IGCSE Chemistry

A Day in the Life of an IGCSE Focus Chemistry Student

Do you wonder how a typical lesson at Focus Chemistry is conducted? Want to know what makes Focus Chemistry so special? Delve into a typical day at Focus Chemistry’s IGCSE Chemistry tuition to find out what you will be learning when you take a class with us!

When a student first enters the studio, they will sign their names to take attendance. Alternatively, they can log on online to catch the lesson remotely as per their convenience! Don’t worry if you miss a lesson - if you do, the lesson is recorded and will be sent to you, so you don’t have to compromise on your revision and progress.

1. Preparation for upcoming school tests

Preparing for IGCSE with Focus Chemistry involves studying for any upcoming school tests. Students may feel overwhelmed with the heavy workload in secondary school. As such, taking lessons at Focus Chemistry could help them dedicate a certain amount of time to practicing for Chemistry, which is content heavy and involves both memorization and being able to calculate.

Students who feel confident and ready to tackle the paper are likely to perform better during in-school tests. Doing well for these tests shows that the student is in good standing to face their final IGCSE exams, which will be used to apply for pre-tertiary education and universities.

2. Encouraging students to explain their answers properly

As IGCSE Chemistry Paper 4 involves writing out answers to questions, students need to learn how to write answers to questions with the correct keywords and in a concise and clear manner. Students need to practice answering past year papers to be able to write out their answers. Furthermore, students need to explain their answers properly and logically to score well.

At Focus Chemistry, students will practice with IGCSE past year papers to get a sense of what is required of them. Our Lead Tutor will then check these answers and spot weaknesses, advising students how to improve. That way, students will be able to learn how to write out relevant answers with the appropriate keywords which will score all possible marks from the question.

3. Revision of Chemistry terminology and formulae

Anyone who has studied Chemistry will tell you that there are many terms and formulae to memorise. Students need to be aware of the different types of reactions possible, their reactants, and their products. Writing out chemical equations needs time and effort to get right, as well as balancing chemical equations, and students need to spend some time to learn how to do both.

At Focus Chemistry, Chemistry terminology and formulae are constantly reinforced during lessons so that students can apply them during the exam. By practicing continuously, students will remember how to do these basic skills as well as calculations to score well.

4. Mastering the different types of IGCSE Chemistry papers

Students will need to take 3 different types of IGCSE Chemistry paper: an MCQ paper, a short-answer question paper, and a paper which is about laboratory experiments. Familiarising themselves with the format of the different papers is important as different papers require a different skillset. For example, the MCQ paper requires students to eliminate the answers which they know are wrong and reason between the last two options as to which one is right. Without the proper practice, students will find it difficult to score well for all the separate papers.

At Focus Chemistry, students will get regular practice with the different types of Chemistry paper to ensure they are prepared. Students will also be equipped with the skillsets required to perform laboratory experiments for the third IGCSE Chemistry paper, as hands-on skills are equally as important as content knowledge in being able to score well for IGCSE Chemistry.

Achieve your desired IGCSE Chemistry grades with Focus Chemistry!

Focus Chemistry boasts 30 years of experience in teaching Chemistry to all levels of students. Whether you are looking to prepare for exams, go for Chemistry competitions, or simply bolster your foundation of basic Chemistry concepts, Focus Chemistry is the go-to Chemistry specialist in Singapore.

The IGCSE syllabus consists of 3 different Chemistry papers which require students to have different sets of skills. Students need to practice answering the papers and knowing what kinds of concepts are being tested in each paper. Moreover, there is a practical component where students need to undertake experimentation in a Chemistry lab to produce results. As such, students may require additional guidance from a tutor.

With time and effort, every student will surely be able to achieve their desired grades in Chemistry. Focus Chemistry has a tried-and-tested teaching method and specially curated materials and question banks to help you prepare for every Chemistry exam.

Feel more confident when you step into the exam and hall and gain knowledge and experience answering many different permutations of Chemistry questions so that you will be well prepared to handle any question in your Chemistry exam paper.

Frequently Asked Questions:

a) Is private tutoring worth it?

Private tutoring could allow your child to get personalised attention and guidance as opposed to a group class, as the child will have more time spent on them as compared to having to share the tutor’s attention with a group of other students.

b) How long should a tutoring session last?

Tutoring sessions can last from one hour to three hours.

c) Is tutoring once a week effective?

With regular sessions with the tutor and some initiative by the student to practice, tutoring once a week will be effective to help the child achieve their desired grades.

d) What is the best time to tutor?

The best time to tutor is when the tutor can commit to the sessions he has signed up for.

e) What not to do when tutoring?

Tutors should not berate the child when they do not understand something, but instead explain to them in a way in which they can understand as scolding them for failing to understand will not make them learn more.

f) What tutors are most in demand?

Science tutors (Chemistry, Physics, and Biology) along with Mathematics tutors are the most in demand, as many students struggle with such subjects.