STPM is one of the most affordable pre-university programmes that has helped numerous students realise their dreams of making it into university.
One of the essential language subjects offered in STPM is Bahasa Tamil, which stands among the world's oldest living languages. With this language being increasingly recognised as an invaluable asset to preserve Tamil culture and heritage, sitting for STPM Tamil is a wise choice to encourage the use of the language throughout the nation!
Let's get to know the latest STPM Tamil format and syllabus for 2024.
What is STPM Tamil in Malaysia?
Did you know that STPM has been around since 1982?
STPM, or the Malaysian Higher Education Certificate, is administered by the Malaysian Examinations Council (MEC) and recognised internationally by many universities. It is one of the major pre-university programmes that students undertake for admission into higher education institutions, especially for those looking to study at public universities in Malaysia.
Completing your studies at the STPM level is equivalent to sitting for A-level exams.
STPM Tamil is one of the important subjects listed under the Language and Literature category of STPM subjects. In 2018, the official STPM Tamil guidebook was published by the Ministry of Education to help Form 6 students who are preparing for their examinations.
The guidebook, which is based on the STPM Tamil syllabus, contains a series of past-year exam questions, model answers and guides to assist students in mastering the subject. Previously, Form 6 students sitting for their STPM Tamil exams had to rely on their subject teacher and external reference books for study purposes.
As a Form 6 student sitting for STPM Tamil 2024, you can remain confident knowing that you now have a comprehensive guidebook to prepare for your exams. Of course, you should check out these awesome STPM Tamil resources for 2024!
What is in the STPM Tamil syllabus?
Now then, what are you going to learn if you decide to study STPM Tamil and how is it different from if you just spoke the language at home?
Completion of the STPM Tamil syllabus aims to enable students in these areas:
- Become proficient in the Tamil language at the post-secondary level
- Increase the potential of Tamil language use for higher education and career needs
- Know the history and development of Tamil language and literature
- Gain exposure to creative works across various genres, theories and literary criticisms
- Nurture emotional and spiritual development through an appreciation of classical, medieval and modern Tamil literary works
As you can already tell, there is a lot more than just speaking the language that will be covered in your STPM Tamil syllabus! Here's what to expect when you step foot into your Bahasa Tamil class, according to the STPM Tamil format for 2024.
Term 1 STPM Tamil 2024
There are four major topics covered during your first term in Form 6.
- Reading and Comprehension: texts are chosen from fields such as science and technology, economy, language, literature, community and current issues.
- Grammar (Morphology): related to nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs and idaiccol
- Modern Tamil Literature (Poetry): kuyil pattu texts and puccaram texts
- History of the Development of Tamil Language and Literature
Term 2 STPM Tamil 2024
Another four main topics are covered during Term 2 of STPM Tamil 2024.
- Critical Writing: similar to Term 1, texts are chosen from fields such as science and technology, economy, language, literature, community and current issues.
- Grammar (Syntax): covers tokai nilai totar, toka nilai totar and language and sentence analysis
- Classic/Epic Tamil Literature: includes Akananuru, Patirruppattu and Nalavenpa
- Modern Tamil Literature (Novel), which is Antimakalam
Term 3 STPM Tamil 2024
In your final Form 6 term, you will learn about three major topics.
- Essay: General (e.g. provide opinions, discuss ideas) and specific formats (e.g. report, speech)
- Middle/Ethical Tamil Literature: includes Panniru Thirumurai and Thirukkural
- Modern Tamil Literature: Short Stories like Attaikal and Aravatu Kappiyam
Make use of these tips to score well in your STPM Tamil 2024.
How many STPM Tamil format papers are there?
There are three STPM Tamil papers in total that you have to sit for. You will sit for one paper per term in Form 6, so you can focus on one paper at a time for each term alongside completing your STPM Tamil coursework.
Take note of these papers in the STPM Tamil format:
Kertas STPM Tamil 912/1
Section A: Answer all five short-answer questions which test reading and comprehension abilities. (30 marks)
Section B: Answer two short-answer questions related to the Morphology topic. (20 marks)
Section C: Answer either two short-answer questions or an essay question on poetry. (25 marks)
Section D: Answer either two short-answer questions or an essay question related to the History of Tamil Language and Literature topic. (25 marks)
Kertas STPM Tamil 912/2
Section A: Answer one essay question which tests critical writing skills. (25 marks)
Section B: Answer all three questions on the Syntax topic. (25 marks)
Section C: Answer either two short-answer questions or an essay question on Classic/Epic Tamil Literature. (25 marks)
Section D: Answer either two short-answer questions or an essay question related to the novel. (25 marks)
Kertas STPM Tamil 912/3
Section A: Write a 450-500 word essay on one of the three essay topics given (general or specific format). (50 marks)
Section B: Answer either two short-answer questions or an essay question on Middle/Ethical Tamil Literature. (25 marks)
Section C: Answer either two short-answer questions or an essay question related to the short stories. (25 marks)
The duration for all the STPM Tamil exams is 2 hours.
Most of the information you'll need can be found in your STPM Tamil textbook, but you may want to check out the STPM Tamil 2024 marking scheme for a comprehensive look at the STPM Tamil format and how to score full marks in all your papers.
Is there any STPM Tamil coursework?
According to the official syllabus for STPM Tamil 2024, there is no official STPM Tamil coursework for you to complete.
Under the Language and Literature category of STPM subjects, school-based assessments are not included in the Bahasa Cina, Literature in English and Bahasa Tamil subjects.
In this regard, your STPM Tamil result will be based on your centralised examination scores: this means that only the scores from the official papers you have sat for in each term are considered for the final STPM result. The final STPM Tamil result will be reflected in your certificate later!
Since you only need to sit for written examinations, it makes sense that there are many essay questions highlighted in your STPM Tamil textbook. With this huge focus on writing and essays, what are some common topics that will come out in the STPM Tamil format?
Focus areas for essay questions in STPM Tamil 2024
We are now going to look at the focus areas for Tamil literature essay questions that are popular in the STPM Tamil format. To successfully prepare for these Tamil literature essay questions, you should master these key areas in your STPM Tamil syllabus:
- Be able to describe the factors that led to the development of Tamil literature
- Describe the characteristics of akam poems
- Identify the elements in puram poems of the Sangam period
- Know in-depth the synopsis of Nalavenpa
- Familiar with the life history and essential characteristics of Cuntarar and Kulasekara alvar
Did you know there are various benefits of sitting for STPM Tamil?
That is why you should know about the best way to prepare for your STPM Tamil exams!
The best way to prepare for your STPM Tamil papers
One of the best choices you can make when learning about the STPM Tamil format is to work with a tutor experienced in teaching Tamil history and language. When you work with a Tamil-speaking tutor, you will not only improve in the subject outside of regular school hours, but you can also gain a better understanding of Tamil beyond what is just written in your STPM Tamil textbook.
That sounds like a sure path to success in your Form 6 studies!
Prepare for your STPM Tamil papers today with Superprof, the platform that brings you the best tutors of all subjects worldwide. It won't take you long to find the right tutor after you key in "Tamil" in the search engine on the Superprof Tutors webpage. You can decide if you want your STPM Tamil tutor to teach you face-to-face or online, or choose between attending a one-on-one or group lesson.
Choosing your preferred learning mode is important to create a conducive environment for studying, and that is also why you can check if there is a Tamil tutor who is teaching in your area through Superprof. That should save you on travel time!
Remember to click on your tutor's profile to ensure that they are familiar with the STPM Tamil syllabus and do check the number of students they are currently teaching: this should reflect their tutoring experience and how popular they are among Form 6 students. Take some time to read the recommendations and reviews from previous students, too. Don't you agree that you should learn with a tutor who provides their students with quality Tamil lessons?
With an understanding of the STPM Tamil format, the subject syllabus, and Superprof tutor support, success is right at your fingertips!
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