Preparation for Term 4 Week 3

Please choose one of the following branches as a group and complete the mindmap found here. First-come-first-served. Comment to this post to choose.

1) Characteristics
2) Challenges / Problems / Disadvantages
3) Impact
4) Opportunities / Advantages
5) Solutions / Recommendations
6) Wildcard option (you can contribute to any of the above categories or make your own)

For the required standard, please refer to the mindmap on Science and Technology we did in Term 3. The mindmap needs to be complete before lessons this week. The focus of the lesson will be on application of the mindmap to various essay questions which I will bring to class. If you do not complete the mindmap, there will be no lesson.

Term 4 Week 2 Preparation

1. Complete the ACS (Barker) 2014 MYCT Paper 2 distributed on Friday. We will use this for lessons in Term 4 Week 2. 

2. Please find the details for your last written assignment here. The deadline is 27 Sep 1200h. 

Preparation for Term 3 Week 9

Preparation
Please prepare the following in the given order for the week's lesson.
1) Read through the question paper for Situational Writing for your Prelim Paper found here.

2) Read through Text C for your Prelim Paper found here. We will be doing the feedback for Summary in class. The feedback for Section A and all the short questions for Section B and C will be done during the review lecture in Term 3 Week 10.

3) Do a detailed essay plan for all the 4 questions in Section C (Continuous Writing) for your Prelim Paper found here.

Your question papers will be returned to you on Tuesday.

Homework deadline
Please redo your Project Beta and submit your essays to your EL Rep on Friday.

Preparation for Term 3 Week 6

Please continue to bring your LDs / recording devices / devices which can connect to the Internet as we will be continuing with our preparation for the GCE O-level Oral Examination.

In addition, please do the following:
1) Read the essays found here and think of the following:
(a) What are some strengths of the essay?
(b) What are some weaknesses of the essay?
I will not be printing the essays for lesson. We will use the softcopy for discussion. So please ensure you have something to refer to during lessons.

2) Students with Project Ace essays scoring 22 marks or more, could you please upload your essays here for sharing? If we share the better essays, we can all learn from each other. Kindly name your files as follows before uploading:
Title of essay_Your Name_Your class.docx or .pages.

Answers to types of support exercise

Please click here for the answers to the exercise on types of support.

For those of you who still haven't viewed the slides on types of support, the slides can be found here.

Preparation for Term 3 Week 4

Lessons next week will run in the following order

Logic and Fallacies
1. Analyse all the sample paragraphs on the handout distributed in class and identify the fallacies in each sample.
2. Do a self-study for "Types of Support" using the slides found here. Complete the practice mentioned in the slides. The article has been given to you in class.

Feedback for Planning Test
Do a detailed essay plan for each of the 4 questions in the recent planning test done in class. The paper we used was Crescent Girls' School MYCT 2014.

Feedback for Project Beta
Bring your LDs for this lesson. You will need it in class. 
Do a detailed essay plan for the following questions:
1) Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions to be made in life. What factors will
affect your choice? (Cam 2005)

2) Write about some of the things in your country you value most and would miss greatly, if you had to live in another country. (Cam 2007)

Collaborative Content Lesson

Bring your LDs for this lesson. You will need it in class. 

This week, we will be working on the topic "Science and Technology". The intent of this lesson is to collaboratively build up content which will help you in writing your essays for the O-level examination. Each group is to choose one of the areas in the list below to work on. Choose by commenting on this post. First-come-first-served. No two groups may work on the same area. Each student in the group is to independently do the following and bring your preparation to class:

(a) Come up with at least 3 items for the area chosen by your group.

(b) Think of examples for the 3 items you came up with. If you have hyperlinks for your examples, save it on your LD.

List of areas to explore for Science and Technology 

1) Characteristics
2) Applications / Areas of use
3) Impacts
4) Problems caused
5) Solution for
6) Ethical issues

Preparation for Term 3 Week 3.

Introduction to Fallacies 

Read the handout on fallacies I gave you in class today. You can also watch the video (which covers the first part of the handout) found here. Complete the required reading before the second lesson of the week.

Comprehension skills lessonWe will continue with the comprehension skills revision using the handout I gave you as holiday homework. We will use one lessons for this.

Essay skills revision (Reflective Writing)
For the first lesson of the week, please come prepared with a detailed essay plan for the following question. We will discuss this in class:

Write about some of your worries and hopes for the future. (Cam 2009)

Essay Planning Test
In addition, there will be an essay planning test during the first lesson of the week. You will be given an actual test / exam paper from another school and be required to write as detailed an essay plan you can possibly manage in 10 min. You plan must include the following:

1) Brief question analysis using some of the tools you have learnt earlier in the year found here.
2) Stand (if applicable) in the exact phrasing as you would have written it in an essay.
3) At least 3 points (not inclusive of the balance point) in the exact phrasing as you would have written it in an essay.
4) Examples you plan to use in point form.

Your plan should look like a much reduced version of the sample plans I made reference to for your holiday homework found here.

You will be graded for this test using the essay grade descriptors found here. I will make an estimate of the Band you are likely to be getting given your plan, assuming you would translate it accordingly into writing.

Preparation for Term 3 Week 2

Comprehension skills lesson
We will continue with the comprehension skills revision using the handout I gave you as holiday homework. We will use two lessons for this.

Essay skills revision (Reflective Writing)
For the third lesson, please come prepared with a detailed essay plan for the following question. We will discuss this in class:

Write about some of your worries and hopes for the future. (Cam 2009)

Essay Planning Test
In addition, there will be an essay planning test some time this week. You will be given an actual test / exam paper from another school and be required to write as detailed an essay plan you can possibly manage in 10 min. You plan must include the following:

1) Brief question analysis using some of the tools you have learnt earlier in the year found here.  

2) Stand (if applicable) in the exact phrasing as you would have written it in an essay. 

3) At least 3 points (not inclusive of the balance point) in the exact phrasing as you would have written it in an essay.

4) Examples you plan to use in point form.

Your plan should look like a much reduced version of the sample plans I made reference to for your holiday homework found here. 

You will be graded for this test using the essay grade descriptors found here. I will make an estimate of the Band you are likely to be getting given your plan, assuming you would translate it accordingly into writing. 

Special Preparation for Term 3 Lesson 1

To ease us into the term, we will do something with your LDs for the first lesson. Please bring your LDs.

In addition, please do a detailed question analysis for the following question and come up with at least 4 points (phrased in the exact phrasing as you would have written them in an essay). I will check your preparation.

As long as people do their job well, does it matter what they do in private? (modified A-level question).

June Holiday Homework

EL is a skills-based subject. Like any skill, you need to practise consistently in order to be good. Anyone can complete the 2.4km run. But to complete it with a good timing, one needs to train for it. In the same way, if you want to do well for EL, you need to train for it. The June EL holiday homework is designed to help you train for your O-level. Do try to follow the given schedule as far as possible for your benefit.

Comprehension Practice
1) Complete Practice Paper 6, 7 and 8 (page 313 onwards) from the book "Distinction in O level English" you bought in Sec 3 and mark your own work. You should do 1 paper per week in the first 3 weeks of the school holidays. Bring your books for checking during the first lesson in Term 3.

2) Complete the handout on comprehension skills given out to you on the last day of school. If you did not receive the handout, there are some extra copies in my pigeon hole. Bring your completed work to class during the first lesson in Term 3. We will be starting lesson using this set of handouts.

Essay Practice
1) Select 12 questions from Project Ace found here. For these 12 questions, do a detailed essay plan as shown in the sample here. You should do 3 essay outlines a week. Start each essay outline on a new sheet of paper. Submit your essay outlines for checking on the first day of Term 3.

2) Redo Project Ace if you have not yet cleared it. You are not allowed to select a question which I have not marked for you. You have to choose one which I have marked and work on improving it. Submit your essay for marking on the first day of Term 3.

Organise your EL file
Organise your EL file. I will call for file check during the first week of Term 3. Students whose files were properly organised during the previous file check will be exempted.

Project Beta and Preparation for Term 2 Week 9

Preparation for Term 2 Week 9
For each of your Mid Year Common Test Paper 1 questions (reproduced below for you), do a complete essay plan which includes the following:

(a) Detailed question analysis

(b) Stand written in exact phrasing (for Q1 and Q3 only)

(c) At least 3 points written in exact phrasing

(d) Examples in point form

1) The current generation of youth is often referred to as the “Strawberry Generation”. To what extent do you think this is true of the youth in your country?

2) Describe some of the green spaces in Singapore. How important are these places to you as a Singaporean?

3) Discuss the importance of values in society today.

4) Write about a time when you were treated unfairly. How important is the concept of fairness to you?

Project Beta

Project Beta is due on the last day of school for this term. Please refer to the file here for instructions.

Preparation for Mon's lesson

Read the article on sport given out in class today. Using examples from the article, write a balance paragraph / show a balance argument for the following question:

Sport divides more than it unites. Discuss.

1. Do a detailed analysis of the question
2. Write down your stand in the exact phrasing as it would appear in your essay.
3. Write down your balance point in the exact phrasing as it would appear in your essay. 
4. For each supporting example you would like to include, summarise the relevant information needed for your point in no more than 3 lines. 

There is no need to write the Elaboration, Evaluation or the Link. You only need to write the point for one paragraph if you are raising and opposing view and refuting it. If you are accepting an opposing view as limitation to your position, you need to have points for two paragraphs to display balance. 

All work must be written on paper or printed and brought to class. 

What to do for consultation

Not everything for English can be taught in the classroom. Sometimes, it is necessary to see your teacher for consultation to go through some finer details. The most common thing that students do for consultation is to go through work that has already been marked. But that is the least productive thing to do as usually, feedback would have already been given in class. Unless you have further clarifications to make or unless you have made some improvements after the feedback which you would like to check with the teacher, your time might be better spent on other things.

Here are some things you can consider doing for consultation:
1) Checking your corrections for marked work.

2) Do a comprehension on your own from the book "Distinction in O-level English" you bought last year, mark your own work, and identify questions which you need explanation. Let me know before hand which questions these are so that I can read the passage and prepare. We can then discuss these questions when we meet.

3) Discuss your essay plans with me to check if you have analysed the questions correctly, come up with workable points and put in relevant examples for the question. In 1 hour, we can easily go through 3 plans. And one of these plans that we have worked through together might just be the question that appears for the exams.

4) Work on specific essay paragraphs with me. These paragraphs can be a correction for your written work, or it can be a new paragraph you have written. For example, the article and question I put up on the cohort Facebook group on the Menstrual Man will make a good exercise in paragraph development. You can attempt writing a paragraph and meet me to go through it. Or you can create Intro or Conclusion paragraphs based on any given essay questions and go through it with me.

5) Write a full essay and meet me to go through the essay together. However, this is not the most efficient thing to do as we will probably take the whole hour to just go through 1 essay. Even so, we are unlikely to get to talk about everything you have written.

6) For early Term 3, you would probably want to practice your skills for the oral exams with me, particularly the conversation part.

To arrange a consultation, please check my calendar (which has already been shared with you on google calendar) and drop me a message on my mobile phone. When you have arrived for your consultation, please give me a call on my mobile phone as well as I might be held up somewhere. I am usually not at my desk. So there is no point calling my extension.

Preparation for lesson on 22 Apr (Tue)

Describe some of your experiences in food courts and hawker centres. How important are these places in your life as a teenager in Singapore?

(1) Analyse the question above using the question analysis tools and brainstorming skills you have been taught in class.

(2) Come up with at least 3 points / ideas that will form 3 paragraphs that address the question above. Your points / ideas should be phrased in the exact manner as they would have been phrased in your essay.

Do (1) and (2) in the light of what you have learnt about reflective writing in today's lesson.

Preparation for Term 2 Week 5

1) Complete the VS 2013 Prelim paper before the 3rd lesson of the week

2) Analyse the 3 samples of reflective writing handed out in class:
(a) What are the kinds of information included? Why do you think they are included
(b) How are the paragraphs structured? Do you notice any patterns
(c) How are the essays organised? Do you notice any patterns
(d) What make the essays reflective essays? What are some defining features of reflective writing?

There is no Reading Task this week. There will be none until the post mid year Common Test period.

Homework and Preparation for Term 2 Week 4

Reading task
Refer to the Directed Reading Package (DRP) on the Environment found here. This is an example of how you can do your own research and gather information on a topic you are passionate about. Having the necessary content knowledge is important for expository writing.

For your reading task this week, scan through the DRP and select an issue raised in the DRP which you feel strongly about. Describe the issue briefly (in no more than 1 paragraph) and explain why you feel so passionately about this issue.

Preparation for lessons
Before the first lesson of the week, do a brief question analysis and come up with at least 4 points for each of the following questions:
1) How far is technology the solution to environmental problems?
2) Women will never enjoy the same rights as men. Do you agree?
3) Given the limited land available in Singapore, is it wise to set aside some areas as nature reserves? (Cam 2006)
4) ‘Modern technology gives us hope for the future.’ What are your views? (Gan Eng Seng School Prelim 2013)

Feedback for Reading Task on beauty (Term 2 Week 1)
Here are some possible points you could discuss:
1) People go to great lengths and huge cost to make themselves better looking (P1 Para 1).
2) Some of the methods / products used to improve one's appearance are unproven (P1 Para 1).
3) The search for beauty is frivolous and leads to a shallower society (P1 Para 3).
4) The beauty business deceives people into spending money uselessly or harmfully (P1 Para 3).
5) Until their bodies stop growing, teenagers should not be allowed to change them in permanent ways that may turn out to be harmful (P1 Para 4).
6) Big beauty companies play on people's hopes and fears (P1 Para 5).
7) Techniques and technologies of plastic surgery are more widely available than ever before (P2 Para 2). 
8) All this tinkering with facial and body types may be changing the way our brains perceive beauty (P2 Para 3).
9) Illegitimate practitioners turn out as many beasts as beauties (P2 Para 4).
10) Beauty industry turn out many same-looking standardised young people, depriving people of their individual characteristics (P2 Para 4). 

Project Ace second submission

The deadline for the second submission is 14 Apr (Mon). You are required to attach the marked first draft of your essay behind your new submission. This is to enable me to track the improvements you have made. All other requirements remain the same. Please check the instructions for the project which was posted here.

In addition, as mentioned in a comment last weekend, please note that there is an error in the phrasing of one of the Project Ace questions. I missed the error as I simply copied and pasted from the source. The correct question should read:

Technological advances have hindered instead of aided communication. Do you agree?

Preparation for Term 2 Week 3

Reading Programme
Read the two passages on sport handed out during assembly. Choose one point from each passage and argue if you agree or disagree with the author, citing your own examples to support your view.

Note: You should not restrict your examples to your own country. You also need not answer the question printed with the passages.

Preparation for lessons 1 and 2 of Term 2 Week 3
Look at the pictures on the handout containing the 3 oral examination papers. Based on what you were taught in the previous lesson for oral, write down 3 possible conversation questions. Prepare brief answers to the questions you have come up with in point form.

As a practice, read the passages on the handout.

File check
There are students who still have not submitted your EL file for checking. Please do so on Mon or Tue.

Class work on 31 Mar (Mon)

Please do the following during class time.  I will come online to check your work and give you feedback live during your lesson time.

First priority:
Look at the Self-Study guide on essay planning given as your March holiday homework. Choose a point to work on as a group. For your chosen point, write a content paragraph as a group. You may incorporate the examples given in the guide (if they are not outdated), or include your own examples. You might need to research the details of the examples given if you are not familiar with them.

Write your group paragraph on Google Doc on the class folder under
English Class Materials > Writing > S4-02 Paragraph Development > Can we tackle global warming successfully?
You can reach the folder directly here.

Second priority:
Complete the Introduction and Conclusion writing exercise we did not manage to finish the previous time.
English Class Materials > Writing > S4-02 Paragraph Development > Introduction and Conclusion

Homework and Preparation for Term 2 week 2

For the reading programme this week, please read the two sets of readings given out during assembly and answer the application question as well as all the comprehension questions.

Many of you have also not submitted your EL files for checking. Please bring them during the first lesson of the week.

We have not completed the feedback for your Mar holiday homework Unpacking the text compre exercise. Please bring it for lesson. Also complete the preparation required for the two paper 1 questions. You are required to come up with points after our feedback today.

Term 2 Groups

Please sit in your new groups for Term 2 from the first lesson onwards. Click here for your group list.

March Holiday Homework

All holiday homework will be checked (except the optional item) and those who do not do the work will be dealt with. 

Reading Programme
Deadline - 20 Mar (Thu), submit response on Facebook
I have shared the following two documents on the SST 2014 Sec 4 group on Facebook.
1) Identity
2) Courage

Read the passage in each document and respond to the application question given. You are only required to write one paragraph in response to each file. You are to write your response as a comment to my post. In your response, you must refer to one idea from the text as well as one idea from one person (need not be from your class) who posted before you (Exception: The first person who comments will not need to refer to another person's idea)

File Check
Deadline - 1st lesson of Term 2 Week 1
Bring your EL file for the 1st lesson of Term 2 Week 1 for file check. Organise your file based on the instructions found on the Admin Guide (Use the link at the sidebar on your right or click here). Look under the section "Blue Ring File.

Comprehension skills revision
Optional:
For those of you who often have difficulties understanding comprehension texts and overall meaning, please work through this exercise on Unpacking the Text at the Global level. It comes complete with a video explanation. The skill taught is for an exposition text, but you can come up with your own tool after you have gone through it.

Compulsory (Deadline - 3rd lesson of Term 2 Week 1):
Either print or work on your LDs (you will have to bring your LDs to class if you work on your LDs) the document found here on Unpacking the text for details. We need this for the 3rd lesson of Term 2 Week 1.

Essay skills revision
Deadline - 1st lesson of Term 2 Week 1
Take a look at the sample essay plan found here. Using exactly the same format, complete with all the sections, do essay plans for the following questions.
1) Some people say that the Internet does more harm than good. What is your view? (Cam 2010)

2) “Singapore has turned into an intolerant nation.” Do you agree? (St Theresa’s Convent Prelim 2013)

5/3/14 Lesson Summary by Index No. 12(John Cheong Zhan Hao)

Quick and Dirty way to Write Intros for Essays

Example:
Parents often believe that it is better to be safe than sorry. Do you consider young people to be too protected?
Issue: Parents being too protective.

Word Association
Sorry
killed, regret, harm, guilt, bad situation

Safe
Risk Averse
Assurance
No Danger
Precaution

Too protected
Overbearing
Tyrannical
Anxiety
No freedom
Prison

Sample Intro: Many young people find their parents overbearing. Parents often restrict their charges' freedom as they believe some harm may befall their children should they be left entirely alone. Therefore, they take various 'precautions' really necessary? I think not. I think that the way parents behave has resulted in your people being over protected.

Homework due in Term 1 Week 10

There is no reading task this weekend. Instead, please do the following:

1. Crescent Girls' School 2013 Prelim Paper 2. Deadline: 10 Mar Monday

2. Project Ace (Click here for instructions). Deadline: 14 Mar Friday 12 noon

Homework and Preparation for Term 1 Week 9

Reading Programme
Deadline: 3 Mar (Mon)

The files you have submitted this week will be returned on 3 Mar (Mon). Please take 5 min to get ready this week’s reading tasks for submission by the end of the day.  You are to read the article given out in class on Meritocracy for this week's reading task and complete the question at the end. 

 

A  student's response for last week's reading task has been posted on the cohort Facebook page for your review. If you are not sure how the reading task should be done, please read the response.

 

Writing Introduction and Conclusion
After we compete the feedback for the CHIJ Comprehension Paper, we will be working on writing Introduction and Conclusion. You will need to bring your LDs to school for these writing lessons. Please analyse the samples in the handout given to you a few days ago before coming for lessons. In addition, please familiarise yourselves with the materials you worked on for the following essay questions:
1) Should the media be completely free?
2) Discuss the problems and benefits of hosting major sporting events.

3) Parents often believe that it is better to be safe than sorry. Do you consider young people to be too protected?

4) 'The way we dress reveals who we are'. What are your views?

Lessons on Speaking
After our lessons on writing Introduction and Conclusion, we shall move into lessons on speaking. As a group, you are to choose the following which we will work on in class:

(a) 1 speech found here (no 2 groups may choose the same speech)
(b) 1 photo from here (no more than 2 groups may choose the same photo. NOTE: This instruction is different from the one above!!)

Make your choices as a group and put it as a comment to this post. First-come-first-served.

For the speech, each student is to consider the Purpose, Audience, Culture and Context for the speech and write down the expected features of such a speech which will aid you in delivering the speech.

For the photo, each student is to come up with possible discussion questions which might be asked for the discussion section of an oral examination.

Lesson Summary- 24/02/14

Topic: Comprehension
Materials: CHIJ Preliminary Examination Paper 1

Question 1: (Find out the keywords which will allow you to gain the marks)

• Xplore (Learning new things)
• Xplore (Exploring & Enquiring)

• Xperiment (Create)
• Xperiment (Experimenting)

Question 2: (Find the purpose of the advertisement in regards to the context)

• Representation of someone who is creative and loves to experiment (in Einstein)

Question 3: (Search out the information directly from the text)

• (Benefits for entering the competition)

Question 4: (Infer why support from companies are important for the competition to be a success)

• To set the standard of the competition by having credible backing
• More people will be inclined to join in on the competition

Question 5: (Tone in relation to the relationship between the author and the two people)

• Sarcastic tone (To highlight her plight due to the lack of money)
• Friendly tone (To ease their way into getting their money back)
• Intimidating tone (To make the author afraid in order to push her to pay up her dues)

Question 6: (To state the function of inverted commas in context of the passage)

• To contradict a visitor’s typical open reception by the owner of the house

Question 7: (State the phrase given in the passage, and then infer from the paragraph why it happened)

• i) ‘Stunned’
• ii) The writer was too shocked ‘to even move or talk’

Question 8: (State the similar words/phrase that’s given in the line)

• i) Lumbering
• ii) Stoic endurance

Question 9: (Something that was expected to happen, but something else occurred in it’s place)

• Expected (The husband should be worried about their plight)
• Unexpected (He was confident that they will be able to make do) 

Question 10: (Infer the problem, and then explain further for 2 marks)

• Her life was full of problems
• Husband did not fully support her or see her troubles

*posted on behalf on Shawn Kit*

Homework and Preparation for Term 1 Week 7

Reading Programme

Deadline: 25 Feb (Tue)

The files you have submitted this week will be returned on 25 Feb (Tue) during assembly. Please take 5 min during your recess to get ready this week’s reading tasks for submission by the end of the day.  You are to read the articles found here for this week's reading task and complete the question at the end. 

Feedback for CHIJ Secondary Preliminary Examination 2013 Paper 2

We will be doing the feedback for this comprehension practice this week. You have submitted the work to me a few weeks ago. Please re-read the passages to prepare yourself for the lesson and bring along the passages.

There is no other preparation required this week. 

Lesson Summary for 10/02 & 14/02

Example (from sample paragraphs for analysis of paragraph development):

Question: Should richer nations stop giving aid to poorer ones? 

Point: As much as economic progress is a strong reason for aid to continue, political stability is no less crucial. 

Point:

• General

• Related to stand and question

• Contains keywords from the question or related words found using word association) Corresponding words can also be used. 

(In the e.g.: The word "aid" appears in the question, and also in the point and the stand. The usage of the word "continue" in the point corresponds with the word "stop" in the question.)

• Link back to point stated in previous paragraph

(In the e.g.: It shows that the author's stand is that no, the richer nations should not stop giving aid to poorer ones. This is because there are economic reasons for doing so, as discussed in the previous paragraphs. This paragraph will instead be moving on to elaborating on political reasons.)

Brainstorming of points:

• Use SPECTRUM as all the points will be easier to link to each other

(In the e.g.: The author has used the political segment to talk about politics and economics, which are linked to one another)

Elaboration:

• Must be "tight" by anticipating questions the reader might have about the point

• Includes keywords from the question and the point it is supporting

• After each part, the next line must answer the previous claim and its anticipated questions

(E.g. Every major event hosted by a country invariably brings about a boom in infrastructure development within the country. (Questions anticipated: Why is there a boom in infrastructure development? What about this boom?) A large international competition where thousands will be spectating, imposes the need for urbanisation, to make it seem more modern and impress the world. (Explains the question: Why is there a boom in infrastructure development?) These changes will not only serve to fulfil the demands of the sports competition, it also serves to benefit the people of the country. (Link back to the point about infrastructure boom))

Examples:

• Link it to the point and question by using similar/paraphrased keywords 

(In the e.g.: The Soviet Union example is more relevant as it is stated that it was an aid issue, where their political instability was evidently caused by their lack of aid. For the Nazis' example, nothing about aid was mentioned, so it was not considered to be linked back.)

• Check for irrelevance by fitting the keyword(s) from the question into the example. If they cannot be fitted into the example properly, it is highly possible that the point is not relevant

(In the e.g.: The author is supposed to fit in both "political instability" and "aid")

Done by Carven and Jamie :D

Homework and Preparation for Term 1 Week 7

Reading Programme

Deadline: 18 Feb (Tue)

The files you have submitted this week will be returned on 18 Feb (Tue) during assembly. Please take 5 min during your recess to get ready this week’s reading tasks for submission by the end of the day.  You are to read the following articles for this week's reading task:

(a) "Developing a sense of rootedness" found here and complete the reading task at the end of the article. 

(b) Article on Television given out during assembly today and write one paragraph, supported by your own examples, in response to the following question:

How applicable are the criticism made by the author to all forms screen entertainment readily available to children today?

Preparation for Lessons

Do a brief research on the issues from "Our Singapore Conversations" mentioned in your question paper for the proposal writing assignment you did a few weeks ago. You should be familiar with the background of the issues listed. The question paper can be found here. 

Preparation for 3rd English lesson in Term 1 Week 6

Please see this file and make your choices as comments to this thread.

Feedback on Reading Tasks submitted in Term 1 Week 5

Articles:
1) Gender is no longer a helpful concept
2) How to eat ice cream

Citing the author's argument in your response
The purpose of the reading task is to get you to critique the author's arguments. Given the purpose, it should be clear that you would need to do the following:
(a) Identify the specific arguments from the author which you would like to discuss
(b) State your position on these arguments

Many of you did not identify any arguments from the text and went straight to give your own opinion on the issue in general. Such a discussion can be done even without close reading of the text and is not the intention of the Reading Programme. In real life, it is like having a discussion with someone without addressing any of his points specifically.

Several students did manage to identify arguments from the text. But for this group of students, a common problem is the presentation of your information. If you are unclear in your signalling, your reader would not be able to tell which part of your paragraph consists of the author's argument and which part consists of yours. A simple way of doing the signalling would be to use phrase such as "The author argues / points out / states that...", "One point from the author is that...", "I think that...", "I agree with the author...". You could also replace the word 'author' with the first name of the author (e.g. Lo).

Summarising / Repeating / Explaining the text
The Reading Task is an application task, not a summary task. As such, there is no need to spend an inordinate amount of time to summarise, repeat or explain the text. Just cite whatever you need to make your argument. You can assume that your reader would have read the same text as you. Having said that, do not cite blindly from the text either. You need to show some understanding, and it is possible to show understanding without needing to do a lot of explanation. In fact, much of your understanding would be displayed in your ability to make judgements on the author's arguments and draw in your own examples to relate to these arguments.

Supporting your opinion with your own examples
Many students are not providing any examples to support your opinion. What you cite as examples are often mere opinions. It would be good to review your understanding of what constitutes an opinion and what constitutes an example.

Key points in the text "Gender is no longer a helpful concept" 
Lo points out that in terms of differences in economic roles (e.g. jobs), social roles and expectations, and even biological roles, gender as a differentiating concept is becoming increasingly irrelevant. However, he maintains that the concept of gender still has an important role to play as a moral guardian.

Students may discuss any of the points raised by Lo and relate it to their society. Some students ignored the requirement to relate the points to the situation in their society and went on to write a general response about gender roles in the world, which was largely irrelevant to the question.

Key points in the text "How to eat ice cream"
Eco opines that there is a human tendency for excesses and waste. He laments that this is worsened by parents over-indulging their children and spoiling them, and a consumerist society trying to do the same to adults. He finds this development undesirable, indecent and decadent. Students were asked if they found Eco's concern still applicable in today's society (in general, not just your society).

Students may choose to discuss whether children and adults in today's society are still being encouraged to over-indulge and if so, whether such over-indulgence is indeed undesirable. A typical argument would likely point out that today's children are also spoilt with many of them being given expensive things they do not need (just like having two 2 cents cones), for example, smartphones. A valid concern would be the values and attitudes that the children would grow up with, as well as how consumerism can be harmful to the environment.  However, it is also possible to disagree with the author. Smartphones for example, could be seen as an investment in the future of the children, by getting them exposed to the technology that drives their world at an earlier age so as to give them an edge. Therefore, it might not be fair to characterise smartphones as two 2 cents cones. Moreover, consumerism is not entirely without its merits. It is the engine that drives the world economy, helping to lift many in the world out of poverty and bringing us many modern conveniences.

English Summary 28 January 2014

We did the GESS paper

Question 5:
"strange" means that there was an expectation, and it was not fulfilled.

Question 6:
tangle a.k.a. 1) hostile 2) trapped

remember
- be specific
e.g. "whistling and stirling" the weather
its supposed to be wind
wind ≠ weather

- use metaphors to describe

Question 7:
After stating example from the text, explain please.
i) e.g.  Yes. The two enemies stood glaring at one another...

(this does not mean that they hate each other. so at the end, link to....)

...it shows the amount of hatred and dislike they had for each other, enemies of one another.


Question 8:
state definition, then state the word used in the situation.
spot the irony, and state why its effective - remember to read and answer all parts of the question

Question 9:
-nothing-

Question 10:
question is referring to the situation by 1) physical 2) emotional
e.g.
tight tangle = hopelessly trapped
thick strewn = utter discrimination


Question 11 + 13:
11) i) strange medley
"strange" because of the word "jumbled"

13)
hopeful - wanted to find his enemy
curiosity
hopeless
indignant - after all that has happened, he didnt give up. thus, felt angry.

Lesson Summary for 6 February 2014

Key Learning Points

When finding points for essays,

• cannot be too specific or too general
• some overlapping with other points is fine, but not too much

e.g. certain things --> undesirable material --> pornography
       areas of our lives --> leisure --> relationships/work/school
In this case, "undesirable material" and "leisure" are the best choice to use as points.


1. Parents often believe that it is better to be safe than sorry. Do you consider young people to be too protected?

• the word "too" means that: it is excessive, has a negative connotation
• the words "young people" are the focus for the question

The first sentence is a statement, not a question, hence there is no need to argue your stand about it.

Key questions:
In what ways? What is considered too protected?


2. "The way we dress reveals who we are." What are your views?

• the word "what": we are asked to state whether this is the case, not why it is/should it be the case (question prompt)