Starting from the new Academic Year 2023 onwards, the GCE O-Level Syllabus will be updated from 1128 to 1184. With the exception of Secondary 5 Normal Academic students sitting for the O-Levels in 2023, students who are in the Secondary 4 Express Stream will have to undergo the new examination syllabus in 2023. 

Below are the differences observed:

For Paper 2

1. Nature of texts has become more diverse

(*screenshot obtained from GCE O-Level 1184 English Language Specimen Paper 2 Section A Insert)

• Social media posts, typically considered to be informal or non-academic, are gradually making their way into the official examination papers.
  • In a bid to ensure that exams more closely reflect current lived realities of students today, there will be more of these test materials appearing in future.

2. Greater variety in the kinds of questions asked

(*screenshot obtained from GCE O-Level 1184 English Language Specimen Paper 2 Section A)

• Instead of the usual short-answer questions, this syllabus attempts to include a variety of other question types such as multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and True/ False/ Not Given questions more frequently.
  • While these types are not excluded in the previous syllabus, it will be more explicitly seen in this new, updated syllabus.
  • Students who have completed the Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE) would be happy to know that there are certain similarities since True/ False/ Not Given questions are also seen in primary school reading comprehension papers.
  • True/ False/ Not Given questions can also appear in the form of Text 1 / Text 2 / Both / Neither (as seen in image) since there will be two visual texts.

3. Greater variety of skill sets required

• A greater variety of question types also means that Cambridge is testing a greater variety of skill sets for reading comprehension.
  • As there are two visual texts instead of only one, an additional skill set of comparison / cross-referencing would be added to the repertoire of reading skills tested in the exams.

What Blue Herring Academy has to offer

• Visual texts that are closely aligned with the new syllabus to prepare students for the GCE O-Level exams sufficiently.

For Paper 4

4. Introduction of the Planned Response

• Reading Aloud has been removed from Paper 4 Oral Communication.
• Students will be given two minutes to pen down notes for a question based on a short video clip at the start.
  • The video sequence is approximately one minute long and has minimal dialogue.
  • Students will not be tested on what was spoken.
  • However, students will need to make quick observations of the scene and pen down notes all within a short period of time (2 minutes). This can be highly stressful and hence, students need to remain calm when completing this segment.

5. Spoken Interaction

• Spoken Interaction used to consist of 3 prompts but will now be reduced to 2 prompts as the first prompt is given together with the video during the Planned Response segment.
• The 2 prompts will be related to a topic broadly based on the video clip.

What Blue Herring Academy has to offer

• Short video clips and practice questions will be given to students to practise under time constraints during Oral Communication lessons. Students would also be engaging in presentations and group activity to encourage greater participation and confidence when sharing opinions and viewpoints - even for the soft spoken students in class!

Additional observations for Paper 1

6. Though not indicated as part of the official changes made in the new syllabus, it is important to note that the nature of Paper 1 Essay Questions has changed gradually.

• There is an increase in question types that require students to generate arguments and objective viewpoints in relation to general issues occurring today.
• There are also exam questions crafted in a way that is similar to questions posed when applying for scholarships and school admissions.
  • An example would be: What are your ambitions for the future? Explain how you plan to achieve them, including any possible difficulties. (GCE O-Level 2016 Paper 1 Question 3)
    • This is in a bid to prepare students for the future.

What Blue Herring Academy has to offer

• Students will be taught essay formats and paragraph development structures that are appropriate to address these question types. There will be plenty of in-class timed practices and essay writing to ensure students get sufficient practice and exposure.

Overall, these are the changes made to the English Language syllabus and our observations. It is important to be mindful of these changes and how they affect the approaches to the different paper components.

Link for Reference:
https://www.seab.gov.sg/home/examinations/gce-o-level/o-level-syllabuses-examined-for-school-candidates-2023