‘understanding situational writing and conversation’ el parent workshop on... ·...

P5 and P6 Parent Workshop

‘Understanding Situational

Writing and Conversation’

24 Jan 2014

CONVERSATION

Paper Components No. of

Items

Marks /

Weighting

Duration

4 Reading Aloud

Picture Conversation

Oral Conversation

3 30 marks/

15%

Approx.

11 min

Examination Format

PSLE English Language

PSLE Foundation English Language


Items

Marks /

Weighting

Duration

4 Reading Aloud

Picture Conversation

Oral Conversation

3 30 marks/

20%

Approx.

11 min


Items

Marks /

Weighting

Duration

4 Reading Aloud

Stimulus-based Conversation

2 30 marks/

15%

Approx.

8 min

Examination Format

P5 English Language (revised)

NOTE THE ‘DIFFERENCE’

• Change in format only, SKILLS remain the SAME

• WHY ?

WHAT DO WE NEED FROM YOUR CHILD?

• Give a personal response

• Express oneself clearly and interact with the examiner

• Engage in a conversation where ideas and opinions are shared

• Maintain focus on the topic

• Not to treat the component as a question-and-answer session

(BEAM)

• Build ideas

• Engage and participate in as many

experiences as she/he can

• Ask questions to clarify her/his

own views about a topic

• Make use of every opportunity to

talk to people

TIPS FOR DOING WELL IN THE

CONVERSATION TASK

• Speak using appropriate vocabulary, grammatically correct sentences and structure

• Engagement with oral examiner – show interest, maintain eye contact, relaxed, smile

• Forthcoming in their responses – 1H 5Ws

• Give relevant personal experiences

AVOID

• American slang

• Unnecessary body gestures

• “Then … then I …”

• Muttering / Whispering

• Long pauses

• “I don’t know …”

• “Yes / No” answer

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Conversation Topics

• Conversation topic is usually related to the

theme of the passage and picture.

Example 1:

PICTURE DISCUSSION

CONVERSATION How do you keep yourself

healthy?

Tell me about a visit you

made to the doctor.

Tell me about a time when

you were unwell.

How do you keep yourself healthy?

• Response 1: I exercise daily

- jog daily

- particular about daily diet

- importance of breakfast

- healthy environment

- importance of sufficient water and sleep


• Response 2: I do not exercise daily

- try to jog during the weekends

- importance of breakfast

- healthy environment

- importance of sufficient water and sleep


• Response 3: I do not exercise

- Busy

- Do not like the feeling of being sticky and sweaty

- Always fall ill after being in the sun for long

- Eat healthily, ensure a well-balanced diet

- Take the stairs instead of the lift

(offer reasons to support)

Example 2:

PICTURE DISCUSSION

CONVERSATION Possible conversation topic:

Have you been to a camp?

Tell me about it.

Have you been on a class

outing? Tell me about it.

Stimulus- based

Conversation

(revised)

Question: Why do you think the free zoo

tickets have been included?

Child’s response:

• this book is all about animals

(tagging the Zoo, a place of animals to the content of the book)

• will attract people if there is free stuff inside the book together

(suggesting the people’s mindset)

Question: Why do you think the free zoo

tickets have been included?

• it is also quite cheap as it is only $9.90 usually a zoo ticket will cost more than $9.90 (offering his own reasoning using the information from the picture)

Question: Do you and your friends read

the same kinds of books or magazines?

• … do read the same kinds of magazines while sometimes they do not

(not a direct answer)

• … read other books like Geronimo Stilton or the Diary of the Wimpy Kid

(offering examples to support response)

Negative Responses?

RESOURCES AVAILABLE

• McOnline – Oral Buddy Package

• Newspapers

• News online

• Role models – parents, news-reporters

IN CONCLUSION (POLES)

• Share Personal experiences

• Give Opinions or different points of views

• Use Language appropriately

• Elaborate on the topic

• Demonstrate proper Social etiquette and

appropriate body language

Workshop on

Situational Writing

PSLE English Papers

Paper Components Marks Weighting Duration

1 Writing

Situational Writing 15 27.5%

1 h 10 min

Continuous Writing 40

2 Language Use & Comprehension

Booklet A (MCQ)

28 47.5%

1 h 50 min

Booklet B (FIB & OE)

67

3 Listening

Comprehension

Listening Comprehension MCQ

20

10%

About 35 min

4 Oral

Communication

Reading Aloud 10 15%

About 10 min Stimulus-based

Conversation

20

Total 200 100%

Source:

www.moe.gov

.sg/education

/syllabuses

Writing Requirements

1 Write to suit purpose, audience and context in a way that is clear and effective.

2 Use appropriate register and tone in a variety of texts.

3 Select and infer information from text, organise and express them in a coherent and cohesive manner.

4 Use correct grammar, spelling and punctuation.

5 Use a variety of vocabulary appropriately, with clarity and precision.

Process of

Communication

Writer (pupil)

Context Format Language Reader (marker)

A B C

A. Context of the Situation

•Show accurate understanding of the

context (situation) through their writing.

•Consider general questions and

specific questions:

A1. General Questions What?

Exactly what is my subject matter?

In other words, what is the matter regarding?

Is it an item, an experience or an event?

When?

Are there stated date and time?

Is there a series of events?

(First, then, third, and finally)

A1. General Questions (continued) Where? [Place, location, venue]

The place / location that the item was found /

bought or an experience that had taken place, or an

event that is going to take place in the near future?

Who? [Audience]

To whom do you wish to communicate with?

Is he or she a person of authority?

Do you have a particular person or a group of

persons in mind?

Why? [Purpose]

What do you seek to achieve through this writing?

A2. Specific Questions Understand the pictures provided

- overall situation

- what was being communicated

Look for key words in speech bubbles

& clues in the pictures

- 5W1H questions:

who, what, where, when, why, how

A2. Specific Questions Task.

- Task Box, in bold. Purpose: •To inform / notify (someone of a decision, an event)

•To describe (an item, a direction, a procedure)

•To invite (someone to go to an event with you)

•To recount / retell (an incident or an experience)

•To report (a car accident or an injury)

•To complain (of a defective product or a lousy experience)

•To compliment (a pleasant experience or service)

•To appeal for (help, donation, eye-witness)

•To persuade (someone to or not to do something)

•To suggest / propose (alternatives, better ways)

Process of

Communication

Writer (pupil)


A B C

B. Text Types for Academic &

Functional Purposes Examples

Lists Things to bring for P5 camp

Procedures Recipes, instructional manuals

Notes Letters Email Notices

Telephone messages Letters of compliments/complaints Emails to friends/classmates Notices to residents, club members

Factual Recounts Incident Reports

Information Reports School newsletter articles on CCA groups & achievements

Expositions (present, explain & justify point of view to persuade)

Environmental Club’s newsletters on why we need to reduce, reuse & recycle (3Rs)

Refer to Appendix

B. Differences in Formal and Informal

Writing Formal Informal

Salutation Dear Sir/Madam, Dear Mr Tan

Hi John, Dear John

Statements to greet recipient

I wish to inform you about…, inquire about…, request for…

How are you getting along? I hope you are fine.

Vocabulary words (informal / formal words)

I would be grateful if you could _______?

You will probably…

Signing off (on the bottom left side)

Best regards, Yours faithfully, Yours sincerely,

With best wishes, Best wishes or Your cousin, friend, classmate

B. Three-Part Format

- Salutation (Greeting) E.g. Dear Sir/Madam,

Dear Johnny,

- Main message : 3-tiered “hamburger”

structure

- Signing off (Ending)

E.g. Yours sincerely,

Your cousin,

B: Main message : 3-tiered “hamburger” structure

Tier one: Introduction

(First Paragraph)

- State clearly what the letter is

about

E.g. give the letter a heading

immediately after the salutation.

- Indicate the writer’s purpose

E.g. to inform, recommend, ask

for something, enquire (ask

about), compliment, complain

B. Main message : 3-tiered “hamburger” structure

Tier two: Body

(Second Paragraph)

-Essentially the answers to the

6 prompts

-Should consist of one or more

paragraphs

-The more clearly the ideas

and facts are expressed,

linked and sequenced, the

better

B. Main message : 3-tiered “hamburger” structure

Tier three: Conclusion

(Third Paragraph)

-reiteration of purpose

* to request to exchange a broken

CD for a new one

* to return your rabbit to you if the

residents see it

* to express gratitude again

* to inform choice of birthday

present chosen for a classmate

* to inform about an event

* to request for a sponsorship

Salutation Dear Sir/Madam or Recipient’s name,

Re: Request for Exchange of CD

State context and purpose of writing.

Main Body

Reiterate purpose of writing and

end with closing statement.

Yours sincerely / Yours faithfully,

[The writer’s name]

B. Suggested Format for Email

Reference/

Subject

Main message

Signing off

[Your address] (for recipient to reply or send

something to)

Date

[Recipient’s title] Manager

[Recipient’s address]

Dear Sir/Madam or Recipient’s name,

Re: Lost Rabbit

State context and purpose of writing.

Main Body

Reiterate purpose of writing and

end with closing statement.

Yours sincerely / Yours faithfully,

[The writer’s name]

B. Suggested Format for Letter

Address

Date

Recipient’s official title

and Company’s address

Salutation

Reference/Subject

Main message

Signing off

Process of

Communication

Writer (pupil)


A B C

C. Language: Grammar, Expression,

Spelling & Punctuation

C1. Grammar: different tenses

past perfect tense - I had purchased a CD from your

shop on 1 October 2007.

simple past tense – When I reached home, I found that

the CD was broken.

future tense – I hope you will look into this matter.



C1. Grammar: Change from direct speech in speech

bubbles to reported speech in the email/letter

Direct speech

Aziz: A watch? So expensive! How about a purse?

Reported speech

Aziz disagreed on buying a watch for Sally as he felt it

was too expensive. He suggested buying a purse

instead.



C2. Expression: Appropriate Phrases for Different Contexts - to inform vs to recommend (not attending together)

- to inform vs to invite to attend together

C3. Spelling - Mindful of words that have the same pronunciation

eg accept & except, find & fine, compliment vs complement

- to complain (action verb) vs Letter of complaint (noun)

C4. Punctuation - Use a full-stop, not comma, after each complete sentence.

Phrases Appropriate for

Different Contexts

Making a request: •We would appreciate it if you would ...

• I would be grateful if you could ...

•Could you please send me ...

•Could you possibly tell us / let us have ...

•In addition, I would like to receive ...

•It would be helpful if you could send us ...

•I am interested in (obtaining / receiving) ...

•I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.

•Please let me know what action you propose to take.

Offering help: •Would you like us to ...?

•We would be happy to ...

•We are quite willing to ...

•We would be pleased to ...


Different Contexts

Giving good news: •We are pleased to announce that ...

•I am delighted in inform you that ..

•You will be pleased to learn that ...


Different Contexts

Giving bad news: •We regret to inform you that ...

•I'm afraid it would not be possible to ...

•Unfortunately we cannot / we are unable to ...

•After careful consideration we have decided (not) to ...


Different Contexts

Making a complaint: •I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with ...

•I am writing to complain about ...

•Please note that the goods we ordered on ( date ) have not yet arrived.

•I would like to query the transport charges which seem unusually high.


Different Contexts

Making an apology: •We are sorry for the delay in replying to ...

•I regret any inconvenience caused (by) ...

•I would like to apologise for the (delay, inconvenience)...

•Once again, please accept my apologies for ...


Different Contexts

Examination Skills - PLAN

Identify the 6 prompts

Look for, label and underline answers to the 6 prompts in the information above the picture, in the picture & task box.

Paraphrase accordingly, not copy wholesale, for each prompt and write answer beside the prompt.

Plan the writing using the 3-part format: Salutation, Main message, & Signing off.

Examination Skills - WRITE For the main message, use the 3-tiered

“hamburger” structure: State context and purpose of writing Main Body Reiterate purpose of writing and end with closing statement.

Label the 6 points (number 1 to 6 above the

phrases or sentences) on the writing to avoid omission.

Examination Skills - CHECK

Upon completion, check accuracy of 6

prompts

Check accuracy & appropriateness of

grammar, expression, spelling &

punctuation.

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