All About English Creative Writing

[jetsetter]

i suspect so…but these days with so many pp buying and selling tuition notes off the net, pte tutors and publishers can replicate the same stuffs.

[ChiefKiasu]

I admire anyone who can memorise essays. I can't even remember what I wrote myself 30 minutes after the ink dries. It's not dementia because I've been liddat since I was in secondary school. Or maybe dementia started early for me... :sad:

[MrsKiasu]

Me too…i always suspect I knocked my head too often when I was very young. Best is after writing and read back the next day…I always think I cant write a duplicate.

[jetsetter]

It’s crazy to memorise essays. It’s called plagiarism. You can memorise nice phrases and vocab though. Anyway, with the new PSLE compo format, there’s no way you can plonk in a model essay that ties in with any of the 3 pics.


PS: young kids aged 3-12 somehow can memorise essays, poems, song lyrics, musical scores, speech & drama or show & tell lines better than us adults.

[sharonkhoo]

jetsetter:

This student can become our next Catherine Lim liao.

I personally prefer overall simplicity in prose, and the use of the best word (not necessarily simple ones) only when it is the most appropriate word in the context. I remember my daughter and I having great difficulties with PSLE compo (after being in a different school system for several years) as we couldn't stand the style of the \"model compos\", so we devised a compromise solution that seemed to work - I told her to write as she would normally do, then add in 1 adjective or adverb per sentence, and scatter at least 1-2 idioms/similes/metaphors somewhere! We didn't like the end result much even though I think the teacher thought her style a bit too plain, but it obviously passed muster in the actual exam.

[Newtandcucumber]

Does anyone know of an O Level essays book that would be useful for the stimuli composition question in Paper 1 of the O Level. Again, can you post a URL please, as from UK and wish to buy.

[Newtandcucumber]

Does anyone know of an O Level essays book that would be useful for the stimuli composition question in Paper 1 of the O Level. Again, can you post a URL please, as from UK and wish to buy.

[Bluestar86]

Joy of Learning 111:

bluegal6:

Hi i am interested to know, for creative writing enrichment, do they give a lot of homework? Usually what kind of homework does a student expected to do for the next lesson?

When I wear my full-time tutor hat, I consult with the parents as to how much homework they want for their child. By default, I usually give a composition every week.

When I wear my part-time teacher hat at a well-known enrichment centre, I give no homework as that is the general policy of the centre. If a child does not complete the work in class, however, I usually ask him/her to complete for homework, although I will not strenuously chase.

Hi Joy of Learning111,

Would you be all to share if there is any structure to teaching primary school children creative writing. It is essential to have many good or bombastic words in the compo to score good grades? Also, do you conduct lessons for primary school children and at which level? Thanks.

[Joy of Learning 111]

Bluestar86:

Hi Joy of Learning111,


Would you be all to share if there is any structure to teaching primary school children creative writing. It is essential to have many good or bombastic words in the compo to score good grades? Also, do you conduct lessons for primary school children and at which level? Thanks.

There are different approaches with some commonalities. For lower primary, the focus is mostly on helping the children to gain basic language skills and proficiency in descriptive writing. For upper primary, the focus is more on narrative; this usually entails a plot mountain with introduction, rising tension, climax and resolution. For both levels, creative writing should be taught as an iterative process with plenty of rewriting and refinement.

Bombastic or purple prose is a big no. Such over-the-top language draws excessive attention to itself often to the point that the reader loses the thread of the content. Creative writing should be content-led, with vocabulary playing a supportive role only. Unfortunately, many tuition centres, teachers and tutors try to disguise their lack of ability to teach creative writing by resorting to the encouragement of bombasticity (I just made up this noun but it seems plausible).

Good words, however, are essential. By ‘good’ I mean words that are appropriate, precise and effective. For instance, it can be as simple as writing ‘wolfed down’ instead of ‘ate quickly’ or ‘sheepish’ instead of ‘embarrassed’.

Yes, I conduct lessons for primary school children at all levels. I will shortly send you a pm.

[bearybeary2000]

mumspaceout:

bearybeary2000:

Keen to sign up my child at this centre set up by ex-teachers. Serena Greenhouse. Any feedback? Think parents' and pupils' feedback is good website so want to know more about their approach.

Hi bearybeary2000

Did you sign up in the end? I went to the centre today and was lucky to see a parent waiting outside the centre. Managed to chat with the parent and found out more about the teachers and the approach. The parent told me that the weekend classes for all subjects are always full. The parent shared that the teachers spend time to prepare their own resources and do not want to have many classes. Only hope is weekday classes which are not many. Wanted to sign up for the current P5 writing class but no vacancy so have to wait for them to start registration and open up another P6 writing class. Keeping my fingers crossed. If no vacancy, have to look for alternative cos next year psle!

I hope this post is not too late. My girl managed to get into the new p6 writing class with Teacher Hayeti. Teacher Serena's class had no more vacancies when I wanted to sign my gal up for the class. Teacher hayeti was an ex English hod who joined Serena greenhouse after resigning.
My gal enjoyed the writing lessons. Said that she learnt a lot of stuff such as foreshadowing, slowing down motion, personification. She improved a lot in writing and her school teacher commented on the improvement. That made my gal very happy, But I think I am most thankful that she now likes writing.