Departmental Sharing (English & Foundation English)

Pioneer Primary School

P6 Principal’s Briefing

Departmental Sharing

(English & Foundation English)

Friday, 11 March 2016

Content

Changes to format of Paper

Area of concern

Tips

Plan for success


New PSLE Format 2016

Areas to focus on:

Oral

• Stimulus-based Conversation

Paper 1

• Question 2 – Composition

Paper 2

• Comprehension Open-ended

PSLE English

Paper 1 – Continuous Writing and Situational

Writing

Paper 2 – Grammar. Vocabulary, Visual

Literacy, Grammar Cloze, Editing, Synthesis

and Transformation and Open-ended

Comprehension

Paper 3 – Listening Comprehension

Paper 4 -- Oral

Write a composition of at least 150 words about

regretting a decision

The pictures are provided to help you think about

the topic.

Your composition should be based on one or more

of these pictures.

Consider the following points when you plan your

composition:

what was the decision

what caused you to regret it

You may use the points in any order and include

other relevant points as well.





Tips for Continuous Writing Standard EL

1. To keep the writing relevant, pupils MUST:

• Address one picture explicitly.

• Mention the main idea / key words explicitly in their

composition.

• Address all points (prompts)

2. Reading to Writing

• Create opportunities for yourself to apply the good words

and phrases.

3. Practise writing

• Journals, comments, compositions, diaries, reflections

Do not write the same way we text!




the topic.


of these pictures.


composition:









Conclusions – Highlighting the theme/key words

I could not even look my parents in the face. I

was so ashamed of myself. I berated myself for

throwing caution to the wind and ignoring all their

advice. My parents banned me from playing

computer games and grounded me for a month.

Had I listened to them, I would not have done so

badly in the test. I truly regret the decision

I made. There is no one else to blame but me.






composition.




and phrases.

3. Practise writing






the topic.


of these pictures.


composition:













composition.




and phrases.

3. Practise writing




Using good vocabulary appropriately

• The boy hit me and I fell to the ground.

• The bully punched me in the face and I

collapsed onto the ground.

• Without warning, the bully raised his fist

and dealt a powerful blow to my face; I

crumpled to the ground like a sack of

potatoes.






composition.




and phrases.

3. Practise writing




Part 2: Continuous Writing/Picture Composition (30 marks)

You were getting ready for school one morning when the incident shown in the pictures

took place.

Based on the pictures below, write a composition of at least 120 words.

You may use the helping words and phrases given. Use your own words to describe

the ending. You may include other details.

(a)

computer games addicted refused to sleep stayed up late

(b)

fast asleep worried dressed hurriedly set off for school

(c)

?

Foundation English


FEL

• Keep the story logical and in sequence.

• For a start, keep sentences simple and

short.

• Start preparing now – different themes

• Spelling – take note of the commonly

misspelled words and learn them.

suddenly, accidentally, principal, immediately,

stretcher

Who Did what Whom / When / Where /How / Why


Tips for Comprehension Open Ended

• Read the passage more than once.

• Pause and think about what we are

reading –ask questions about the text,

make connections with the text

• Remember why we are reading the

passage – EXAMS!



• Apply the comprehension strategies taught

in class ( activating prior knowledge,

predicting, summarising, inferencing,

annotating, visualising, evaluating,

justifying, making connections to the text

etc )



• Understand the expectations of the

question

identify a 4-word phrase in paragraph 2

or a sentence or 2 words in paragraph 4

explain clearly why the writer felt that way

give reasons for your answer

how do you know…



• Strive for accuracy in language

Grammar mistakes hinder clear

communication

Eg. They had their feet in wild applause.

( He had them on their feet in wild

applause.)


ORAL COMMUNICATION

• Reading

• Stimulus-based Conversation

Pupils are given 5 minute preparation time

( Think about the topic for discussion)

S t r i v e T o S u c c e e d

Day 1

Flag

Day

Happy

Birthday

Fund-Raising Ideas

Donation Card Funfair Tickets

Car Wash Services

Flag Day

Sale of Handmade Crafts

Flag

Day

Happy

Birthday


• Look at the picture. Which of these fund-

raising activities would you be interested in

signing up for? Tell me why?

S t r i v e T o S u c c e e d

Day 1

Flag

Day

Happy

Birthday

Fund-Raising Ideas

Donation Card Funfair Tickets

Car Wash Services

Flag Day

Sale of Handmade Crafts

Flag

Day

Happy

Birthday


How can parents help

• Provide opportunities for your children to

share any interesting things they have read

( Little Red Dot, Reader’s Digest, Straits

Times etc)

• Take them on trips to places

(eg wet market, shopping malls, Bird Park…)

so that they have an experience they can

relate to for conversation


Developing a plan…

Common Misconception

“No need to learn English?”

( tenses, phrasal verbs, occupation list,

idiomatic expression, word substitution,

collocation, synonyms, antonyms, spelling

list, etc)


• Read extensively ( for exposure ) and

intensively ( notice language in use)

• Write frequently to improve fluency

( planning is important )


Develop the rigour and stamina by working

on practice papers ( Duration of paper is1h

50 minutes with 7 texts and 80 questions)

Come up with a realistic timetable and

stick to it.


Documents

Departmental Sharing (English & Foundation English)