English Programme
Find out how the school nurtures confident English speakers through its EL Fest, DEAR reading programme, Speakers' Corner, and Literature in Drama activities.
English Programme
English Language Festival (EL Fest)
The main aim in carrying out this event is to develop our students to be confident and effective communicators of the English Language.
The objectives of this event are to:
expose students to the use of Standard English through fun and exciting activities
develop the love of the English Language and reading
encourage students to speak Standard English An assortment of meaningful and engaging activities is organised for the festival and the details of these activities are communicated to all students and their parents to ensure maximum participation and support. Staff are also encouraged to dress up as book characters.The following tables highlight the activities planned.
Reading festival competition activities by level
Competitions | Levels | Details |
|---|---|---|
Book Character Portrayal | P1 to P6 | Students may come to school dressed up as any book character. |
Book Cover Design | P1 to P4 | 2D or 3D design |
Poster Design (to promote a book or an author) | P5 & P6 | A3-sized drawing paper |
Drop Everything And Read (DEAR) Programme
DEAR Programme is a structured reading programme that takes place for twenty minutes after morning assembly from Tuesdays to Thursdays. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, students read EL resources and on Thursdays, they read MTL resources.
On Tuesdays, students read structured reading resources provided by the school. This is followed by follow-up activities in class e.g. class discussion, online discussion, reflection and/or journal entry.
On Wednesdays, students read any appropriate EL reading resources e.g. storybooks, novels, magazines, encyclopaedias etc.
The following table highlights the structured reading resources for the different levels of students.
Structured reading resources by level and semester
Structured Reading Resources | ||
|---|---|---|
Level | First Semester | Second Semester |
P1 to P3 | STELLAR READERS | Exploring Reading Book |
P4 to P6 | The Little Red Dot (LRD) weekly publication or DEAR Programme articles prepared by EL department teachers | |
The EL department has chosen to subscribe to the Little Red Dot weekly publication as we would like our students to stay informed of current affairs. The LRD offers simple explanations of current affairs to young readers.
Speakers’ Corner Programme
The EL Department conducts Speakers’ Corner Programme for our middle and upper primary students. The programme is held termly in class and across the levels.
Our P3 to P6 students discuss a given topic with their EL teachers. The topics discussed include contemporary issues such as current affairs. Upon discussion, our students pen their comments and reflections in their EL journal books. They then articulate these thoughts to their peers on a rotational basis throughout the year, in the classrooms in front of their classmates for class sessions and in the presence of their schoolmates during level sessions held in different parts of the school, like the canteen, library or lower concourse.
This programme provides a platform for our students to speak in front of an audience to become confident communicators. They also become more self-directed in their learning and have the opportunity to develop their critical thinking skills when they do research and reflect on a given topic.
Literature in Drama
P4 students participate in a literature-in-drama workshop bases on Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax. In the workshop, the students learn to engage with literature not only through textual analysis but also through dramatic presentations of the story.
The workshop culminates in a drama presentation during assembly before an audience of students and teachers.
