All About English Creative Writing

[The Alternative Story]

Hi parents,


For those who were asking about our holiday programmes for
creative writing, the information is provided here:

http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?p=247851#247851

TAS

[jeestan]

Hi TAS,


Thanks for the information on the holiday classes. Would you assess the child to see if she should go to which class, is it possible for them to jump a class? - eg: a 9 year old who is fast goes to a primary 4 class? For the holiday programme, will you allow this?

[The Alternative Story]

Hi jeestan,


We do that for our normal classes, we will assess the child and if
we find the child’s ability much higher than his peers, we will
advise the parents to let the child ‘jump’ a level so that
the child will still be ‘stretched’ to his maximum ability.

However, for the holiday programmes we usually do not do so
unless the parent requests for it and then we will arrange for
a assessment to see if he or she should ‘jump’ a level
for the holiday programmes. This is because for children who
join the holiday programmes usually do not have much background
in the way we teach creative writing and hence, for a 1-3 day
programme, it is better that they stick to their own age group.

TAS

[The Alternative Story]

Hi bigdad and littlewoman,


We produce our own vocabulary materials, we are compiling them
in a book and might make it available to the public but it is not
confirmed that we will do so yet.

Bigdad,

We will get back to you about the composition startings latest by
tomorrow.

TAS

[mujin]

The Alternative Story:

mujin:

Hi TAS,


We are confused about the differences between past tense and past continuous tense when used in composition. Could you advise us if there is any rule that we can adhere, so that we can distinguish the differences and its applications.

Thank you.

Hi mujin,

The past tense refers to an action that has happened in the past
and it is completed.

The past continuous tense refers to an action that has happened in
the past but the main difference is that it happened for a duration
of time.

Eg:

I slept through the show and I did not know that my friends
had left the cinema.

(Here, the emphasis is on the reason and result, the reason
being you were sleeping, the result being you did not know your
friends had left, the emphasis is not on the duration of the action)

VS

I was sleeping through the show when the bell rang.

(Here, the emphasis is on the duration of the time
that you had spent sleeping and while doing so, the bell rang)

TAS

Hi TAS,

Thanks for the explanation (':D')

Mujin

[The Alternative Story]

BigDad:

Hi TAS,

It is very clear, your explanation, I know what to work on, thanks so much! By the way, should we get them to learn different ways to start a composition at primary 2, I saw from some assessment books they talk about starting with a conversation etc? I thought just start with description of the day can already?

If you have vocabulary books, can let me know also I am interested

Hi BigDad,

No problem

At primary 2, it is more advisable to get them to use a descriptive
starting (describing weather etc).

In order to be able to use 'flashbacks', 'conversation', 'idioms' etc
to start, the child must have a very good grasp of the language and
also must be able to develop the story in a very logical manner.

It is also not advisable to get the child to just memorize startings like
flashbacks as she or her will sound quite cliched. It is better to teach
them the techniques and most primary 2s will struggle with this so
I don't think you need to worry about teaching them all these
different startings now. Maybe at primary 3, you can start.

For the vocabulary materials, we are compiling our materials but
are not selling them currently.

TAS

[The Alternative Story]

mujin:

Hi TAS,

Thanks for the explanation (':D')

Mujin

No problem Mujin

[BigDad]

The Alternative Story:

Hi TAS,

No problem

At primary 2, it is more advisable to get them to use a descriptive
starting (describing weather etc).

In order to be able to use 'flashbacks', 'conversation', 'idioms' etc
to start, the child must have a very good grasp of the language and
also must be able to develop the story in a very logical manner.

It is also not advisable to get the child to just memorize startings like
flashbacks as she or her will sound quite cliched. It is better to teach
them the techniques and most primary 2s will struggle with this so
I don't think you need to worry about teaching them all these
different startings now. Maybe at primary 3, you can start.

For the vocabulary materials, we are compiling our materials but
are not selling them currently.

TAS

Hi TAS,

Thanks for the suggestions! How to teach them to write good descriptions I myself am not too good with that :?

[BigDad]

One one more thing to ask: if there are 5 of us in one group signing up for the holiday programmes, can all 5 get the discount, or is it 4 get and the other one cannot?

[Dad8282]

BigDad:

One one more thing to ask: if there are 5 of us in one group signing up for the holiday programmes, can all 5 get the discount, or is it 4 get and the other one cannot?

Hi, sorry to tag along your post... this is my first post and Im also interested to send my P3 daughter for the holiday programmes.

Possible to include my gal and make it 6?

Thanks.