Congratulations to our students’ achievement for the Trinity College London Examinations in Communication Skills. Once again, our students have been recognised as Top Achievers for the Trinity Communications Skills Examination in 2019, 2020 and 2021. These Top Achievers have been invited to receive a special award from Trinity for achiving top scores in Singapore for their respective grades. We are very proud of our Awardees for bringing such honour to our centre. The awards ceremony will take place on 7 April 2023 at ParkRoyal Collection Marina Bay. Each Awardees will receive a Certificate of Award and Trophy.
SEM SHAN YA, GRADE 4, TRINITY TOP STUDENT NOV 2019
AUGUSTINE CHONG JUN XUAN, GRADE 7, TRINITY TOP STUDENT NOV 2019
MICHAEL LANG LI-YUAN, GRADE 8, TRINITY TOP STUDENT NOV 2019
GOH YI TING, INITIAL, TRINITY TOP STUDENT NOV2020
Picture unavaliable: Han Yushan Jacintha, Grade 2, 2019
Once again, we are happy to announce that our students have managed to achieve outstanding results in the Trinity Communication Skills Examinations (Individual). We achieved 100% Passes with 56% Distinction and 44% Merit. This is a testament to the effectiveness of our speaking programme and the determination of our students to be the best speakers possible. After 15 years and having taught over 4000 students, we continue to motivate and encourage students of all calibre to be the best and the brightest in their ability to communicate effectively thus leading to success in school and in life. We congratulate all of our students for their achievements last semester and look forward to even more accomplishments in 2023.
Overall Best Performer 2021 – 2022
Chia Ze Lyn Tricia
Tricia achieved ‘Top in Grade” consecutively for Grade 5, 6, 7 & 8. She also achieved Distinctions for Grade 3 & 4. Her outstanding performance in the Communication Skills Examinations over the years has gained her the title of the “Overall Best Performing Student” in J Carter Centre for Public Speaking. As such this special award has been created to honour her efforts in becoming an excellent public speaker.
Sign up for our ever-popular Communications Skills programme and earn an International Certificate from Trinity College London!
We are in the process of registering new students for the January 2023 intake. Places are filling up fast. For more information about the programme and registration details, email info@jcartercentre.com or call 67372700.
These are the vacancies for New Students as of 9 December 2022:
Congratulations to our top achievers for the May/June 2022 examinations. To achieve this position at J Carter Centre, students must score the highest percentage for their grade level and/or above 90%. They will receive a special trophy and their photo will be displayed on our ‘Wall of Fame’ in the center’s reception area.
Join our J Carter Centre Telegram Channel. Receive updates on your device regularly. Join at https://t.me/jcartercentre
Sign up for our ever-popular Communications Skills programme and earn an International Certificate from Trinity College London!
We are in the process of registering new students for the January 2023 intake. Places are filling up fast. For more information about the programme and registration details, email info@jcartercentre.com or call 67372700.
These are the vacancies for New Students as of 4 December 2022:
Registration is ongoing for the November/December 2022 Holiday Workshops. Here’s an update on the vacancies for the workshops. These short workshops are a great introduction to public speaking. Sign up now and have fun while learning how to speak confidently. These workshops are also a great preview of what will be coming up in 2023 at J Carter Centre -COMPETITION TRAINING!
Nov/Dec 2022 Workshops
Holiday workshops are a great way for students to learn new skills in the area of performing in front of an audience or to excel in speaking festivals and competitions. At J Carter Centre, we have been preparing students for the Singapore Performing Arts Festival (SPAF) since 2017. Students participate in different categories such as verse speaking, storytelling, impromptu speaking, public speaking, and many more. Our students have been achieving wonderful results at the festival over the years and some have gone on to represent their schools in speaking and debating competitions.
Achievements at speaking competitions are also a great way to build up a child’s portfolio for the DSA-SEC selection. Although not every student wants to participate in speaking competitions, learning the skill to speak confidently in front of others is always useful and a necessary talent in today’s competitive society. These workshops have been designed into short courses where students can choose to focus on a specific area of speaking in a fun and engaging way. The skills they have gained in the workshops will also prepare them for speaking competitions.
Impromptu Speaking
Life is a series of presentations and most of these are usually unscripted. Perhaps the most challenging form of speaking is to speak spontaneously. This workshop will teach your child to use a simple technique to speak without scripts relying more on their personal experiences and knowledge in order to share information and experiences on various topics.
Age Group
Dates
Time
Vacancies
Student Fee
10-11
29 Nov – 30 Nov
10 am to 1 pm
FULL
Workshop Fee: $298 *Reg:$40 (*New Students only)
11-12
1 Dec – 2 Dec
10 am to 1 pm
FULL
Updated on 27/11/2022
Public Speaking
Public Speaking is a life skill everyone should aim to master no matter their age. Speeches come in many forms but persuasive speaking is perhaps the most useful and necessary form of public speaking that we must all learn to do if we want to convince others to understand our point of view. Students will learn to craft and deliver a persuasive speech to an intended audience. Verbal and non-verbal techniques will also be taught in this workshop. Click on the link to watch some of our students deliver a speech: https://jcartercentre.blog/
Age Group
Dates
Time
Vacancies
Student Fee
7
1 Dec – 2 Dec
10 am to 1 pm
FULL
Workshop Fee: $298 *Reg:$40 (*New Students only)
8
6 Dec – 7 Dec
10 am to 1 pm
FULL
9
8 Dec – 9 Dec
10 am to 1 pm
FULL
10-11
12 Dec -13 Dec
10 am to 1 pm
FULL
Updated on 4/12/2022
Age Group
Dates
Time
Vacancies
Student Fee
12-13
14 Dec -15 Dec
10 am to 1 pm
FULL
Workshop Fee: $328 *Reg:$40 (*New Students only)
Updated on 4/12/2022
If you have any questions, you may call 67372700 or email info@jcartercentre.com
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Visit our website to find out more about us and what we have to offer in the field of Communication Skills. We focus only on Children and Teens because those are crucial years where communication skills development is most crucial. Visit us at https://jcartercentre.com/
Workshops are a great way for students to learn speaking skills that will help them to deliver a speech in front of an audience. At J Carter Centre, we have been preparing students to speak publicly since 2008. Our students have been achieving wonderful results in the Trinity College London Communications Skills examination over the years and some have even gone on to represent their schools and our centre in speaking competitions. Although not every student wants to compete, learning the skill to speak confidently in front of others is a life skill that is necessary for today’s competitive society. These workshops have been designed into short courses where students can choose to focus on a specific area of speaking in a fun and engaging way. The skills they will gain in the workshops will also prepare them to present better in secondary schools.
Take advantage of PSLE Marking days to learn the Art of Public Speaking. Details of the workshop are as follows:
Sch Level
Dates
Time
Workshop Fee
Primary 6
19-20 Oct
10am – 1pm
Workshop Fee: $328
*Reg:$40 (*New Students only)
All students will receive a video of their performance after the workshop.
For Registration details, call 67372700 or email info@jcartercentre.com
10-Week DSA Preparation Course for Primary 6 students
It is that time of the year when parents whose children will be in Primary Six in 2023, start to consider whether they should attempt Direct School Admissions (DSA). If the answer is a resounding ‘Yes’ then the next question would be: “Which Schools/Talent Areas should I choose?” For this article, I will only focus on Schools/Talent Areas to which students with the Trinity College London Communication Skills Qualifications can apply.
Integrated Programme (IP) Schools
Bilingualism (For this domain, students must also be taking Higher Chinese.)
Dunman High School (Secondary)
Catholic High School (Secondary)
Hwa Chong Institution (Secondary)
CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School
Nanyang Girls’ High School
Debate and Theatre (Students must also have an interest in Current Affairs)
Victoria School
Debating (Students must also have an interest in Current Affairs)
River Valley High School (Secondary)
EnglishLanguage ( For this domain, students must also have strong writing skillsand an interest in English Literature.)
Temasek Junior College (Secondary)
Hwa Chong Institution
Raffles Institution (Secondary)
Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary)
Raffles Girls’ School (Secondary)
Singapore Chinese Girls’ School
Humanities (Students must also have an interest in Debate and Current Affairs)
Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) (Secondary)
Catholic High School (Secondary)
Specialised Independent Schools (SIS)
Theatre and/or Creative Writing (Student must have an interest in Acting and/or writing)
SOTA (School of the Arts)
Express Schools (4 years)
Debate and Public Speaking
Evergreen Secondary School
Whitley Secondary School
Yusof Ishak Secondary School
CHIJ Katong Convent
Public Speaking
Juying Secondary School
Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School
Mayflower Secondary School
Debate and Theater (Students must also have an interest in Current Affairsand/or Acting)
CHIJ St Joseph’s Convent
Debating (Students must also have an interest in Current Affairs)
CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh)
Hougang Secondary School
Mayflower Secondary School
Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Rd)
St Gabriel’s Secondary School
Media/Journalism
Bedok View Secondary School
Deyi Secondary School
Holy Innocents’ High School
Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School
Journalism
Evergreen Secondary School
English Language (Students must also have good writing skills and an interest in Current Affairs)
Pasir Ris Secondary School
English Literary – Debate and Scrabble (Students must also have an interest in Current Affairs)
Over the weekend (23 July 2022), results for the Public Speaking Category for SPAF 2022 was announced. This is one of the most challenging category in the festival as the criteria for achieving a ‘Gold Award’ is extremely demanding. This year, 18 of our students from J Carter Centre for Public Speaking were selected to represent our centre in the festival in both Class 1 (Ages 8-10) and Class 2 (Ages 11-12) of the Public Speaking category. We are happy to say that our students achieved the following results:
3 Gold Awards
9 Silver Awards
3 Bronze Awards
3 Participation Awards
Congratulations to all the participants. We are proud of your achievements. Thank you for your hard work. We would also like to thank the parents for their support.
Gold Award – Class 1: WONG HUEI YANG BENEDICT JOHN
We offer a holistic DSA preparation for Primary 5 students with a focus on Integrated Programme schools (IP), Specialised Independent Schools (SIS), Express, and International schools. This course is developed to include a wide range of activities that will prepare students for the DSA selection process in the following talent areas:
Sports and games
Infocomm and Innovation
Debate and public speaking
Science, Mathematics, and Engineering (STEM, STEAM)
Languages and humanities
Leadership (for example, prefects)
This course is conducted by our founder, Jackeline Carter who has 12 years of experience coaching students successfully through the DSA-SEC selection process for IP, SIS, Express, and the 3 International schools- SJI International, ACS International, and Hwa Chong International. As an expert in communication skills, she has extensive experience training students to perform at their best during the selection trials and interviews. This course will cover the following areas and more:
Matching talent to schools and domains
Best practices for submitting online applications
Presentation skills
Impromptu speaking
Group discussions
Problem-solving activities
Viewpoint essay writing
Creative Portfolio
Interview etiquette
Mock interviews
Jackeline Carter is the author of ‘Success Strategies for Direct School Admissions (DSA)’. One of the first books on DSA which was published in 2014, provides an easy-to-understand guide to preparing for DSA-SEC. Although this book is no longer in print, the updated version of the book will be given to students who enroll in the 10-week DSA Preparation Course.
Post-Course Materials and Support
Individualised feedback based on the participant’s performance during the course.
Guidelines and Interview list specific to school(s) and domain(s) selected by the student
Video recordings of student’s participation in the various activities including mock interviews
On-going support via email to parents and students if needed until the completion of the DSA selection process
For more information about our programmes or updates on vacancies, please email info@jcartercentre.com. You may also contact us at 67372700 during centre opening hours.
We still have a few vacancies left for Semester 2. Sign up now before registration closes. We do not take in students in the middle of the semester and the next intake will be on January 2023. For parents who have put off registering their children for communication skills/public speaking classes, don’t delay any further, especially if your goal is to improve your child’s confidence and speaking skills. It is great if your child is doing well academically however if they cannot communicate well, those academic scores are not going to help with achieving great success in the future. So what are you waiting for? Sign up now before it is too late.
For more information about the programme and registration details, email info@jcartercentre.com or call 67372700. (有关注册详情的更多信息，请发送电子邮件至 info@jcartercentre.com 或致电 67372700。)
Congratulations to our top achievers for the Nov/Dec 2021 examinations. To achieve this position at J Carter Centre, students must score the highest percentage for their grade level and/or above 90%. They will receive a special trophy and their photo will be displayed on our ‘Wall of Fame’ in the center’s reception area.
In these workshops, we share our proven oral techniques that have helped many students ace this challenging exam. The workshop will help your child improve their ability to read expressively and converse knowledgeably. Each workshop will focus on 2 themes commonly tested during Primary 6 Prelim and PSLE. There are a total of 4 different workshops that will cover 8 themes. The workshops do not need to be taken in sequence as each workshop will cover the oral techniques required to do well in this examination. Students can choose to register for all 4 different workshops to be fully prepared for the oral examination.
The workshops will offer the following benefits to the learner:
Develop opinions while expressing them in a confident and succinct manner using good phrases and proper sentence structure.
Learn essential reading techniques using our special PAFER(P) method to deliver a well-paced, fluent reading of a passage.
The themes covered in the workshops are as follows:
Theme 1 – Values, Personal/Family
Theme 2 – Community-related, National issues
Theme 3 – School related, Activities
For the June school holidays, we will be offering Theme 1, 2 & 3. All workshops will be conducted Face-to-Face. The details of the workshops are listed below:
DSA-SEC(Pri 6): Interview Coaching Workshop
We offer intensive interview coaching for Primary 6 students who will be attempting DSA-SEC from July 2022. Students will be taught the skills needed to perform well during the DSA interviews. The workshops are grouped into specific domains to maximize the effectiveness of the coaching. The workshops cater to students applying to Integrated Programme (IP), Specialised independent schools (SIS), and Express secondary schools.
At the end of the workshop, students will receive videos of the interviews carried out during the workshop. The DSA workshop will strengthen the communications skills of each student and provide them with the information and skills needed to perform confidently in front of a panel of interviewers.
The workshop will cover the following areas:
Interview etiquette
Mock interviews
Guidelines and interview questions specific to domains/schools
The workshops are grouped according to the following domains:
Performing Arts – Music CCA, Music Elective (MEP), Drama/Theatre
Others – Leadership, Innovation, STEM, STEAM
Lessons are taught over 2 days and each lesson is 3 hours.Students will be prepared for a maximum of two DSA choices only during one workshop run. (The two choices must be the domains offered for that workshop)
Scenario 1
Choice 1: Mathematics/HCI
Choice 2: Science/RI
You only need to register for the Academic domains workshop.
Scenario 2
Choice 1: Bilingual/NYGH
Choice 2: Swimming/RGS
You will have to register for the Academic domains workshop and the Sport workshop if you want to be coached for both choices.
For the June school holidays, all workshops will be conducted Face-to-Face. The details of the workshops are listed below:
Art of Speaking – Overview
Holiday workshops are a great way for students to learn new skills in the area of performing in front of an audience or to excel in speaking festivals and competitions. At J Carter Centre, we have been preparing students for the Singapore Performing Arts Festival (SPAF) since 2017.
Students participate in different categories such as verse speaking, storytelling, impromptu speaking, public speaking, and many more. Our students have been achieving wonderful results at the festival over the years and some have gone on to represent their schools in speaking and debating competitions.
Achievements at speaking competitions are also a great way to build up a child’s portfolio for the DSA-SEC selection. Although not every student wants to participate in speaking competitions, learning the skill to speak confidently in front of others is always useful and a necessary talent in today’s competitive society. These workshops have been designed into short courses where students can choose to focus on a specific area of speaking in a fun and engaging way. The skills they have gained in the workshops will also prepare them for speaking competitions.
For the June school holidays, all workshops will be conducted Face-to-Face. All students will receive a video of their performance after the workshop. The details of the workshops are as follows:
Storytelling
Telling a story is a great way to learn how to perform to an audience and convey a message in an entertaining manner. Everyone loves to listen to a story and it is even better to be able to tell one with gusto. This workshop will teach students to learn to use vocal variety, facial expressions, and body language to bring a story to life for an audience.
Public Speaking
This is a life skill everyone should aim to master no matter the age. Speeches come in many forms but persuasive speaking is perhaps the most useful and necessary form of public speaking that we must all learn to do if we want to convince others to understand our point of view. Students will learn to craft and deliver a persuasive speech to an intended audience. Verbal and non-verbal techniques will also be taught in this workshop.
If you have any questions, you may call 67372700 during centre hours:
(Presenter: Mary Ann Tear – SPAF Committee Chair and Chief Adjudicator)
Our mission for Singapore Performing Arts Festival.
What to expect.
Brief introduction to the categories offered.
What’s NEW! for 2022.
PM SESSION (Afternoon)
[200pm – 245pm] Performance Arts
(Presenter: Amina Jindani – SPAF Adjudicator)
Preparing Candidates for Pre-Recorded Performing Arts Submission.
Help participants to examine the vital elements of performance acting and storytelling.
Explore how to improve the clarity of voice through an exploration of the elements of emphasis, articulation and pace; as well as compare actioning to movement.
Props versus mime
Position yourself in the space in pre-recorded video submissions.
[300pm – 430pm] Creative Writing
(Presenter: Amina Jindani – SPAF Adjudicator)
An Introduction to Plot-Twists in Creative Writing
Join us for a fun and exciting virtual board game experience on how plot twists work in storytelling narratives.
Amina will take the participants through a 1 hour 45 minute introduction to the game, The Snakes and Ladders of Plot Twists.
Participants will be writing down their Hero’s Journey ideas as the game evolves with some sharing of story notes at the end.
J Carter Centre for Public Speaking has been supporting the Singapore Performing Arts Festival since its early inception. Every year, our communication skills students will participate in several categories. The experience has expanded their skill sets in the area of public speaking and helped them gain confidence in the area of performance. We look forward to working together with the organisers MSWorks in this year’s event.
This workshop will teach students techniques to prepare effective portfolios to highlight their strengths and achievements to school admission officers. The workshop will focus on different approaches which students can use to increase their chances of getting shortlisted for an interview during the DSA selection process. This workshop is catered to Primary 6 students attempting DSA in 2022.
The workshop will cover the following areas and more:
Preparing a standard portfolio (Hardcopy)
Preparing creative portfolios (soft copy/online)
How to highlight achievements on DSA application form using google suite
The methods taught in this workshop will be suitable for students applying to most domains except visual arts.
For the March school holidays, we will be offering the Portfolio Workshop only. Interview coaching workshops will be offered during the June holidays. All workshops will be conducted online using Zoom conferencing software. The details of the workshops are listed below:
In these workshops, we share our proven oral techniques that have helped many students ace this challenging exam. The workshop will help your child improve their ability to read expressively and converse knowledgeably. Each workshop will focus on 2 themes commonly tested during Primary 6 Prelim and PSLE. There are a total of 4 different workshops that will cover 8 themes. The workshops do not need to be taken in sequence as each workshop will cover the oral techniques required to do well in this examination. Students can choose to register for all 4 different workshops to be fully prepared for the oral examination.
The workshops will offer the following benefits to the learner:
Develop opinions while expressing them in a confident and succinct manner using good phrases and proper sentence structure.
Learn essential reading techniques using our special PAFER(P) method to deliver a well-paced, fluent reading of a passage.
The themes covered in the workshops are as follows:
Workshop 1 – Values, Personal/Family themes
Workshop 2 – Community-related, National issues themes
For the March school holidays, we will be offering Workshop 1 only – Values, Personal/Family themes. The rest will be offered during the June holidays. All workshops will be conducted online using Zoom conferencing software. The details are listed below:
Workshop 1 – Values, Personal/Family
Run 1 – 16-18 March 2022 – 10 am to 1 pm
Run 2 – 16-18 March 2022 – 2 pm – 5 pm
Fee: $498 Reg: $40 (new student only)
Contact Information
If you have any questions or would like to register for the workshops, you may call 67372700 during centre hours or email: info@jcartercentre.com
Congratulations to all of our top achievers for the June/July 2021 examinations. To achieve this position at J Carter Centre, students must score the highest percentage for their grade level and/or above 90% whichever is higher. They will receive a special trophy and their photo will be displayed on our ‘Wall of Fame’ at the reception area of the centre.
Testimonials from former students who took the 10-week DSA Preparation Course
COVID-19 fatigue – we are all experiencing it but how did this pandemic affect the way DSA-SEC selection process was carried out in 2020 and 2021. This is what I will be discussing in this article. I will focus more on the way Integrated Programme (IP) schools changed the way they conduct their DSA selection process as I prepare more students for these schools in our 10-weeks DSA Preparation Course. Details of this course were shared in the previous post: https://jcartercentre.blog/2021/11/25/january-2022-intake-j-carter-centre-for-public-speaking/
Let’s talk about the situation in 2020. The pandemic took everyone by surprise as a result secondary schools had to rush to set up online options to continue with the selection process. There were many teething issues moving the process online – not only were the schools grappling with video conferencing software, but they also had to change the way they conducted the trials, auditions, written tests, and interviews. At the same time, they had to work closely with the primary schools to set up the video conferencing equipment on their end in order for the candidates to connect with the secondary schools they had been shortlisted for.
The following information that I am sharing is based on the feedback given to me by parents and students who had taken my DSA Preparation Course. As such it will be an overview of how some of the schools carried out their processes. For confidentiality reasons, I will not mention the name of the schools in this article nor entertain questions in the comments section or through private messaging (PM).
*Application Stage
Due to time constraints and the need to seek the help of primary schools to carry out the selection process, secondary schools were more stringent in the way they shortlisted the candidates after the application stage. They only shortlisted those who had credentials that reflected strong abilities and interest in the specific talent domain applied for.
*Hardcopy Portfolios and Personal Statements
Many schools did away with the need for portfolios because primary schools were tasked to send the student’s performance records directly to the secondary schools. The online application also asked for a list of achievements or activities carried out privately but this was limited to 10 so those with lots of enrichment activities had to scale down what they could share with the schools they were applying for. Only certain domains still required a portfolio and usually a soft-copy version to be uploaded to the school site or sent by email to the school. Some of the domains are: English, Science, Innovation, and visual arts.
As for personal statements, mostly leadership domains require one.
*Sports domain
Sports students were asked to send videos showing how they played although it was optional – before the school shortlisted them for the next stage. This caught many off-guard as parents do not normally video taped any of their children’s practise sessions. Some parents who invested in private coaching on the other hand were luckier as they had videos of their children’s private coaching sessions.
On selection day, some schools recruited the help of primary school P.E. teachers to put the students through some activities and exercises while they watch the performance through video conferencing. These were mainly for team sports. Individual sports candidates had to depend on their past performances and competition achievements to secure an interview with the school.
*Performing Arts domain
Students were asked to send videos of their performances before being shortlisted for an interview.
Some required shortlisted candidates to audition live through video conferencing before conducting a 1-to-1 interview.
Others required videos, auditions and interviews.
Academic domains
Several schools did away with online interviews for academic domains and only required students to complete written tests online. The software used by some of the schools prevented students from going back to the previous questions to change their answers once it had been submitted. There was also a time factor involved and students were unable to continue with the test once the time limit was up.
Others required the students to undergo a vocal Q & A segment. Students heard a recording of a series of 5 questions and were given 15 minutes to plan how they were going to answer them. They were then given 5 minutes to record their answers. Not everyone was able to answer all the questions in 5 minutes.
Some showed the students videos on certain issues and asked them to share their thoughts through a written essay.
For schools that retained the interview portion of the selection process, they chose to conduct group or individual interviews via online video conferencing. The individual interviews were smoother but the group interviews faced some issues due to students logging in from different primary schools at the same time. Some candidates joined the meeting later than the allotted time due to technical difficulties. As a result, some group interviews were rather rushed and less confident students had difficulty speaking and standing out from the group.
After overcoming all the teething issues the schools faced in 2020, the 2021 selection process was better. However, changes were implemented again and some of the methods were done away with as they did not work well the previous year.
* Application stage, Portfolios, and Personal Statements
There was no changes for these segments and schools were just as strigent in shortlisting students for the DSA testing, auditions, and interviews.
*Sports Domain
This year, there were less requirements for trials and videos. Instead students were shortlisted directly to the interview segment if they showed some potential. As there weren’t any National School games or competitions and hardly any sports training for students, IP schools gave out less Confirm Offers (CO) for this domain. Many were waitlisted (WL) instead and these were later switched to CO after PSLE results were released. However, unique sports like Fencing and Shooting for example were assessed differently as students in these sports mainly compete and train privately. Shooting for example was able to compete virtually while fencing had some private competitions running this year.
*Performing Arts
Not much changes for this domain and students still send in videos, audition and interview through video conferencing. Private competitions and examinations for music were still happening although virtually so students from this domain were able to enhance their musical portfolio of achievements. However, similar to the sports domain, fewer CO and WL were given out for this domain by IP schools as there was a reduction in public performances and practice sessions in schools due to cancellation of CCA.
Academic domains
Some of the schools conducted written tests only for some of the subject domains like Mathematics and Bilingual, while most carried out both testing and interviews and others only focused on conducting interviews.
There were fewer technical difficulties this time around as schools were more familiar with using the video conferencing software.
More COs were given out under Academic and Leadership domains.
*Please take note that the information shared about DSA application, portfolios, personal statements, sports, and performing arts domains does not apply to SOTA or The Singapore Sports School. These SIS schools conduct their own application and selection process and are not part of the DSA-SEC selection process offered by the Ministry of Education (MOE).
There is a good chance that the 2022 selection process will still be conducted online as the COVID-19 situation is still uncertain. However, the process may change again depending on how the situation will be by the time July 2022 comes around. We will have to wait and see in May 2022 when schools will publish their criteria for DSA to be sure how they will conduct the selection process. In the meantime, all the best to those who will be attempting DSA selection next year. If you would like to register for the DSA Preparation Course for Primary 6 students starting in February 2022 the details are as follows:
Greetings from J Carter Centre. First and foremost, we would like to thank you for your interest in our programmes.
As we are in the process of registering students for the next semester, we feel that it would be appropriate to post an update regarding the available vacancies for next semester’s intake – January 2022.
Vacancies for our signature programme-Trinity College London (TCL) Communications Skills
We have consolidated our available vacancies for our signature programme – TCL Communication skills programme. Those who have not registered can still do so. The timetable is shown above and the number of vacancies available is correct as of 25 November 2021. However, to get the latest updates on vacancies, please email us at info@jcartercentre
Entry to Trinity Programme at J Carter
Initial 1 – Primary 1 in 2022
Initial 2 – Primary 2 in 2022 or completed Initial 1
Grade 1 – Primary 3 in 2022 or completed Initial 2
Grade 6 – JC 1 & Poly Year 1 or completed Grade 5 (solo exam format)
Grade 7 – JC 2 & Poly Year 2 or completed Grade 6 (solo exam format)
Testimonials from former students who attended 10-weeks DSA Prep course
Direct School Admissions (DSA-SEC) – Overview
For students who are keen to attempt DSA in 2022, we suggest that you enrol in the DSA Preparation Course in Semester 1, 2022. We offer a holistic DSA preparation for Primary 6 students with a focus on Integrated Programme schools (IP), Specialised Independent Schools (SIS), Express, and International schools. This course is developed to include a wide range of activities that will prepare students for the DSA selection process in the following talent areas:
Sports and games
Visual, literary and performing arts
Debate and public speaking
Science, mathematics and engineering
Languages and humanities
Leadership (for example, prefects)
This course is conducted by our founder, Jackeline Carter who has 12 years of experience coaching students successfully through the DSA-SEC selection process for IP, SIS, Express and the 3 International schools- SJI International, ACS International and Hwa Cheong International. As an expert in communication skills, she has extensive experience training students to perform at their best during the selection trials and interviews. This course will cover the following areas and more:
Matching talent to schools and domains
Best practises for submitting online application
Presentation skills
Impromptu speaking
Group discussions
Problem-solving activities
Viewpoint essay writing
Creative Portfolio
Interview etiquette
Mock interviews
Jackeline Carter is the author of ‘Success Strategies for Direct School Admissions (DSA)’. One of the first books on DSA that was published in 2014 provides an easy to understand guide to preparing for DSA-SEC. Although this book is no longer in print, the updated version of the book will be given to students who enrol in the 10-week DSA Preparation Course.
Programme Details and Dates
For Primary 6 students attempting DSA in 2022
Maximum of 8 participants
1.5 hours weekly for 10 weeks
Course dates: Thursdays, 17/02/2021-28/04/2021
Time: 5.30 pm-7 pm
Venue: Face-to-Face at J Carter Centre
Post-Course Materialsand Support
Individualised feedback based on child’s performance during the course.
Guidelines and Interview list specific to school(s) and domain(s) selected by the student
Video recordings of student’s participation in the various activities including mock interviews
On-going support via email to parents and students if needed until the completion of DSA selection process
For more information about our programmes or updates on vacancies, please email info@jcartercentre.com. You may also contact us at 67372700 during centre opening hours.
Please take care and stay safe. Here’s wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Congratulations to our student Devin Ding for achieving a Gold Award for Creative Writing at this year’s SPAF 2021. All of us at J Carter Centre is so proud of your achievement. You can read his wonderful story below:
An Act of Kindness By Devin Ding
“Help!” A familiar voice rang out. Noting that the sound was coming from the other side of the park, I limped towards the source of the noise. Hiding behind the bushes, I peered over them…
“Are you done yet?” My brother shouted up the stairs. “Almost done! “I replied. I bolted down the stairs to join my brother. It was an average Sunday morning, and the sun was shining majestically. “The perfect weather to rollerblade, “I thought. Clad in protective gear, I was ready to roller skate with my brother. “Let’s go! And last one to the lake is a rotten egg!” He sped off, leaving me grumbling about the unfair head start he got. I soon followed him, determined to make him succumb to defeat! Soon, I was gaining on him, and we were still a distance away from the lake. “Oof!” I crashed into a bush. I had failed to notice the innocuous stone in the middle of the path until the very last minute where I swerved right and crashed into the bushes. “Looks like I’m the rotten egg again!” I sighed.
Getting up, I felt something trickling down my leg. I looked down, only to see vermilion blood all over my knee. Taking my gear off and placing them into a small bag, I made my way to the toilet and managed to clean my wound. I then placed a plaster over it. Resting on the bench, I looked off into the distance, lost in my reverie. “Help!” a voice screamed, breaking me from my trance. The voice was familiar, but I could not make out the owner of the voice. Worried, I made my way to the source of the sound and hid behind some bushes. Peering through the gap in the bushes, I screamed internally in horror. Sarah, my classmate was being bullied by Jake, our school bully! Must have been because Sarah told our teacher what Jake was doing behind their backs. Though I was larger than him, he was known to put up scuffle with anybody and in the process, seriously hurting them! If I decided to confront him, I would be beaten like piñatas!
I was caught in a moral dilemma as I pondered what to do. “Go and help Sarah, Sam.” A voice in my head said, “You should stand up to bullies and help your classmates.” “But what if he hurts me? “I murmured, waiting for a response. However, the voice was no more, reduced to a mere echo in my head. “Okay, I shall help her.” With that, I stood up walked into the open field.
“Stop picking on her, you bully!” I shouted at Jake, who turned his head around and looked at me in shock. All of a sudden, he threw his head back and hollered with laughter. “You think you can stop me, wimp? Of course not! Stop trying to be the hero!” He replied maliciously, amused by my sudden outburst. However, I was not at all affected by his untrue words. “No, you are the wimp! You bully others because you just want people to know that you are strong, but you’re not!” “How dare you…” With that, he charged at me, his fists raised.
The blow never came, and I slowly peeked out of the tiny slits in my eyelids. “Sorry, sir!” Jake was apologising meekly. Looking around, I could see my headmaster, towering over Jake, arms akimbo. Turning towards me, he smiled kindly. “Are you okay? I am proud that you stood up to Jake!” he said, before turning to Jake, his face stern again, and said, “As for you, I will call your parents!” Mumbling, I said I was okay. “Thanks, Sam! Thanks for helping me!” Sarah said gratefully.
I then walked home with my brother, who had a perplexed look on his face as he had searched for me around the park but had not found me until now. As I related the incident to him, he gaped in awe and patted me on the shoulder said, “Whoa, brother! You stood up to Jake? Cool! He will know never to mess with us again!”
We are happy to introduce another Gold Award Achiever for the category of Verse Speaking at the recent SPAF 2021. Congratulations to Joyce Zheng for her outstanding achievement. Everyone at J Carter Centre is very proud of you. You can watch her performance by clicking on the video below.
Another Gold award achiever for SPAF 2021! Congratulations Jamie for a wonderful achievement in Verse Speaking. We are all so proud of you at J Carter Centre for Public Speaking. Please enjoy the Jamie’s performance by clicking on the video below:
Verse Speaking: Attention to a Spider by John Coldwell
Congratulations to all of our top achievers for the 2020 examinations. To achieve this position at J Carter Centre, students must score the highest percentage for their grade level and/or above 90% whichever is higher. They will receive a special trophy and their photo will be displayed on our ‘Wall of Fame’ at the reception area.
2020 was a year of upheavals and difficulties trying to prepare our students for the Trinity College London Communication Skills exams. Considering the situation, we are happy to announce that our students managed to complete the year achieving excellent results in the examination. Many of our students had to complete two graded examinations within the same time period because of the postponement of the June exams. However, thanks to the teachers at J Carter Centre who conducted refresher lessons while at the same time teaching the regular classes, we were able to get our students ready to take the communication skills exams.
Congratulations to all of our students for their hard work. Extra ‘shout out’ to those students who achieved Distinctions in their exams.
Holiday workshops are a great way for students to learn new skills in the area of performing in front of an audience or to excel in speaking festivals and competitions. At J Carter Centre, we have been preparing students for the Singapore Performing Arts Festival (SPAF) since 2017. Students participate in different categories such as verse speaking, storytelling, impromptu speaking, public speaking and many more. Our students have been achieving wonderful results at the festival over the years and some have gone on to represent their schools in speaking and debating competitions. Achievements at the festival are also a great way to build up a child’s portfolio for the DSA-SEC selection portfolio. Although not every student wants to participate in speaking festivals, learning the skills to speak confidently in front of others is always useful and a necessary talent in today’s competitive society. These workshops have been designed into short courses where students can choose to focus on specific areas of speaking in a fun and engaging way. Click below for schedule or to register:
“Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquillity.” — William Wordsworth, from “Preface to Lyrical Ballads.”
A fun way to learn verse recitation where students are introduced to the beauty of poems. Techniques learned involved Vocal expressiveness, facial expressions and gestures. Students will also be taught to understand the meaning in poems. Click on the link to watch some of our students reciting poetry: https://jcartercentre.blog/
Ages 6-7
24-25 Nov 2020
10 am to 1 pm
Ages 8-9
24-25 Nov 2020
10 am to 1 pm
Ages 10 -11
30 Nov- 1 Dec 2020
10 am to 1 pm
Early Bird: $298 (Ends 30 Sept 2020) Regular: $348 New student Registration: $40
Storytelling
“Stories are the most powerful form of human communication.”— Peg C. Neuhauser, author, Corporate Legends and Lore
Learning to tell a story is a great way to learn how to perform to an audience and to convey a message in an entertaining manner. Everyone loves to listen to a story and it is even better to be able to tell one with gusto. Storytelling is a great way for students to learn to use vocal variation, facial and body language to bring a story to life for an audience. Click on the link to watch some of our students telling a story: https://jcartercentre.blog/
Ages 6-7
26-27 Nov 2020
10 am to 1 pm
Ages 8-9
26-27 Nov 2020
10 am to 1 pm
Ages 10 -11
3-4 Dec 2020
10 am to 1 pm
Early Bird: $298 (Ends 30 Sept 2020) Regular: $348 New student Registration: $40
Impromptu Speaking
Life is a series of presentations and most of these are usually unscripted. Perhaps the most challenging form of speaking is to speak spontaneously. In truth all the world’s a stage and we are always performing whether to one person or to many. This workshop will teach your child to use a simple technique to speak without scripts relying more on their personal experiences and knowledge in order to share information and experiences on various topics.
Ages 8-9
30 Nov -1 Dec 2020
10 am to 1 pm
Ages 10-11
3-4 Dec 2020
10 am to 1 pm
Early Bird: $298 (Ends 30 Sept 2020) Regular: $348 New student Registration: $40
Public Speaking
“Words mean more than what is set on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning.” – Maya Angelou, author & poet
Public Speaking is a life skill everyone should aim to master no matter the age. Speeches come in many forms but persuasive speaking is perhaps the most useful and necessary form of public speaking that we must all learn to do if we want to convince others to understand our point of view. Students will learn to craft and deliver a persuasive speech to an intended audience. Verbal and non-verbal techniques will also be taught in this workshop. Click on the link to watch some of our students deliver a speech: https://jcartercentre.blog/
Ages 8-9
7-8 Dec 2020
10 am to 1 pm
Ages 10-11
10-11 Dec 2020
10 am to 1 pm
Early Bird: $298 (Ends 30 Sept 2020) Regular: $348 New student Registration: $40
Ages 12-13
7-8 Dec 2020
10 am to 1 pm
Ages 14-16
10-11 Dec 2020
10 am to 1 pm
Early Bird: $348(Ends 30 Sept 2020) Regular: $398 New student Registration:$40
Direct School Admissions (DSA-SEC) Overview
We offer intensive DSA preparation for Primary 5 students. Lessons are taught over 5 days and each lesson is 3 hours. At the end of the workshop, students will receive detailed feedback and videos of the interviews and various activities carried out during the workshop. The DSA workshop will strengthen the communications skills of each student and provide them with the information and skill to perform confidently in front of a panel of interviewers. The workshop will cover the following areas and more:
Matching talent to schools and domains
Presentation skills
Impromptu speaking
Group discussions
Problem solving activities
Viewpoint essay writing
Portfolio
Interview etiquette
Mock interviews
Primary 5
30 Nov-4 Dec 2020
2 pm to 5 pm
Primary 5
7-11 Dec 2020
2 pm to 5 pm
Early Bird: $898(Ends 30 Sept 2020) Reg: $998 New student registration: $40
PSLE Oral Exam Prep
In these workshops, we share our proven oral techniques that have helped many students ace this challenging exam. The workshop will help your child improve their ability to read expressively and converse knowledgeably.To sustain the interest of the students, the lessons will be taught using exciting and informative videos, text, visuals and activities. The workshops are taught in three phases with each phase covering 5 different oral topics. Students can choose to register for one or more phases.
The workshops will offer the following benefits to the learner:
In-depth information on 15 topics that commonly appear in Prelims and PSLE exams.
Develop opinions while expressing them in a confident and succinct manner using good phrases and proper sentence structure.
Learn essential reading techniques using our special PAFER-(P) method to deliver a well-paced, fluent reading of a passage.
Phase 1
25-27 Nov 2020
2 pm to 5 pm
Phase 2
2-4 Dec 2020
2 pm to 5 pm
Phase 3
9-11 Dec 2020
2 pm to 5 pm
Early Bird: $498 (Ends 30 Sept 2020) Reg: $548 New student registration: $40
If you have any questions, you may call 67372700 during centre hours:
Introducing our student Gloria Leong. At SPAF 2020 Gloria recited a poem titled ‘Shadow Collector’. She performed very well and was given a Gold Award. This is the second year Gloria has participated in SPAF. Last year, she achieved Gold Awards in Verse Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, and Storytelling. Congratulations Gloria, we are so proud of you.
The Gold Awards keep coming! Here is another Gold Award achiever for Verse Speaking. He is Ved Patel and he is in a rush to recite his poem, ‘Rushing’. Ved participated in SPAF 2020 for the very first time and achieved wonderful results. We are all so proud of him!
Atharv Joshi – GOLD STAR AWARD for Verse Speaking at SPAF 2020. Atharv is one of our most amazing speakers. Whether he is reciting a poem or telling a story, he is able to bring his words to life while entertaining his audience. This is Atharv second Gold Star award from SPAF. Last year he received a Gold Star Award for storytelling. Atharv you make your teachers so proud of your achievements. Well done!
We are so proud to introduce another Gold Award achiever in verse speaking at SPAF 2020 from J Carter Centre. He is Yum Zhi Hong. Listen to his poem titled ‘Who’s afraid?’ and be ‘Wow’ by cuteness! We are so proud of you Zhi Hong!
We are so excited to share with you another Gold Award achiever at SPAF 2020 for public speaking from J Carter Centre. Congratulations to Zheng Qi Yue Joyce. Listen to her speech about TEACHING GRANDPARENTS TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA. Well done Joyce we are very proud of you!
We are so excited to share the achievements of our student Kate Chua Le En who achieved a Gold Award for Public Speaking at SPAF 2020. Listen to her talk about teaching her grandparents to use social media.
We are extremely excited to announce that our student Allison Rae Yeoh has achieved a Gold Star Award at SPAF 2020. This is an amazing achievement as she was the only Gold Star recipient for her age category this year. We are so proud of her and we would like you to read her entertaining story about a boy wizard. The title of her story is ‘Dream’.
“Ugh! Why is this happening to me?” I cried when I tried to change a stone into a chocolate bar, only succeeding to explode a jar. My name is Harry Patter, the Exploder. I am at a wizard school to learn magic. Now, I am trying a simple transformation spell but I still could not master it. Sighing, I flopped on my bed and imagined myself graduating from school. Nonetheless, it was hopeless as I was still in the lowest level!
The next day, I got detention for accidentally making another explosion and setting fire to the teacher’s beard. Glumly, I sat in the naughty corner, waiting for break time so I could go play.
Unfortunately, as soon as I went out for break, everyone stopped chattering and fingers pointed at me. Whispers of scorn could be heard. My heart became heavier by the minute and tears threatened to burst out. When the bully came over and teased me in a pathetic vice. It was too much. I gave a little sob and made a beeline for the big tree in the school garden and bawled my eyes out.
After what seemed like days, I finally stopped bawling and glanced around. The air smelled fresh and sweet and birds fluttered through the trees. This garden was special because it was full of nature.
Soon, my eyelids began to flutter and my body decided to take forty winks. Today, I dreamt whilst I slept.
Unusually, my dream today was about me becoming the most powerful wizard in the universe! When I woke up, I felt different. Unexpectedly, I raised my hand and yelled, “Huzzah!”. As usual, nothing happened. Feeling embarrassed at myself, I began to walk back to the main building of the school.
As I entered my class, the teacher’s stony glance told me I was late. Ignoring everyone, I strolled to my seat and sat down
One uninteresting hour later, our teacher finally finished her lecture. “Class, go work on your transformation spell!” she instructed. Cries of joy came from the class as they sped to get their objects.
Soon, everyone had finished except me. Taking a deep breath, I shouted at the top of my voice, “Watch me!” Everyone turned in surprised and looked in my direction. Sheepishly, I stared at the object and muttered the spell.
The class burst into laughter as nothing happened. Feeling angry, I muttered the spell again. Suddenly, pink dust came from my wand and hit the stone, turning it into a bar of chocolate.
There was a moment of stunned silence during which I had a triumphant smile on my face. I did it!
A few years later, I graduated from school and became the most powerful and feared wizard in the universe and to think that my powers came from a dream!
Finally everything changed. From the most unpopular kid in the school to the most powerful wizard in the universe. From one dream. Just one.
Congratulations to Emma Quek for achieving a double Gold at SPAF 2020. Emma has come a long way from a very shy child to a confident young lady. From someone who refuses to speak in front of an audience to one who is entertaining with an ability to ‘Wow’ her audience. Listen to Emma as she recites a poem about a Mosquito who bothers her at night and a story about ‘The Mouse Ghost’ who is rather cheeky.
A message to a mosquito who shares my bedroom – Gold Award for Verse Speaking
We are so excited to share the achievements of our student Emanuel Quek who achieved Triple Gold at SPAF 2020 in the categories of Verse Speaking, Storytelling, and Public Speaking. Emanuel has been a student with J Carter Centre since he was in Primary 1 and we are so proud of how far he has come. Listening to his recitation of the poem ‘A Smile’ will just put a smile on your face. His story about ‘The Ungrateful Lion’ will not only entertain you but also teach you an important lesson and finally, his speech about teaching his grandparents how to use social media is just adorable.
A Smile – Gold Award for Verse Speaking
The Ungrateful Lion – Gold Award for Storytelling
Teaching your grandparents to use social media – Gold Award for Public Speaking
Congratulations to our student Prinaka Lala for achieving a Gold Award for storytelling at SPAF 2020. We are so proud of her. Listen to her spectacular story – ‘How the leopard got its spots’. Prinaka is a very entertaining storyteller and we know you will enjoy listening to her story.
We are excited to announce that Sarah Ting has achieved a Gold Award for Public Speaking at SPAF 2020. We are very proud of her as Sarah is someone who is rather shy and has to put in extra effort to speak confidently in front of an audience. Thank you Sarah for your hard work. Your teachers at J Carter Centre are very impressed with your achievement. Listen to Sarah’s speech about ‘Learning to Cook’.
Congratulations to Thomas Ting for achieving two Gold Awards at SPAF 2020. We are very proud of his achievements. We would like you to listen to his wonderful speech about teaching his grandparents to use social media and his poem ‘Rushing’.
Rushing – Gold Award for Verse Speaking
Teaching your grandparents to use social media – Gold Award for Public Speaking
We are extremely elated to announce that our student Leem Jia En has achieved a GOLD Award for Creative Writing at SPAF 2020. This is a great achievement on her part and we are very proud of her. We would like to share her story with all of you. It is titled ‘A Haunted Library’.
“Ding ding ding…” the school bell rang as it was recess time. I rushed out the classroom with my best friend, Lily. Lily loves to read books and we decided to head to the library as we were feeling full. Gleaming rows of books lined the shelves as we entered the library. We went to her favourite section of the books – on Animals.
While, we are immersed into our books, we heard something… “Click clack…. Click clack….” We looked nervously around but there was no one else besides the both of us. Goosebumps appeared on my arms as I stared at what it might be. As the sounds of the keys get closer, it made us even more frightened. “Stay calm…” Lily muttered. We ran pell-mell helter-skelter towards the door but no matter how hard we tried; we could not open the door. All of a sudden, it went pitch black. “Oh, come on!” I cried as we sat there. Our faces were a mask of horror. We could practically hear our own heart pounding like drums.
“Who is there?” Lily yelled out, fear making her voice squeak. A wall of silence greeted us, I wanted to run off but was determined not to be the first to run. Bang! Suddenly a door banged somewhere, and I heard a loud hacking cough. Squeezing our eyes shut, Lily and I held onto each other and screamed our heads off. “What are you girls doing?” she hollered! We opened our eyes and stared at the white figure that just spoke. She had messy hair and was holding a pen and book. She glared at us like an angry bull. Lily and I tried climbing out the library window since we could not open the door. Just then, we realised the white figure was our teacher, Mrs Tan….
Shamefaced, we apologised to the teacher and she unlocked the library door, walking out furiously. She took down our names and hurried us back to our classroom. Till now, we still don’t know why the library door was locked.
Is your Teen having difficulty with presentations in Secondary school or High school? Since 2009 J Carter Centre has been preparing Teens to ace their presentations in school and to impart skills that help them to do well in their IB and A’Levels project work. In the case of Poly and University students, the knowledge they have gained from the Trinity programme has help them performed spontaneously and effectively in all their modules which required a presentation.
Listen to our student Kasey talk about an issue which she was concern about – Eating disorder among Teens in Singapore. This was a topic she had chosen for her Grade 7 Trinity College London Communication Skills exam where she scored a Distinction. Kasey started learning public speaking with J Carter Centre in 2017 when she was in Secondary 1.
NEO XUE QI KASEY – Grade 7 Presentation
Don’t wait till the last minute to get help for your Teen and sign up today for our Teens programme starting in July 2020. We still have vacancies in the following classes:
Grade 4 ( Sec 1 & 2 or Grade 8) – Sun, 2.30 pm to 4 pm
Grade 5 (Sec 3 & 4 or Grade 9 ) – Sat, 10 am to 11.30 am – Sun, 12.30 pm to 2 pm
Grade 6 (JC1 & Poly yr 1 or Grade 10) – Sat, 2.30 pm to 4 pm – Sun, 2.30 pm to 4 pm
Grade 7 ( JC 2 & Poly yr 2 or Grade 11) – Sun, 12.30 pm to 2 pm
J Carter Centre for Public Speaking will be sponsoring cash awards for Singapore Performing Arts (SPAF 2020). Due to the COVID-19 situation, the organisers have decided to go online this year. We will be offering CASH AWARDS in 4 main categories. The Star Gold performer in our sponsored categories will receive $50 cash. There will be a total of 30 cash awards to be given out this year.
We are encouraging you to register your child to participate in this festival because there are hardly any opportunities for your children to participate in any form of competitions this year. The certificates from the festival can help to build up your child’s portfolio for DSA for achievements and activities outside of school.
We will be sponsoring the following categories for cash awards:
Public Speaking Solo
Storytelling Solo
Creative Writing
Verse Speaking
This year, there will not be an Impromptu Speaking Category. For more information and to register online, you can go to this website: https://msworks.sg/152
If you are in need of any clarification, you can contact the organisers at SPAF@msworks.sg
In view of the change in the DORSCON level from Yellow to Orange, J Carter Centre has further enhanced current provisions to protect students and staff at our centre. The new measures are in line with MOE recommendations for private centres. We have implemented the following procedures with immediate effect:
Parents are advised to drop off and pick up their children before and after classes at the entrance.
Parents and visitors who wish to enter the centre will have to make a travel declaration with contact details before they can enter the centre. (We reserved the right to turn away any persons who may pose a health risk.)
Students, parents, visitors and staff will have to undergo temperature checks and wash their hands following the 7 steps method.
Students who are showing signs of being unwell will not be allowed to attend classes. Make-up sessions will be arranged at a later date.
The above measures are in addition to measures already put in place earlier, including issuing of leave of absence for those returning from China or have family members returning from China within the last 14 days. Please do not send your children for lessons if they are unwell. Just inform us via phone or email and we will take note of it. Make-up sessions will be arranged at a later date.
We also want to assure all parents that the center’s premises, equipment, and materials are cleaned and disinfected on a daily basis. The health and safety of our students and staff are our top priority.
We would like to seek the cooperation and understanding of the parents and visitors during this moment of crisis and we are sincerely apologetic for the inconvenience caused as a result of implementing the above measures.
If you would like to communicate with the centre on any matters, you can contact us at 67372700 or email us at info@jcartercentre.com
Yours sincerely,
Jackeline Carter (Director)
Image credited to Singapore National Eye Centre and Singapore Eye Research Institute
Music, drama, or dance , these are the most common enrichment programmes parents tend to choose for their children. Although they all have their individual merits, these enrichment programmes do not help your child succeed academically or be employable once they leave school. Thus, in today’s competitive world, only one enrichment programme will provide the transferable skills that can have a positive impact in education and the future workplace – Trinity College London Communication Skills.
Here are the 8 reasons why you must send your child for Trinity College London Communication Skills training at J Carter Centre for Public Speaking:
No. 8– Team Working
In today’s world, the ability to work well with people from different disciplines, background and expertise is crucial when it comes to accomplishing a task or goal. The Trinity Syllabus supports this by allowing students to work in groups through speaking activities and the option of preparing for group exams.
No. 7 – Critical Thinking Skills
This term critical thinking is banter about frequently. But what does it mean to have critical thinking skills? Well, it means that a person has the ability to analyse material and deconstruct it to understand how its specific impact is achieved through language and syntax. In the Trinity syllabus, students are required to rehearse and prepare for presentation and key-skills task. In the process, they will be able to hone their critical thinking and analytical skills.
No. 6 – Organisational Skills
Are you tired of supervising your child’s schedule? Is procrastination a habit you want your child to overcome? If your answer is ‘Yes’ for both or either questions then you have come to the right place. Our communication skills programme will teach your children to be more organised and methodical. They must learn to plan work in order to meet deadlines and targets. They are strongly encourage to develop the habit of monitoring their progress of work to ensure that they are on track to complete the grade and achieve a distinction in the Trinity exams. This is because being prepared and organised within the exam room is a key part of the assessment. Students are expected to research and prepare their presentations and take responsibility for the equipment and hard copy information required for the exams.
No. 5– Working Under Pressure and To Deadlines
Each student in our programme must develop the ability to manage the workload that comes with deadlines and ensuring that they meet them. Excuses for not completing the required preparation is unacceptable and students who do not show commitment in completing the grade successfully will not proceed to the next grade level. This is necessary because the challenge of the Trinity exam environment requires each student to prepare accurately and fully together with the ability to respond quickly to new information and questioning.
No. 4 – Confidence
Believing in oneself and one’s abilities are the secrets to success in life. Having the mindset of ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I can’t do it’ are strictly discouraged in our classes. Students are encouraged to develop a positive mindset rather than a negative one. The experience of preparing for performance, presenting and the exam can build students’ belief in themselves and their own abilities.
No. 3 – Creativity
Many say creativity cannot be taught, we bag to differ. In our Trinity Communication skills programme, students learn to apply knowledge from many different areas to solving a task. They also learn to develop creative responses to challenges and in doing so, create original and imaginative situations. The Trinity exam assess this skill area through the tasks that require students to express their own view and to take personal ownership of their ideas and knowledge.
No. 2 – Problem-Solving Skills
The ability to understand a problem by breaking it down into smaller parts, and identifying its key issues and implications so as to identify solutions will separate the leaders from the followers. Thus, many of the tasks in the Communication Skills exams focus on problem-solving skills. Students are assessed via verbal communication and with particular focus on their ability to respond quickly to new information.
No. 1 – Communication and Interpersonal Skills
Every one of us must be able to explain what we mean in a clear and concise way. We must also be able to listen and relate to people, and to act upon key information and instructions. This is the main aim of our communication skills programme. It is also central to the Trinity exams which conducts the assessment of effective verbal and interpersonal communication skills. Each task at each grade level encourages candidate to develop knowledge of and confidence in these skills. Through the reflection task and the discussion following each presentation, students develop their skills in listening and responding articulately, as well as self-analysis.
To every parent who is reading this blog post, I say to you – “Time is of the essence” – the ability to communicate early in life will result in success later in life. The best investment you can ever make for your child is to enroll them in our Communication Skills programme. I invite you to give us a call today. “Time and tide wait for no man” thus you should not wait to call us either.
We are so happy to announce that our students achieved excellent results in the Communication Skills examination at the end of last year. Congratulations to all our students and special mention goes to our teachers for working so hard preparing our students for this International examination.
Solo Examinations Results
Initial: 8 Distinctions, 1 Merit & 1 Pass
Top in Grade – Treanne Ting En-Eee ( Teacher: Ms Shirin)
Grade 1: 19 Distinctions, 4 Merits & 1 Pass
Top in Grade – Jamie Lee (Li Qianmin)
Grade 2: 15 Distinctions & 7 Merits
Top in Grades
Chua Yi Xuan
Ling Ee Ming Shane (Teacher: Ms Jackeline)
Grade 3: 17 Distinctions & 6 Merits
Top in Grade – Ethan Foo Fang Teng
Grade 4: 10 Distinctions & 4 Merits
Top in Grade- Sem Shan Ya
Grade 5: 7 Distinctions, 2 Merits & 1 Pass
Top in Grade – Henrietta Tjan Shii Ern
Grade: 7: 7 Distinctions
Top in Grade- Augustine Chong Jun Xuan (Teacher: Ms Jackeline)
Grade 8: 1 Distinction & 2 Merits
Top in Grade – Michael Lang Li-Yuan (Teacher: Ms Jackeline)
Group Examinations Results
Grade 4 (Group): 4 Distinctions & 2 Merits
Top Performing Group – Lemonade (Teacher: Ms Jackeline)
Alison Lim Yi Xuan
Sung Faye
Chloe Hua (Pan Jiayu)
Chow Li Tong
Once again, we want to congratulate all of our students for achieving such excellent results in the International exam.
If you are keen to enrol your child in our Communication Skills programme, there are still a few places left for Semester 1. Check out our previous post for an update on vacancies:
In a blink of an eye and 2019 is coming to an end. This year was eventful and J Carter Centre crossed several milestones making it a busy year for us. Let’s look back at the major events that happened this year.
November/December – This year our centre had holiday workshops taking place all the way to 21st December. In the past, we would have shut down by the second week of December however due to demands for DSA Coaching, Public Speaking, Oral Exam Workshops and The Art of Speaking Camp, we were running at full force, 6 days a week!
Prizes for Performance Day – Art of Speaking CampBest in Verse Speaking, Storytelling and Impromptu Speaking
October – We had the biggest change this month. We finally moved into our new location at Sin Ming Plaza Tower 2 a short distance from our old location at Soo Chow Walk. After 6 years, at the old location, it was time to upgrade to a larger centre with better facilities so that we can accommodate the increase in enrollment. As it was in the middle of the second semester and classes were running at full steam, we had only one day to move! It was exhausting but worth it! Thanks to the hard work of everyone at J Carter Centre, we were able to accomplish this feat.
From Soo Chow Walk to Sin Ming Plaza – Come visit us at #01-05 , Tower 2
August – Once again this month saw 8 of our students attending the annual Trinity College London, Singapore Conferment and Award Presentation Ceremony 2019. This award is given out yearly by Trinity College London to students who have achieved the highest score in their respective Graded Examinations the previous year. This prestigious award is hard to come by as a student needs to top his or her grade for the year in Singapore. With thousands of students taking the Trinity College London Graded Examinations yearly, it is no mean feat to be able to come up tops in Singapore. Our students have been achieving top positions in the Communication Skills exams since 2011 and we will continue to ensure that our students will keep on receiving this award for many years to come. This year, the following students were given the High Achievers Award:
Ailisan Rae Yeoh – Initial
Chua Yi Xuan – Initial
Wong BoHui – Grade 1
Cheong Jia Qi Evan – Grade 1
Jayden Joseph – Grade 2
Emma Quek Hwen Hwee – Grade 3
Alison Kuo Kit Ying – Grade 3
Maya Raisha Zainudin – Grade 8
Maya Raisha Zainudin – Grade 8 High Achiever in Communications Skills 2018
July – An exciting month for many of the students at J Carter Centre. This is the month when we send our students to participate in the Singapore Performing Arts Festival. Our students competed in 5 categories ranging from Ages 7 to 16 years. They participated in Verse Speaking, Public Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, Storytelling and Creative Writing. To read more about the event, you can click on this link: jcartercentre.blog/2019/11/08/the-art-of-speaking-a-course-that-created-winners-at-spaf-2019/
Featuring students from J Carter Centre at SPAF 2019
June – The June holidays were pretty hectic as we saw a huge surge in demand for Oral Exam Preparation Workshops. In total we ran 12 Oral Exam Preparation Workshops during the 4 weeks holiday. This was also the month we conducted the final DSA Preparation Workshops for those who were attempting DSA in 2019. For those interested in Oral Exam Workshops or DSA Preparation in June 2020, you can call our centre for registration details.
DSA Preparation Course – Our Signature Programme
May – Trinity Exams were conducted at the end of May for students taking Semester 1 classes. Once again, the results were outstanding. Below are the students who achieve the top score for their respective grades.
February – This year we took 36 students to PY-MUNOFS – Model United Nations Conference at Overseas Family School. The experience was exciting for our students and they learned about United Nations and issues affecting our world today. Students played the roles of delegates from various countries and worked together to come up with solutions to solve a real world problem.
The New Year – We are looking forward to an exciting year in 2020. Semester 1 will begin on January 3. We still have a few places left so there’s still time to sign up for Trinity College London Communication Skills classes. As of 5 January, 2020 the vacancies are as follows:
Initial 1 – Age 6 – 7 years Wed, 3.45 pm to 5.15 pm (FULL) Sun, 10 am to 11.30.am (1 pax)
Initial 2 – Age 7- 8 years Thurs, 4 pm to 5.30 pm (1 pax) Sat, 12.30 pm to 2 pm (FULL) Sun, 12.30 pm to 2 pm (FULL)
Grade 1 – 8 – 9 years Wed, 4 pm to 5.30 pm (3 pax) Fri, 4 pm to 5.30 pm (3 pax) Sat,10 am to 11.30 am (1 pax) Sun, 12.30 pm to 2 pm (FULL)
Grade 2 – 9 – 10 years Thurs, 5.30 pm to 7 pm (4 pax) Fri, 5.30 pm to 7 pm (FULL) Sat,12.30 pm to 2 pm (FULL) Sun, 2.30 pm to 4 pm (FULL)
Grade 3 – 10 – 12 years Tues, 5.30 pm to 7 pm (2 pax) Fri, 5.30 pm to 7 pm (FULL) Sat, 10 am to 11.30 am (FULL) Sun, 10 am to 11.30 am (FULL)
Grade 4 – 12 – 14 years Tues, 3.45 pm to 5.15 pm (FULL) Sat, 10.00 am to 11.30 am (FULL) Sun,12.30 pm to 2 pm (FULL) Sun, 4.15 pm to 5.45 pm (FULL)
Grade 5 – 14 – 16 years Tues, 5.30 pm to 7 pm (FULL) Sat, 2.30 pm to 4 pm (FULL) Sun, 2.30 pm to 4 pm (FULL)
Grade 6 – 16 – 18 years Sun, 12.30 pm to 2 pm (FULL) Sun, 4.15 pm to 5.45 pm (FULL)
Grade 8 – 18 and Older Sat, 4.15 pm to 5.45 pm (FULL)
Grade 4 (Group exam) – Upper Primary Only (must have completed Grade 3) Sat,12.30pm to 2pm (FULL)
Weekday classes enjoy $100 off the course fee. We will re-open on January 2, 2020 so do call us at 67372700 or email: info@jcartercentre.com for registration details. Better yet, come visit us at our new location!
Happy New Year to everyone and we wish you the very best in 2020!
“You are all winners because you had the courage to perform in front of an audience!”
These were the words I uttered to our students before they went on stage to recite a poem, tell a story or shared their opinions in a speech. For many it was nerve-racking and yet fulfilling as the results of months of hard work were unveiling right before our eyes. Friends, family, teachers sat in the audience anxiously hoping that the performances will receive a Bronze, Silver, Gold or Gold Star Award. Our students did not disappoint. Everyone was amazing and everyone delivered as they should. I couldn’t be happier. There were a few tears of happiness when a Gold Star was awarded and a few tears of sadness when the award was not a Gold but everyone learned an important life lesson at the Singapore Performing Arts Festival – with hard work, determination and the willingness to face your fears, you can achieve wonders.
Preparation started in January 2019, when 25 students signed up for ‘The Art of Speaking’. This was a special course which I had designed to prepare students to perform in front of an adjudicator and an audience in a competitive arena. It involved different genres of speaking such as verse speaking, storytelling and impromptu speaking. These genres of speaking required spontaneity, maturity and a strong sense of personal voice. Besides that students had to develop the ability to speak in front of an audience. We had to incorporate different activities in the programme to encourage students to step out of their comfort zone and let their hair down. Some were naturally extroverted which made it easier for them while others had to be less self-conscious. Through it all, the experience produced speakers who dare to take the stage, to compete for excellence and be confident in their own shoes.
Storytelling Participants
During the two day festival, I was a nervous wreck. Although I had been teaching public speaking for more than 10 years, I was sending my students into categories that were new to us. In 2018, when I first fielded students for verse speaking, storytelling and impromptu speaking segments, we performed rather poorly, Our centre dominated the public speaking category but nothing else. We lost to the Malaysians who had a strong background in drama. The competitor in me could not take the defeat in silence. So I reflected and I pondered on how we could do better at SPAF 2019. Thus the Art of Speaking was born. With the help of one of my trainers, Ms Kat, we descended like vultures to hand pick students from the different grade levels in the Trinity College London Communication Skills Programe. We felt that we could coached the chosen ones to do well in the 3 genres we were aiming for. We coax them to sign up for The Art of Speaking and to participate in these 3 categories at SPAF 2019. After 3 months of hard work, Ms Kat and I sat in the audience with smiles plastered on our faces, last minute words of encouragements and fingers crossing. We were more nervous than our students! And they delivered! Some of our students walked away with Gold and Gold Star Awards! What was even more rewarding for me was when a teacher from a Malaysian team came up to me after the storytelling segment and told me that my students were outstanding storytellers! I was so elated yet humbled.
Our Courageous Students at SPAF 2019
These are the Gold and Gold Star Achievers for SPAF 2019:
ATHARV
JOSHI
STORYTELLING
PA – SOLO (6)
6-9YRS
Gold Star
CAYLA LEE XIN
EN
STORYTELLING
PA – SOLO (6)
6-9YRS
Gold Star
ALISON KUO KIT
YING
STORYTELLING
P A – SOLO (7)
10-12YRS
Gold Star
HENG YAN YA REI
STORYTELLING
PA – SOLO (6) 6-9YRS
GOLD
CHONG JIA QI EVAN
STORYTELLING
PA – SOLO (6) 6-9YRS
GOLD
GLORIA LEONG MIN
STORYTELLING
P A – SOLO (7) 10-12YRS
GOLD
CHOW LI TONG
STORYTELLING
P A – SOLO (7) 10-12YRS
GOLD
ATHARV
JOSHI
VERSE SPEAKING
VERSE SPEAKING
(15) 8-9YRS
Gold
CHEONG JIA QI
EVAN
VERSE SPEAKING
VERSE SPEAKING (15)
8-9YRS
Gold
CAYLA LEE XIN
EN
VERSE SPEAKING
VERSE SPEAKING (15)
8-9YRS
Gold
CHAK EU JUEN
VERSE SPEAKING
VERSE SPEAKING (16) 10-11YRS
Gold
GLORIA LEONG
MIN QI
VERSE SPEAKING
VERSE SPEAKING (16)
10-11YRS
Gold
ELLA LOO
YUNFEI
IMPROMPTU
SPEAKING
Class 21 (Age 8
– 9)
Gold
CHLOE HUA (PAN
JIAYU)
IMPROMPTU SPEAKING
Class 22 (Age 10 –
11)
Gold
CHOW LI TONG
IMPROMPTU SPEAKING
Class 22 (Age 10 –
11)
Gold
GLORIA LEONG
MIN QI
IMPROMPTU SPEAKING
Class 22 (Age 10 –
11)
Gold
PRINAKA LALA
IMPROMPTU SPEAKING
Class 22 (Age 10 –
11)
Gold
RAPHAEL TAN YI
YANG
IMPROMPTU SPEAKING
Class 22 (Age 10 –
11)
Gold
CHEONG HOH IAN
REUBEN
IMPROMPTU SPEAKING
Class 24 (Age 14 –
16)
Gold
KHUA
KENG LI KENRIC
PUBLIC SPEAKING
SOLO (2)
10-11YRS
Gold Star
ALISON KUO KIT YANG
PUBLIC SPEAKING
SOLO (2) 10-11YRS
Gold
ALISON LIM YI XUAN
PUBLIC SPEAKING
SOLO (2) 10-11YRS
Gold
JASMIN GAN JIE MIN
PUBLIC SPEAKING
SOLO (2) 10-11YRS
Gold
WONG BOXI
PUBLIC SPEAKING
SOLO (2) 10-11YRS
Gold
ANDREW
JONATHAN LEE
PUBLIC SPEAKING
SOLO (3)
12-13YRS
Gold
CHEONG HOH IAN
REUBEN
PUBLIC SPEAKING
SOLO (4)
14-16YRS
Gold
CAYDEN CHONG MING XUAN
PUBLIC SPEAKING
SOLO (1) 8-9YRS
Gold
ELLA LOO YUNFEI
PUBLIC SPEAKING
SOLO (1) 8-9YRS
Gold
HAN YUSHAN JACINTHA
PUBLIC SPEAKING
SOLO (1) 8-9YRS
Gold
CHUA YI XUAN
PUBLIC SPEAKING
SOLO (1) 8-9YRS
Gold
LIM QI
XUAN KADENCE
CREATIVE
WRITING
11 (10-12
years)
GOLD STAR
CHLOE HUA (PAN
JIAYU)
CREATIVE WRITING
11 (10-12 years)
GOLD STAR
CHLOE LIM SI
EN
CREATIVE WRITING
11 (10-12 years)
GOLD STAR
CAYLA LEE XIN EN
CREATIVE WRITING
10 (6-9 years)
GOLD
ALISON KUO KIT YING
CREATIVE WRITING
11 (10-12 years)
GOLD
GLORIA LEONG MIN QI
CREATIVE WRITING
11 (10-12 years)
GOLD
LEE RUI EN RIANNE
CREATIVE WRITING
11 (10-12 years)
GOLD
TEH XIN NI CHARLOTTE
CREATIVE WRITING
11 (10-12 years)
GOLD
CLAIRE LIM YI HUI
CREATIVE WRITING
12 (13-16 years)
GOLD
We also had many students that achieved Silver and Bronze awards and I would like to say that I am just as proud of their effort and courage for participating and I hope they will try again in 2020. Kenric Khua is a good example. In 2018, he achieved a Silver for public speaking but he did not give up and came back even stronger in 2019 and earned the Gold Star Award which was the highest award given at the festival.
Kenric Khua – Gold Star in Public Speaking
I am now searching for the next group of students for SPAF 2020. If you would like your child to earn up to 5 International Certificates for Speaking over a 2 day Festival, don’t miss the chance to sign up for our Art of Speaking 6 day camp in November 2019 or 12 weeks programme in February 2020. We will get your child performance ready to do his/her best.
These achievements will not only build your child’s confidence and speaking abilities but also his/her portfolio for Direct School Admissions. We have the success strategies to get your child ready. Look out for my next blog post on DSA coming soon. Before I leave, let me share a video of Cayla Lee telling the story that won her the Gold Star Award at SPAF 2019. Enjoy!
It’s time to register for SPAF 2019! Our students performed so well last year that we have decided to sponsor the festival again. This time we will be offering CASH AWARDS in 15 categories ranging from 6 years to 16 years. The Star Gold performer in our sponsored categories will receive $100 cash.
We are encouraging you to register your child to participate in this festival on July 27 & 28. The sponsored categories are:
Public Speaking Solo – Ages 8 to 16 years
Storytelling Solo – Ages 6 to 12 years
Creative Writing – Ages 6 to 12 years
Verse Speaking – Ages 6 to 11 years
Impromptu Speaking – Ages 8 to 16 years
During the festival, students must stand on the performance space to speak in front of an audience. The adjudicator will be present to assess each participant. A certificate (Gold, Silver, Bronze) and a written report will be given to every participant.
This is a great opportunity for your child to use their speaking skills and to elevate their self-confidence and to build up their portfolio of achievements for Direct School Admissions (DSA). With the new online registration portal, students are allowed to submit up to 10 non-school based awards/activities related to the selected talent area. SPAF certificates qualifies for Public Speaking, Drama, Language Arts and Creative Writing talent areas. Parents will also have an opportunity to watch their children perform by purchasing Observers Passes.
You can register online from the organiser’s website by clicking on this link: https://www.msworks.sg/130
If you are in need of any clarification, you may contact the organisers at SPAF@msworks.sg
Trinity College London is a leading international exam board and independent education charity that has been providing assessments around the world since 1877. They specialise in the assessment of communicative and performance skills covering music, drama, combined arts and English Language. With over 850,000 candidates a year in more than 60 countries worldwide, Trinity qualifications are specially designed to help students progress. At the heart of Trinity’s work is the belief that effective communication and performance skills are life enhancing, know no boundaries and should be within reach of everyone.
ABOUT J CARTER CENTRE
J Carter Centre started in 2006 as a training consultancy specialising in communication skills and customer service training for front-line employees in different industries. In 2008 we started focusing on communication skills training for children and teens using techniques formally taught only in adult training. We soon gain recognition among parents as a leader in teaching communication skills to children and teens. Thus we made the decision to move away from adult training and to focus solely on educating students from K2 to JC/Polytechnic levels. In 2009, in order to elevated the credibility of our programmes, we decided to prepare our students for the Communication Skills Exams offered by Trinity College London. This is to ensure that our students not only learn the skill of speaking but also has an Internationally recognised Certificate from a renown examination board. Since then we have expanded our programmes to include Oral Exam Prep for P5/P6, The Art of Speaking and DSA Prep. To expand the learning horizon of our students, we have participated in events such as PY-MUNOFS and Singapore Performing Arts Festival (SPAF). More exciting events relating to communication skills will be introduced yearly in order to provide opportunities for our students to become inspiring and confident speakers.
OBJECTIVE OF THE TRINITY QUALIFICATIONS
Trinity’s graded exams in Communication Skills are designed to support candidates to develop a range of transferable 21st Century communication skills that can have a positive impact in both education and the workplace. The exams assess the following skills through a range of contexts:
Verbal and non-verbal Communication skills
Conversation and discussion skills
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
Research and reflection skills
Presentation skills
Persuasion and negotiation skills
Planning and preparation skills
Skills in using equipment and materials to aid communication
interpersonal skills
By working towards these exams, a range of other skills are developed that are highly valued by employers but are not assessed directly: self-motivation, ability to learn and adjust, working to deadlines and under pressure, teamwork, organisational skills, numeracy and IT skills.
LEVELS OF QUALIFICATION
Classes are group into four levels:
Entry – Initial 1 & 2
Level 1 – Grade 1, 2, 3
Level 2 – Grade 4, 5
Level 3 – Grade 6, 7, 8
WHY CHOOSE J CARTER CENTRE TO PREPARE FOR TRINITY QUALIFICATIONS
We have been preparing students for Trinity Communication Skills exams since 2009 and we are regarded as one of the early pioneers to offer the communications skills syllabus to children and teens. We believe strongly in focusing on a niche area. Although Trinity College London offers many different exams, we decided early on to only focus on one – Communication Skills. As such we prepare a large number of students for the communication skills exam every year. We offer exams in June and November each year. To date, we have coached over 2000 students. Since 2011, our students have been invited to the Trinity College London Award Ceremony as an award recipient for achieving outstanding results in the Graded exams. This is truly a testament to the effectiveness of our programme.
VACANCIES AVAILABLE FOR SEMESTER 2, STARTING JULY 2019
Initial 1: (Primary 1) Sat 12:30~14:00 (FULL) Sun 12:30~14:00 (5 pax)
Initial 2: (Primary 2) Fri 16:00~17:30 (4 pax) Sat 14:30~16:00 (FULL) Sun 12:30~14:00 (2 pax)
Grade 1: (Primary 3) Thurs 17:30~19:00 (5 pax) Fri 17:30~19:00 (4 pax) Sat 10:00~11:30 (3 pax) Sun 14:30~16:00 (FULL)
Grade 2: (Primary 4) Tues 17:30~19:00 ( 6 pax) Fri 17:30~19:00 (FULL) Sat 10:00~11:30 (FULL) Sun 10:00~11:30 (FULL)
Grade 3: (Primary 5/6) Tues 15:45~17:15 (5 pax) Sat 10:00~11:30 (2 pax) Sat 12:30~14:00 (FULL) Sun 10:00~11:30 (FULL)
Everything you wanted to know about DSA but didn’t know what to ask.
The New Year has come and gone in the blink of an eye. Our children are back in school and this year more than 39 000 students will attempt the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) in 2019. The race is heating up and parents and students have already begun the preparation. In fact, many of our own students started preparing during the second half of Primary 5 last year!
Why the rush some of you may wonder? Well for one, the PSLE results in 2018 turned out to be very good overall with many students achieving a high T-score. As a result, the same old rumour has already begun circulating.
You know the one where students claim that a school teacher or a tuition teacher say that PSLE is going to be more difficult in 2019 as MOE is going to set the paper at a higher level to reduce the number of high T-scores!
This may also explain why our June P5/P6 Oral Exam Workshops are already full and I have had to open up more workshops for June!
At this point, you may be wondering why I brought this up and how it concerns DSA 2019. Well, if parents and students are panicking over PSLE so early in the year, it is a premonition that the number of students who will attempt DSA this year is going to be even greater than last year. Couple with the new changes to the DSA registration process where it will be easier to submit an application and there will be no cost involved, competition is going to be tough.
So let me go ahead and answer some of the questions parents who are unfamiliar with DSA are constantly asking.
What does DSA stand for?
DSA is an abbreviation
for Direct School Admissions and in the context of this article, I am referring
to Direct School Admissions to Secondary 1.
When did Singapore introduce DSA?
Direct School Admission (DSA) is a program introduced in 2004 for students who are studying Primary 6 to be guaranteed a place in a secondary school. All secondary schools in Singapore are allowed to offer DSA. This includes Normal Academics, Express, IP and SIS schools.
Why are schools allowed to offer this option for admission?
MOE wants to allow secondary schools more autonomy in choosing their own students instead of accepting just students who have achieved the required T-score through PSLE. Students who participate in the DSA selection process may receive a “Confirmed Offer”, “Waiting List” or “Rejected” as an outcome. Students will be ranked base on their performance during the series of testing held by the school. “Testing” may involve, trials, auditions, half-day selection camps, written tests, and interviews. Schools are not required to give a reason why they “Waitlist” or “Reject” a student.
How does DSA works?
The first few number of students in the ranking determined by the school are given a confirmed offer. The student will then receive a School Preference Form from their primary school. The form will include the DSA-Sec Pin for you to log in online to submit your child’s preferences. This takes place in late October after PSLE. Once the form is submitted, your child will not participate in Secondary 1 Posting Exercise. However, eligibility will still be based on the T-Score achieved during PSLE. For SIS, IP and Express schools, students have to attain the lowest academic score to qualify for Express stream. For schools offering Normal (Academic), they have to attain the lowest score to qualify for Normal (Academic) and for schools that offer Normal (Technical), they have to attain the lowest score to qualify for Normal (Technical). If students do not achieve the minimum require scores they will lose the DSA offer and they will be returned to the Secondary 1 Posting exercise.
How do I apply for DSA?
From 2019, students and parents will submit their applications via a common online portal. All schools will have the same application timeline and applicants only need to fill in one online form for multiple schools. The details provided will be sent electronically to the schools selected. Certificates, transcripts or testimonial will no longer be required and only Primary 5 and Primary 6 academic results, CCA, and school-based achievements/awards will be entered into the online application. Application will be free-of-charge and can be made by logging in with a parent’s SingPass. Parents without SingPass can approach their child’s primary school for help. (SOTA and Sports School will not be participating in the online portal and applications will have to be made directly to the schools.)
How many schools can I apply to?
Each applicant can choose up to three schools and three talent areas in their DSA-Sec application. For students with multiple talents, there is flexibility for them to use up to two choices to apply for two different talent areas from the same school.
Please provide examples of DSA-SEC choice combination.
Example 1
The
applicant can apply to three different schools, with no restrictions on the
talent areas.
Choice (unranked)
DSA school choice
DSA talent area
1.
School A
Art
2.
School B
Art
3.
School C
Art
Example 2
The
applicant can apply to only two talent areas from the same school. He will
still be able to apply to another school and talent area if he wishes to.
Choice (unranked)
DSA school choice
DSA talent area
1.
School A
Art
2.
School A
Tennis
3.
School B
Art
Example 3
If
the applicant only wishes to apply to one school, he can apply to two talent
areas from that school and leave choice (3) blank.
Choice (unranked)
DSA school choice
DSA talent area
1.
School A
Art
2.
School A
Tennis
3.
Blank
Blank
What are the changes to DSA in 2019?
All secondary schools can now admit up to 20% of their non-Integrated Programme (non-IP) Secondary 1 intake via DSA-Sec. IP schools are advised to take in 30-35% via DSA. SIS schools will take in 100% of their cohorts via DSA. (SIS schools are NUSH, SST, SOTA, and Sports School).
MOE will now work with schools to refine the selection process and even co-develop a set of selection principles to support schools in selecting the students’ with potential. This means MOE is now controlling the DSA selection and not leaving it solely to the schools. However, this does not apply to SIS schools who will retain full control of the selection process.
All schools have discontinued the General Ability Test (GAT) and High Ability Selection Test (HAST), but this does not mean that the schools are not allowed to administer their own academic tests to replace these National Tests.
Whose eligible to apply through DSA?
It varies for every school as each school will choose their own DSA domains. However, the domains will fall into one of these criteria and students need to show a strong ability in one or two of the criteria:
Sports and games, Visual, literary and performing arts, Debate and public speaking, Science, mathematics & engineering, Languages and humanities, Uniformed groups, Leadership (e.g. prefects).
How long does the whole process take?
Preparation,
application and the actual selection will take place from January to July and
sometimes even to August of Primary 6 year when the results will be released.
Can I reject a DSA offer?
Yes, you can. Just
do not submit the Preference form in October of Primary 6 year. If you have
already done so, just log into the online portal and edit your submission
before November dateline. Your child will then return to Secondary 1 Posting
Exercise.
Why should my child attempt DSA?
DSA
selection process is a good experience if your child prepares well for it and
has a positive mind-set going through the process. This will not be the only
selection process your child will undergo during their long academic career and
every opportunity to participate in such a process will allow your child to
gain the experience needed to do better in the future. If your child does not
get a “Confirm Offer”, it is also a good opportunity to reflect on what could
have been done differently and to not repeat the same mistakes in future
selection processes. Such experiences are life skills that our children need to
learn. It also includes handling disappointments and failures positively.
On
the other hand, if your child chooses an SIS school, this is the only route available
so there’s no choice in the matter. As for IP schools, the requirement for an
extremely high T-score means that attempting DSA may be the only option to get
into the schools unless your child is an extremely High Achiever academically
and will certainly attain the high T-scores required.
Finally,
students who managed to gain a place via DSA tend to be more relax during PSLE
and end up achieving better than expected T-scores. The knowledge of having
secured a place in a secondary school puts your child in a better frame of mind
during PSLE which in turn allows them to perform better.
Where can I get more information about DSA?
You can check out this MOE website by clicking here or drop me a “Comment” and I will try to answer your questions.
I think I want my child to attempt DSA. Is there any preparation course I can send my child to?
I am glad you asked this question. I have been preparing students for DSA since 2010 and I have a very good and effective DSA Preparation Course which you can sign your child up for. Click here for more information about my course. The 8-STEPS system I have developed to help your child excel during the DSA selection process will allow your child to master the strategies needed to get a Confirm Offer. He or she will be able to display an incredible performance by being able to think, say and do what is necessary in front of the interviewers.
I hope that this extremely long blog entry has answered most of your questions about DSA. Whether you decide to attempt DSA or not, don’t wait till the last minute to make your decision. Every day that passes is one day less you’ll have to get your child ready for DSA.
Leader in Communication Skills for Children and Teens 