Wednesday 29 January 2014

Homework and Preparation for Term 1 Week 5

Comprehension Practice
Deadline: 5 Feb (Wed)
The CHIJ Prelim 2013 Paper 2 has been distributed to the class on 29 Jan (Wed). You are required to complete the paper and submit it for marking on 5 Feb (Wed). Complete the paper as a timed practice on your own without any external aid such as dictionaries. 

The answers to Section A of the Gan Eng Seng Secondary School Prelim Paper 2 can be found here. Please check your own work before attempting the CHIJ Prelim paper. 

Corrections and Reflection for Diagnostic Test
Deadline: 4 Feb (Tue)
Read the feedback for your diagnostic test here. Complete the Metacognition Reflection Sheet with the help of the Metacognition Guide for Essays. Both documents have been distributed when your essays were returned.  You will also need to refer to the documents listed in the sidebar of this blog under “Assessment Rubrics”.

In addition to your metacognitive reflection, you are required to do corrections for your language errors. You are encouraged to correct all your errors but you are required to choose 5 of them to be presented to me to be marked. These 5 errors should be the ones that you may not be so sure about, rather than the easy ones. Please follow the format found here to present your corrections.

Submit your essay reflection and corrections stapled together in the following order:
1) metacognition reflection sheet
2) correction of language errors
3) original essay

Students who have been asked to redo your essays, you can skip item 2.

Reading Programme
Deadline: 4 Feb (Tue)
The files you have submitted this week will be returned on 4 Feb (Tue) during assembly. Please use your recess to get ready this week’s reading tasks for submission by the end of the day.  You are to do the following Reading Tasks this week:
(a) Read the article titled “How to eat ice cream” and answer question 3.
(b) Read the essay by Benjamin Lo found here and answer the application question.

Question Analysis skills
Prepare for lesson on 4 Feb (Tue)
Study the slides on Question Analysis found here. Work on the question stated in Practice 2 in the slides with the following instructions (ignore the instructions printed in the slides). 
(a) Using any of the tool(s) you have just learnt, write down as many ideas you can think of.
(b) Based on the ideas generated, write down 3 points that will address the question. These points should be written in the exact phrasing as they would be if you wrote them in your essay.

This preparation should be done individually and brought to class on 4 Feb (Tue). 

Language Skills Handout
Bring the Language Skills handout I gave you 2 weeks ago (the one with the Word Choice exercise). We will be using it in class.


Tuesday 28 January 2014

27/1 Lesson Summary - Jemima

Comprehension techniques:
- Identify keywords
- Analyse the question
- Find replacement words for the keywords
- Answer the question

28th January 2014 Lesson Summary

Topic/ Lesson Focus

- Going through the GESS compre paper

Key Learning Points

-Learning the techniques of answering compre questions.
-Learning the skills of writing summary.

Content Learnt 

-Answer the question given.
Since there's no language component in the compre paper marking scheme, it requires higher precision of your answer. When you answer, go straight to the point at the first sentence.

-Give specific answers.
-Word choice.
-20-30min for summary writing.
A plan is needed before we write the summary. Label the points find in the text and create a table for paraphrasing. We may combine some points when needed.

E.g.
*in Q15(ii), the "rarest works" refers to the exotic wildlife that is difficult to find. They are uncommon but may not be facing extinction. Do not include our inference/assumption in the answer. Only state what is given in the text.

*The word choice of loophole instead of exception is significant. The word loophole shows the tone is skeptical and sarcastic but exception cannot.

*Ways to paraphrase:
1.Find super ordinate terms
2.Synonyms/antonyms
3.Removing examples
4.5. are other ways that will be covered later in class.

*No need to paraphrase the topic word (such as wildlife) and technical terms (such as breeding facilities)

Vocabulary/Grammar Rules

Tuesday 21 January 2014

17th January 2014 Lesson Summary

Topic/ Lesson Focus

- Find key topic sentences of every few paragraphs.

Key Learning Points

- Many examples are used to support the topic sentences.
- In order for a paragraph to be effective, the topic sentence has to supported by evidences and examples.

Content Learnt 

In order to find/draft topic sentences of a group of paragraphs, look out for the following:
- The front or the back of each paragraph.
- Re-phrase key sentences.
- Recommendations.

Vocabulary/Grammar Rules

Friday 17 January 2014

Homework and Preparation for Term 1 Week 4

Reading Programme
1. Read the 2 articles assigned for silent reading this week:
(a) The End of Serendipity
(b) Why a 'fat tax' won't work in Singapore

For each article, identify one key point made by the author and write a paragraph stating if you agree or disagree with the author. You are to support your opinion with your own examples.

2. Read the excerpt from "The Machine Stops" given out to you in Term 1 Week 1 and complete all the questions given. For Question 7 (the extended response question), you response should be about one paragraph long and should be supported by your own examples.

NOTE: A paragraph is expected to contain at least about 150 words. Some of you are giving me very short paragraphs and are not developing your points properly.

Deadline: Monday of Term 1 Week 4 (All Reading Programme deadlines will be Monday unless Monday is a school holiday) 

For submission instructions, please read the English Language Administrative Guide and pay particular attention to the sections "Reading tasks submission binder" and "Grading system for reading programme".

Preparation for Lessons
Complete the Gan Eng Seng Secondary School Paper 2 Prelim 2013 given out as your Sec 3 year end holiday homework if you have not already done so and bring it to class for lessons. 

Friday 10 January 2014

Homework and Preparation for Term 1 Week 2

Homework: Reading Programme
Read the 2 articles assigned for silent reading this week:
(a) Is reading really that important?
(b) A tweet could derail your college application.

For each article, identify one key point made by the author and write a paragraph stating if you agree or disagree with the author. You are to support your opinion with your own examples.

Deadline: Monday 13 Jan

For submission instructions, please read the English Language Administrative Guide and pay particular attention to the sections "Reading tasks submission binder" and "Grading system for reading programme". Do take time to read through the other sections of the guide as well for general filing guidelines.

Preparation for Lessons
No preparation is required for Lesson 1 and Lesson 2. For Lesson 3, please read the excerpt from "The Machine Stops" given out today and answer all the questions.

Something useful to proposal writing

You might find this article useful for proposal writing.

Proposal Writing (Class work on 10 Jan)