The art of creative writing in Primary school is totally
different from what I expected when Dumpling was in Primary 1. Most of my friends’
children, like Dumpling, started on creative writing / composition in school
in Term 3 of Primary 1.
Being a voracious reader from a young age, I had the
expectations that writing would come easily to Dumpling. Though the flow was
easy for her, I later realized that there is a difference in writing for pleasure
versus writing for exams. The latter can get very technical in how (teachers / schools) they grade
the children and what they look out for.
The kiddo previously trialed on online writing class which I
have shared
here.
This course is great for parents who are stretched for time (no need to worry
about transportation and parking) as the composition elements are watched
online and the child (P3 onwards) attempts the homework piece and scans it over
for the Teacher Hui Ing to mark.
If, however, you are looking at initial assistance for your
child, here are some quick tips to share:
:: Time management and planning
This, for me, is one of the most important elements in
taking any exams / tests. If the piece is not completed, it usually does not
warrant a passing grade.
So sit down and work on time planning with your child. If
your child is given for e.g 45 mins, then you can recommend 5 mins to read and
plan, and the remaining 30 -35 minutes to write before the last few minutes to
read through and check.
:: Format
As a general rule of thumb, I told Dumpling when she was
younger that if there are 3 pictures in the composition, then write 3
paragraphs. If there are 4, then it will be 4. Unless your child is able to
write quickly and plans his / her flow well, I would encourage such a format so
as not to “underwrite”.
Additionally, it is not uncommon for children to only write
perhaps 1 – 2 sentences per picture so this is where you can also give clear
guidelines. E.g. Picture 1 ~ introduction: to write 2 sentences.
If it were to be a 4 picture composition, then the body
needs to be longer to build up the story and this is where it will be for e.g. 3
sentences for each picture with conclusion back to 2 sentences. With such a format,
it usually will fall within the minimum word count required.
Usually for P1 and P2, schools will use picture compositions
and this can be 1, 3 or 4 pictures. Depending on level and schools, the word
count can differ.
:: Technique
This is where it gets a bit more technical. Compositions are
usually graded based on Content and Language at the lower level. Hence besides
having a strong logical story flow, students need to be able to display their
pen welding prowess and showcase a variety of skill sets.
Story starter
Instead of the usual “One afternoon” / "One day", work with your child
to start a story differently. I personally prefer to start with a sound effect
or dialogue but I do know many start with description of settings.
I am wary of
the last option because I have come across many compositions where the child
starts with superfluous descriptions such as “fluffy white clouds dotted across the
cerulean blue sky” and how “dragonflies with their iridescent wings were
darting around the pond” only to realize that the story is about a trip to the Science
Centre where it is not even related to the story. (I have shared my thoughts on this in a
previous post.)
Sentence starter
Children have a tendency to start sentences in a similar
manner.
Start with a continuous verb
Instead of always starting with “I” – e.g. I ran after the
bus as it looked like it was about to pour”, consider starting with a
continuous verb “Looking up, I saw dark clouds gather and realized that it was
about to pour.”
Start with an adverb
Other sentence starters can start with an adverb (-ly).
E.g. Angrily, I stuffed my book into my school bag and
stormed off.
Hungrily, I stared at the mouth-watering spread in front of me.
Metaphors and Similes
Besides being mindful of technique, I have also learnt that teachers
look out for strong vocabulary and good descriptive phrases. So you can remind
your child to be more intentional.
Here’s a good
poster
to make reference to – words to replace “said”.
Additionally, you can also introduce similes or metaphors to your child so that they can describe the “moments” better.
So what are metaphors and similes and how are they different from each other?
Here are some more examples of Metaphors
And some simple Similes here
You do not necessarily need to stick to these similes or metaphors; you can also encourage your child to create their own. I have to add on to say that it is not necessary to pepper the composition throughout with these similes and metaphors, otherwise it can be an "overkill".
:: Practise practise practise
Above and beyond all these tips, do note that regular practice matters. It matters because even in the "strongest" of children (in this area), regular practice allows them to hone this craft. They learn to plan better and write faster with more intentional use of such techniques.
What we also do regularly is to listen to audio CDs and when I hear good phrases, I'd usually pause and highlight that to the kiddo. :)
If you like to consider reference guides, Susan from A Juggling Mom has shared some resources in this
post.
If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!
