Creative Writing - Situational Writing

[htan045]

Hi, my son is in P4 and will be given choice of either picture or situational writing during the composition exam. His teacher gives the impression that situational writing should be discouraged as there is a higher tendency for the child to write out-of-point. My son is keen to try situation writing. Can anyone share if there are any pointers or principles to ensure that the composition does not go out-of-point? Thanks in advance.

[Jennifer]

According to my elder boy, situational writing has a great scope to explore and if well written, can get very high score.


Your boy is only in P4. I believe this is the 1st year P4ers are exposed to situational writing. No need to fret, plenty of chances to practise till PSLE year.

Usu. there are some pointers listed for situational writing assignment. Following these pointers will keep the pupil’s writing on track.

I remember for my elder boy’s P6 year, there was a situational writing brainstorming assignment almost every week.

[Champion]

Hello All,

Chance upon this topic - may I check for P3, are the kids being taught pictorial and situational creative writing?

For the SA1 EL Compo that just over, my P3 is being tested on pictorial only so I am wondering for the next half of the year are the P3s exposed to situational or continue with pictorial till they are P4?


:thankyou:

[pixiedust]

Champion,


In PSLE, they’ll have to write TWO : situational (eg. letter,email,postcard) and continuous (pictorial or 命题, 2 choose 1). From P5 onwards, the school exams will include situational. P1-P4, only continous.

[teh_oh]

Hi Champion,

My child did only i think 2 English compo this Semester; 1 pictorial and 1 situational. Then for SA1, they are given a choice to choose which to do. Almost half the class chose situational. Will see whether the teacher will share which ‘group’ do better.

[Champion]

teh_oh:

Hi Champion,

My child did only i think 2 English compo this Semester; 1 pictorial and 1 situational. Then for SA1, they are given a choice to choose which to do. Almost half the class chose situational. Will see whether the teacher will share which 'group' do better.

Hi teh_oh,
Thanks so much for your info; appreciates much :hugs:

My DD1 did 5 compo before the SA1 and all are pictorial so i am just wondering whether will they be taught situational and how difficult / different between the two.

Guess for the coming June holiday, got to brush up DD1's EL Compo

[ridcully]

htan045:

His teacher gives the impression that situational writing should be discouraged as there is a higher tendency for the child to write out-of-point.

I do not understand what the teacher is alluding to.


May I just check that we are clear about what we are referring to here?

In the PSLE, the students have to do two pieces of writing: continuous writing and situational writing. For the continuous writing, the students have a choice of two questions: pictorial and textual. For the situational writing, there is only one question. Situational writing used to be called functional writing.

Continuous writing and situational writing (functional writing) are chalk and cheese.

For continuous writing, the children write a story (a narrative), usually based on a realistic situation commonly encountered by primary school children in Singapore. The students have considerable freedom as to how they interpret the question and develop the plot.

Situational writing (functional writing) is very different. Here, the students take information in one text type, eg a notice, and rewrite it into another text type, eg an email. The requirement is to retain all the information from the source (original) text type when rewriting to the target (final) text type. Students also have to show awareness of the format of the target text type, eg formal/informal, what is an email, what is a letter etc. Students do not tell a story! Nor should they elaborate much.

It can be seen therefore that there is in fact little opportunity for a student to write out-of-point in situational writing. In contrast, some students might misinterpret the pictorial or textual question in continuous writing and go off on a tangent (to be polite).

BTW, I recommend that students really learn how to write good continuous writing: It is worth 40 marks in the PSLE whereas situational writing is only worth 15.

Hope that helps.
Rgds
R

[pixiedust]

Champion,


I think what you meant was textual, the teacher encourages the children to write pictorial to avoid out-of-point, right ? situational writing means something else. The textual option in chinese compo is known as 命题.

quote from R "For the continuous writing, the students have a choice of two questions: pictorial and textual"

[Champion]

pixiedust:

Champion,


I think what you meant was textual, the teacher encourages the children to write pictorial to avoid out-of-point, right ? situational writing means something else. The textual option in chinese compo is known as 命题.

quote from R \"For the continuous writing, the students have a choice of two questions: pictorial and textual\"

Hi pixiedust,
I also not very sure regarding this 2 terms - pictorial & situational . What my girl has learnt so far and tested in the SA1 - 4 pictures with a title and helping words to write for a minimum of 120 words.

I came across the phrase \"situational writing\" when 2 weeks before the SA1 - my DD1's enrichment class teacher suddenly taught her this topic. No pictures only given a title and helping words to write her piece of work...pardon me, I am totally unaware of what it is and till now I have no chance to speak with my DD1's tutor :roll: :frustrated:

[teh_oh]

Champion:

pixiedust:

Champion,


I think what you meant was textual, the teacher encourages the children to write pictorial to avoid out-of-point, right ? situational writing means something else. The textual option in chinese compo is known as 命题.

quote from R \"For the continuous writing, the students have a choice of two questions: pictorial and textual\"

Hi pixiedust,
I also not very sure regarding this 2 terms - pictorial & situational . What my girl has learnt so far and tested in the SA1 - 4 pictures with a title and helping words to write for a minimum of 120 words.

I came across the phrase \"situational writing\" when 2 weeks before the SA1 - my DD1's enrichment class teacher suddenly taught her this topic. No pictures only given a title and helping words to write her piece of work...pardon me, I am totally unaware of what it is and till now I have no chance to speak with my DD1's tutor :roll: :frustrated:

Seems like the old 'textual' is now the new 'situational' writing. The piece of work that my child did in school was termed as 'situational writing'. A short scenerio (eg Peter was about to fall asleep when he heard someone shouting \"Help me!\". Write a compo describing what happened.) was given and the students were supposed to write a story about/relating to it.
Maybe there was a confusion over the terms used.