Online Primary English Tuition in Singapore: One-to-One and Small-Group Tutors for P1 to P6
Primary English moves from phonics and first reading books in P1 to full compositions, comprehension passages and an oral exam by P6. onlinetuition.sg matches P1 to P6 students with English tutors for live online lessons, one-to-one or in small groups, following MOE's syllabus and the skills your child's school is working on.
Request an Online Primary English Tutor
About the Primary English Syllabus
Primary schools teach English to MOE's English Language Syllabus 2020, introduced with the cohort that entered P1 in 2020. Reading, writing, speaking and listening are taught together, and grammar and vocabulary are taught both explicitly and in the context of real texts.
- Syllabus
- MOE's English Language Syllabus 2020 (Primary)
- Areas of language learning
- Six: listening and viewing, reading and viewing, speaking and representing, writing and representing, grammar, and vocabulary
- Reading programme
- Primary schools are equipped to teach STELLAR (Strategies for English Language Learning And Reading), which builds confidence through children's literature
- P5 and P6
- English at Standard or Foundation level, depending on P4 school exam results
The syllabus sets out three stages, lower, middle and upper primary, and each one builds on the skills of the stage before, so a skill strengthened early makes the next stage easier.
Common Challenges Primary English Students Face
Phonics and Early Reading
Blending sounds into words, then reading with growing accuracy and fluency through P1 and P2.
Spelling and Handwriting
Moving from print script to neat, fluent handwriting, and spelling longer multisyllabic words correctly.
Grammar Inside a Passage
Choosing the right tense, preposition or connector inside a cloze passage, not only in a worksheet of single sentences.
Comprehension Beyond the Obvious
Answering inferential and evaluative questions, where the answer isn't stated word for word in the text.
Organising a Composition
Choosing ideas, putting them in order and developing them into paragraphs that suit the purpose and the reader.
Speaking Up With Confidence
Reading aloud clearly and sharing opinions in a conversation, skills that build towards the PSLE oral.
How Our Online Primary English Tutors Help
Phonics and Reading Aloud
Younger children practise sounds, sight words and fluent reading while the tutor listens and corrects live on camera.
Grammar Taught Step by Step
Word, phrase and sentence grammar first, as the syllabus sequences it, then grammar across a whole text in upper primary.
Vocabulary in Context
New words met in stories and passages, then used in your child's own sentences until they stick.
Reading Strategies for Comprehension
Finding clues in the text, making inferences and explaining each answer in a complete sentence.
Writing Reviewed on Screen
The tutor annotates your child's drafts on a shared screen, then your child revises them with the comments beside the text.
Support With School Work
Lessons can follow the units, spelling lists and worksheets your child brings home from school.
Primary English Topics Covered by Our Tutors
Grouped by the syllabus's own stages: lower, middle and upper primary. Each stage keeps practising the skills of the one before.
Lower Primary: P1 and P2
- Phonemic awareness, phonics and early literacy skills, from the start of P1
- Beginning reading and viewing, building accuracy and fluency through word recognition
- Writing readiness, handwriting in print script, and spelling words for their year level
- Learning to write by generating, selecting, organising, developing, expressing and revising ideas
- Grammar at word, phrase and sentence level
Middle Primary: P3 and P4
- Writing with an explicit awareness of the structures and language features of texts for different purposes
- Neat, legible and fluent handwriting, and spelling frequently misspelled and multisyllabic words, from P3 to P6
- Planning and revising writing for its purpose, audience and context
- Responding to implied meaning, with awareness of how a writer's style shapes meaning
Upper Primary: P5 and P6
- Increasingly sophisticated texts for different purposes, with more attention to writing that responds, argues, evaluates or persuades
- Grammar at text level, introduced gradually from upper primary
- The PSLE English exam at the end of P6: situational and continuous writing, language use and comprehension, listening, and an oral
Why Choose onlinetuition.sg for Primary English Tuition?
Tutors Who Know the Primary Syllabus
Tutors need a deep understanding of MOE's English syllabus and how it builds from P1 to P6.
Matched to Your Child's Level
A P1 reader and a P5 writer need different lessons, so we match the tutor to the level.
The Same Tutor Every Week
Your child keeps one tutor, who comes to know their reading and writing habits.
One-to-One or Small Group
Choose one-to-one, or a small group of up to 4 children at the same level.
Start With a Trial Lesson
Your child begins with a trial lesson, so you can see how they get on.
No Agency Fees
Requesting a Primary English tutor is free, and there are no agency fees.
Frequently Asked Questions About Primary English Tuition
Thinking of Primary English Tuition?
When Should My Child Start Primary English Tuition?
Some families start in P1 or P2 to strengthen phonics and reading, and others in P3 or P4, when compositions and comprehension passages grow longer. Starting before P5 leaves time to build good habits before the PSLE years.
My Child Reads a Lot. Why Are Their English Marks Low?
Wide reading helps, but school papers also test specific skills, such as grammar cloze, editing and inferential comprehension answers. A tutor can show your child what each question type asks for.
What Do Standard and Foundation English Mean in P5?
In P5 and P6, students take English at Standard or Foundation level, depending on their P4 school exam results. Foundation English has its own PSLE papers, marked out of 100 rather than 200.
Can Tuition Help a Child Who Is Shy About Speaking English?
Yes. Regular conversation with the same tutor on camera gives your child steady practice at reading aloud and sharing ideas, which the PSLE oral later asks for.
Getting a Tutor
How Do I Request a Primary English Tutor?
Send the free form above with your child's level, the class size you prefer and your usual free times. We aim to reply on WhatsApp within one working day.
Who Are Your Primary English Tutors?
Part-time and full-time tutors, current and former school teachers, and undergraduates. We screen each one for their qualifications, results and teaching experience.
Can the Same Tutor Teach English and Another Subject?
Tick every subject in your request, and we'll match one tutor for them where possible.
Lessons
Is Online English Tuition Suitable for a P1 or P2 Child?
Yes, with a quiet spot and a laptop, desktop or tablet with a camera. You're welcome to sit in, though it helps to let your child answer on their own.
How Does the Tutor Correct Writing Online?
The tutor writes and annotates on a shared screen or digital whiteboard, so corrections to your child's sentences appear as they are made.
How Long Are Lessons for Primary Students?
Usually 1.5 or 2 hours, at the same time each week.
What Happens If My Child Misses a Group Lesson?
Let the tutor know early, since you're in direct contact. The tutor can usually share the class recording.
Others
How Much Does Primary English Tuition Cost?
Fees depend on the level and class size. We'll confirm the fee on WhatsApp before the first lesson.
Are There Any Agency Fees?
No.
How Do We Pay, and How Do We Stop?
By PayNow. Please give one month's notice to stop, out of courtesy to the tutor's planning.