2022 English Prelim and Composition Model – A change in attitude

The 2022 English Prelim papers were completed before the end of term 3. Over the past few weeks, I have been going over my students’ grades and different components. Many schools set the Paper 2 component challengingly and marked the papers strictly. Fortunately for my students, they had their other English components such as Paper 1 and Oral to help them fill in the gap left by their Paper 2 marks.

I was especially proud of my students for their Paper 1 grades. Many scored above 30 for their CW. One had a score of 39/40 while others scored above 35. After reading through their compositions, I am pleased to say they really deserve the grades given to them. They had been writing diligently all year, adding in new techniques learnt in class, eliminating their common grammar mistakes in their compositions, and remembering the advice given to them for each piece of composition. This year, I will compile for all my P6 students the preliminary compositions that scored above 35 as a form of PSLE revision.

In my post today, I would like to feature one of my students’ preliminary compositions. There were many good ones to choose from.

I chose this prelim composition as I feel this student deserved the grade of 36.5/40 that she received.

Coming from a competitive school, getting such a score is not an easy feat. She also eliminated her common grammatical mistakes and wrote a heartfelt story. Kudos to her for doing all this within the short (and stressful) time given.

As you read through her composition, take note of the following points:

• Her use of characterisation of the protagonist and Mrs Lam
• Her use of descriptive words and phrases
• The conflict that the protagonist was facing
• Her use of personal thought and choice of dialogue
• Her use of the picture chosen (notebook)
• Her reflective ending

2022 English Prelim composition: A Change In Attitude

“Click- clack.” The sound of high-heeled shoes tapping on the floor reverberated through the corridor. My classmates’ whispers made me wonder who was going to be our new teacher. Was she going to be as cruel as Mrs Tan, our former English teacher? Was she going to make me want to flip open the English workbook?

A swarm of butterflies fluttered around my stomach, crashing on both sides as the new teacher stepped in. Her hair was tied in a sleek ponytail and she was dressed in a flowery dress. The bright colours stood out from the dull coloured classroom as she made her way to the teacher’s table.

“Good morning class!” she chirped energetically.

I was perplexed. She was the opposite of our old English teacher, Mrs Tan. Mrs Tan always wore dull coloured clothes and talked in a monotonous voice, unlike this enthusiastic teacher. However, I still could not trust our new English teacher. Was she just going to see me as another burden?

As time passed, and under the care of our new English teacher, Mrs Lam, it seemed that all of my classmates and friends had fallen under her spell. They were motivated to learn and practice English. During recess, they would even stay back to ask Mrs Lam questions regarding work! The friends whom I used to play video games with, all decided to study.

I released a huge sigh and my head fell onto my table. Before I knew it, I had dozed off.

Just then, a familiar voice intoned, “Jayna, wash your face and come to the staffroom when you are done.”

As I looked up, I thought that I was going to be in deep trouble. Little did I know that I was wrong.

I trudged with heavy footsteps to the staffroom. Was I going to be punished? However, as I opened the door, my eyes widened. Mrs Lam was smiling and she even beamed at me when she saw me! I still recalled the glares that Mrs Tan always directed at me, but why was Mrs Lam acting this way? Why would she smile at me after I fell asleep during her lesson? Suddenly, her gentle voice broke the silence and tension.

“Jayna, I think that you need to have a change in your attitude. The PSLE is coming. You can still play and have breaks but you really need to study.”

Mrs Lam then passed me a notebook with the word ‘Can’t’ crossed out. At the bottom of the word, she had written and circled the word ‘Can’. I stared at it closely and realised that what she had reminded me of was true. The PSLE was coming and I had to study and despite that, I could do it. I can do my best! I thought, motivated.

When I was at home that day, I thought about my actions. I have to stop playing video games, I told myself. I felt that my heart opened and I could finally trust Mrs Lam. I even placed the notebook, opened to that page, on my table. After all, she just wanted to help me by motivating me to change my attitude.

I attended the English Academic Support lessons regularly and paid great attention to Mrs Lam. I found her lessons interesting and interactive. To motivate me even more, she set up a reward chart. With fifteen points, I could redeem a reward.

Mrs Lam used a purple pen to mark my work instead of the bright bleeding ink that Mrs Tan used to mark my work. There was also an encouraging note in all my work, written by Mrs Lam.

Before I knew it, the examinations arrived. With the help of Mrs Lam, I was confident to take my paper. As I mustered all my strength, I felt a sudden pat on my back.

“You can do it Jane!” the voice whispered.

A wide smile was plastered on my face. I can do it! I thought inwardly.

After a few days, when I got back my examination script, I was reeling from the shock of my discovery, and a teardrop cascaded down my eyelashes.

“Eighty-seven!” I cried out as euphoria rushed through my veins. My B’s and C’s were replaced with ‘A’s.

I rushed to Mrs Lam and smiled like a Cheshire cat as I enveloped her in a bear hug. I passed her the notebook that she had given me earlier and an aura of joy flushed in me.

“Thank you Mrs Lam for changing my attitude with this notebook,” I said as rivulets of tears rolled down my face.

              Mrs Lam was very different from Mrs Tan. I was a student who had bad grades and was no one special. Yet, she went to the extent of caring for me. Her lessons found a special place in my heart. I enjoyed them dearly and always found myself paying attention. The memory of the notebook would always be etched in my mind. I was able to change my attitude and I would never forget that.