English - Creative writing

[mwchua]

Hi all,


Scratching my brain on what is the best way to teach my P2 girl English creative writing. Had got my girl some model English composition books and also tried to guide her on composition writing. But her writing style still proved very weak.

Any sharing of how you coach your kids on creative writing? If need to out-source, may I check which are the good learning centres for creative writing?

Thanks.

Rgds,
Ming

[Trapwithin]

mwchua:

Hi all,


Scratching my brain on what is the best way to teach my P2 girl English creative writing. Had got my girl some model English composition books and also tried to guide her on composition writing. But her writing style still proved very weak.

Any sharing of how you coach your kids on creative writing? If need to out-source, may I check which are the good learning centres for creative writing?

Thanks.

Rgds,
Ming

For outsourcing .... you can try The Learning Lab (TLL) or The Alternative Story (TAS)

[minty2000]

Any parents got their kids in the mentioned TLL or TAS ? May i know the fees for them ? and where is the location ?

[ridcully]

Depends if you want to present creative writing as compo writing for school or you really want to bring out the author in her. If the latter, then I would offer the following suggestions (which also help on the former…).


Many children complain that they are not sufficiently heard by adults. Creative writing should be presented to children as a wonderful opportunity for them to be heard! In contrast to aspects of English involving developed bodies of knowledge, such as grammar or spelling rules, creative writing accords children a high level of control over the ‘product’. Indeed, right from the beginning children should be taught that the goal of creative writing is self-expression that displays an author’s voice: the distinct style and personality that every writer brings to his or her work.

Creative writing also presents an irresistible opportunity for children to be playful with language. English is peppered with figures of speech, idioms and proverbs so which child can resist creatively changing a word here or there: ‘Two is company, three is . . . The Musketeers!’ or ‘The Three Little Wigs and the Big Bald Man’?

Some children have difficulty brainstorming ideas for their writing. Children often feel that they have had relatively few actual experiences in life so they have a limited memory-bank to draw upon in stimulating the imagination. However, encourage them to think of the many experiences they have had and do have, for example going to school, going on learning journeys, going shopping, screaming at seeing millipeds…

Encourage your P2 girl to keep a diary and write in it every day. Perhaps buy her an extra special, highly decorative one. Also encourage her to write you little notes, such as ‘Dear Mum, Your dinner was fantastic today. Hope I learn how to cook like you!’. Do a treasure hunt where she leaves notes as clues around the house for you to search for something. If you find the hidden treasure, both of you eat extra chocolate.

Read plenty of Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton as exemplars of how to structure a story.

Rgds
R

[Champion]

ridcully:

Depends if you want to present creative writing as compo writing for school or you really want to bring out the author in her. If the latter, then I would offer the following suggestions (which also help on the former...).


Many children complain that they are not sufficiently heard by adults. Creative writing should be presented to children as a wonderful opportunity for them to be heard! In contrast to aspects of English involving developed bodies of knowledge, such as grammar or spelling rules, creative writing accords children a high level of control over the ‘product’. Indeed, right from the beginning children should be taught that the goal of creative writing is self-expression that displays an author’s voice: the distinct style and personality that every writer brings to his or her work.

Creative writing also presents an irresistible opportunity for children to be playful with language. English is peppered with figures of speech, idioms and proverbs so which child can resist creatively changing a word here or there: ‘Two is company, three is . . . The Musketeers!’ or 'The Three Little Wigs and the Big Bald Man'?

Some children have difficulty brainstorming ideas for their writing. Children often feel that they have had relatively few actual experiences in life so they have a limited memory-bank to draw upon in stimulating the imagination. However, encourage them to think of the many experiences they have had and do have, for example going to school, going on learning journeys, going shopping, screaming at seeing millipeds...

Encourage your P2 girl to keep a diary and write in it every day. Perhaps buy her an extra special, highly decorative one. Also encourage her to write you little notes, such as 'Dear Mum, Your dinner was fantastic today. Hope I learn how to cook like you!'. Do a treasure hunt where she leaves notes as clues around the house for you to search for something. If you find the hidden treasure, both of you eat extra chocolate.

Read plenty of Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton as exemplars of how to structure a story.

Rgds
R

Good Morning Ridcully ,
Thanks for your post - it gives me a fresh insight and a clearer picture of what & how to help my DD1 with creative writing :thankyou:

My DD1 has a little treasure book which she calls it her personal diary. She writes something on it everyday but I never :peekaboo: into what she reads as I feel this is privacy ...But nevertheless, I do encourage her to write and do it constantly.

Oh Yes, she gets hook on to Enid Blyton series recently - Guess because of the reprint covers - which are more \"eye-catching\" than the older version, she likes them and starts reading a few pages before she asks to buy 1 - The Mystery of the Spiteful Letters.

[Kayelinht]

minty2000:

Any parents got their kids in the mentioned TLL or TAS ? May i know the fees for them ? and where is the location ?

Hi minty2000,

My kids are neither at TLL or TAS. But I have heard a lot about both of them.

TLL is at thomson side- United Square. I think recently, they opened another
branch at mountbatten. They are quite reputable and I heard their worksheets are very difficult. Their teachers are NIE trained teachers and I think their teaching should be quite effective. However, I read that recently, a number of their teachers have left to start up another centre. But TLL is still one of the most recognised brand for tuition. They also have a long list of students' good results put up outside their centre. (the last time I went to see).

TAS has 3 branches- one at AMK, one at Bukit Timah and one at Singapore Post. They are much newer than TLL. I have a friend whose kid is there. From what I hear, their teachers are trained to teach in a certain way and they are strong in their pedagogy methods. Their creative writing is also strong. They have workshops for free for their own parents to help them to teach their kids at home. I think their mtds are innovative and their teachers seem approachable from what I have read on the forum.

For fees wise, TLL is close about $800 plus a term (I think, not too sure). TAS is about
$400 a term (not too sure also). TLL price wise is one of the most ex but it is also one of the most well-known.

[minty2000]

Kayelinht:

minty2000:

Any parents got their kids in the mentioned TLL or TAS ? May i know the fees for them ? and where is the location ?

Hi minty2000,

My kids are neither at TLL or TAS. But I have heard a lot about both of them.

TLL is at thomson side- United Square. I think recently, they opened another
branch at mountbatten. They are quite reputable and I heard their worksheets are very difficult. Their teachers are NIE trained teachers and I think their teaching should be quite effective. However, I read that recently, a number of their teachers have left to start up another centre. But TLL is still one of the most recognised brand for tuition. They also have a long list of students' good results put up outside their centre. (the last time I went to see).

TAS has 3 branches- one at AMK, one at Bukit Timah and one at Singapore Post. They are much newer than TLL. I have a friend whose kid is there. From what I hear, their teachers are trained to teach in a certain way and they are strong in their pedagogy methods. Their creative writing is also strong. They have workshops for free for their own parents to help them to teach their kids at home. I think their mtds are innovative and their teachers seem approachable from what I have read on the forum.

For fees wise, TLL is close about $800 plus a term (I think, not too sure). TAS is about
$400 a term (not too sure also). TLL price wise is one of the most ex but it is also one of the most well-known.

Hi Kaylinht, thanks... is sure very informative... and hope that with this type of fees, the results is good otherwise not worthwhile...

[baobei]

Anyone heard of mindstretcher? Is it good?

[Champion]

baobei:

Anyone heard of mindstretcher? Is it good?

http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=19064

Hi,
there is a discussion in the above thread, perhaps you can find some info from there?

[evergreen]

hi

to be frank, its very difficult economically for us to send my kid to these enrichment classes, but i am a enthusiastic mom , i want to help my kid. DOES anybody can give advice on improving creative writing step-by step.