English Assessment Books

[Brenda10]

RGAV:

Dear parents,

I was browsing through the kiasuparents website and happened to see some of these comments based on the Mastering comprehension and Mastering Cloze series by EPH. Being the author of these series (Geetha Menon), I hope you do not mind me sharing my thoughts about how you can help your children improve their spoken and written English. It is well and good to get your children to practice these sections. However, I would urge you to encourage your children to read voraciously during the weekends and holidays. As a parent and a (PSLE) Language instructor, I understand how difficult it is for students to find time to read during the weekdays. It is very important for your children to acquire the knowledge they need to do well in the various sections in the English language exam. Reading helps them build up their vocabulary and improve their grammar. Soon, they would automatically know if a sentence is structured properly without any grammatical mistakes. Please do encourage your children to read aloud for half an hour at least everyday if she is weak in English. Reading aloud also helps one remember interesting words and expressions. Do not choose the books for your children. You may suggest, but let them make the final decision. I see a number of P5 and P6 children struggling to speak fluently and write well in my classes that I wish their parents had inculcated this reading habit in them at an early age. Reading with your children will be a good start!

Hi RGAV,

:goodpost: Thank you for sharing!

Do you have any recommendation of story books for P6 students ?

Thank you.

[Champion]

RGAV:

Thanks for appreciating my advice. As an ex-teacher, parent and a volunteer language instructor (in a private centre), I have come across students who are hard working and determined to excel in their Enlish language exam. However, they lack the language skills due to poor reading habits. As for tution centre instructors who encourage their students to memorise....I firmly believe that is not a good method to help children imrpove their writing skills. In fact, I have even heard of teachers getting their students to memorise various introductions and conclusions for various topics. These should be taken as merely suggestions on how to start a compo and how to end one. The kids can memorise interesting expressions or words and then apply where necessary. Many times while marking compos at the centre where I teach, I have noticed students using these so called 'model introductions' and conclusions inappropriately and indiscriminately. This is the outcome of memorising. Consequently, they loose marks for creativity and content.

:goodpost: :celebrate: and thank you for your valuable sharing! Really an eye-opening to read such a post! Appreciates much! :celebrate:

[RGAV]

Dear SmartMummy, it is difficult to recommend just one good compo guide book as there are good points in each of those that I have seen in the market but not so convinced if any one of these would make a good recommendation. You may want to try ‘Compositions for Champions’. I understand your frustration, but do try to get your child to read more. If your child is very weak, you may want to get a good tutor to guide your child as depending on these books will not help much unfortunately.

[smartmummy]

RGAV:

Dear SmartMummy, it is difficult to recommend just one good compo guide book as there are good points in each of those that I have seen in the market but not so convinced if any one of these would make a good recommendation. You may want to try 'Compositions for Champions'. I understand your frustration, but do try to get your child to read more. If your child is very weak, you may want to get a good tutor to guide your child as depending on these books will not help much unfortunately.

My son read a lot of books.P1,P2 he didn't have any problem.P3 SA1 only he got less marks in compo,T said spelling mistakes, he didn't put \",\" ,paragraphing and tense.From K1 onwards he attending I Can Read.
Unfortunately, I don't know how to write.I bought one book ,from that I am learning how to teach him.
:thankyou:

[janet88]

RGAV:

Dear SmartMummy, it is difficult to recommend just one good compo guide book as there are good points in each of those that I have seen in the market but not so convinced if any one of these would make a good recommendation. You may want to try 'Compositions for Champions'. I understand your frustration, but do try to get your child to read more. If your child is very weak, you may want to get a good tutor to guide your child as depending on these books will not help much unfortunately.

Reading will help to increase the child's vocab and ideas when writing compo...but it's hard to teach a child to write a decent piece of compo. After spending time coaching my daughter (P1) in her grammar, vocab, comprehension and cloze, I'm too tired to think of compo.
I've read some good pieces of compo done by P1s and amazed at how they can write so well. Experience with my older child tells me I need to outsource for younger one and start early.

[smartmummy]

janet_lee88:

RGAV:

Dear SmartMummy, it is difficult to recommend just one good compo guide book as there are good points in each of those that I have seen in the market but not so convinced if any one of these would make a good recommendation. You may want to try 'Compositions for Champions'. I understand your frustration, but do try to get your child to read more. If your child is very weak, you may want to get a good tutor to guide your child as depending on these books will not help much unfortunately.

Reading will help to increase the child's vocab and ideas when writing compo...but it's hard to teach a child to write a decent piece of compo. After spending time coaching my daughter (P1) in her grammar, vocab, comprehension and cloze, I'm too tired to think of compo.
I've read some good pieces of compo done by P1s and amazed at how they can write so well. Experience with my older child tells me I need to outsource for younger one and start early.

:thankyou: for sharing ur thoughts.I think his tution started bit late,now every week they practise,see the result in SA2.Help of them i also need to ask him to write.I planning to change tution centre.

[janet88]

smartmummy:

janet_lee88:

[quote=\"RGAV\"]If your child is very weak, you may want to get a good tutor to guide your child as depending on these books will not help much unfortunately.

Reading will help to increase the child's vocab and ideas when writing compo...but it's hard to teach a child to write a decent piece of compo. After spending time coaching my daughter (P1) in her grammar, vocab, comprehension and cloze, I'm too tired to think of compo.
I've read some good pieces of compo done by P1s and amazed at how they can write so well. Experience with my older child tells me I need to outsource for younger one and start early.

:thankyou: for sharing ur thoughts.I think his tution started bit late,now every week they practise,see the result in SA2.Help of them i also need to ask him to write.I planning to change tution centre.[/quote]I've 2 kids - P1 and P5. Now I try to start early with my younger one (not that I want to, but her school is teaching EL at new level). Also trying to avoid making the same mistake with my younger gal. My older one is a boy and they have different characters. Can be very frustrating handling 2 different personalities. P1 is tough now.

[Champion]

RGAV:

You may want to try 'Compositions for Champions'.

Hi! RGAV!
Good Morning! :imsorry: was unable to search for any book title that is closed to this; would you mind telling us the author/publisher?

:thankyou:

[pixiedust]

RGAV, welcome to KSP and this thread. Hope to see you around the forum !


Regarding 'Compositions by Champions'.RGAV, I believe you meant these but if otherwise, please let us know.

I bought them in Popular following livewithvanilla's recommendation in the P5 thread. I still see them in Popular but not listed in the online catalog. I can't find images online so I took some photos. Hope this helps :

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa424/pixie_dust8/compo1a.jpg\">
http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa424/pixie_dust8/compo2a.jpg\">

[RGAV]

Yes, these are the books I meant. Like I mentioned earlier, do not depend on this series to help improve your child. If your child is weak, he/she definitely needs some guidance on how to use these model compo books. I am not that thrilled with all the compos in these books though. Some of them are quite good.