P5-P6 Parents’ WorkshopEnglish Language

HOW CAN PARENTS SUPPORT THEIR CHILD IN WRITING & ORACY SKILLS?

Highlights of this workshop:

WRITING

Interesting and varied “Introductions” to expand your child’s writing abilities

Using a ‘Story Mountain’ and ‘Parallel Writing’ that will give your child’s content a boost

Examples of Composition topics

ORACY

Introduction to TREES (Thought. Reasons. Experience. Examples. Suggestions) to help your child with Oral Conversation

Examples of Oral Conversation topics you can practise with your child

Format of Paper 1

Paper Components No. of Items

Marks / Weighting

Duration

1 ∙ Situational Writing 1 15 marks

1h 10 min∙ Continuous Writing 1 40 marks

Question 1: Situational Writing•Letter / Email / Notice / Report Writing

Questions 2: Continuous Writing•Theme-based question

Two questions – Compulsory to attempt both questions.

Format of Paper 1

Strategies:

• Understand the given theme and pictures.

• Time-management: A suggestion

– Planning - 5 mins, Writing - About 50 mins

• Expand main ideas with details and elaborations.

• Take note of STA during writing.

⮚ S – Senses

⮚ T – Thoughts & Feelings

⮚ A – Actions and Behaviours

Paper 1 – Continuous Writing

Strategies:

• As a start, students should always know which pictures they want to use in their writing.

• They can write about 1, 2 or 3 of the pictures. Hence it is wise to plan where to develop this picture along the story mountain.

• They then can scribble the Senses, Thoughts & Feelings, Actions and Behaviour words / phrases that they want to use in their writing during the planning stage.

*Note that their planning will not be marked but it is essential for them to plan so that they have clarity in what they want to convey in their writing

Paper 1 – Continuous Writing

Challenges Faced By A Child

A child may express his frustration and difficulties in a generalway, with statements like, “I hate writing!” or “This is boring!”

However, if he could, this is how he might describe how hisvocabulary difficulties affect his understanding:

● I always suffer from mental block and it is so difficult to start writing.

● I don’t like writing because I don’t know how to make my stories interesting.

● I feel that I am using the same words again and again in my writing.

Observations By Parents

● My child is unable to tell me about his/her day in a way that makes sense.

● My child tends to misuse common words.● My child often has difficulties finding the right words

to describe something.

What do these observations tell us?

● It tells us that students have problems expressing clearly.

● Therefore, we have to provide the students with a lot of opportunities to be meaningfully engaged in visible thinking so that they NO LONGER THINK IN SHALLOW WAYS.

● With practice, students will also expand their vocabulary and use them in the correct context.

Interesting and Varied INTRODUCTIONS

Use the S.A.Fe Method to start your Compositions.

Speech. Action. Feelings.Start with a SPEECH

This is suitable for almost any topic given. For example:

“Remember to take out the trash, Milly!” my father reminded me before he left the house.

Then move on to ACTION

“Remember to take out the trash, Milly!” my father reminded me before he left the house. I muttered defensively under my breath as I hated doing chores.

Add in FEELINGS

“Remember to take out the trash, Milly!” my father reminded me before he left the house. I muttered defensively under my breath as I hated doing chores. I was still upset with my father for not letting me go out with my friends.

Let’s help the child Introduce his/her story

Using a ‘Story Mountain’ that will give your child’s content a boost

STORY MOUNTAIN

Websites for list of interesting phrases & idioms

Move the Plot Forward• It is important to keep your plot in mind no matter what you are describing• Avoid adding excessive details that do not relate to your plot• Character development and word-building are both necessary to give your story life, but try not to bog your

story down with too many trivial details• Delve into who your character really is and what motivates him/her

Where is your character and what is he/she doing?

What does your character want?

What are the struggles / roadblocks?

What happens to make things worse?

What choices does your character make?

How does the story end?

Using a ‘Story Mountain’ that will give your child’s content a boost A good piece of writing comprises of a clear sense of direction in the story with good flow and sequence between sentences and paragraphs.

Often, readers tend to lose focus easily if the ideas, details and events in a piece of writing are disjointed. Now then, what is ‘Organisation’ that we often have heard of in writing but unsure of what it entails. Organisation, simply is the overall structure of a piece of writing that comprises of a Beginning, Middle and End.

So, the key tip or rather suggestion that I implore you to remind your children is that, they need to “MOVE THE PLOT FORWARD” by working on the next few main ideas.

Important for children to ENHANCE THE JUICY DETAILS BY EXPLORING THE 5 SENSES TO DESCRIBE THEM BUT DO NOT ADD EXCESSIVE DETAILS THAT ARE IRRELEVANT TO their PLOT,

Using Parallel Writing (Model Composition) that will give your child’s content a boost

▪ give your child’s content a boost; and

▪ model the use of language features such as grammar items and vocabulary phrases.

What do we mean by Parallel Writing?

▪ Parallel Writing is a technique whereby the child writes a similar composition to the one he/she reads IN HER/HIS OWN WORDS with A FEW CHANGES in the content.

What can be changed?

-the setting

-the perspective it is written from

-the ending

Example of Parallel Writing

Exemplar 1 Example of Parallel Writing

At Pasir Ris Beach, the cool breeze greeted us. There

were people everywhere. Some people were having picnics

while others were swimming in the deep blue sea. I stepped

onto the sand and something flew past me. I was shocked. It

had scratched me on the face. I was irritated by that.

Thankfully, we found a shady spot and quickly settled

down. Mum treated my scratch while Dad crooned to pacify

me. While my both parents were helping me, my sister,

Charisse, jumped into the water. We were shocked by what

my sister had done. However, after a while, we dismissed

our fears as the beach was crowded and the sea was calm.

Charisse imagined herself floating on the waves.

Suddenly, the waves in the deep water seemed to be

beckoning her to go closer. Hypnotised, she went deeper

into the sea, unaware that danger was lurking just around

the corner.

The cool breeze greeted me as I cycled in Sun Plaza Park-

my favourite haunt. The people were packed like sardines.

Some people were having picnics while others were cycling

and playing ball games. I stumbled when my bicycle tyres

tripped over something. I was shocked. My ankle hurt

because of the sudden jolt. I was irritated by that.

Thankfully, I found a shady spot and quickly got off my

bicycle. I examined my scratch while moaning in pain. While I

was doing this, I heard a splash followed by a scream. I saw a

crowd gathering around the pond in the park. I joined the

crowd curiously. Apparently, a toddler had fallen into the pond.

I was shocked upon hearing this. However after a while, I

dismissed my fears as the pond was not deep.

Suddenly, a woman screamed hysterically. The toddler

was nowhere in sight in the pond and no bubbles could be

seen too. The pond was dead calm.

Example of Parallel Writing

Exemplar 1 Example of Parallel Writing

At Pasir Ris Beach, the cool breeze greeted us. There

were people everywhere. Some people were having picnics

while others were swimming in the deep blue sea. I stepped

onto the sand and something flew past me. I was shocked. It

had scratched me on the face. I was irritated by that.

Thankfully, we found a shady spot and quickly settled

down. Mum treated my scratch while Dad crooned to pacify

me. While my both parents were helping me, my sister,

Charisse, jumped into the water. We were shocked by what

my sister had done. However, after a while, we dismissed

our fears as the beach was crowded and the sea was calm.

Charisse imagined herself floating on the waves.

Suddenly, the waves in the deep water seemed to be

beckoning her to go closer. Hypnotised, she went deeper

into the sea, unaware that danger was lurking just around the

corner.

At Pasir Ris Beach, the cool breeze greeted me and my family.

People were everywhere. Some were having picnics while others were

swimming in the deep blue sea. My brother, Joe, stepped onto the

sand and something flew past him. He was shocked. It had scratched

him on the face. He was irritated by that. I chuckled as I loved it when

he was irritated. I considered it a payback for him being mean to me-

his only beautiful and angelic sister!

Thankfully, we found a shady spot and quickly settled down. Mum

treated Joe’s scratch while Dad crooned to pacify him as he was

sniffling like a twelve-year-old baby. While my both parents were

focused on him, I jumped into the water. I knew that they were

shocked by what I had done but I could not ignore the sea anymore. I

thought that after a while my family would dismiss their fears as the

beach was crowded and the sea was calm.

I imagined myself floating on the waves. Suddenly, the waves in

the deep water seemed to be beckoning me to go closer. Hypnotised, I

went deeper into the sea, unaware that danger was lurking just around

the corner.

Example of Parallel WritingExemplar 1 Example of Parallel Writing

After several times of CPR provided by the lifeguard,

Charisse finally sputtered out some water and regained her

consciousness. Everyone on the beach applauded and

broke into cheers. My parents were relieved and glad that

she had made it out alive. I heaved a sigh of relief,

unaware that I had been holding my breath all this while.

After this traumatizing experience, Charisse felt foolish

for what she had done and had developed a phobia for

swimming in open waters.

Our family felt sorry for what had happened to

Charisse. We should have pre-warned her about

swimming safely in the waters and the danger of the open

sea.

After several times of CPR provided by the lifeguard, Charisse

was still in a state of unconsciousness. Everyone on the beach

started murmuring and whispering. My parents were frantic and

started hollering her name desperately. My mother was hysterical.

I trembled. My lips were quivering. I held my breath as I

prayed fervently for Charisse to open her eyes and smile devilishly

at me. I let out my breath when I saw the paramedics trying to

revive her. Help had arrived. She would be fine!

The next thing I saw was one of the paramedics, a woman,

shaking her head as she looked at her partner. “Her heart has

stopped beating,” she whispered to all of us. I slumped onto the

sand which felt coarse, in disbelief. My parents were speechless.

Whatever that happened after that was in a blur. I remembered

vaguely going home and waiting for my parents who had

accompanied Charisse to the hospital.

After this traumatising experience, I never went to the beach

anymore. I missed Charisse so much.

Examples of Composition topics

▪ A Kind/Compassionate Act

▪ Being courteous/honest/dishonest/ considerate/inconsiderate

▪ A Failure

▪ An Unexpected Success

▪ Showing Appreciation/Empathy

▪ Friendship

▪ Helping family/friends

Useful Linkshttps://www.smart-words.org/list-of-synonyms/

https://7esl.com/synonyms/

https://www.thesaurus.com/

https://www.sightwordsgame.com/vocabulary-words/synonym/

https://examples.yourdictionary.com/simile-examples-for-kids.html

https://examples.yourdictionary.com/metaphor-examples-for-kids.html

How to help your child improve in Oracy1. TALK to your child whenever you can. Weekends can often be the best time for

families to get together like this.

2. SUGGEST BETTER WORDS to your child to develop their vocabulary. Be constructive & friendly while doing so. (eg. https://www.thesaurus.com/)

3. ENCOURAGE THEM TO TAKE PART IN PRESENTATIONS such as class/project work presentations, school assembly, etc.

4. DISCUSS CURRENT SOCIETAL ISSUES/ topics of concern. For example, Covid19 Pandemic, friendship issues, etc.

5. ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO READ a variety of books.

*In busy households, it is becoming more and more difficult for families to spend quality time talking in a reflective way about what everyone’s been doing. *Help your child develop their vocabulary by suggesting better words they might have used in your conversations with him/her.

TREES: Thoughts. Reasons. Examples. Experience. Suggestions

This is a strategy used to help a student give their opinion on a subject. Do encourage your child to:

- Give their Thoughts on the topic. Get them to state their opinion by agreeing/disagreeing

- Give Reasons to explain their opinion

- Give some Examples to elaborate their reasons.

- Provide some personal Experience to illustrate their opinion.

- Give a Suggestion/solution relevant to the subject.

For Stimulus-based Conversation

1. Use a wide range of accurate vocabulary and sentence structure.

2. Speak in complete, grammatically correct sentences.

3. Express yourself by elaborating on your ideas.

4. Provide personal opinions or reasons. Give examples and talk about your personal experiences.

- use words or phrases such as “In my opinion”, “In conclusion”, “I personally feel or think”. “Moreover”, etc.

5. Vary your tone and pitch of voice to convey feelings.

6. BE CONFIDENT – MAINTAIN GOOD POSTURE AND POISE.

7. Maintain eye contact with the examiner.

EXAMPLES OF ORAL TOPICS Parents can practise with their child

1. Cyberwellness – “How can we show respect and kindness to others online?”

2. Being a Good Neighbour – “How can we be a good neighbour?”

3. Read any newspaper article (from What’s Up etc. and use TREES structure)

4. HBL Experience (Circuit Breaker) – “What are some of the things you can do to keep yourself occupied meaningfully during this ‘Circuit Breaker’ period?”