January 27, 2014

English Composition- Understanding the Rubrics (Part 2)

Dominique Education, Parenting and Kids, Parenting Views English Composition, Series

In the last post I covered how important Content is in English Composition. It takes the bulk of the marks awarded in an essay. If you do not have strong content it is not possible to score a good mark in English Composition.

This post I will be covering the other two components- Language and Organization.

The other two components

The components Language and Organization are commonly grouped together. They make up 40% of the mark awards in an essay.

What is Language?

There are a few different definitions of this but in this context it refers to the use of suitable grammar and vocabulary to explain your thoughts and feelings in words. One has to use the correct tenses and features of speech( if applicable).

How to score under Language?

One will need to have the most one or two mistakes in spelling, punctuation and grammar. There should be appropriate, varied and outstanding usage of vocabulary within the essay. Sentences have to be well structured and differentiated expressions depending on the scenarios given.

What is Organization?

It is the arrangement of your story from the start to the end. The logical aspect of the essay is focused on in this area. How your thoughts are organized and linked from one point to another matters. Your reader needs to be able to follow your train of thought and not get lost in the process.

How to score under Organization?

In this section it is important that one understands the “flow” of the essay. You need to be able to arrange your ideas and facts in a coherent order. The paragraphs that you write should be able to link one idea to another. You need to have an introduction, main body and conclusion to the story that you are writing about.

In the next post I will be focusing on common mistakes which students make in English composition.

Post in this series

1)Learning with Dominique- English Composition(An Introduction)

2)English Composition – Understanding the Rubrics(Part 1)

3) English composition- Understanding the Rubrics(Part 2)

4) English Composition- Common Mistakes

5) English Composition- The changes to PSLE come 2015

January 20, 2014

English Composition – Understanding the Rubrics(Part 1)

Dominique Education, Parenting and Kids, Parenting Views English Composition, Series

English Composition is one of the most difficult component of English. You are given approximately an hour to develop a plot and pen it down on paper in class. Whatever that has been written will be read and graded.

In the previous introduction post I mentioned that it is no longer just stating point blank what you see in the picture in front of you. There is the need to analyse in detail the scenario that has been presented and give a thorough explanation of what had occurred with your own reflections.

Before you are able to score well in composition writing you have to understand how the composition is assessed.

The main focus

CLO is what being tested in English Composition. Around 60% of the marks are being allocated to the Content while 40% to Language and Organization the essay.

What is content?

It is the information in the essay which makes up the story.

The words and sentences that are used to piece together and develop ideas which the writer has so that everyone else is able to understand his train of thought. Through the words that are penned down the reader must be able to visualize and experience for himself what had happened when the event occurred. In short, the reader is watching a playback of a show in his mind instead of seeing it on TV.

How to score for content?

Make your story interesting.

– Fully adequate and thoroughly develop your story line. Make your essay highly interesting.

– Use lots of descriptive words, idioms or even metaphors to explain what you saw and felt.

-develop your ideas into paragraphs and provide strong evidence to support your stance.

– have a strong and persuasive conclusion

Picture 1

In the picture above you see three people – an elderly man crossing the road, a girl standing at the side of the road and a driver. How would you describe the picture that you see above?

Model description – A

While walking home I saw an old man crossing the road. I also saw a car going towards the zebra crossing.

Model description -B

It was a hot and sunny afternoon. While walking back home from school I suddenly heard the screeching of brakes. I immediately looked towards the road and was shocked stiff to see a sports car zooming towards the feeble old man who was crossing the road.

Which description- A or B would make you more interested to read on and find out what happened next in the essay?

I’m sure 5/5 would have said Model description B.

What is the difference between A and B? Both are talking about the same thing but in B 5W 1H is being applied.