The Alternative Story (TAS) - Discussion

[phtthp]

hquek:

hi tppsue,


My kid attend their regular english classes. FYI. Mine is still in lower primary (sorry if that's out of range).

Although it's not pure composition, but I find that it's helping. He started P1 with them so it's just exposure to TAS. So far he's able to use the phrases learnt in TAS and apply them to his compos - eg how to start, build tension and then end. I used to have to hold his hand in P1 when doing his P1 work but now have left him largely to his own devices in P2.

And they have evolved in their teaching methods (perhaps it's just passage of time and already they do so) but at least there is variety in the way they teach.

hi hquek,

may we know what kind of compo does TAS expose your son to ?
is it picture compo - is it 1 Big picture or 4 small pictures, OR

no picture - ie. just given a topic / choose a topic from a list, then ask child to write freely ?

is there also Oral ?
what kind of games do they let children play ? scrabble ?

[N.029275Lo]

They do have, it is on Sat morning, my niece is in there.

[hquek]

phtthp:

hi hquek,

may we know what kind of compo does TAS expose your son to ?
is it picture compo - is it 1 Big picture or 4 small pictures, OR

no picture - ie. just given a topic / choose a topic from a list, then ask child to write freely ?

is there also Oral ?
what kind of games do they let children play ? scrabble ?

Hi phtthp,

I used to see picture compos in DS work last year but didn't notice them this year (okay, i also very bad in that I don't go through his stuff regularly). And the ones i recall are more of the 4 pictures type. btw, I'm not sure, are there picture compos when they go to higher levels?

Their compos usually take the form of topic - eg this round it's on robbery (for example); after covering a variety of robberies, they will do say \"Fire\". Kids do not write freely, rather the teacher will give them phrases to help them along and also reason out with them on how to build up the tension - so the helping crutch is there. There is also a sample compo that they can refer to for the topic at hand.

From time to time they will have dictation using the compos. Thankfully it's not too often. I recall they may have one session (kids told in advance) where they will have a dictation on a particular compo topic. The kid with the best compo won't be the one who can copy word for word but rather one who can inject new and good stuff into his/her compo.

No. I don't think they have orals. At least not for non-PSLE. Not sure if this will change in the psle year. Every week, I see he'll have cloze passage (some are really tough), synthesis, compre, grammar, vocab. Also already DS gets released late because they have so many things to cover...if they were to include oral, probably have to stretch the class.

DS only says 'good' when asked how the class is, I dont' know if they play any games inside but again I don't think they have any time to do that.

[t_mother of swc]

Hi,


Just to share, I was quite concerned about the new syllabus, so I asked them about it and they said they would include oral for all levels but not in every lesson and maybe about 10mins in the lesson that they cover and when it is nearer the exams, they will get the kids to stay back for a while longer to go through more on oral. They will let us know if they will extend the time for those weeks.

My friend’s kid who is in their P6 class had extra half an hour of oral free for about a month and she said his oral for his prelims improved by 4 marks to 28 marks over 30 from his mid year.

This inclusion of oral should start next year because they say oral is now more important as well in the new syllabus.

[sean wife]

Hi hquek,


What do you mean by dictation using the compos? My kids who are attending the K2 class usually need to memorise a few short paragraphs each week to write out for the next lesson…is this the practice also for lower primary? How do you help your child to remember all the good phrases say relating to a particular topic and encourage him to use them when he is actually writing something on his own?

Thanks…

[chinJ1]

Am concerned also. saw the papers today that TAS was quoted on giving tips for parents in their workshops for the new syllabus, anyone knows when will that be? My second one will be a guinea pig for the new syllabus so kind of worried.

[phtthp]

jedamum:

I am still hoping they have weekend k2 classes.

is your K2 child able to spell ?

because their K2 programme doesn't start in beginning of the year, but purposely start somewhere either middle /end of the year. So they expect kids to be able to spell at least basic, fundamental words. Otherwise may be struggle, as the K2 pace can be a bit fast - as they read passages, do compreh, vocab, etc. Their K2 standard is higher than some other English enrichment centres. Not just abiity to read, but the ability to spell is important.

they do have K2 weekend classes, refer schedule:-
http://www.thealternativestory.com/schedule-bukit-timah-and-east

http://www.thealternativestory.com/schedule-amk

i also noticed that their K2 weekday at night classes 7.30 pm not so popular, compared to weekend late morning classes. Maybe because at night, tough for kids to think / write compo.

[jedamum]

N.Lo:

They do have, it is on Sat morning, my niece is in there.

? Oh? I am looking at bukit timah branch.

[hquek]

sean wife:

Hi hquek,


What do you mean by dictation using the compos? My kids who are attending the K2 class usually need to memorise a few short paragraphs each week to write out for the next lesson…is this the practice also for lower primary? How do you help your child to remember all the good phrases say relating to a particular topic and encourage him to use them when he is actually writing something on his own?

Thanks…

Hi sean wife, when my kid has dictation, it's lifted from the 'sample' compos given out. last year, he had to memorise paragraphs but I do recall times when he had to memorise the whole thing. He got a bit green around the gills. But I don't think they practise that now - it's probably 3-4 paragraphs max each time if they have. They do regular compo writing and rarely they will bring home to complete.

Some phrases they will use it again and again - eg if it's a hot day, you describe as ...., if it's a rainy day, this is what you use.... (off hand cannot recall). When the protagonist gets injured, there are phrases to make the pain come alive and not just put in a pedestrian 'I twisted my ankle'. These are the bits and pieces that DS has learnt to plonk into his compo to 'spice' it up. They go through again and again and somehow these bits will get stuck in his brain - and those dictations do help that way.

DS is in lower primary and the P school so far only give journals. A bit hard to exercise creative writing that way - how imaginative can one do when say write about how to improve schoolwork. But where possible, for instance, when talking about a day at the zoo, I'll suggest to him to start off with the type of day it was and add in a bit bit where it helps.

[phtthp]

jedamum:

N.Lo:

They do have, it is on Sat morning, my niece is in there.

? Oh? I am looking at bukit timah branch.

Yes, TAS should consider start a new morning weekend Sat / Sun class at Bukit Timah branch - where the K2 kids are fresh, mentally alert having woke up in the morning.