Week 30
John
In week 30, reality hit like a Monday morning alarm call. The long awaited text involved some dystopian future robot animals in a robotic zoo. Panic ensued. Much hair was pulled and teeth ground as students searched the sentences frantically for some semblance of meaning. Time will tell how successful their search turned out to be. Time will tell.
Cecilia
In week 30, Cecilia had a great time organising World Book Day. It's safe to say that everyone enjoyed themselves.
Rose
This week, students embarked on the final stage of their IGCSE English journey. Teachers, giddy with expectation, were greeted with choruses of "I haven't even looked at English for, like, a month," and "I forget everything." After emerging from a paper involving zombified robot-elephants, students could be heard along the corridors exclaiming, "I just hope by some miracle I managed to scrape a C." It was a proud moment for the MIS English Department.
Week 29
John
In week 29, the students were on study leave. In their place there was a new found sense of peace, calm and serenity. The wall clock still ticked the seconds away and the AC hummed gently at irregular intervals, but the only person to enjoy the undulating ambiance was the grateful teacher.
Cecilia
In week 29, Ms Cecilia struggled to get to terms with the loss of her Year 11 English class. It was a sad 1.04 seconds.
Rose
This week, students on Study Leave got their first taste of adult life: a combination of procrastination, panic and the realisation that freedom is an illusion.
Week 28
John
In week 28, the students tied up any lose ends in their exam based knowledge.
Cecilia
In week 28, students focused on questions in areas they needed reinforcement.
Rose
This week, we ran through final revision and exam tips, and students sought feedback on individual areas for development.
Week 27
John
In week 27, the students spent their penultimate week in school completing past papers.
Cecilia
In week 27, students worked on areas that they felt they needed improvement. We also worked on a response writing and writer's effect question.
Rose
This week, students continued individualised English revision. They handed in work for one-to-one feedback.
Week 26
John
In week 26, the students continued to complete past papers.
Cecilia
This week, we focused on Paper 2 , students worked on response writing, writer's effect and summary.
Rose
This week, students continued independent revision. We also did some group work on Composition skills.
Week 25
John
In week 25, the students completed an entire Paper 3: Directed Writing and Composition.
Cecilia
This week, we focused on directed writing (Paper3) and response writing (Paper 2). Students also worked on correcting their sentence structure and grammar,
Rose
This week, students continued exam practice, focusing on personal areas for development. Students also completed a timed Composition.
Week 24
John
In week 24, we began the week by sitting timed examinations. Later in the week, we reviewed these completed papers.
Cecilia
This week student continued with timed exam practice. They also reviewed the questions they answered and worked on inferring points for Directed Writing.
Rose
This week, we worked under timed, assessment conditions to practise paced writing.
Week 23
John
In week 23, we continued our exam practice by completing a full set from past papers.
Cecilia
This week we focused on questions from Paper 2, response writing, writer's effect and summary.
Rose
This week, we continued our past paper practice, with students working under time restrictions.
Week 22
John
In week 22, we continued completing past exam papers to iron out errors that students have in particular sections of the exam.
Cecilia
In week 22, we focused on Response Writing and Writer's Effect to reiterate their inference skills and to improve their pace.
Rose
This week, we focused on Response Writing. Students are working on pace by completing work under assessment conditions.
Week 21
John
In week 21, the students reviewed their unit test and continued working on areas of weakness.
Cecilia
This week, students focused on response writing and writer's effect. They also worked on vocabulary that would help them in their writing.
Rose
This week, we focused in Writer's Effect and Summary. Students completed a timed assessment.
Week 20
John
In week 20, the students choose from a full exam and completed the questions that they felt they lacked proficiency in. The students also completed a Unit Test.
Cecilia
This week, students worked on narrative and descriptive writing. They focused on story lines, characters, setting and description.
Rose
This week, we focused on Directed Writing, looking specifically at evaluation and using connectives correctly.
Week 19
John
In week 19, we focused on narrative writing, we reviewed plots, techniques and language.
Cecilia
In week 19, we focused on narrative writing, we reviewed plots, techniques and language.
Rose
This week, we focused on the Composition. Students prepared glossaries of effective words and phrases, and made plans for Narrative writing. We did a timed Composition.
Week 18
John
In week 18, we reviewed the mock papers and continued on to practise Response writing.
Cecilia
This week, we reviewed the mock papers and continued on to practise Response writing.
Rose
This week, we reviewed the mock papers and worked on Composition.
Barbara
This week, we reviewed the exam papers and worked on Composition.
Week 17
John
In week 17, the students continued to sit for their mock examinations.
Cecilia
In week 17, the students continued sitting for their mock examinations.
Rose
In week 17, the students continued to sit for their mock examinations.
Barbara
Exam week 2.
Week 16
John
In week 16, the students continued to sit for their mock examinations.
Cecilia
In week 16, the students continued sitting for their mock examinations.
Rose
In week 16, the students continued to sit for their mock examinations.
Barbara
Exam week
Week 15
John
In week 15, we continued to prepare for the mock examinations. The students then began their examinations.
Cecilia
This week we worked on response writing in preparation for the mock exam.
Rose
This week, students revised for their English mock exam.
Barbara
This week we concentrated on PAPER 3 in preparation for the exam.
Week 14
John
In week 14, we began completing a complete past paper in preparation for the mock examinations.
Cecilia
In week 14, we practised past papers and made study plans for the holiday period.
Rose
This week, we continued with Response Writing. We also worked on the grammatically correct way of speaking about countables and uncountables.
Barbara
This week, we completed activities on formal vs informal register, as well as descriptive language.
Week 13
John
In week 13, we continued our focus on Summary and later moved on to Compositions.
Cecilia
This week, students continued working on narrative writing. They wrote a narrative essay and looked at narrative writing styles by different authors.
Rose
This week, we worked on Response Writing, completing the first part of a past paper question together, and then independently.
Barbara
This week we worked on vocabulary connected with texture, we also looked at types of registers characteristic to different genres of writing.
Week 12
John
In week 12, we completed a unit assessment and reviewed Summary writing.
Cecilia
This week, students sat for their Term 1-2 assessment and worked on a narrative piece.
Rose
This week, students completed a Summary assessment.
Barbara
This week, students completed a Summary assessment.
Week 11
John
In week 11, we looked at responding to Writer's Effect questions in a manner which shows an understanding of how writers use effects. We then moved on to discursive writing.
Cecilia
Students worked on vocabulary and literary devices that would help them enhance their descriptive writing. They learnt to write sentences that appeal to the senses.
Rose
This week, students worked on the Summary question. We focused on sentence structure and vocabulary. We also practised using the Past Perfect tense.
Barbara
We completed a few exam practice papers, paying particular attention to Section 2 and 3 of the Reading exam.
Week 10
John
In week 10, we revisited Directed Writing and focused on discursive style.
Cecilia
In week 10, we focused on Writer's Effect and summary and started with descriptive writing.
Rose
This week, we read the short story On the Sidewalk Bleeding and used an extract for Writer's Effect practice. Students also worked on a summary.
Barbara
We completed a few mock exam papers, set some activities in preparation for the Writing exam.
Week 9
John
In week 9, we focused on the skills necessary to write vivid descriptions. We also attempted to remove stains of narrative from our descriptive writing.
Cecilia
This week, we worked on the reading paper by practising summary writing and inferring points from a passage to write a letter.
Rose
This week, we continued our focus on the Composition. Students chose either Narrative or Descriptive and worked independently on their writing.
Barbara
This week, we finalised working on the Writer's Effect. Strategies and relevant language were analysed in detail. STs completed 2 writer's effect tests, as well as some creative poetry writing.
Week 8
John
In week 8, we analysed weaknesses and strengths in identifying effects and also practised summary writing.
Cecilia
This week, we enhanced our vocabulary, practised a Writer's effect question and wrote a magazine article using points inferred from an IGCSE passage.
Rose
This week, we worked on the Composition. We developed sensory language, imagery and plot lines in preparation for students to work independently on their writing.
Barbara
This week we had a graded assessment on Reading Paper Q3 (summary). Apart from that, we looked at symbolism, and used music as a medium to engage with creative writing simultaneously exploring imagery and literary devices.
Week 7
John
In week 7, we continued our focus on Writer's Effect and developed comprehension of word association.
Cecilia
In week 7, we focused on summary writing, a question from Paper 2. Students listed points and wrote a summary. They also enhanced their vocabulary and worked on error identification to strengthen their grammar and tenses.
Rose
This week, students developed their paraphrasing and inference skills in a Directed Writing task. We also considered the importance of sustaining an appropriate "voice" and students aimed for this in their responses.
Barbara
This week, we discussed students' mid term exam papers, continued with writer's effect, and did supervised reading.
Week 6
John
In week 6, we completed a recent Response Writing past paper and moved onto Writer's Effect with a particular focus on recognising sustained concept associations within a paragraph.
Cecilia
In week 6, we reviewed the Response Writing assessment, discussing the passage and inferring points for the report. Students also worked on a writer's effect question.
Rose
This week, we went through the Response Writing assessment, discussing strategies for pacing and improving quality. Students then moved onto the Summary section of Paper 2.
Barbara
This week we discussed the multilayered analysis of words/phrases chosen for Writer's effect. We also continued with exam practice (mostly as homework, peer reviewed in class).
Week 5
John
In week 5, we moved from Directed Writing to plotting. Later in the week we completed our first assessment and reviewed all responses.
Cecilia
This week we continued with Response Writing, writing an interview using inferred points. Later in the week, students sat for their first assessment.
Rose
In Week 5, we consolidated Writer's Effect strategies and moved onto Response Writing. Students sat their first assessment.
Barbara
In Week 5, we started looking at Writer's Effect. STs delivered presentations as a recap of key literary devices.
Week 4
John
In Week 4 we reviewed last week's Paper 3 work and refocused our attention on Directed Writing.
Cecilia
In week 4, students worked on their vocabulary and inferred points for an interview, a Paper 2 question.
Rose
In Week 4, students presented their speeches. They also worked in groups to analyse language for the Writer's Effect question.
Barbara
This week, whilst practising writing a summary, we learnt various vocab related to: verbs describing a change and causative words/phrases. These will be applied in the summary writing set as homework. Next week, we are going to look at Writer's Effect section of the exam, continue practising writing a summary, and also implement exam practice into our Wk 5 sessions.
Week 3
John
In Week 3, we worked on Paper 3 with a particular focus on narrative writing.
Cecilia
In Week 3, students worked on the summary question in Paper 2. They listed points and wrote summaries using their own words.
We discussed sections of the exam, and focused on SUMMARY. A&O for the whole 'Summary' unit were introduced, which at times overlapped with writing section. The unit will continue until next week when STs will be writing mock exam papers (summary section only).
Rose
In Week 3, we practised our persuasive speeches and continued to develop Writer's Effect strategies.
Barbara
This week we practised SUMMARY writing by looking at identifying key points, taking notes using abbreviations and symbols and going through various paraphrasing techniques. These will help them to divert linguistically from the original text whilst capturing the gist of the source. We have also had sessions which overlap with writing section, namely linking words and cohesion. For formative assessment, students work on writing summaries on variety of texts, continuously expanding new and relevant vocabulary.
Week 2
John
In Week 2 we finished the most recent Paper 2 and moved on to Paper 3 with a particular focus on refreshing the students' understanding of Directed Writing.
Cecilia
In Week 2 students focused on building their vocabulary for the Writer's Effect question. They also worked on finding effect for the chosen phrases and words.
Barbara
We discussed sections of the exam, and focused on SUMMARY. A&O for the whole 'Summary' unit were introduced, which at times overlapped with writing section. The unit will continue until next week when STs will be writing mock exam papers (summary section only).
Rose
In Week 2, we focused on Writer's Effect and vocabulary building. We used inference and context clues to decode unfamiliar language in IGCSE passages.
Week 1
John
In Week 1 we focused on the May/June 2018 Paper 2 Response Writing and Writer's Effect questions.
Cecilia
In Week 1 students worked on the Paper 2 Question - Response Writing. They inferred points, wrote a letter using the points inferred and worked on their vocabulary.
Barbara
In week 1 we carried out ice breaking activities based on English and general knowledge.
Rose
In Week 1, we began preparing two-minutes persuasive speeches. We also analysed song lyrics to help us with Writer's Effect in Week 2.