The Alternative Story (TAS) - Discussion

[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.

[jedamum]

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.

Hi,
My boy has no problem in spelling and reading. He need help mostly in grammar.

[hquek]

I bought the teachers at work assessment on grammar. Like that it is focussed on one area at a time. All Mcq. Available at popular

[llshirley4]

I am new here, my eldest girl has been having home tuition for a while after tuition at one of the well-known centres did not help her. My younger two have no tuition for English at the moment…but I have been hearing about The Alternative Story and saw this posting here…can anyone tell me more about them?


How they teach and how the teachers are like? My bad experience with another centre was that they gave out work, did not mark them and did not explain the mistakes. Personal tutor I find not experienced enough…so I need some help…

[phtthp]

jedamum:

My boy has no problem in spelling and reading. He need help mostly in grammar.

That is fine !
so long as your son is able to read and spell, he is ready for K2 class.
if he can read and understand what he had read, he'll be able to answer Compreh questions. Because there are some kids who can read, but don't understand the passage he had just read.
Grammar, memorizing parts of compo phrases that'll come in useful / handy one day, etc - he'll pick them up along the way.

example
TAS starting new K2 class almost end of the year at Paya Lebar Singpost (@ door step of Paya Lebar MRT station East West line) - either in 1st or 2nd week next month, October 2012. This may appeal to parents staying in the east (eg: Bedok, Tampines, Pasir Ris, Katong, Tanah Merah, Simei, Marine Parade, Aljunied, Geylang, Kallang, Eunos, Kembangan, etc).

This new class is targeted at current K2 kids, ie. born 2006.
For two months left (ie. November & December 2012) - TAS gear them up for the final, remaining last lap of K2 milestone - before accelerate and take off speed to 2013 Primary 1.

Since this new class commence almost towards end of the year - will be good if a K2 child can spell, for those parents wo're interested in enrolling their child into this programme. Because not all K2 kids are able to spell. Some can, some not ready yet - esp. if come from those kindergarten that did not introduce spelling at all in K2. There are some kindergarten around that adopt this mentality - child need to learn spelling only when child goes P1. (K2 - no need to teach kids spelling) If every single word a child doesn't know how to spell - imagine it can be quite a daunting, uphill struggle as the child in class attempt to answer every Compreh question, or cloze vocabulary, etc.