All About English Creative Writing

[jedamum]

Hi MMM,

Thanks for the feedback.
I am still hesitating on whether to take up the Pre-Creative Writing to build up the foundation first, or wait until next year to take up the Creative Writing for P1.
May I know how long is the course? Is it a 12mth course? Any homework? As my boy doesn’t like to read, I am hoping that the teachers there can influence him a bit, as reading is very important for composition writing.
I have not considered Lorna Whiston cos it is out of the way…ie too far.
Blogging may be good, but if the kid is not well versed in typing, her train of thoughts may be lost as she tries to find the correct key to type.

[MMM]

My girl was actually with the phonics at Jan & Elly. As she only started in K2, she didn’t progress to the advanced phonics and moved on to creative writing when she goes to P1 this year. So we didn’t try the pre-creative writing.


It is a 1 year program for P1. I am having the same thots too for the location of lorna whiston. We currently have enrichment from 9am - 6pm on saturday travelling to diff places so I cannot afford to have another variation.

Is your boy strong on spelling, word recognition,etc…? If he is, probably he is prepared for pre-creative writing. My K2 son is currently doing his phonics with Jan & Elly currently. I prefer to build on his reading and spelling skills before exposing him to creative writing. Otherwise I felt it can be frustrating.

[jedamum]

I enquired about Jan & Elly’s phonics class last year when my boy was in K1, but the thought of my boy learning the phonics all over again seems a waste of time (should he fail their diagnostic test). So he didn’t have the chance to pick up ‘advanced phonics’ from such schools. Somehow, I guess due to his readiness, he is able to blend words with the little knowledge of phonics that his school taught. Word recognition is ok, but for spelling, using phonics can be a bit tricky as some words does not follow the phonetic rules. But he tries hard 8). It doesn’t help that his kindergarten does not have spelling.

Currently, Saturday is a rush for us too…from 10am to 6pm…with 2 hrs in between 3 enrichment…and I am relying on my husband to do the chauffeuring as we have a <2 yr old in toll.

[caroline3sg]

jedamum

Is your son K2 now? How about zoophonics wise owls programme (advanced phonics)? My son is now in wise owls (previously young joey). In wise owls, they have a little comprehension (not every lesson), a little writing (max 5 sentences) (also not every lesson).

It is phonics programme, not english. Seems wise owls is bridging phonics with a little english before we parents embark the children on English grammar, tenses, vocab & creating writing.

[jedamum]

caroline3sg:

jedamum

Is your son K2 now? How about zoophonics wise owls programme (advanced phonics)? My son is now in wise owls (previously young joey). In wise owls, they have a little comprehension (not every lesson), a little writing (max 5 sentences) (also not every lesson).

It is phonics programme, not english. Seems wise owls is bridging phonics with a little english before we parents embark the children on English grammar, tenses, vocab & creating writing.

Yes, my boy is in K2 now. since there are only like mths til next yr, wouldn't it be a bit later to enrol now? Nonetheless, I will bear your recommendation in mind when the time comes for my ds2.
Thanks!

[jedamum]

I have decided to 'teach' my boy compo writing (can't said its creative writing, cos i'm not creative :lol:) personally due to schedule clashing and cost savings. Any tips on how to (or care to review a teeny bit on how your kid's tutor teach this topic?) effectively 'teach' or encourage creative writing?


Had bought an assessment book to start with and nearly fainted when I saw the 'model answer'....are P1 students really expected to write that well? Told my boy to write 5 sentences and 3 out of the sentences were as follows...
- The books in the library are arranged neatly.
- The chairs and tables are also arranged neatly.
- The shelves are also arranged neatly.
:roll: :lol:

MMM:

So in the last SA1, I told her to write no more than 5 sentences as the more she writes, she is potentially making more mistakes.

MMM,
Do schools deduct marks for errors, or award marks for correct answers?
If it is the latter, wouldn't it be better to write more so that the teacher has more opportunity to give marks? That's what I used to do for MY OWN essay writing.

[ChiefKiasu]

jedamum:

... Told my boy to write 5 sentences and 3 out of the sentences were as follows...

- The books in the library are arranged neatly.
- The chairs and tables are also arranged neatly.
- The shelves are also arranged neatly.
:roll: :lol:
....

Kekkkekeke :lol: so young he already knows how to cut and paste to meet requirements... got bright future in front of him

[Jennifer]

My older boy went through a series of creative writing course-P1 @ I Can Read Advanced Exams and Writing Skills, P2 @ Jan & Elly creative writing, P3 @ Morris Allen English enrichment and end of P3 @ Catherine Khoo's Experiments.


But when I asked him if these helped, his answer is I dunno know. We do not know how to explain for his flair for writing, these courses or his daily reading?

This year, my younger boy was introduced to the 4W and 1H by the sch teacher -When, Where, Who, What and How. But there is so few practices, so far less than 10 compo and some are dictated works, yet this SA2 is testing them on compo :roll:

I am now deciding between spending money and time on 3rd party enrichments or just loading him with reading at home.

[tinkfirst]

Hi all,

Do any parents have experiences with Learning Point at Simei? Thinking of signing my daughter for creative writing courses there next year (P3). Heard that a screening test has to be conducted b4 they accept you. Any feedback from parents who have kids there at present?
How abt Discovery Vacation Camps during the school holiday? Any parents whose children had attended the Science camp b4? Thanks

[jedamum]

Hi Jennifer,

Thanks for sharing.
Any reason why you did not stick to one particular creative writing centre?
Yes, the course fees can be quite hefty…sufficient to buy plenty of books for self-reading.