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Monday, January 14, 2013

MUET 2013... another new year has dawned...

Hi people... I apologise for the long haitus... I've been so busy and just haven;t fount the time or the initiative to work this blog. Anyway, here are the latest issues I've found out.

Firstly, we were all shocked by the July MUET result which was appalling. According to reliable sources, the results were the worst ever for MUET in this country since its inception. Not a single Band 6 was recorded across the board where normally there would be at least 1 to 10 B6s every exam (very rough estimate, no proof available, sowwy). Anyway, my students took the final year exam and I was indeed hoping that MPM would be a bit more linient this time round considering the sad affair of the July paper. Turns out it is equally as bad and the results produced were in my personal opinion, horrendous!!!

Last year my school had only 5 B1s, but this year a grand total of 34 B1s were glaring at me from the report sheet, as if mocking my entire MUET career.... my only consolation is that no matter how badly we did compared to last year, when we compare it with other schools for the final year exam, we still managed to top the rest in the area as we had 2 Band 4s and a handful of Band 3s compared to some schools with all Band 1 and 2s only.... yeeesh! MPM officers, if you are reading this, I implore you to rethink the level of questions and marking as the standards are tooooo high. Considering these students need to pass in order to graduate, it would cost too much for them to retake it over and over again esp since you have made a quantum leap in terms of exam costs from rm60 to rm100 which is almost an 80% increase in fees. It begs the question whether this exam is simply a money making industry or ???? ... (not my opinion, but along the thoughts of most people, completely heresay).

Anyway, another issue I heard about the recent exam marking from some MUET examiners (sources undisclosed as it was a discussion AFTER marking was done and dusted and based on general comments only k) that the marking scheme is very stringent these days as MPM wants students to be able to look at the tables/graphs/stimulis and come up with the 'tersurat' and the 'tersirat' which in their terms are 'analysis' and 'synthesis'. If you dont know what that means, then it will be hard for you to score in the report writing section. They also had a field day deciding on the 'Overview' (second sentence of the introduction) because apparently there was NO general trend based on the question produced. After looking at the question, I could identify the 'general trend' but apparently it is not called that because it does not involve a timeframe. Duh??? Regardless, you still need an 'Overview' so just come up with a sentence that ties in the most outstanding features of ALL the stimuli. They really should vet the questions properly cos we are teaching according to their format and it would be ridiculous if the answers are not according to the format. Yeesh, go figure!

For the academic writing section, it is also harder to score these days because the arguments must be directly relevant to the issue in the question as opposed to the theme in the essay question. A very clear example of this is the July paper which asks students their opinion of the co-curricular criteria for entering university. If you simply answered that this criteria is good because it will teach students discipline, then you have not answered the question. The key is to tie it to the issue of if this skill will benefit them at university and how it will help them perform better in university. Anyway, what do I know what MPM actually wants, these are only my theories as to why so many students scored poorly that time round.

Another bone of contention is the listening paper. Many blogwalkers and students have written in complaning about their abhorred Listening paper marks.. and when I look at the results transcript for students in my school as well I am super shocked. Last year I had a student who got Band 5, scoring 45/45 for listening... but this year... the students in my school.... so many of them scored single digits.. and abt six of them scored only '2/45'. I mean.... TWO????? either I have a very weak lot of students or the listening paper was excutiatingly hard, meaning to say MPM's standard is way higher than average. I do hope they vet the questions extensively for the next paper so that the results tally and follow a more standard graph,..... but hey, again, who am I to question them. They probably know best, compared to an average teacher like me.

Right, so those reading this, thank you for staying tuned. I will be posting up sample MUET lesson plans and ideas which I am currently using for this year's batch. I will also attempt to answer the report writing question and the academic essay on women for last Nov's exam.... but even I am afraid that my answers will stray too far away from MPM's standard. Please be reminded that the objective of my blog is to help the low bands (1 & 2) achieve band (3 & 4) and if you want a Band 5 or 6, it boils down to the fluency and command of the language, and your ability to think critically. Good luck all! Toodles for now!

30 comments:

  1. thanks for your info..hope you can give us some tips for paper muet march 2013 ..i really need it..totally scared for paper reading,esei n speaking..

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  2. Mdm. Audrey, If you dont mind... can you please email me a sample of Lesson Plan and yearly plan? Million thanks.

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  3. Mdm Audrey, which Muet result you're referring to, 2012 July or November? I came to know that this Malay student got band 6 in her 2012 July Muet. Please refer to http://akubudakpink.blogspot.com/p/muet.html?zx=95a7b0ed864b1f75

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  4. ya its true! compare to fews year before,last year july and november result was terrible! i am one of the candidate of july last year and i will retake on this year march! :)

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  5. Mdm Audrey, can u prediction about the March 2013 writing paper.?

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  6. Very true. Even my students did badly. So many B1. My hope for B4 crushed! New strategies have to be employed.

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  7. here tips for MUET candidates. http://tinyurl.com/muettips

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  8. its true.... exam costs from RM60 to RM100 which is almost an 80% increase in fees. It begs the question whether this exam is simply a money making industry or???? huhhh!!!

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  9. Madam,I was quite afraid after read this as I wil be sitting for MUET this February for the second time! I hope you may guide me with the latest format or tips that I will use to achieve band 3 or 4..

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  10. hi Audrey..just found ur blog and i think it is very helpful in guiding me with my teaching..this is my third year of Muet teaching..hope to be able to learn more from u..tq

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  11. It is such a huge gap between SPM ENGLISH and MUET, especially for poor proficiency students. They are having a hard time to catch up. Yet, Looking at the bright side, students are prompted to be more critical and well-equipped with a higher proficiency. If we keep tolerating, the issue of poor command of English among the undergraduates will always remain the same.

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    1. I couldnt agree more... so the obvious solution is to make English a compulsory pass at SPM level... but it will never happen at least for the next 5 years...

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  12. :)thanks Audrey... I have been dropping by your blog and even recommending it to my students.

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    1. lovely... let me know if u hear anything on your side

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  13. hye Audrey can u give me prediction questions for mac 2013...this is my email are_nem92@yahoo.com.my..I hope u can help me...TQ

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    1. try 'unity' essays...but this is not really a prediction because i too have no clue.

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  14. can you give me some tips how to get at least band4 in muet ?

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  15. my muet speaking test 20 feb, and I'm not ready at all. can you just give more on sample answer ?

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  16. what should i do?
    i tried to check for my index number using MPM website.
    it says "sorry, your record are not available"
    what should i do?
    i need it to register for UPU?

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  17. anyone had buy ebook?what your opinion?
    im still in consideration..
    teacher, it very useful for me?
    i am band 2 student..

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  18. I wish i can score a band 4.It scared me that the marking standard is really strict.Oh.......Whatever it is.Wish me luck for this July Muet Examinations.

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  19. MUET drive me crazy. Taken more than five times still unable to pass with Band 3. I already finish my university courses but still unable to graduate cause of MUET paper. Therefore i have to extend my convocation.

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  20. Hye Madam Audrey. I want to ask you something.
    Is it true that our MUET results will be evaluated based on our examination area? For example, if we take MUET in KL there will be higher standard of evaluation compared to the rural area.

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  21. madam Audrey,can u please suggest the answer for muet july for reading paper,i already sat and answered the paper ,and im now waiting for your opinion ,thanks,you r the best in the world

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  22. Guys! I've try some tips form http://tinyurl.com/muettips for the MUET test past November. And guess what? I've got Band 3 for the test. Ohh. Really unbelievable. The real problem is speaking test. Try to train hard for the speaking test. Lets start your conversation in English. You also can try this tips. http://tinyurl.com/muettips . Really worth buying lahh.

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  23. I am looking for four MUET speaking samples of the years 2012 and 2013, two samples for each of the said year. Could you please help me by posting the link here?
    Thanks in advance.

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