The Upper Primary Classroom Experience at W@W

By WR!TERS@WORK

Despite the early morning starting time for an Upper Primary class at W@W, the students were bright and alert. There was a rich caucus of discussion as the teacher prepared for the class and waited for them to settle down. Students were excited to share details of their week with their friends and teacher. When the teacher was ready, she told the class to settle down, cheerily asking whether they had the time to re-read their compositions.

Close Follow-up With Students’ Progress at School

One benefit of enrolling your child in W@W is that the teachers care about students both inside and outside of the classroom. Students are asked about their progress at school, such as whether they have any new compositions to write or assignments to complete. During the class, students will have the opportunity to ask for guidance about the various compositions and assignments they need to write at school and receive appropriate advice.

For example, if a student says that they have been given a composition with the title “Revelation”, the W@W teacher will explain what the word means and give suggestions as to how this word can be used in an essay. In class, that student was told that a revelation meant finding out something you previously did not know before and was then advised to try using one of the W@W plots to write the essay – all without referring to her notes!

Encouragement to Read Their W@W Stories During the Week

At W@W, teachers will continuously remind students to revise for their upcoming exams (some teachers even put a countdown on the whiteboard to show the number of weeks leading up to the exams). To facilitate revision, students are encouraged to spend 10 minutes reading a W@W composition before they sleep to absorb the phrases they have learned during class. Reading a W@W story (much like reading fairytales) will allow students to become more familiar with the characters, setting, and plot details, which will serve them well during their exams as they will be able to recall them better.

What is the learning environment at W@W like?

At W@W, teachers will continuously remind students to revise for their upcoming exams (some teachers even put a countdown on the whiteboard to show the number of weeks leading up to the exams). To facilitate revision, students are encouraged to spend 10 minutes reading a W@W composition before they sleep to absorb the phrases they have learned during class. Reading a W@W story (much like reading fairytales) will allow students to become more familiar with the characters, setting, and plot details, which will serve them well during their exams as they will be able to recall them better.

Getting Into the Lesson Proper

The teacher begins the lesson for the week by first writing down the WALT (lesson objectives). Each lesson objective is titled in a creative way – usually involving some form of alliteration or memorisation technique (think: “Vivid Verbs”) which will help students recall the lesson better. Then, the lesson objective is explained to the students so that they have a clear idea as to what they are supposed to be learning.

In the “Vivid Verbs” lesson, for example, students learn about how to find alternatives for the word “said” to evoke clearer emotions in the reader when writing their composition. When describing a character saying something in the context of a particular situation, the word “said” may not be adequate to describe the character’s emotion and the gravitas of the situation.

There are other verbs like “retorted”, “whispered, “snapped” which are far more appropriate than “said”. Knowing how to use these verbs show a good understanding of the character and a rich vocabulary, which will score higher marks during an exam.

Next, the QSP (composition question) is analysed and broken down into the sum of its parts. Reading an exam question is one of the most important parts of taking an English exam. Students at W@W are always reminded to show and tell, not show not tell to create an immersive experience for the reader. Many details can be added to the story via dialogue, for example, which can be a direct way of telling the reader about something that is happening.

Fleshing Out the Plot and Characters of the Story

Furthermore, students are encouraged to put themselves in the shoes of the protagonist of the story, considering what the protagonist looks like, what someone like the protagonist would do in that situation, and what the protagonist is thinking at the time. By putting themselves in the shoes of their characters, they will be able to create a richer storyline by including all these details which many other students may leave out.

When planning the plot, students must incorporate elements of the composition question inside the setting, characters’ actions, emotions, and thoughts. Students at W@W use the Plot Curve to build tension and suspense and resolve the tension in a satisfying conclusion. At the end of the lesson, students are asked how the story should end and what makes an ending feel like an ending. There could be a lesson learned at the end, which could provide a good resolution. Teachers at W@W will guide students on how to craft a proper ending to the story.

Time to Write Compositions

At W@W, students do not just come to class and let their teacher lecture them for 2 hours before going home. Students can practice writing compositions with the Plot Curve outlined in class with the phrases given to them. By getting students to write paragraphs with these phrases, they will be able to learn how to use them before their exams. Each paragraph written will contain new phrases each week, which will help students learn new sentence structures, vocabulary, punctuation, and brush up on their grammatical skills.

At the end of the lesson, students often leave feeling satisfied and excited to come back the next week. Many laughs have been shared during the class and there is a feeling of camaraderie amongst the students as they bond with their classmates and teachers. Feeling refreshed, the students at W@W prepare for the upcoming week of school, carrying with them the lessons and memories they have made at W@W.

Working at W@W – The Experience of a Lifetime

Being a Senior Teacher at W@W is no walk in the park. However, W@W has a homely, family environment which immediately can be felt the moment you walk through the door. The students at W@W are extremely eager to learn, and lessons are always a barrel of laughs as students creatively come up with plot ideas and reenact scenes from the stories you teach them.

Teaching is a meaningful career as you will get to impact students’ lives both inside and outside the classroom in a positive way. Students come into W@W and leave feeling inspired and motivated to face the school week. As a teacher, you will experience the joys of helping your students learn not only about how to write essays and pass their exams, but also to be curious about how to observe and navigate the world around them.

Learn How to Write in a Coherent and Concise Manner With WR!TERS@WORK!

At WR!TERS@WORK, we are committed to providing the smoothest learning experience for your primary or secondary school child sitting for their English exam. With our carefully curated methods of teaching your child how to write, your child will be able to craft well-written essays in any genre with good grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure.

English tuition and writing courses are instrumental for students not only in school, but to prepare them for their future undertakings as good writing is a universal necessity. Enjoy a smoother learning process with WR!TERS@WORK as we reinforce your child’s language skills and provide them with a strong foundation for academic success. For more exam tips, parents and students can explore our website and watch our YouTube videos.

If you are interested in our primary English tuition and secondary English tuition in Singapore, WR!TERS@WORK has expanded to 8 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 WR!TERS@WORK.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

1. What Does a Writing Teacher Do?

At W@W, a writing teacher will teach students how to approach an essay using a Plot Curve. The teacher will guide students’ essay writing skills to find a plot that makes sense, craft characters with good motivations and believable actions, and wrap up the essay satisfyingly.

2. Can You Make a Career Out of Creative Writing?

Being a creative writer can yield a career of writing for advertising purposes or teaching writing to students. Writing is a highly important skill which is essential in employment, and being able to craft a piece of work using logic and eloquence can be trained from young.

3. What Makes a Good Writing Teacher?

A good writing teacher will be sensitive to their students’ needs as they will be able to tell how a student learns things best. Furthermore, a good writing teacher will correct students’ basic English language skills such as grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure.

4. Why Should I Be a Writing Tutor?

Being a writing tutor is valuable as you get to impart valuable skills of your own to your students. Furthermore, teaching writing provides another perspective and you may learn new things while teaching your students, such as about how your students learn a particular subject.

5. When is the Best Time to Teach a Child to Write?

Children start reading and being able to spell before they enter primary school. By Primary 2, children will be able to craft a narrative or a short piece of writing. Writing skills can be developed in early primary school and honed further when a child approaches Primary.