READING AND WRITING

WORKSHOP FOR

PARENTS OF

PRIMARY 5 AND 6 STUDENTS

SATURDAY , 1 AUGUST 2015

TODAY’S PROGRAMME

8.50 – 9.15 am

Registration & Welcome 9.05 – 10.05 am

The Benefits of Leisure

Reading by Dr Chitra 10.05 – 10.20 am

Question & Answer session 10.20 – 11 am

Writing Process 11 – 11.15 am

Break 11.15 – 12 noon Helping Children to Write

Effectively 12 noon

End of session

ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES

1. To write to suit purpose, audience and context in

a way that is clear and effective (SW)

2. To use appropriate register and tone in a variety

of texts (SW)

3. To generate and select relevant ideas, organising

and expressing them in a coherent and cohesive

manner (CW)

4. To use correct grammar, spelling and

punctuation (CW)

5. To use a variety of vocabulary appropriately,

with clarity and precision (CW)

Part 1 (Situational Writing):

Candidates will be required to write a short functional

piece (e.g. letter, email, report) to suit the purpose,

audience and context of a given situation.

Part 2 (Continuous Writing):

Candidates will be required to write a composition of at

least 150 words in continuous prose on a given topic.

Three pictures will be provided on the topic offering

different angles of interpretation. Candidates may also

come up with their own interpretation of the topic.

Continuous Writing

Content

(20 marks)

Adequate and relevant

ideas

Development of ideas and

interest value

Language and

Organisation

(20 marks)

Correct grammatical

structures, spelling and

punctuation

Wide and appropriate

use of vocabulary

Sequencing,

paragraphing and linking

of ideas and fats

PSLE CONTINUOUS WRITING

Part 2 – 40 marks

Your composition should be based on

one or more of these pictures.

Consider the following points when you

plan your composition.

You may use the points in any order and

include other relevant points as well.

The pictures are provided to help

you think about this topic.

Challenge -What was the

challenge?

-Why was it

challenging?

Continuous Writing Must write based on topic given

Must select at least one picture to write on; not necessary

to use all pictures

To make use of the two guiding questions given

Writing Process

– planning, writing and checking

Decide on the choice of text types

•Narrative

(fictional / non-fictional)

•Recount

•Expository

Persuasive

Narrative

Refer to narrative power point slides.

Recount Writing Refer to recount power point slides.

Expository writing is the

genre that your child will

use most often in their

school years.

Expository Writing

A letter of protest,

complaint, suggestions

for environmental

improvements, etc.

Expository Writing

An expository text is

used by a writer to

persuade others.

It is also used to criticise

and review ideas and

actions.

Expository Writing

Expository Writing

Topic

Thesis with viewpoint

Supporting content for

viewpoint

Summing up

Example of Expository

Text in Pupil Writing

Booklet

Expository Writing

Samples of persuasive writing

Persuasive Writing Purpose

In persuasive writing, you work to

convince people to think the way you

do about something.

Topics

• Your opinion about something

• An action you feel is important

• Something worthy

Persuasive Writing

1. Author’s opinions / stand

2. Biased writing meant to

convince reader

3. Provides arguments,

reasons and justifications

4. Often asks for a call or an

action from the readers

Example of Persuasive

Text in Pupil Writing

Booklet

For more details and

examples of text types, refer

to ‘How to Write Effectively’

Booklet 1, 2 or 3

With all these information in

mind, your child will learn

the foundation and specific

skills to be a successful

writer in any of these text

types or genres.

Ways to help

children to write

Scaffolding pupils for

writing

Suggestions for

considerations

Scaffolding pupils for writing

• Research materials

• Books and other reading

materials such as magazines

and newspapers

• Snippets of Videos

• Sharing of pupils’ experiences

or prior knowledge on the

related topic

Scaffolding pupils for writing

• Use of graphic

organizers (refer to

Writing Booklet)

• Sample / Model stories

• Vocabulary words

• Modelling the writing

Modelling Model writing behaviours in shared writing –

Children will emulate when they write

independently. Articulate these behaviours in the

form of prompts to yourself, eg.

‘Do I know what I want to write?

Make a writing plan so I can remember the

important points.

Rehearse each sentence carefully before I

write it down.

Reread as I write to keep the flow and make

sure it makes sense.’

STELLAR Year 2 MLEA

Model the Writing

From Curriculum Planning

and Development Division

(CPDD- MOE)

Explicit Model Put their ideas in sentences

Use a clear structure to organise their

stories

**Vary their writing to suit the purpose

and the reader

**Use the texts they read as models to

their own writing

Writing a composition

independently

Where do pupils get ideas for

writing?

Anecdote

Knowledge

Reading of storybooks, newspapers

articles, etc

Watching movies,

news,

Listening and

speaking to

enhance

writing of stories

Writing prompts

Utilise

technology

Conversation with

people

Reading of other writers’

stories / model stories

Own/others’ experience

The input affects the output

What can you do?

Good inputs

include

Television

Internet

Newspapers

Books

Magazines

Modelling

Cultivate Good Habits

Keep up a reading habit

Use of a dictionary or

thesaurus

Use of personal word

bank

If children see themselves as writers, they are

also provided with consistent demonstrations of

what writers do, and have real reasons to write,

they will grow as writers. When we create home

and classroom conditions to maximize language

learning, and intentionally employ them to teach

writing, we offer young learners the most natural,

joyful, developmentally appropriate path toward

literacy acquisition.

Cambourne, Brian. 1988. The Whole Story: Natural Learning and the Acquisition of Literacy in the Classroom. Auckland,

New Zealand: Ashton Scholastic Ltd.

From theory to practice

Writing supports learning to read and reading supports

learning to write. Young writers need time and opportunity

to use their developing skills in functional, realistic,

non-artificial ways. Children in the primary grades, just

beginning to read and write, are dependent on success on

the reading/ writing connection. The influence of writing

on learning to read and improved reading achievement is

well documented. When writing with a focus on creating

meaning is taught reciprocally with reading, all children

benefit.

Routman, Regie. 2000.

Conversations: Strategies for Teaching, Learning, and Evaluating. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann

From theory to practice

Writing is a long term course. It takes three whole years for students to be familiar with the format of writing in English. Teachers and parents, we should figure out ways in which children can enjoy writing. Most importantly, children need to be motivated to write and encourage them to write more. As long as children are willing to write, their writing ability will surely improve.

Words of advice…

Thank you