BAVINA SOOKDEO
A communication studies textbook, designed to support students as they prepare for CAPE exams, has been published by secondary schoolteacher Vanessa Ramoutar-Singh.
The CAPE Communication Studies: Multiple-Choice Booklet based on the recently-revised communication studies syllabus was self-published by Ramoutar-Singh who holds a bachelor of arts in English language and literature with education, a masters in the English language and a diploma in education.
The textbook includes ten multiple-choice practice tests, 450 questions, answer keys, and detailed explanations for each question, offering a robust tool for revision, Ramoutar-Singh said.
“Questions are designed to help students achieve high levels of cognition through critical thinking.”
The book also includes strategies for tackling multiple choice and the listening component of the CAPE exam.
“This makes it a valuable asset for students across the Caribbean,” Ramoutar-Singh said.
CAPE communication studies is a compulsory subject at the sixth-form level. It is a determining factor in a scholarship and is a requirement for entry into tertiary-level education.
Ramoutar-Singh produced the text with the intention of helping students master CAPE communication studies here and across the Caribbean.
“Given the significant changes in the syllabus, to be tested effective May/June 2025, the goal is to provide a learning resource for both teachers and students alike that can be used to enhance students’ level of preparedness,” she explained.
The motivation for writing the book stems from Ramoutar-Singh’s love of teaching and her commitment to her students.
“I have witnessed their struggles in this subject area and decided to put my knowledge and expertise into creating a book that would assist in students’ mastery of the subject.”
She advises students struggling with communication studies or preparing for CAPE to focus on thorough revision of theoretical concepts and consistent practise of essays and multiple-choice papers to excel.
“People often assume that multiple-choice tests are easier when compared to other types of assessment, but given the nature of questions, they can present significant difficulties,” she explained. “This book is designed to tackle those difficulties, offering the essential practise needed. Questions are designed to help students achieve high levels of cognition through critical thinking.”
The journey to publication wasn’t without challenges. Ramoutar-Singh, who lives in Chaguanas, said, “I had been working on it for some time, but significant changes were made to the syllabus which were only made officially available by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) at the beginning of September 2024.”
[caption id="attachment_1115866" align="alignnone" width="576"] Vanessa Ramoutar-Singh teaches English language, literature, and communication studies at St Augustine Girls' High School. -[/caption]
As a result, she had to quickly make several adjustments to meet the requirements of the new syllabus. T
