An introduction to Storybanking

By WR!TERS@WORK

Storybanking is designed to help even the weakest writing student recall their plots and the phrases and the learning mechanics which come with them. Every time a student attends a lesson with W@W, they will learn a new story. They will then take down the key phrases and plots they need to know for the story and become familiar with them as they write out their story. Then, the teachers at W@W will mark their stories to ensure they have used the phrases correctly.

The teachers at W@W are trained to consistently deliver high quality lessons which allow students to capture the essence of the story and be able to replicate it. When exams roll around, students will revise all the stories they have learned during the W@W lessons. During the exam, students will draw from the plots they have learned during the exam and tweak them a little, depending on the context of the question. Students will be able to use the phrases they have learned during the lessons in the exam itself and craft a well-written, logical story plot.

But Isn’t Storybanking Teaching My Child to Memorise Blindly and Regurgitate Content?

People think of Storybanking as memorising and regurgitating, but that could not be further from the truth. At W@W, teachers constantly emphasise the need to think critically about a question – students need to exercise a degree of common sense when adapting the plot learned in class to the question. Context is highly important – we cannot say that a character drowned in a fire!

The W@W curriculum is the heart of the organisation – the stories taught during classes are well-crafted, meticulously designed, and weave a rich tapestry of knowledge and learning experiences for students, which allows them to adapt to any questions which come their way. At W@W, past year PSLE composition questions are analysed by a dedicated team of writers and teachers. This trendspotting exercise is done regularly by the W@W team to ensure that the stories taught at W@W are not outdated. The content at W@W will always be updated to reflect popular trends so that students will receive refreshed, high quality, and up-to-date knowledge.

Why Should Parents and Students Trust the Storybanking Process at W@W?

Although many people believe that creative writing and composition requires novel ideas and a free-flow style of writing, W@W believes that writing is a form of communication – to communicate with others in a coherent and concise manner, there needs to be a form of structure. Students need to know how to structure their plots, ideas, and arguments, and that requires meticulous planning. By having a predetermined structure which can be tweaked according to context, students will find composition writing less overwhelming to excel in during exams.

Storybanking is an incredibly effective strategy in the exam with proven track records across all levels. Our teachers at W@W know what students are likely to face via trendspotting exercises which are conducted throughout the year. As such, they are able to deliver the classes in a manner which allows students to absorb relevant information which is useful during exams. As W@W teachers are trained to deliver their lessons uniformly, they are all on the same wavelength about Storybanking and what it entails, thus creating a seamless experience across all lessons, regardless of who the teacher is. As a result, students in W@W will develop a standardised quality of well-written compositions to score well in their exams!

The biggest takeaway parents and students should have about W@W Storybanking is this – to make their compositions stand out from their peers, students must focus on adapting stories, their attendant elaborations, and techniques to the questions which come out every year. By alternating these stories based on the context, students will be able to develop critical thinking skills and tackle anything which comes their way in a logical, coherent, and concise manner.

Attain Stellar Results with W@W!

English is a compulsory subject which all students must undertake. However, mastering the English language is not something which happens overnight – it takes consistent practice and effort to learn the nuances of the language. Students must read more and practice writing to gradually improve. Cramming for a language subject nearer to the exams is an impossible feat. After all, Rome was not built in a day! Attaining such a skill will have positive implications for not only your child’s education in school, but also employment prospects in future.

At WRITERS@WORK, we are committed to providing the smoothest learning experience for your child sitting for their English exams. With our carefully curated methods of teaching your child how to write well, your child will learn how to present their thoughts and arguments in a coherent and concise manner. W@W reinforces your child’s language skills and provides a strong foundation for their academic success, keeping up with all aspects of their progress both inside and outside of the classroom to nurture them holistically. For more information about how W@W makes a difference, feel free to explore our website and watch our YouTube videos!

If you are interested in our primary English tuition and secondary English tuition in Singapore, WRITERS@WORK has expanded to 9 convenient locations. To find the nearest location that suits your needs, please explore our options. If you have any inquiries regarding our range of programs or class schedules, please feel free to contact WRITERS@WORK!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

1. Which Tuition Centre is Good for English?

W@W is an excellent option to help your child prepare for their English Language classes at school at any level. W@W teaches students how to write compositions which are the basic building blocks for all communication, whether it be in school or outside in the workplace.

2. Why is It Important to Attend English Enrichment Classes?

Students will be able to develop important skills such as critical thinking which will serve them well in all areas of life. Students will learn how to incorporate critical thinking and analysis skills when they read comprehension passages and plan their ideas and arguments out for essays.

3. Is It Worth Getting an English Tutor?

If your child needs help in school, it could be worth considering getting an English tutor as English is a compulsory subject at school. English is used in all areas of life and learning how to read critically and write essays are highly important skills which should be learned early.

4. How Do Students Have Poor Writing Skills?

Students often have poor writing skills as they do not have the knowledge of good exam habits to practice. For example, many students often do not plan their essays, which lead to a poor writing habit of rambling, going off on irrelevant tangents, and forgetting to list all good arguments.

5. Who Creative Writing a Skill or a Talent?

Writing is a skill which can be trained. Anyone, regardless of whether they have a strong language ability or not, can be trained to write well given that they have a structure and are made aware of their writing habits which need to be changed. At W@W, we believe that every child can write – it is up to us to instil good writing habits to improve children’s skills for the better.

6. Why Do People Study Creative Writing?

Writing is an essential skill which is useful even when a child grows up to become a working adult. Communication is the basic foundation of any society, and people study how to write to better communicate their ideas to people. At school, academic performance is measured by how well students can communicate what they know in the context of an examination.