Preparation for Term 1 Week 5

Monday

Read and analyse all the sample introduction and conclusion on the handout distributed in class based on the framework given. Lesson will proceed under the assumption that you have read and analysed all the samples. 

Tuesday

Lesson focus: Practice on writing introduction and conclusion. Each group needs to have at least 1 laptop which can be connected to the Wirelss@CGSS network. Please make arrangements to ensure you group has a laptop.

Wednesday

Do detailed essay plans for the following questions and bring your plans to class.

1) Describe some of your experiences in food courts and hawker centres. How important are these places in your life as a teenager in Singapore? (Cam 2013)

2) What do you consider to be your greatest achievement? Why does it mean so much to you? (Cam 2013)

Friday

Compre timed-assignment feedback. No preparation needed. 

Writing Assignment (Deadline 5 Feb 8pm)

Write an essay based on the following question.

Discuss the benefits and problems of hosting major sporting events.

You are required to include at least 3 of the examples discussed in class (found here) in the main body of your essay (ie. not the intro or conclusion). 

Type your response of no more than 1000 words (you won't be able to write this long in an exam) in google doc and upload it here. NOTE: You must use the google doc format and NOT any other format (e.g. MS Word). Name your file in the format RegNo(2 digit format)_Name_Discuss the benefits and problems of hosing major sporting events. For example, 02_An Eu Jin_Discuss the benefits and problems of hosing major sporting events.

You may wish to complete this essay only after the lesson on introduction and conclusion writing so that you may incorporate some of the new skills learnt. 

Answers to Compre exercises this week

The answers to this week's compre short question revision can be found here. They are for your reference only. Printing and downloading has been disabled. 

Regards,
Mr Ong Chin Meng

Lesson schedule for Term 1 Week 4

Monday (2 periods)

Each group needs to have at least 1 laptop which can be connected to the Wirelss@CGSS network. Please make arrangements to ensure you group has a laptop.

Complete and bring the following items mentioned in last week's email which can be found on the blog here. 

(1) Follow-up for paragraph writing exercise
(2) Paragraph Development exercise on hosting major sporting events

Tuesday & Wednesday (1 period each)

Continue feedback for two comprehension exercise handouts I distributed in Term 1 Week 1. 
(a) Literary Devices, Tone & Attitude
(b) Language Use

Thursday (2 periods)

Each group needs to have at least 1 laptop which can be connected to the Wirelss@CGSS network. Please make arrangements to ensure you group has a laptop.

Lesson on writing introduction and conclusion. No preparation needed. 

Friday (1 period)

Complete and bring the following item mentioned in last week's email which can be found on the blog here. 

(1) Introduction to Reflective Writing

Regards,
Mr Ong Chin Meng

Work for Term 1 Week 3

Follow-up for paragraph writing exercise

Read the sample paragraphs found here and answer all the questions posed in the file. Bring your answers to class in Term 1 Week 4. You need not print the paragraphs. They will be printed for you and distributed in Term 1 Week 4.

Paragraph Development exercise on hosting major sporting events

Refer to the instructions found here. You will need to make a choice as a group on a first-come-first-served basis. 

Introduction to Reflective Writing

Analyse the samples found here and answer the questions given at the start. Upload your responses in the folder here by 23 Jan (Sat) 2200h. 

Timed Assignment 1

Ms Laura Siew will be arranging with your EL rep for a day to come to class to let you do Timed Assignment 1. It will be a comprehension assignment.  

Regards,
Mr Ong Chin Meng

 

Lesson swaps in Term 1 Week 3 & 4

Please take note of the following lesson swaps:

18 Jan (Mon) 1215h - EL change to SS

28 Jan (Thu) 1125h - SS change to EL

20 Jan (Wed) 1125h - EL change to Bio

25 Jan (Mon) 1425h - Bio change to EL

Respective subject reps, please help to remind your subject teachers when the date draw nearer. Thank you. 

Regards,
Mr Ong Chin Meng

Work to do in Term 1 Week 2 to make up for lost lesson time

This is the first installment of work to be completed while I am gone for NS. I will send the second installment this weekend. 

Comprehension Exercise

Most of you have yet to complete the following two comprehension exercise handouts I distributed

(a) Literary Devices, Tone & Attitude

(b) Language Use

Please spend class time to complete these handouts. I expect them to be fully completed when I return. 

Paragraph Development Exercise

Refer to the instructions for this Mon's lesson found here. You are to write one complete content paragraph (as it will appear in an actual essay) for the question which your group chose to work on for this week's lesson, using the same two examples. Please adhere strictly to the following instructions:

1) Your are to type your response on Google doc and upload your response in the folder found here by 15 Jan (Fri) 2200h. NOTE: You must use the Google doc format and NOT any other format (e.g. MS Word).

2) Name your file in the format RegNo(2 digit format)_Name_Qn. For example
02_An Eu Jin_Sorry is the most difficult thing to say

3) For those unfamiliar with Google Doc, you may wish to follow these steps to create your file:
(a) Click on your class folder above.
(b) Click on "Open in Drive" on the top right corner (or "Add to Drive" first if you haven't read and followed the instructions in my email titled "Setting up your Google Drive for EL Lessons").
(c) Click on the red box on the left which says "New" and from the drop down list, select "Google Docs".
(d) An Untitled document will be created. You will be able to rename the file simply by clicking on the title "Untitled" on the top left hand corner.

Regards,
Mr Ong Chin Meng

Setting up your Google Drive for EL Lessons

Dear students,

My apologies for forgetting to send this out earlier. This email will contain some basic explanation on how to use Google Drive for our EL lessons this year.

Setting up and accessing the folders

1) Click on your class folder below. On the top right corner of the screen, click on "Add to Drive". You will be prompted to select exactly where on your Google Drive you would like to add this EL class folder. Select any location you like.

Class 4H

Class 4P and 4O

2) The EL class folder is now accessible directly from your Google Drive without having to click on the links in my email or on the blog. If you do choose to use the links I provide in my emails or on the blog, select "Open in Drive" on the top right corner of the screen to be able to use the full features.

Working offline and uploading your files

All work submissions will have to be done in Google Doc format to facilitate easy access. As such, if you work offline using any other format (e.g. MS Word), you need to convert your files when uploading them onto Google Drive. To do so automatically, do the following.

1) Click on the Settings icon near the top right corner of your Google Drive

2) Select "Settings"

3) Check the box which says "Convert uploaded files to Google Doc Editor format"

All your uploaded files will now be automatically converted to google doc format. To upload from a Mac or from a Windows machine, simply drag your files into the desired folder on Google Drive. 

Students without MS Office

Some files I will share with you in the course of the year will come in MS Word or Powerpoint format. If you convert them to the corresponding Google Doc format, sometimes the formatting will change, rendering the document unreadable. To get around this problem, you can download and install free Office software such as Open Office, found at https://www.openoffice.org/.

Regards, 
Mr Ong Chin Meng
Head of Department / English

Preparation for Term 1 Week 2

Lesson 1 (Mon)

Carry on with task prepared for 8 Jan (Fri) found here.

Lesson 2 & 3

Complete Section A (visual text) of both the SNGS and CGS paper 

Complete Literary Device handout.

Complete at least half of handout on Language use and its effect

Schedule for the next two weeks

Dear students,

I will be away for NS from 13 to 23 Jan. Please note the following lesson swaps arranged to minimise disruptions to your learning. For lessons which cannot be swapped, you will be set work to complete. 

6 Jan (Wed) Odd Week - IM change to EL

13 Jan (Wed) Even Week - EL change to IM

12 Jan (Tue) - 1255h IM change to EL

14 Jan (Thu) - 0825h EL change to IM

21 Jan (Thu) - 0825h EL change to IM

26 Jan (Tue) - 1255h IM change to EL

Regards,
Mr Ong Chin Meng
Head of Department / English

Preparation for Paragraph Development Lesson on 8 Jan (Fri)

Dear students,

Please complete the preparation found here for our lesson on Friday. 

Regards,
Mr Ong Chin Meng
Head of Department / English

ICT infrastructure for EL lessons is up

Dear students,

Thank you for completing the survey. The ICT infrastructure for EL lessons this year has been set up.

Class Blog

1) The class blog can be found at http://cgss2016el4h.blogspot.sg/. Please accept my invitation (sent to your gmail account) to be an author of the blog. You will need to be an author in order to make comments to select group tasks some time in the year. The blog is public. So if your parents would like to keep track of what you are doing in EL lessons, you can give them this link. 

2) At the top of the class blog, you will find some links to Google Drive folders as well as the link to my Google Calendar. You will need to be logged in to your gmail account to be able to access these. I will be putting lesson materials (such as slides) in the Google Drive folders for you throughout the course of the year.

3) All group emails I send to you will be automatically posted on the class blog as well. If you prefer checking the blog to your email, you can always go directly to the blog.

4) If you are unable to access any of the items mentioned above, please alert me. 

Cohort Facebook Group

As an extension of our EL classroom, your teachers have set up a Cohort Facebook Group for you to hone your skills by engaging in discussions on current affairs and other issues of concern to you. If you have any EL related question, you may also post them on the group. 

To join the group, please search for CGSS Level 4 EL 2016 or click here. If you are not using your real name on Facebook, you will only be approved if you are added by a friend who is currently a member of the group. Please note that this group is for CGSS Level 4 students only. For your own security and the optimal learning environment, please do not invite any unauthorised persons. 

Regards,
Mr Ong Chin Meng
Head of Department / English