All About English Creative Writing
-
\"3. Get your child to start writing the composition based on his notes and in the following sections:
- Introduction (Players and setting)
- Body (Event - What happened?)
- Conclusion (So what?)
Try to get the child to supply details in his description through a generous use of adjectives.
If your child do enough of these picture compositions, there is a strong likelihood that he may even get a story with a familiar theme for the exams.\"
Dear Chief,
Thanks for your opinion. It looks like I can actually coach on my own for my girl's English. However, I feel very uncomfortable if I do not send her to any enrichment course :? Why I say that?
My gal didn't do well for SA1 (low end of Band 2) because I never believe in stressing my child with enrichment courses and to me good results do not neceesary mean success when the child grows up next time. I also didn't prepare her for P1. After the parent review in SA1, I was very humilated by the teacher's comments and I told myself that if this is what the school wants or what the Singapore Education system is all about, nevermind I will follow and I will meet your standard. I can be very kiasu also.
I started her with tuition/enrichment courses in June and I also do a lot of personal coaching to bring up her standard. I even taught the whole Maths syllabus within the June holiday. I did a lot of counselling to make her understand that she must be serious in her study and she must also pay attention in class and hand up her homework on time. Previously I was very busy with my work and I failed to follow up closely what had been covered in school, thinking she could cope on her own.
After the \"humilation\", I wanted to prove to the teacher that she was wrong about my gal. I made a lot of scariface in order to spend time to coach her. Guess what? I almost dropped my Hp when she called me to inform me of her results last week. She even beats one of the top girls in her class for English and Chinese. For Maths, she made a few careless mistakes but could still score above 90 marks. She has progressed well to be one of the top girls in her class for SA2.
What I want to point out is that I am very frustrated with the eductaion system because I need to prepare her in advance for the subjects because there is not much teaching in school. They only want to access the students with worksheets. This is very true especially for English. I am the teacher who has to patiently build up her understanding of grammar and vocabulary. Though the school also covers some but she will not be able to score in exam if purely based on what the school taught.
Now, I am very kiasu already because the Singapore education system forces me to be what I am now. I still want to enrol her to a course who focus on composition writing (no need to be creative writing) but cannot make up my mind which one to choose??? That's why I am not sure how to proceed??? I also feel very pressurized now as I am worried if my gal can keep to her standard when she goes to P2.
My husband keeps challenging me if education is all about marks. I told him that at least for Singapore Education, the answer is absolutely \"Yes\" generally. I really wonder if a child enducation is contributed by tuition/enrichment centres or school? In fact, the reason for me to come to this forum is to hope to find an answer for this dilemna??????????? -
snowyqueen:
...It looks like I can actually coach on my own for my girl's English. However, I feel very uncomfortable if I do not send her to any enrichment course :? Why I say that?...
Hi snowyqueen, if you ask me, I think you have already answered your own question about whether you should be sending your child for English enrichment!
Your child's success in her exams this year is entirely due to your personal efforts in teaching her. I don't think outsourcing the problem to enrichment programmes can achieve anything close to the level that she has gotten. Your child is fortunate to have a parent like you for guidance.
Enrichment programmes are most effective if there is active parental participation in the process. It is not just pay and hope for the best. We have to make it a point to understand what is being taught and see how we can reinforce it at home.
My concern in your case is that you might \"overdose\" your child with enrichment programmes that are too academic-focused in your determination to prove her teacher wrong. That may have lasting negative impact on your daughter who may be doing it primarily because mummy says she must, and not because she herself wants to prove her teacher wrong. Granted that she has already done so well, perhaps it is timely to re-strategise on her external education programme to put more emphasis on why learning is FUN.
I would encourage you to continue to send your daughter to creative writing classes because those will have long-term impact and you should see the benefits when she is in Primary 5 when compositions start to get more expository in nature. Creative writing also give your daughter the reason why she should try to improve on her composition writing skills, so that she can tell her story more effectively.
Jan and Elly is well-liked by parents in our community. Another possibility is to consider http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/enrichment/british-council programmes. If you want it to be a bit more academic, I believe http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/enrichment/learning-labin United Square will be suited to your needs. You may also want to try out http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/enrichment/tony-buzan-learning-centre. -
snowyqueen
I am also pissed off with MOE on the educational system and the sch too. You may write to REACH. Perhaps they will fall on deaf ears since all feedback / complaints are not new and it takes more than a decade for them to invite public for views. -
[Moderator's note: Topics merged.]
I looking for some creative writting materials (e.g worksheets) for Primary 3 from any enrichment centre in Singapore. I just want to know how they teach. Can email me at [email protected]. Tks. -
ChiefKiasu:
[/quote]Dear Chief,[quote]
Jan and Elly is well-liked by parents in our community. Another possibility is to consider http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/enrichment/british-council programmes. If you want it to be a bit more academic, I believe http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/enrichment/learning-labin United Square will be suited to your needs. You may also want to try out http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/enrichment/tony-buzan-learning-centre.
I think a lot during these few days and I must really thank you for spelling out the difference between composition writing and creative writing. Anyway, I called up British Council..only shocked to learn that they actually have about 14-18 students in a class. To me, it will be distracting to have so many students in a class and for the price that we need to pay...
Tony Buzan does not have a schedule suitable for me and I am reluctant to try Learning lab because of the entry test that one has to sit in order to be enrolled. Likely that even my gal can be admitted, they will not have a timing that suits me. The course fees are really high and certainly not everyone can afford. Maybe I can consider if my gal does very well for P2.
Cheers! -
Hi Chief,
My child is going to P2 next year. Some parents were telling me that it is not necessary to have English tuition or enrichment. All we need to do is to buy some English assesment books and teach them ourselves. We just need to send them for Creative Writing Class.
What is your opinion on this? If the grammar and vocab is not strong would they be able to write good compo? Or when learning to write, the grammar and vocab will be improved?
Thanks -
Hi all,
I feel that language is more caught than taught. My son has never attended any writing or english enrichment classes but has managed to do well for his English exams from pr 1 to pr 6.
Since young, we have instilled in him the habit of reading daily. He picks up his vocabulary from the books, newspapers and magazines he can get hold of. Going to the library is a weekly family outing. Now , he goes on his own. It helps when he is surrounded by friends, classmates and family members who love to read.
Of course his class teacher helps by assigning newspaper cutting (thrice a wk) as homework where he has to find meanings of new words (pr 3 and 4) and write a review of the article.(pr 5 & 6)
As for composition, he has a resource book of useful phrases from various sources from which he can apply during the writing process. Oh yes, he has to write journals thrice a week too. (all assigned by his teachers). Sometimes, I get him to write his reflections/thoughts when we are holidaying. He has to pack a journal in his luggage. I am doing this to help him find meaning in writing and definitely not with the objective of getting good English marks.
I guide him in the grammar aspect by pointing out certain grammar rules he needs to remember and follow. The school teachers do the drilling and reinforcement (with worksheets).
I usually do the fun part, like buying the book \"Sing to the Dawn\" for the kids after watching the show, getting them to read the Chronicles of Narnia when their interest has already been aroused after watching the movies. I may also point him to an interesting article with a creative writing style. :lol:
It is no wonder English is his favourite subject, one he doesn't have to practise (unlike Maths) and can still do well... :lol: -
Hello,
Perhaps you can contact someone called Julie. She has a book of creative writing for primary 3 - primary 6. If you get interesting, will PM you for details and hope it help… -
chiefkiasu
Thanks for your pointers on creative writing.
Just hope to hear some adv from you on this…
Send my girl to a creative writing course lately.She is one person that can write, but lack details type , so tend to loose marks on those area.
In this writing class, teacher will give her structure with detials for a piece of compo, and phrases.So, she merely connect and there goes her creative writing…I think that is not right.Its true that it has guided her on the flow of compo, but her writing style is totally gone…Do you think there is a way that I can help her , with the proper structure given by the class?
In sum,that is how can I use the structure as a guide and yet able to encourage her to write with her own style…instead of filling up the blank and finished a creative writing…thanks -
[Moderator's note: Topics merged.]
Hi All
Does any one have any tips to share on how to get their primary schooler started on developing Creative writing skills? Understand that they have to start writing simple \"composition\" during lower primary?
Ideally - would like to guide him myself without sending him for any classes.
Any suggestions/tips (websites, reference material, books etc) would be most helpful
Thanks!
Yithz
Hello! It looks like you're interested in this conversation, but you don't have an account yet.
Getting fed up of having to scroll through the same posts each visit? When you register for an account, you'll always come back to exactly where you were before, and choose to be notified of new replies (either via email, or push notification). You'll also be able to save bookmarks and upvote posts to show your appreciation to other community members.
With your input, this post could be even better 💗
Register Login