Every student at the junior college level, unless you are part of the minority who will sit for H2 Knowledge and Inquiry (KI), has to sit for the H1 General Paper examinations during your A Levels. While very similar to the O Level English examinations in structure, with Paper 1 being the essay section and Paper 2 being the comprehension section, the A Level General Paper, in reality, demands much more from candidates. For one, it includes one new component, the Application Question (AQ), which many students struggle with. The existing components also expect much more from candidates, with the summary component requiring students to identify more content points and the essay component requiring more critically developed points. Faced with the leap from O Level English to A Level General Paper, students often find themselves needing more support than they might have initially expected. In this article, find out exactly why you need A Level General Paper tuition and how it can help you to ace your examinations.
Reason #1: You get more undivided attention in a class where the student-to-teacher ratio is lower, making it easier for you to understand what your specific areas for improvement are.
Small group learning is the preferred way of learning at Zenith. Research has shown that learning in smaller class sizes of no more than 20 promotes better student engagement, enables more efficient usage of time, and encourages productive interactions, both between classmates and with the tutor. Our tutors make it a point to ensure that every student has an opportunity to be heard. This is beneficial for learning because our tutors are able to provide students with on-the-spot feedback specific to the responses that they have shared. Other students in the class will also be able to learn from others’ contributions in the class. To add, our educators make it a point to emphasise every student’s strengths while positively reframing their areas for improvement as a learning opportunity for both them and their classmates. At Zenith, we are dedicated to providing a quality learning experience to every single student, and actively ensuring that no one is left behind in any class. Our small class sizes are one important way of maintaining our high standards.
Reason #2: You get access to extra (and exclusive) information that you can cite when attempting the A Level General Paper Application Question (AQ) and Essay sections.
At Zenith, we understand how tiring your two years in JC can be––CCAs, VIA projects, leadership positions, competitions and battling a seemingly endless pile of work that become part and parcel of your daily life. This is precisely why we strive to make our learning materials succinct and easy to understand. Structured comprehensively to give you all the information that you need, Zenith’s notes are an accessible learning tool for all. By joining Zenith’s A Level General Paper tuition programme, you are unlocking access to a trove of elite level practices and relevant examples that you can cite in both your AQ and your essay. As Singapore’s top A Level General Paper tuition center, one of the biggest mistakes Zenith emphasises for our students not to make is to go for their examinations unprepared. Ultimately, there is simply no way to fluff out statistics and examples on the spot if you haven’t already prepared them. To help you avoid this fatal mistake, Zenith provides you with “cheat sheets” and detailed notes organised by topic that you can easily utilise when preparing for your A Level General Paper examinations.
In addition to equipping you with the right information to cite during your A Level General Paper examinations, Zenith’s General Paper tuition programme also helps you to develop useful learning skills that are applicable across all your subjects. Learn how to memorise the information you have collated and been provided with effectively here, and find out how mind maps can be a useful tool for organising your knowledge here.
Reason #3: You get to develop critical thinking skills in a safe learning environment where you are encouraged to hone your own voice.
Fig 1. Aims of the A Level General Paper syllabus as provided by SEAB
As Fig 1. shows, the A Level General Paper syllabus strives to develop in students the important skills of effective communication and critical thinking in relation to global affairs. Inherent in these skills is a need for you to be confident about the views that you have so that you are able to share them in a clear, concise, and cohesive manner, both verbally and in written form. Zenith’s tutors help our students to hone their analytical and evaluative skills in a safe environment by posing interesting questions which students often find they have strong opinions about, much to their surprise at times! Students are encouraged to engage with each other about their perspectives on both local and international issues which we infuse into our lessons through a contemporary pedagogical approach, making lessons fun yet high in educational value for students. Interested in exposing yourself to more perspectives while simultaneously improving your command of the English language? Find out how you can do that by incorporating 10 simple yet effective strategies into your daily learning here.
Reason #4: You get to have more practice for every component tested during the A Level General Paper examinations and receive dedicated feedback for all the practice papers you attempt.
As the American football player Stefon Diggs aged only 27 once said, “Whether I'm playing right now or not, I still have an opportunity to get better in practice. It's like sharpening my blade.” The exact same philosophy applies to you and the A Level General Paper examinations. The practice that you commit yourself to has a direct impact on how well you will perform at the A Level General Paper examinations. This is why, at Zenith, our tutors source for relevant practice papers, not only from the A Level Ten Year Series (TYS), but from all the junior colleges in Singapore. As Singapore’s top General Paper tuition center, we analyse past year A Level papers deeply, sieve out trends in questions, and specially curate revision booklets for our students’ usage. This ensures that they get sufficient practice before the A Level General Paper examinations.
However, as Elon Musk also said, “I think it’s very important to have a feedback loop, where you’re constantly thinking about what you’ve done and how you could be doing it better.” Feedback complements the hard work that you’ve invested into doing well for the A Level General Paper examinations. In addition to providing our students with the practice material, our team of educators also makes sure to provide all our students with individual feedback on the work that they do. Every student is different after all, and some might find themselves needing to invest more time in the comprehension component whereas others might find crafting their essays more challenging. Zenith tutors make it a priority to go the extra mile to cater to the unique learning needs of every student.
Reason #5: Zenith’s A Level General Paper tuition programme is helmed by a team of dedicated tutors who have proven track records.
Zenith has a proven track record and boasts an A rate of nearly 2x the national average. Find out more about what our students have said about the Zenith programme. Our team of experienced tutors trawls through numerous past year exam papers to identify trends in the questions set each year. One trend that we have definitely observed in recent years’ A Level General Paper examinations is the tendency towards interdisciplinary topics which combine various key themes. For example, students might be required to consider media in relation to politics, rather than just attempt a question on politics only. As such, our tutors now allot more time to hone the interdisciplinary thinking skills of our students. If you follow Zenith’s game plan for the A Level General Paper examinations, you will definitely not feel taken aback on the day of the examinations as you will already have a solid idea of how to approach the key themes of the papers. Of course, you also get advice on the best tips and tricks for acing the A Level General Paper examinations!
Reason #6: Zenith adopts proven teaching pedagogies that emphasise collaborative learning and the real-world application of skills that you acquire when preparing for the A Level General Paper examinations.
Zenith has always believed in the relevance of the A Level General Paper to every student’s daily life. After all, you will always need to express yourself through language. The critical thinking and persuasive communication skills that you acquire through Zenith’s A Level General Paper tuition programme will be skills you can tap on throughout your life. This is why we constantly improve on our syllabus and teaching methods to provide our students with the best learning experience. Through hours of research and years of accumulated experience, we have found that students who enjoy the learning experience, who interact with their classmates, and who constantly apply what they have learnt are those who do well. This is precisely why Zenith encourages our students to form study groups beyond classes and put what they have learned to the test.
On that note, check out some of the study hacks that Zenith has for you here! While seemingly simple, these tips are developed based on proven research and are used by many students across the world. Heed the advice and you might just be able to realize your fullest potential at the A Level examinations.
Reason #7: Zenith provides all our students with unparalleled support that is on a 24/7 basis, enabling you to seek feedback for immediate improvement at any and all times.
We love to see the Zenith family excel, and are more than happy to provide our students with extra help outside class time! As we’ve mentioned earlier in this article, practice is most effective when you receive feedback that you can actively apply in your next attempt. Find out how you can beef up the introduction of your next essay or conclude it with greater flair. Get tips on how to manage your time better and boost your marks when attempting the comprehension section. After all, as Albert Einstein once said, “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.
This is why, at Zenith, our students can drop our tutors a text message at any time. Our tutors will aim to get back to you as soon as possible, instead of waiting till the next lesson to clarify your doubts. Students who prefer face-to-face consults can also opt to arrange one-to-one or group consultations with their dedicated tutors. Simply drop by at our centers at the arranged time and get your questions answered! Since all our locations in Singapore also have dedicated study areas with well-stocked snack bars, students can feel free to stay at our centers after their consultations to study and do their revision.
To sum up, here are the seven reasons why you need A Level General Paper Tuition:
You get more undivided attention in smaller class groups
You get access to extra (and exclusive) learning materials
You get to develop your critical thinking skills and hone your unique voice
You get more opportunities for practice that you receive dedicated feedback for
Zenith is helmed by a team of tutors with a wealth of experience
Zenith adopts proven teaching pedagogies to promote effective learning
Zenith provides all our students with unparalleled support on a 24/7 basis––just drop your tutor a text!
Zenith tutors, in addition to having a wealth of experience, are all passionate, young, and fun individuals who believe in making lessons genuinely engaging and relatable for the Zenith family! The good news is that having fun can also help you to yield huge improvements in grades––Zenith boasts an A rate almost 2x the national average, with our JC students collectively achieving a 70+% distinction rate and 95+% A/B rate. Hear it from our ever-growing community of students in Fig 2., who share how Zenith’s innovative teaching methods (and awesome welfare! See Fig 3.) have helped them to reach their fullest potential.
Fig 2. Zenith’s testimonials from students who have benefitted from our lessons
Fig 3. Zenith’s Sept/Oct Welfare Report––See more on our Instagram @learnatzenith today!
At the end of the day, many students might lament having to spend such a large amount of time on an H1 subject. However, it is undoubted that the skills you develop and hone when preparing for the A Level General Paper examinations will prove to be valuable beyond junior college! For instance, many university applications now require students to complete (one, or a few) personal essays on given topics. This is where your ability to form critical views and perform clarity of expression might help you to secure a seat in a top-tier university. On that note, Zenith also provides our students with support through the university application process, should you need any help!
Keen to join the Zenith family? Check out our A Level General Paper tuition programme, or contact us for a free trial lesson today! Bring your friends too––the more the merrier!