ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL 4E5N SS PRELIM 2019 QP

This Question Paper consists of 9 printed pages including this page. [Turn over Name: _____________________________ ( ) Class: ________________ ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION 2019 HUMANITIES SOCIAL STUDIES (2272/01) (2273/01) ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL ASSUMPTION ENGLISH SCHOOL LEVEL : Secondary 4 Express DATE : 27 August 2019 Secondary 5 Normal (Academic) CLASS(ES) : Secondary 4/1, 4/2 and 5/1 DURATION : 1 hour 45 minutes Additional materials provided: 4 sheets of writing paper and 1 cover page INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES Do not open this booklet until you are told to do so. Write your name, index number and class at the top of this page. Write your name and index number clearly on the top of every paper used. Write in dark blue or black ink on both sides of the paper. Do not use staples, paper clips, highlighters, glue or correction fluid and tape. At the end of the examination, secure all writing paper with the string provided and submit the answer script and question paper separately. The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question. SECTION A (35 marks) Answer all parts of Question 1. SECTION B (15 marks) Answer both parts of Question 2. For Examiner’s use: Section A / / 35 Section B / / 15 Total / / 50

2 2272/2273/01/4E5NA/PRELIMS/19 SECTION A (Source-Based Case Study) Question 1 is compulsory for all candidates. 1 Living in a Diverse Society Study the Background Information and the sources carefully, and then answer all the questions. You may use any of the sources to help you answer the questions, in addition to those sources you are told to use. In answering the questions you should use your knowledge of the issue to help you interpret and evaluate the sources. (a) Study Source A. What is the message of the source? Explain your answer, using details from the source. [5] (b) Study Sources B and C. How different are Sources B and C? Explain your answer. [6] (c) Study Source D. How useful is this source as evidence about the possibility of Subject-based banding in eliminating social stigma? Explain your answer. [7] (d) Study Sources E and F. After reading Source E, are you surprised by Source F? Explain your answer. [7] (e) ‘Subject-based banding is for the good of society.’ Using sources in this case study, explain how far the sources support this statement. [10]

3 2272/2273/01/4E5NA/PRELIMS/19 Can Subject-based banding completely eradicate social stigma? BACKGROUND INFORMATION Read this carefully. It may help you to answer some of the questions. The Ministry of Education has made the decision to implement full Subject -based banding (SBB) forty years after streaming was introduced. This is a shift away from the Normal (Technical), Normal (Academic) and Express streams. All Secondary 1 students in the 2024 batch will take subjects at three levels – G1, G2 or G3, with G standing for “General”. G1 will roughly correspond to today’s N(T) standard, G2 to N(A) standard an G3 to Express standard. The students will be able to take a combination of subjects across different bands as they develop their strengths and interests. They would take a common examination and graduate with a common secondary school certificate when they reach Secondary 4 in 2027. There are many Singaporeans who expressed mixed feelings about the newly introduced SBB. Some applauded the government for moving away from the one-size- fits-all system and mitigating the unintended consequences of labelling and stigmatisation. Others expressed concerns that the SBB is just an effort to repackage the streams and it would not lead to a significant reduction in the social stigma, as students are still labelled according to the number of subjects taken at G1, G2 and G3. Study the following sources to assess whether Subject-based banding can completely eradicate social stigma. [Turn over

4 2272/2273/01/4E5NA/PRELIMS/19 Source A: A cartoonist’s perspe ctive after the announcement of Subject-based banding to replace streaming in secondary schools, 5 March 2019 . The caption of the cartoon is “No more ‘express’ or ‘normal’… just G1, G2 and G3 streaming instead….” Streaming Subject-based banding

5 2272/2273/01/4E5NA/PRELIMS/19 Source B: Adapted from a comment by Associate Professor Jason Tan from the National Institute of Education (NIE) in response to the Subject -based banding, 5 March 2019. It is understood by many that streaming tends to be rather stigmatising. It tells us that many of the students were unnecessarily pigeonholed. There will be a replacement of one kind of stigma associated with streaming with another kind — that of subject combinations that students take in school. This might lead to a scenario where parents, or students, compare how many higher -level subjects they take, or aim for the maximum number of G3 (higher -level) subjects. In spite of that, I think MOE is trying to blur the lines even more than before and that is a good thing. This goes a long way in reducing stigma, but I do not think the stigma will be removed completely even with this major move. For the changes to have the intended effect, it has to take place together with a review of social attitudes. Source C: Adapted from an article by SMU Behavioural Sciences Institute Director Professor David Chan on the issues surrounding the replacement of streaming at secondary school with the Subject -based banding system, 16 March 2019. The stigma associated with social labelling resulting from streaming has been corrosive in many people’s lives and for society. The new Subject-based banding system can go a long way to reduce stigma. It is self -defeating if we disregard facts and insist that Subject-based banding is just old wine in new bottles. Even if parents try to compare and categorise students by their overall ability, it will be difficult to do so in the Subject-based banding system. They will not be confined to an ability category and labelled accordingly, unlike the case in Normal or Express streaming where students are placed into clear groupings, creating the perception of “us versus them”. We hope that in order for systems an d society to change for the better, we should revisit our assumptions, attitudes and actions. We can initiate action and change and inculcate positive values and attitudes in ourselves and those around us. [Turn over

6 2272/2273/01/4E5NA/PRELIMS/19 Source D: Adapted from an article about Subject -based banding by Lionel Oh published on the Singapore Policy Journal , a publication by researchers from some of the best universitie