds and Mixtures + Separation Techniques
• Periodic Table + Metals/Salts + Redox
• Electrolysis + Redox + Mole calculations
• Atomic Structure + Chemical Bonding + Periodic Table

The time crunch in an exam situation means that the more quickly you can recall knowledge, the better you can focus on applying their knowledge to application questions. These basic concepts can help you deduce or predict other scientific information that you will need to solve questions. ​One way to do so is to commit certain basic scientific information to memory. *Read on to get some tips on how to do it*

Identify the Directive Word
Questions which begin with the words, “define”, “state”, “describe”, “explain” or “outline” will test factual knowledge and understanding. Such questions will require you to recall and explain specific concepts.

Questions which ask you to “describe” will require them to use results or observations from the question in their answers. On the other hand, questions which ask you to “explain” will require them to use scientific concepts to back up the observations you pen in their answers.

Identify the Tested Topic(s)
You should identify the topic(s) and/or concept(s) tested in a question by looking out for key words.

For example, such key words or phrases may include “rate of reaction” or “displacement reaction”. You should include related key words/ phrases in their answers.

Detect Extended Questions
In the case of questions which are split into parts, you must ensure that your answers for subsequent parts are consistent with earlier parts. Some key words/phrases you may look out for to identify such questions are “Use your answer from ...” or “Based on your observations from ...”

Questions which involve a novel set-up or application will require you to apply what you have learnt. Additional information may be provided by the question if advanced concepts are being introduced. Such questions tend to be longer because a lot of information and/or data is provided.

Questions may begin with the following words: “predict”, “suggest”, “calculate” or “determine”. Such higher-order questions require you to study the given trends and to predict any changes based on the variable changed. For questions which ask you to “suggest” an outcome, you can give a relevant or plausible answer so long as the suggestion is based on facts.

You should provide a full answer complete with elaboration. You may choose to craft you answer in a chronological manner (step-by-step) or to use the “cause and effect” format which lists a cause and explains the resulting effect. In order to ensure that your answer is relevant and accurate, you are encouraged to use named examples within your answer.

Hope you find these useful! Have a wonderful 2023!

Many tutors face the difficulty of helping students improve as they see all students as similar student type. In this blog post, I will share 4 types of challenges that my students usually face.

Challenge 1: Student A doesn't see the purpose in studying Chemistry and doesn't believe that he has the ability to learn.

Response: I explained the value of learning to Student A and also increased the student's ownership of learning by allowing him to dictate how much homework he gets. Whenever he shares about his difficulty in learning, I will pause and listen to help me analyse his weakness in learning. Slowly, Student A started to change his mental mindset and that's the start of seeing improvement in his Chemistry grades.

Challenge 2: Student B didn't do well in Sec 3 end-of-year exam. She has insufficient prior knowledge and prerequisite skills needed for mastery of new content for Sec 4. 

Response: I used bite-sized assessments as a platform for discussion to teach concepts using commonly tested exam questions. I also provided the key phrases and templates needed to gain scientific vocabulary in the shortest amount of time. With the correct focus, Student B managed to catch up and follow the lessons taught in school.

Challenge 3: Student C has misconceptions about many topics as he was taught inaccurate information.

Response: I will jot down his misconceptions in a notebook and ask him to justify his belief. After the discussion, the student will rephrase the concept below the original misconception. This allowed Student C to revisit the misconception and relearn the correct concept.

Challenge 4: Student D doesn't have any learning/studying strategies/exam techniques. She will only do practice questions right before her tests.

Response: I will teach study skills which have proven themselves to be effective. During lesson, I will demonstrate thinking aloud skills, do retrieval practice of information  and also stress the importance of spaced learning. I will also share the common wrong studying methods made by most students.

My slots for 2021 is currently full.

​Do contact me for a discussion if your child is keen to learn with me from November/Dec 2021 onwards to prepare for 2022.

​Thanks for reading!

Name: J
Level: Sec 4 
School: Chung Cheng High Main
Grades: E8-F9 
Marks for Prelims: MCQ 29/40, P2 - 37/80 (Failed), Practical 21/40(Just pass)
Date of first session: 27/9/19
Total number of lessons: 8  (27/9, 4/10, 6/10, 9/10, 13/10, 16/10, 18/10 and 26/10)
Total number of hours: 16
Date of O level Exam: 30/10/19

Hi Mdm W, just a quick feedback regarding my observation so far:

1. J is weak in understanding of concepts. She may be able to give the answers to certain questions, but when asked further, she doesn’t know how she formed her answer. Most likely, she uses a lot of memory work when studying, instead of understanding the concepts.

2. She lacks skills when forming equations, taking up a lot of time even when it’s a 1 mark type of question. I have given her tips on how to form equations faster and more accurately. Also taught her how to check the equations formed.

3. She is not very sure of the keywords to use for answering questions. In chemistry, there are certain sentence structure template that we use to answer questions. And most likely she lost marks when she did not answer using important keywords (which she didn’t know that they are keywords). 

4. I went through the basics to make sure that she doesn’t make the same type of mistakes again and again as these basics are repeated throughout all topics. 

5. We started with the most challenging chapter which is electrolysis. She couldn’t answer well even for the most basic type of questions. Have already gone through her mistakes and given her some homework.

6. I stressed to her the importance of understanding of concepts. Knowing how to explain how she came out with the answers is crucial as the exam questions set in recent years require students to answer questions base on new context. Remembering answers from familiar context will give her a disadvantage.

I gave her some reference materials, notes and worksheets. Hopefully she will find them useful. Will be preparing according to her request for the next session.