Nurturing Confident Communicators and Fostering Cultural Appreciation
Thematic Writing Lessons at TEE
During TEE Thematic Writing lessons, students will pick up key techniques such as show-not-tell, and how to describe scenes using their five senses. They will learn how to write descriptively using similes, personification, metaphors, and hyperboles. Students are encouraged to read widely at home, as exposure to a wide range of narratives will enable them to pick up different skills and help them develop their own writing style. They are also encouraged to be more observant in daily life, as that will help them write about scenes and characters in greater detail. Regular assessments and feedback will be provided.
Topic-based Compositions 命题作文
1. Analysis of the Topic
Clarifying the meaning of the title, its key points, scope, and genre requirements helps students understand the examiner’s intent, thereby preparing them for subsequent writing. TEE employs the following three methods to assist students in analysing the topic:
- Method 1: Grasping keywords
- Method 2: Paying attention to implicit information and the requirements of adverbs
- Method 3: Clarifying the scope and objects of the topic (students pay attention to the limitations of time, space, quantity, person, and content to ensure their writing remains relevant and on topic)
2. Content Formulation
We encourage students to seek inspiration from their daily lives. By observing the things around them, engaging in conversations with friends and family, and reflecting on personal experiences, students can record small details, interesting anecdotes, and insights from their lives to spark their creative inspiration.
3. Reflection Phase
The reflection phase helps students extract deeper meanings and lessons from their writing. We encourage students to write down their reflections and share the values and life experiences that they gained during the writing process. Through this approach, students not only enhance their self-expression skills but also gain a deeper understanding of their creative content, enabling them to apply these insights to future writing endeavours.
Picture Description 看图作文
Step 1: Look – Enhancing Students’ Observation Skills
We guide students to observe the picture in a specific order. For example, when looking at a story-based picture, they first focus on the setting before observing the people, paying attention to what the main characters are doing. They then describe the picture based on the four elements: time, place, characters, and events, to grasp the overall meaning of the image.
Step 2: Think – Stimulating Students’ Imagination
Based on their observations, we encourage students to focus on key parts of the image that contain important information. Through teacher-student and peer-to-peer discussions, students imagine what the characters might be saying, thinking, or doing, thereby sparking their creativity.
Step 3: Speak – Developing Students’ Speaking Skills
- Sequential Description: When describing the picture, students are taught to follow a sequence from “whole” to “part,” which helps them get a general understanding of the entire image and clearly articulate its meaning.
- Elaboration: After the “Look” and “Think” phases, students are encouraged to describe everything they observed and imagined. They expand on the content of the picture, filling in any gaps or details that might be missing, which prepares them for a smoother writing process later on.
Step 4: Write – Guiding Students’ Writing Skills
We guide students to improve their writing in three steps: first, by ensuring they write words correctly; next, by helping them form coherent sentences; and lastly, by using punctuation accurately. This step-by-step approach strengthens their overall writing abilities.
Step 5: Evaluate – Motivating Students’ Progress
In class, we encourage students to summarise the insights and experiences they gained from the picture. They are encouraged to share these reflections, which helps them deepen their understanding of emotions and content through interactive discussions. This approach will help students improve in their writing and enable them to apply their skills to future learning.
