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.
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:
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
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!
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:
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.
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!
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.
It is that time of the year when we sit back and reflect on what we have accomplished, the lessons we have learned and the mistakes we have made.
The year-end holidays have always been one of my favourite time of the year. Not just because of the festivities but also because it is a time to look forward to the New Year and the new happenings it will bring.
Before we ring in the bells for 2019, follow me back in time as I review the highlights of 2018 with you.
Highlights of 2018!
January – The year began with lots of excitement as we were celebrating our Tenth Year in business. Since our centre began in 2008 at Novena with only four (4) students taking the Trinity Communication Skills Examinations, we now have more than two hundred (200) students taking the examinations on a yearly basis. To date, more than three thousand (3000) students have passed through our doors.
March – Another exciting event that started this year for our students was the Primary School Model United Nations Conference (PY-MUN) organised by Overseas Family School. It was a great milestone for our centre as we were the first enrichment centre in Singapore invited to attend such a prestigious event. Twenty of our most outstanding students were selected to attend. They spend two days learning the art of diplomacy and understanding the workings of the United Nations. The theme of the conference this year was “Waste Reduction”. The highlight of the event was when our student Laura Lang was invited to speak at the closing ceremony. She was selected from two hundred delegates who attended PY-MUN. Watch the video of her speech here.
May – This was the month of Trinity Graded Examinations. We had a continuous four days of examinations, the most days since we started offering the Communications Skills Exams. One hundred and twenty (120) students took the Solo Communications Skills Exams while twenty-six (26) students took the Group Communication Skills Exams. We achieved 100% passes for the May examinations with 95% achieving a Distinction or Merit. The following students achieved Top Scores in their respective Grades at our centre:
Emanuel Quek – Initial
Li Xinyan – Grade 1
Jayden Joseph – Grade 2
Alison Kuo Kit Ying – Grade 3
Foo Shuen Hui Janelle – Grade 4
Foo Jiehan Jonathan – Grade 5
Sarrah Rose Binte Mikhail Leung – Grade 6
Jodan Kerk Yu Liang – Grade 6
Maya Raisha Zainudin – Grade 8
June – As usual, this was the month of DSA Interview Coaching. We had a large number of request for one to one interview coaching this year. In total, we conducted Seventy-seven (77) hours of DSA coaching in the month of June alone! We had to turn away many students as we just did not have the capacity to coach everyone!
July – One acronym to describe July and that is SPAF (Singapore Performing Arts Festival)! This was the second year J Carter Centre supported the festival. As a member of the Advisory Committee for SPAF, my goal is to eventually encourage 80% of our students to participate in this exciting event. This year, more than 50 of our students participated in at least one category while some participated in three. J Carter Centre also sponsored $900 in cash for the Gold Star Awardees in the areas of Public Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, Storytelling, Verse Speaking, and Creative Writing. Six of our students achieved the Gold Star Award and received $100 each.
Laura Lang – Public Speaking
Maya Zainudin – Public Speaking
Sarah Limb – Impromptu Speaking
Jonell Leong – Impromptu Speaking
Ian Lai – Storytelling
Cayla Lee – Creative Writing
August – A few of our students were selected by their individual schools to participate in PESA 2018(YMCA Plain English Speaking Award). Two of our students managed to make it to the Finals. For Lower Primary, Cayla Lee Xin En represented Fairfield Methodist School (Primary) while Lang Wen Ling Laura represented Methodist Girls’ School (Primary) in the Upper Primary category. Laura Lang achieved Second Runner-Up for her category and received her award at the prize-giving ceremony in September. Congratulations to both of our students.
September – Every year, our students would anxiously await the announcement to find out who had topped the grade in Communication Skills for the previous year in Singapore. These students were invited to attend the Trinity College London, Singapore Conferment and Award Presentation Ceremony where they were honoured for their achievements. Since the Award Ceremony was introduced in 2012, students from J Carter Centre have received this special award yearly. The award recipients for 2018 are as follows:
Grade 2 – Luke Wang
Grade 3 – Gauri Madhu
Grade 4 – Majeethia Himanshu
Grade 5 – Hasel Soh
Grade 5 – Sarrah Rose Binte Mikhail Leung
Grade 6 – Joye Lim
Grade 7 – Loh Yih Hang
November– It was the Trinity Communications Skills Exam Period again. This time we had 116 students participating in both Solo and Group Exams. We are confident that our students performed well and we look forward to receiving the results at the end of 2018.
December – Launch of 6 days Accelerated DSA Preparation Course. In response to the request by parents, I have amended the DSA Preparation Course in order to offer it during the December and June school holidays, The response was encouraging as both classes were fully booked in December. However, we are still offering our regular 12 weeks semester classes. For those who are interested to enroll their Primary 6 children in this class in 2019, we do have a few vacancies left for the 12 weeks Semester 1 classes. However, places are limited so do call our centre at 67372700 for registration details.
There will be more exciting things happening in 2019 so do subscribe to our newsletter and be the first to receive information about what we are doing at J Carter Centre.
Thank you to all the parents and students who have supported J Carter Centre for Public Speaking over the years. We would not have lasted 10 years if you did not have confidence in our programmes. We look forward to your support for the next 10 years.
May – This was the month of Trinity Graded Examinations. We had a continuous four days of examinations, the most days since we started offering the Communications Skills Exams. One hundred and twenty (120) students took the Solo Communications Skills Exams while twenty-six (26) students took the Group Communication Skills Exams. We achieved 100% passes for the May examinations with 95% achieving a Distinction or Merit. The following students achieved Top Scores in their respective Grades at our centre:
J Carter Centre for Public Speaking 