P6 Oral Reading Passages - How to Tackle Them Like a Pro! (Informational - News Article)

The Write Tribe
Jun 4
5 min read

P6 Oral Reading Passages - How to Tackle Them Like a Pro! (Informational - News Article)

The oral reading passage assesses your ability to read aloud clearly, fluently, and with appropriate expression. Examiners are listening for several key skills:

Pronunciation: Saying words correctly and clearly.
Fluency: Reading smoothly at a natural pace, without excessive hesitation.
Intonation: Using the rise and fall of your voice to convey meaning and emotion.
Clarity: Speaking audibly and distinctly so every word can be understood.

Here are some effective strategies to tackle those passages:

* Quick Preview is Key: Before you start reading aloud, take a few seconds to scan the passage. Get a general idea of the topic and identify any words that look unfamiliar.
* Spot the Tricky Words: If you see a word you're unsure about, try sounding it out syllable by syllable. Look for familiar prefixes or suffixes that might give you a clue. If you're still unsure, make your best educated guess while reading – sometimes the context can help!
Punctuation is Your Guide: Pay close attention to punctuation marks!
Full stops (.) signal the end of a sentence – take a brief pause.
Commas (, ) indicate a shorter pause within a sentence.
Question marks (?) tell you to raise your intonation at the end of the sentence.
Exclamation marks (!) show excitement or emphasis – let your voice reflect that!
Read in Sense Groups: Instead of reading word by word, try to read in meaningful chunks or phrases. This will make your reading sound more natural and fluent. For example, instead of "The / little / bird / flew / quickly / over / the / tall / tree," try "The little bird / flew quickly / over the tall tree."
Practice Makes Perfect (Seriously!): The more you practice reading aloud, the more comfortable and confident you'll become. Read different types of texts – stories, articles, even your school textbooks!
Listen to Yourself: Try recording yourself reading. This can help you identify areas where you need to improve your pronunciation, fluency, or clarity.
Seek Feedback: Don't be afraid to read aloud to your parents, teachers, or tutors and ask for constructive feedback. They can point out areas you might not have noticed yourself.
Stay Calm and Breathe: On the day of the exam, take a deep breath before you start reading. If you stumble over a word, don't panic! Just take a moment and continue reading.

What Are Informational Passages (News Articles) in PSLE Oral Reading Aloud?
P6 Oral Reading Passages - How to Tackle Them Like a Pro! Informational Passages (News Articles)

In the PSLE English Oral exam, students may be asked to read an informational passage, such as a short news article. These passages are written in a factual style and often report on school events, community activities, or interesting news relevant to students.
The purpose of using news-style passages is to assess how well students can read clearly and confidently while presenting factual information. This includes using the right tone, pausing at appropriate places, and emphasising key points to keep the listener engaged.
Reading informational texts aloud helps students practise clear articulation, steady pacing, and a tone that suits formal or public communication.

Sample passage:

PSLE 2025 Oral Reading Passage – Informational Text (News Report)

Preamble:

You are reading a news report about a recent environmental initiative in Singapore.

Singapore Launches New "Green Schools" Initiative

Singapore, 5 March 2025 – Schools across Singapore have launched a new initiative called “Green Schools” to encourage students to take action against climate change.

Under this program, students will participate in eco-friendly activities such as tree planting, recycling drives, and energy-saving challenges. Schools will also introduce more solar panels and reduce plastic waste in canteens by replacing disposable containers with reusable ones.

Education Minister Mr. Tan Wei Ming stated, “This initiative aims to teach students the importance of sustainability and inspire them to make a difference.”

Many students have expressed excitement about the program. Priya Nair, a Primary 6 student, shared, “I love nature, and I’m happy to be part of this! My class has already started a composting project to reduce food waste.”

Experts believe that programs like “Green Schools” will help young people develop lifelong habits that contribute to a cleaner, greener future.

Breakdown of passage

Let's break down this passage to see how we can approach reading it effectively so you can tackle P6 Oral Reading Passages (Narrative/Recount) like a pro!

PSLE 2025 Oral Reading Passage – Informational Passage - News Report

Singapore Launches New "Green Schools" Initiative

🟢 (Punctuation Pause & Emphasis) – Pause slightly after "Singapore Launches" to give the title a strong introduction.🔵 (Enunciation & Clarity) – Say "Green Schools" clearly to highlight the name of the initiative.🔴 (Volume & Rhythm) – Read the title confidently and with a steady pace to sound authoritative.

Singapore, 5 March 2025 – Schools across Singapore have launched a new initiative called “Green Schools” to encourage students to take action against climate change.

🟢 (Punctuation Pause) – Pause slightly after "5 March 2025" to separate the date from the news.🔵 (Enunciation & Expression) – Emphasise "Green Schools" to highlight the program name.🔴 (Volume & Rhythm) – Maintain a clear, professional tone, slightly slowing down at "take action against climate change" to stress its importance.

Under this program, students will participate in eco-friendly activities such as tree planting, recycling drives, and energy-saving challenges.

🟢 (Punctuation Pause) – Pause briefly after "activities" to list the examples clearly.🔵 (Enunciation & Clarity) – Pronounce "eco-friendly" carefully, as it is a compound word.🔴 (Volume & Rhythm) – Slightly increase volume on "tree planting, recycling drives, and energy-saving challenges" to make the list engaging

Schools will also introduce more solar panels and reduce plastic waste in canteens by replacing disposable containers with reusable ones.

🟢 (Punctuation Pause) – Pause slightly after "solar panels" to separate the key points.🔵 (Enunciation & Clarity) – Pronounce "disposable" and "reusable" carefully to ensure clarity.🔴 (Volume & Rhythm) – Keep a steady pace, slightly slowing down at "replacing disposable containers with reusable ones" to emphasize sustainability efforts.

Education Minister Mr. Tan Wei Ming stated, “This initiative aims to teach students the importance of sustainability and inspire them to make a difference.”

🟢 (Punctuation Pause) – Pause slightly before and after the quote to indicate a shift in voice.🔵 (Expression & Emphasis) – Read "importance of sustainability" with a serious tone to highlight its significance.🔴 (Volume & Rhythm) – Slightly raise volume on "inspire them to make a difference" to reflect encouragement.

Nair, a Primary 6 student, shared, “I love nature, and I’m happy to be part of this! My class has already started a composting project to reduce food waste.”

🟢 (Punctuation Pause) – Pause slightly after "program" to create a smooth transition to the student’s statement.🔵 (Expression & Clarity) – Read "I love nature, and I’m happy to be part of this!" with enthusiasm to reflect the student’s excitement.🔴 (Volume & Rhythm) – Slightly increase volume on "composting project to reduce food waste" to emphasize its importance.

Experts believe that programs like “Green Schools” will help young people develop lifelong habits that contribute to a cleaner, greener future.

🟢 (Punctuation Pause) – Brief pause after "lifelong habits" to separate ideas clearly.🔵 (Enunciation & Expression) – Read "cleaner, greener future" smoothly, ensuring a slight emphasis on "greener"for contrast.🔴 (Volume & Rhythm) – Slightly slow down at the final phrase to leave a lasting impact.

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Supercharge Your Preparation: PSLE ORAL workshop!

Want to know how your child will do for PSLE ORAL?

Try a 15 minute Mock PSLE ORAL session with us. Get your session recorded, receive comprehensive notes on what to improve & a score based on the Oral Marking Scheme.

Oral Review is our ad hoc programme to prepare PSLE students for Oral examinations. Students will be tested for 1 reading passage and 1 set of stimulus based conversation question. Each session is 15 minutes. Parents will receive feedback in written form and also scores.

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