Why We Need to Study for English Exams

By WR!TERS@WORK

“Just go in the exam and then do your best, that is enough.”

How many children have heard these words from their parents or teachers when they felt nervous about undertaking an English examination? When confronted with the prospects of having to formulate their original thoughts for a composition, the blank lines usually fill students with dread instead of confidence. In fact, many parents are under the mistaken impression that English is not a subject which can be studied for at all, and that if the child has the flair for writing, he has it, and if he doesn’t, there is nothing that can be done.

There are several very good reasons why we should be studying English, and these reasons have very little to do with the technical aspects of English like grammar rules.

1. Every Single Subject is Taught in English. (Well, Except for Your Mother Tongue.)

In school, students study all their other subjects (barring their Mother Tongue) in English. Understanding Science, Mathematics, and the Humanities requires a good grasp of English. Students who are more comfortable with using the English language to communicate well will be able to absorb and retain more information for their other subjects as well. During the exam, students who have a better command of the English language will read the questions quicker and understand their meaning better. Students who feel more confident in interpreting and studying the content needed to tackle their subjects will become better academically overall, which is a net positive for both parents and students, who will feel less stressed.

2. Having Good English Opens the Doors to Many More Opportunities.

Opportunities for public speaking and being selected for interviews may become more available to children who have good English. At times, schools need students to represent them during events or at certain programs and competitions. With fluent English, your child will be able to take part in these events and proudly represent their school. An example of such an activity would be a club where emcees (Masters of Ceremony) are selected to host school competitions and events. By having good English, more CCAs such as public speaking or Model United Nations (MUN) will become more accessible to your children in future. These opportunities are valuable experiences for students to build confidence, and this is extremely important considering public speaking is a very valuable skill most do not have.

3. Expressing Your Thoughts Coherently and Concisely is Highly a Valuable Skill.

In life, people struggle to express their thoughts in a coherent and concise manner. Communication breakdowns occur at work and at home, and people generally would benefit more from reducing misunderstandings when they talk to one another. Good communication happens when we get enough practice, and this often starts very early in life, when most of the things we learn have a huge impact on us in future, for better or for worse. The Pareto principle dictates that the things we do in the first 20% of our lives will have major effects on the other 80% of our lives. As such, it is important for children to learn how to communicate effectively early on, so that they may carry these valuable skills for the rest of their lives.

4. Good English Serves You Well All the Way Into Adulthood.

A student’s primary responsibility is to take their exams and get a good enough grade to move on to the next stage of their lives. At the university level, students need to write research papers after sifting through a lot of secondary research and make presentations to their professors. At work, we may need to write reports or make presentations to important stakeholders. All these things require an excellent command of the English language. Building a strong foundation in these linguistic skills when a student is young will carry them through with confidence all throughout their schooling years, university life, and career.

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. How Can I Improve My English Creative Writing Skills?

The secret to writing better is to practice more while emulating good examples of writing. Having constructive feedback is extremely important in honing your creative writing skills, as often, students are not aware of what they are doing right or wrong. Trying to copy good examples of writing will help the student intuitively pick up essential skills like grammar rules and vocabulary. Reading good examples of writing will also give the student more ideas.

2. What is the Main Purpose of Creative Writing?

Creative writing helps students express their thoughts more clearly and develop a sense of logic. In crafting a believable plot which flows properly given the premise and characters the story features, a student will be able to hone their critical thinking and their ability to put things in a systematic manner. Creative writing is further important for communicating ideas concisely.

3. What is the Benefit of Creative Writing Classes?

Having good feedback will help a student tremendously, as parents often leave creative writing to the student to “do their best and see how it goes”. However, this is the wrong approach to creative writing – like all skills, creative writing can be taught. It will require a significant amount of work and trial and error to get right, but it is certainly a skill worth learning.

4. How Do You Make a Creative Writing Class Interesting?

Making a creative writing class interesting is something that W@W specialises in! Teachers are engaging, fun, and witty, allowing students to explore many possibilities of plots and characters. Our composition topics are funny and memorable, allowing students to draw on them when they face their actual exam questions. Students participate in discussions with their classmates, giving them the chance to speak up and voice out their own thoughts and ideas during the lesson.

5. Who Benefits From Creative Writing?

The benefits from creative writing are lifelong – all throughout our lives, we will need to communicate with people important to us, not only at work but also in our personal lives. Being able to express our thoughts and ideas clearly is highly important to ensure other people understand what we are saying. By having a logical flow to our thoughts, other subjects in school will become much easier to learn. After all, the English language is the foundation to everything.