Table of Contents

Please click here for an overview of this blog.

Ms Alvina Lau, Miss Singapore Universe 2004

Dearest Northians,
Please click here to see a stunning photograph of my irresistable sister.

1F Reading Rites

Dear All,
Please upload your Reading Rites homework here by 4 March 2009, 18:00H.

Thank you.

1F Journal Entries

Dearest 1F,
As explained earlier, please include a word count and declaration in all your journal entries. Thank you.

Amongst you, are those who have lost beween 1 to 20 CA1 Marks for the following offences:

1. Refusal to follow instructions to include word count, declaration, and to perform spell and grammar check BEFORE posting)
2. Refusal to submit your writing despite numerous calls to your parents, personal reminders and warnings in January, February and March
3. Submitting work that is horrendously late and with little effort shown

Those who still refused to submit your work or did so after 4 March, 18:00H have received a zero for this CA1 component.

1C Journal Entries

Dearest 1C,
As explained earlier, please include a word count and declaration in all your journal entries. Thank you.

Amongst you, are those who have lost beween 1 to 20 CA1 Marks for the following offences:

1. Refusal to follow instructions to include word count, declaration, and to perform spell and grammar check BEFORE posting)
2. Refusal to submit your writing despite numerous calls to your parents, personal reminders and warnings in January, February and March
3. Submitting work that is horrendously late and that shows little effort

Those who still refused to submit your work or did so after 4 March, 18:00H have received a zero for this CA1 component.

1C Vocabulary List

Dearest 1 C,
Please share your vocabulary lists here.

Remember to include the following:
1. Class, Register Number, Name (1C 09 Shar Rook Can)
2. "I have checked my work for grammar and spelling BEFORE posting it"

Your lists must have:
(i) 1 new/good/interesting word a day
(ii) SIMPLE meaning of the word that you understand
(iii) The sentence that used the word
(iv) Your OWN original sentence to demonstrate (show) your understanding of this new word

For instance,
1. Floccinaucinilipilification
2. The action (or habit) of considering (or describing (or judging)) something as worthless (or unimportant)
3. "I loved him for... his flocci-nauci-nihili-pili-fication of money"
4. I am upset with mum's floccinaucinilipilification of my excellent examination results of three A stars and an A. She is simply impossible to please!

Amongst you, are those who have lost beween 1 to 20 CA1 Marks for the following offences:

1. Refusal to follow instructions to include word count, declaration, and to perform spell and grammar check BEFORE posting)
2. Refusal to submit your writing despite numerous calls to your parents, personal reminders and warnings in January, February and March
3. Submitting work that is horrendously late and that shows little effort

Those who still refused to submit your work or did so after 4 March, 18:00H have received a zero for this CA1 component.

1F Vocabulary List

Dearest 1 Fantabulous,
Please share your vocabulary lists here.

Remember to include the following:
1. Class, Register Number, Name (1F 03 Brad Ang Pit)
2. "I have checked my work for grammar and spelling BEFORE posting it"

Your lists must have:
(i) 1 new/good/interesting word a day
(ii) SIMPLE meaning of the word that you understand
(iii) The sentence that used the word
(iv) Your OWN original sentence to demonstrate (show) your understanding of this new word

For instance,
1. Floccinaucinilipilification
2. The action (or habit) of considering (or describing (or judging)) something as worthless (or unimportant)
3. "I loved him for... his flocci-nauci-nihili-pili-fication of money"
4. I am upset with mum's floccinaucinilipilification of my excellent examination results of three A stars and an A. She is simply impossible to please!

Amongst you, are those who have lost beween 1 to 20 CA1 Marks for the following offences:

1. Refusal to follow instructions to include word count, declaration, and to perform spell and grammar check BEFORE posting)
   
2. Refusal to submit your writing despite numerous calls to your parents, personal reminders and warnings in January, February and March
   
3. Submitting work that is horrendously late and that shows little effort
   

Those who still refused to submit your work or did so after 4 March, 18:00H have received a zero for this CA1 component.

BNSS 1C Personal Recount

Dearest 1C,
Please upload your personal recount by clicking the "comments" link at the end of this post.

Please include your NAME, REGISTER NUMBER, CLASS and WORD COUNT.

Remember to check FOUR times:
1. First for content (how can I make it more interesting?)
2. Secondly, for vocabulary (can I use better words? eg. best friend vs beloved pal)
3. Thirdly, for grammar
4. Lastly, spelling

Please include the following remark at the BEGINNING of each post:

• "I have checked my work four times, firstly for content, secondly for vocabulary, thirdly for grammar and lastly for spelling BEFORE posting it"
  
  Thank you.

BNSS 1F Personal Recount

Dearest 1F,
Please upload your personal recount by clicking the "comments" link at the end of this post.

Please include your NAME, REGISTER NUMBER, CLASS and WORD COUNT.

Remember to check FOUR times:
1. First for content (how can I make it more interesting?)
2. Secondly, for vocabulary (can I use better words? eg. best friend vs beloved pal)
3. Thirdly, for grammar
4. Lastly, spelling

Please include the following remark at the BEGINNING of each post:

"I have checked my work four times, firstly for content, secondly for vocabulary, thirdly for grammar and lastly for spelling BEFORE posting it"

Thank you.

My Pedagogic Creed

Towards an integrative education that challenges one to examine the interconnectedness of seemingly disparate disciplines, by integrating Visual Art, into the wider context of a child’s holistic education, so that he may discover that academic subjects have an existence that is ultimately dependent on one another..

Curriculum Vitae

Education

1993 – 1996
Bedok South Secondary School
Pure Science

1997 – 1998
Tampines Junior College
Science Faculty
Physics, Economics, Mathematics C, Art (Graphic Design, Portraiture & Batik Painting)

2001
Nanyang Technological University
College of Engineering

2002
Nanyang Technological University
School of Civil & Environmental Engineering

2003 – 2005
Nanyang Technological University
National Institute of Education
Diploma in Education (Distinction)
Visual Art & English Language Teaching at Secondary Level
Anugerah Khas Mendaki Award 2005 for excellent academic achievement.
Nominated for the AY2004 Rotary International Gold Medal for outstanding academic achievement, leadership & dedication to student activities in the institute & services to the community (Finalist).

2005 - 2007
Nanyang Technological University
National Institute of Education
Bachelor of Arts (Education)
Visual Art & Social Studies Teaching at Primary Level

Clubs and Societies

1993
Bedok South Secondary School Choir
Tenor

1993 – 1995
Bedok South Secondary School Military Band
Tuba Player
Singapore Youth Festival 1994 Central Judging for Bands (Outdoor) - Bronze

1995
Bedok South Secondary School Prefectorial Board
Vice-head Prefect

1995
Bedok South Secondary School Chinese Orchestra
Percussionist
Singapore Youth Festival Central Judging for Chinese Orchestras - Gold Award, Certificate of Distinction (Top 5)

1995
Siglap Community Club Concert Band
Tuba Player

1995 – 1997
Toa Payoh East Community Club Chinese Orchestra
Percussionist

1997
Tampines Junior College Oratorical & Debating Society
National Plain English Speaking Award Competition organized by the British Council, YMCA & Ministry of Education, Singapore
College Representative

1997
Tampines Junior College Drama Club
Annual College Production
Male Lead

1997 – 1998
Tampines Junior College Chinese Orchestra
Percussionist

1997
Tampines Junior College Symphonic Band
Guest Player, Tuba
Concertante IX, Victoria Concert Hall, Singapore

1997– 1998
Tampines Junior College Art Club
College Representative
Singapore Youth Festival 1997 Central Judging for Art (Graphic Design)

2001 – 2002
Nanyang Technological University Muslim Society
Member

2001
Nanyang Technological University Symphonic Band
Tuba Player
Music Exchange Programme with Shanghai Ming Hang Zong Zhuan University, July 2002


Courses/Skills


2008
Intro to Corel Painter X & Wacom Graphic Tablet
Eccential Solutions

2005
Adobe Premiere 6.0
Visual & Performing Arts Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University

2005
Ulead VideoStudeo 8
Learning Focus Technologies

2004
EndNote 7
Instructional Services Division, Nanyang Technological University Library

2004
MindManager X5 Pro
Learning Sciences and Technologies Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University

2004
Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004
Learning Focus Technologies

2004
Macromedia Flash MX 2004
Learning Focus Technologies

2004
Macromedia Authorware 7
Learning Focus Technologies

2003
Adobe Photoshop CS
Visual & Performing Arts Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University

2002
AutoCAD 2002
School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University

2002
C Programming
School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University

2002
Construction Saftey Certificate
Occupational Saftey & Health (Training & Promotion) Centre, Ministry of Manpower, Singapore.

2001
ProEngineer
School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University

1997
Batik Painting Workshop
Mr Sarkasi Said

Modules Read at NTU

DIPLOMA IN EDUCATION

Visual Art

• ECA120 Processes of Visual Representation and Expression I: Painting & Drawing
• ECA121 Visual Arts and Multimedia I: Still Photography & Digital Imaging
• ECA122 Processes of Visual Representation and Expression II: Ceramics
• ECA220 Processes of Visual Representation and Expression III Printmaking
• ECA221 Visual Arts and Multimedia II: Digital Video Production
• ECA222 Contextualising Artworks

• ETA120 The Development of Adolescent Art and its Educational Significance
• ETA121 The History of Art Teaching
• ETA220 Developing Thinking Skills and Creativity in Visual Arts

• EAA120 Introduction to Visual Literacy I: DBAE Approach & the Nanyang Style
• EAA121 Introduction to Visual Literacy II
• EAA220 Issues of Contemporary Southeast Asian Art: Postmodernism

English Language Teaching

• ECE121 English Language Teaching at Lower Secondary Level I: Listening & Speaking
• ECE122 English Language Teaching at Lower Secondary Level II: Grammar Pedagogy
• ECE221 English Language Teaching at Lower Secondary Level III: Reading & Writing
• ECE222 English Language Teaching at Lower Secondary Level IV: Lesson Planning & Integration

English Language

• ETE121 Introduction to the English Language I: Grammar
• ETE221 Introduction to the English Language II: Error Analysis
• ELE121 Use of English in Teaching: Written Communication
• ELE222 Spoken English in Teaching: Phonology

Education Studies

• EED100 Introduction to Instructional Technology: microLESSON Planning
• EED101 Introduction to Learning and Testing
• EED102 Providing for Individual Differences in Learning and Teaching
• EED200 Social Context of Teaching and Learning
• EED250 Empowering learners to learn

General Electives

• EAD184 Elementary Malay
• EED281 Computer Applications for School-based Testing
• EED280 On Becoming a Creative Teacher

Teaching Practicum: Changkat Changi Sec Sch

• EPR120 Practicum I (credit)
• EPR220 Practicum II (distinction)

BACHELOR OF ARTS (EDUCATION)

ESSENTIAL MODULES

CEM101 Environmental Studies and Global Issues
CEM102 Critical Reading and Writing
CEM205 Singapore Studies
CEM231 The Teacher and Society

ACADEMIC SUBJECTS
Visual Art

CAA203 Processes of Visual Representation and Expression III
CAA204 Visual Arts and Multimedia II
CAA205 Developing Thinking Skills and Creativity in Visual Arts
CAA301 Issues of Contemporary Southeast Asian Art II
CAA302 Processes of Visual Representation and Expression IV
CAA303 Visual Arts Teaching Research Project I

CURRICULUM STUDIES

Visual Art

CCA201 Visual Representation in Infancy and Childhood
CCA301 How Children Use and Organise Visual Media
CCA302 Concepts in Art Education
CCA403 Curatorial Practices and Exhibition

Social Studies

CCL301 Teaching Social Studies in the Classroom
CCL302 Investigating Social Studies through Fieldwork
CCL401 Advanced Strategies in the Teaching of Social Studies

CURRICULUM CONTENT
Social Studies

CTL201 Selected Geography Topics for Primary Social Studies Teaching
CTL202 Selected History Topics for Primary Social Studies Teaching

TEACHING PRACTICUM

CPR401 Practicum III Chong Zheng Primary School

GENERAL ELECTIVE

LM80 Malay Language Level 1

PRESCRIBED ELECTIVES

G140 Engineers & Society: Our country. Engineers in society. Our world in the new Millennium.

G143 Communication Skills 1: Reporting technical information. Writing technical reports. Visual elements. Technical Writing Style. Group oral presentation of a technical topic.

G160 Electric Circuits: Resistive circuits and circuit theorems. Energy storage elements and transient response. AC circuits. Laplace transformation in circuit analysis.

G161 Electronics: Operational amplifiers. Diode circuit analysis. Bipolar junction transistors. Small-signal BJT amplifiers. Transistor Switches. Logic Circuits.

G162 Statics: Statics of particles. Rigid bodies: equivalent systems of forces. Equilibrium of rigid bodies. Distributed forces: centroids and centres of gravity. Analysis of structures. Forces in beams. Friction. Distributed forces: moments of inertia of areas and masses

G163 Dynamics: Planar kinematics of particles. Planar kinematics of rigid bodies. Planar kinetics of particles. Planar kinetics of rigid bodies

G164 Mathematics 1A: Complex numbers, vectors and matrices. Limits and continuity of functions. Derivatives. Applications of derivatives. Integration. Integration methods. Application of integration.

G164 Mathematics 1B: Partial differentiation. Multiple integrals. Sequences and series. First order differential equations. Second order differential equations.

G166 Engineering Physics: Electricity. Magnetism. Optics. Quantum physics.

G167 Engineering Chemistry: Chemical equilibrium. Solubility and precipitation. Acids and bases. Ionic salts and inorganic compounds. Activity and activity coefficient. Reaction kinetics and reaction mechanisms. Steady state approximation. Electrochemistry. The Nernst equation. Organic chemistry.

G168 Computing: C language fundamentals: data types, operators, standard library functions. Flow of control. Modular programming. Functions and pointers. Data structures: arrays and strings. Basic file processing.

G169 Materials Science: Structure of solids. Defects in solids. Properties of materials. Phase equilibrium. Phase diagrams.

G170 Engineering Graphics: Orthographic Projection. Pictorial Views and Technical Sketching. Drawing Standards and Practices. Sectional Views and Intersections. Development of Surfaces. Machine Drawings. Rendering drawings with Proengineer & AutoCAD software.

G171 Laboratory 1A: Principles of Measurement; Instrument Characteristics; Measurement Errors; Data Sampling and Acquisition.

G172 Laboratory 1B: Laboratory experiments related to: Statics; Electrical Circuits and Components; Engineering Physics; Dynamics.

Academic Writing (Word Documents)

Art Theory & Criticism
Analysing a Work of Art
Designing & Evaluating Interdisciplinary Fieldwork
Longitudinal Study 1of5: The Art of Childhood
Study 2of5: Visual Representation in Infancy & Childhood
Longitudinal Study 3of5: Digital Media & the Child
Water Conservation (Webquest)

Never the Twain Shall Meet

Alvin Lau, Semiosis, 2005.

Mixed Media, 876 x 620 mm.

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Semiosis (noun): "The Process of signification."

Oxford Talking Dictionary, 1998

I've always been intrigued by the wearying polemic against seemingly disparate discplines - such as Art and Physics. Semiosis - just like my project on "Text as an Image", is a manifestation of my desire to examine the allegedly divergent fields of Physics and Art.

Text as Image or Image as Text?

Alvin Lau, Balanced Equations, 2005
Mixed Media, 350 x 328 mm.

What looks like hieroglyphics at 1st glance, is actually fanciful text, inspired by the creators of the animated sitcom, Futurama.

Text as Image

The use of textual language in the visual arts has long been derided by puritanical artists and art educators, who are adamant that a "true" work of art must be able to communicate the artist’s message to the art viewer, without the need to rely on textual language, therefore relying entirely on the visual product, as a vehicle of communication.

Viewing text, from a purely visual perspective, by “guillotining” it from its semiotic associations within the art viewer’s linguistic sphere, has intrigued me ever since my multimedia lecturer, Mr Lincoln, chided a classmate for using lyrics in her image, to explicitly communicate her message.

It fascinates me, how when dismembered from its semantic and cognitive associations, text presents itself in an entirely unfamiliar, semantically unadulterated and truly enigmatic form to the viewer.

ETA220 DEVELOPING THINKING SKILLS & CREATIVITY IN VISUAL ART allowed me to explore the world’s myriad of languages and their written forms — both living and extinct, in an attempt to get students to use text as an image.

The world’s foremost authoritative and comprehensive database of world languages, (Ethnologue, Grimes 1996), maintained by the Summer Institute of linguistics, lists a staggering 6802 living languages and over a thousand extinct languages. There also exist written languages, which have been discovered, but have yet to be deciphered.


Top 10 Most Widely Spoken Languages
Language....................Number of speakers
1. Chinese (Mandarin) ...1,075,000,000
2. English ...................514,000,000
3. Hindi......................496,000,000
4. Spanish....................425,000,000
5. Russian....................275,000,000
6. Arabic.....................256,000,000
7. Bengali....................215,000,000
8. Portuguese...............194,000,000
9. Malay-Indonesian.......176,000,000
10. French..................129,000,000

Source: Ethnologue, 13th Edition

In the course of my research, written languages familiar to the target audience (lower secondary Singaporean students), such as Chinese, English, Tamil and Malay languages, have been excluded, as comprehensible text will cease to become an image, once the viewer is able to decode its meaning. The research was therefore narrowed down to unfamiliar and extinct languages, and complex mathematical and physical symbols or operators, which present themselves to the viewer, entirely through their aesthetic form.

Mindmap of Objectives, Framework & Processes

Please click here to view MindMap.

The Art-Making Process

The subsequent posts show the images of my artwork, as I explored the myriad possiblities of using mathematical and scientific symbols and intriguing text from written languages - both contemporary and extinct - in search of my elusive Magnum Opus.

High-row-glee-fix

Alvin Lau, Cocophony I, 2005.
Monoprint, 631 x 432 mm.

High-row-glee-fix - Inverted

Alvin Lau, Cocophony II, 2005.
Monoprint, 631 x 432 mm.

Borg

Alvin Lau, Borg, 2005.
Ink on paper, 876 x 586 mm.

Borg - Inverted

Alvin Lau, Borg Inverted, 2005.
Mixed Media, 876 x 586 mm.

Borg - Inverted Magenta

Alvin Lau, Borg Magenta, 2005.
Mixed Media, 876 x 586 mm.

Linocut - Borg

Alvin Lau, Borged, 2005.
Linocut, 210 x 148 mm.

Woodcut - Borg Blue

Alvin Lau, Contact, 2005.
Woodcut Print, 420 x 297 mm.

Mixed Media - Borg Inverted

Alvin Lau, Contact II, 2005.
Mixed Media, 865 x 574 mm.

Variations on a Theme

Alvin Lau, Reborg, 2005. Mixed Media, 660 x 504 mm.

Alvin Lau, Contact IV, 2005. Mixed Media, 1024 x 690 mm.

Alvin Lau, Quattro, 2005. Mixed Media, 1024 x 699 mm.

Alvin Lau, Asymmetry, 2005. Mixed Media, 1020 x 336 mm.

Alvin Lau, Grand Canyon, 2005. Mixed Media, 1024 x 338 mm.

Alvin Lau, The Matrix, 2005. Mixed Media, 1020 x 339 mm.

Variations

As part of my creative process, I have created variations of my artwork, as seen in the following images (please click on thumbnails for a larger view):

Batik Painting 1---Variations:

Batik Painting 2---Variations:

Batik Painting 3---Variations:

Batik Painting 4---Variations:

Batik Painting 5---Variations:

Variations of Selected Prints that I have Created:

Cosmic Voyage (Part 1: Zooming Out in Factors of 10)

The IMAX movie that sparked my interest in Microbiology, Cosmology and photography. The first part zooms out from Venice to the very edge of the visible universe, while the second part zooms into the hidden world of cells, electron clouds and quarks. An absolute must see!

Cosmic Voyage (Part 2): The Adventure of Infinity

Watch out when the movie starts zooming in at 4min 35sec.

Photomicrography vs Text in Art

Eureka!

My research into the use of text in Art has opened up an entirely new area onto which I now appear to be hooked---brightfield microscopy and digital photomicrography.

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What began as an attempt to orientate my batik text painting towards a more "organic" aesthetic, has led me into the fascinating hidden world of Microbiology and Materials Science.

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The photomicrographs produced in digital microscopy are unlike anything I've ever seen. I am absolutely fascinated and transfixed my the images captured by microscope-mounted digital cameras.

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This is a relatively new field of digital photography which I've been keenly exploring. I see great potential for the seemingly divergent fields of microbiology, Materials Science and Art to meet. Thankfully, Prof Matthews requested the chief lab technician, Mr Ho, to allow me to further my visual arts research with the help of the compound microscopes and cover slips at the Natural Sciences and Science Education Biology Lab .

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Instead of incorporating microscopy into my batik text painting, I see the potential of making microscopy the focus of my visual art research, and the possibility of producing a series of photomicrographic prints as the final product. Would it be too late at this juncture to explore a new theme and medium?

.

Please scroll down to view sketches and batik paintings inspired by my research on microscopy, photomicrographs and illumination techniques used by digital microscopists thus far.

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Online Resources Consulted:

Index Notation

Definition of Terms

Long and short scales - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Micrometre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SI prefix - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

yocto- - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Powers of Ten

For Educators

Orders of Magnitude

Powers of Ten Interactive Stations Circles at many scales

Powers of Ten Interactive Stations Cosmology Big Bang Theory

Powers of Ten Interactive Stations Fantasy Monsters

Powers of Ten Interactive Stations Light as Electromagnetic Spectrum

Powers of Ten Interactive Stations Literature Jorge Luis Borges

Powers of Ten Interactive Stations Medicine Frances Conley Neurosurgery

Powers of Ten Interactive Stations Microscope Images Through Time

Powers of Ten Interactive Stations Painting Vincent Van Gogh

Powers of Ten Interactive Stations Patterns

Powers of Ten Interactive Stations Photography

Powers of Ten Interactive Stations Physics Quantum Mechanics Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principal

Powers of Ten Interactive Stations Repeat Photography

Powers of Ten Poster

Powers of Ten

YouTube - Powers of Ten on Starry Night

The 44 Powers of Ten from -18 to 25

-1

-10

-11

-12

-13

-14

-15

-16

-17

-18

-2

-3

-4

-5

-6

-7

-8

-9

0

1

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

2

20

21

22

23

24

25

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Microscopy, Photomicrography, Histology & Microscapes

Apparatus & History

Histology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Microscope - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Microtome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

On-Line Biology Resources - Use of Dissection Microscopes

Inspirational & Educational Documentaries

YouTube - Cosmic Voyage (2)

YouTube - Cosmic Voyage

YouTube - Powers of 10

YouTube - The Adventure of Infinity

Introduction & Activites

http--micro.magnet.fsu.edu-primer-virtual-translational-index.html

Mic-UK [site A] An Introduction to Microscopy

Mic-UK [site A] Image gallery

Mic-UK [site A] Microscopy UK - Micscape - An Introduction to Microscopy

Microscopes for Fifth Grade

Microscopy Imaging

Microscopy Pre-lab Activities

NSTA Science Store

Resources

Microscopy & Micrographs Nikon

Nikon MicroscopyU Digital Imaging – New Opportunities for Microscopy

Nikon MicroscopyU Interactive Java Tutorials - Microscope Alignment for Köhler Illumination

Nikon MicroscopyU Interactive Java Tutorials

Nikon MicroscopyU Screen Saver Downloads

Nikon MicroscopyU Small World Competition Gallery

Photomicrography

Molecular Expressions Images from the Microscope

Molecular Expressions Microscopy Primer Digital Imaging in Optical Microscopy

Molecular Expressions Microscopy Primer Photomicrography Interactive Java Tutorials - Virtual Microscopy - The Photo Gallery

Molecular Expressions Microscopy Primer Virtual Microscopy Interactive Java Tutorials

Molecular Expressions Science, Optics and You - Activities in Optics - Exploring Microscopes

Molecular Expressions Science, Optics and You - Activities in Optics - Perspectives Powers of 10

Molecular Expressions Science, Optics and You - Activities in Optics

Molecular Expressions Science, Optics and You - Secret Worlds The Universe Within - Interactive Java Tutorial

Molecular Expressions Science, Optics and You - Virtual Microscopy Magnification

Molecular Expressions The Art of Photomicrography

Text in Art

Alien Language

Alien Language MFL KS3-4 Parts of the Body

Alien Language Institute

Alien Symbols Alter Human Energy

Area51 Central - Alien Writing

FUTURA~1

The 'Alien' font used in the background

Contact The Movie

Contact

CONTAC~1

JODIE FOSTER CONTACT Multimedia

JODIE FOSTER Contact

Foreign, Ancient & Self Created Scripts

AncientScripts.com

Art and Literature - Language and Art (Text in Art)

Conlang Profiles at Langmaker.com

Context-dependent and Directional Text - Complex-Text Languages - An Overview

Der yiddisher alef-beys - Sten Vikner, Aarhus

FF Beowolf™ font family MyFonts

Foundation For Endangered Languages. Home

Hieroglyphic alphabet - ROM

Introduction Model Languages

Introduction

Korean Language Study on the InterNET

KryssTal Language Families

Languages of the world - 123world

Languages of the world - English

Languages of the world - Language indices

Omniglot - a guide to written language (alphabets, syllabaries, etc)

Symbolic Conventions

CAA402 My Creative Process

Digitally Manipulating Micrographed Tissue Samples for Artistic Effect

The following images were micrographs of various plant and animal tissue specimens that were digitally enhanced. I changed the saturation settings and replaced certain colours and backgrounds, to give the effect of costlier micrographic techniques such as Differential Interference Contrast (DIC), Dark Field and Phase Contrast Microscopy.

Apparatus & Specimens Used for Micrography

Micrographing Selected Tissue Specimens for Digital Manipulation

I obtained the raw images by micrographing the following animal & plant tissue specimens with an Olympus CX31 compound microscope and DP12 digital camera attachment using brightfield microscopy, at various magnification levels.

Micrographs I Took with an Olympus Dissecting Microscope

After selecting the plant specimens and examining them under a compound Microscope, I placed them under an Olympus dissecting microscope which the friendly lab technician, Mr Mobius Leng, connected to a 29 inch CRT television for easier viewing.

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I then took the micrographs with the dissecting microscope's built in digital camera, which stored the images on a 128MB SD card. I subsequently transferred the images to my IBM Thinkpad via USB2.0. I never knew microscopes had gone so high tech since my high school days!

Working with my Olympus CX 31 Compound Microscope at the Plant Science Lab

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Plant Specimens Sectioned with a Microtome, Biochemically Stabilized with 10% Formaldehyde in Phosphate Buffered Saline , Stained with Hematoxylin and Ready for Investigation

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My Digital Micrographs Taken via Brightfield Microscopy with an Olympus Dissecting Microscope

While the Olympus CX31 compound microscope could magnify the tissue specimen up to 1000X (with oil), the dissecting microscope could only go up to 35X.

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Dissecting microscopes generally allow larger, 3-D objects to be examined, as the lenses are positioned further away from the specimen. However, the drawback is that magnification is reduced. One advantage of the Olympus dissecting microscope I used was that it had a built in video capturing device, which fed moving images in real time to an external 29 inch television monitor. The dissecting microscope also had an SD card slot and a USB2.0 interface for fast and convenient transferring of images.

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Micrograph of Fern Spores Taken Before Fine Focusing


Fern Spores at 15x Magnification (with fine focusing)

Fern Spores at 35x Magnification

Lichen at 10x Magnification (Overhead Lighting)


Lichen at 10x Magnification (Ambient Lighting)


Lichen at 10x Magnification (higher condenser setting)


Lichen at 10x Magnification (Condenser Deactivated)


Lichen at 10x Magnification (Side Lighting)


Corn Stem at 20x Magnification


Corn Stem at 35x Magnification


Onion Mitosis Root Tip at 20x Magnification


Closer view of Onion Mitosis Root Tip (35X)


Magnolia Stem Combination (20-35X)




Corn Stem (20-30X)



Moss (20-30x)



Pine Single Needle Leaf (20-30X)

Pollen at 15-35x Magnification

Silhoutte Lighting

(Bottom Lamp Dimmed)

Batik Samples Inspired by Micrographs

Highlights

Please click thumbnails to enlarge.

Alvin Lau, Me Rebus, 2003.

Digital Photography, 1230 x 1398 pixels.

Alvin Lau, Mastication, 2003.
Digital Photography, 1600 x 580 pixels.

Alvin Lau, Splitting Backache, 2003.
Digital Photography, 1940 x 1275 pixels.

Alvin Lau, Elysium Series, 2004.

Batik Painting, Various Sizes.

Alvin Lau, I'mstein, 2005.
Ceramic Sculpture, 370 x 280 mm.

Alvin Lau, Sunset, 2003. Digital Photography, 1600 x 1200 pixels.

Alvin Lau, Maghrib, 2003. Digital Photography, 1600 x 1200 pixels.

Alvin Lau, Oasis, 2003. Digital Photography, 2592 x 1944 pixels.

Alvin Lau, Voyeur, 2007. Digital Photography, 2592 x 1944 pixels.

Alvin Lau, Masjid Abdul Gafoor, 2003. Digital Photography, 1600 x 1208 pixels.

Alvin Lau, Abdul Gafoor Mosque, 2003. Digital Photography, 1600 x 1208 pixels.

Alvin Lau, Reflections, 2003. Digital Photography, 1600 x 1208 pixels.

Alvin Lau, Sanctuary, 2003. Digital Photography, 1600 x 1208 pixels.

Alvin Lau, Reproduction of Claude Monet's Terrace at Sainte-Adresse, 2003. Acrylic on Paper, 594 x 420 mm.

Alvin Lau, Daniel, 2007. Digital Photography, 1280 x 960 pixels.

Alvin Lau, Jubilation, 2007. Digital Photography, 1280 x 960 pixels.

Alvin Lau, Hanging On, 2007. Digital Photography, 1280 x 960 pixels.

Alvin Lau, Peekaboo, 2007. Digital Photography, 1280 x 960 pixels.

Alvin Lau, The Prize Table, 2007. Digital Photography, 1280 x 960 pixels.

Alvin Lau, Simply Chinese, 2007. Digital Photography, 1280 x 960 pixels.

Alvin Lau, Commandant, 2007. Digital Photography, 1280 x 960 pixels.

Alvin Lau, Anticipation, 2007. Digital Photography, 1280 x 960 pixels.

Grammar & Inventive Writing

Little Laid Raiding Hoot (Singlish Version)

(Please click here to hear an audio recording of the transcript)

Wans a porn a time, god wan litter ger — Litter Laid Raiding Hoot. She wan 2 go 2 Grandma house, moarning oredy she go out. She god tek come wan basket 2 put flower 4 Grandma.

.

"Ah Ma! I cum oready, open der door leh?" she tok.

.

Den Grandma oso say bak, "Cum in lor, I nvr close!"

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Litter Laid Raiding Hoot open der house n go inside der door.

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When she go inside, she c Grandma on top of der bed. She go ask, "Ah Ma, how cum ur eye big-big wan?"

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"Like dat, den I can c ur fat juicy legs mah!!!" Grandma tok bak.

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"Ah Mah, how cum ur tooths is so sharp wan?"

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"Den more easier 2 bite ur chubby cheeks laah!!!!"

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"Ah Mah, how cum......."

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"Aiyaa! So mang-nee question ah u! Wan 2 die izzit? I better faster it u! I not Ah Mah, I air-nee-mer u noe?"

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"Wah! Litter Laid Raiding Hoot vary scared wan. She screem vary loud, but laid oredy ah, der air-nee-mer oredy it her!

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Sar-den-lee god wan peeper — kad wood wan — go inside der house. He go kad der air-nee-mer stomach n tek out evryting, but he 2 late, Litter Laid Raiding Hoot bcum pangsai oredy......

~ Dee End (… really wan!) ~

Please rewrite the story in Standard Grammatical English (SGE). Pay particular attention to the absence of the simple past tense.

Little Red Riding Hood (SGE Version)

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Little Red Riding Hood......

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Click here to watch the movie "Little Red Riding Hood 2 - Little Red's Sweet Revenge".

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Can you list at least 3 differences between Standard Grammatical English (SGE) and the "SMinglish" (SMS English) - Singapore Colloquial English (Singlish) used in the narrative?

HIGHER ORDER THINKING SKILLS (SYNTHESIS)

Why are ladies in fairy tales depicted as helpless damsels in distress, who require the proverbial gallant knight in shining armour to save them?

Think of an alternate ending to the narrative (click to view video), where Little Red Riding Hood is empowered with the ability to defend herself against the wolf.

Would the narrative have ended differently, if Little Red were a PTI* at Pulau Tekong's BMTC* 2? Empower Little Red with strength and intellect, and have fun adapting the narrative (click to view video).

*PTI: Physcial Training Instructor

*BMTC: Basic Military Training Centre

Please post your answers to Reading & Comprehension Exercise 1 here.

Comprehension Exercise 4

Please view The Emperor's Club from the DVD and post your answers to all the questions that follow.

Mistakes in spelling, punctuation and grammar may be penalised in any part of the paper.

1. Why was Mr Hundert especially perturbed by Sedgewick? [2]

2. Why, despite Sedgewick’s negative attributes, was he still so popular with his classmates? [2]

3. During Mr Hundert’s meeting with Sedgewick’s father, the senator insisted that Mr Hundert would not mould his son. He asserted that Mr Hundert's job as a teacher was purely to "teach him his timestables" and "why the Earth was round". Do you agree with the senator's view? Why or why not? [3]

4. Why did Mr Hundert decide to help Sedgewick, despite all his mischief? [2]

5. Do you think Mr Hundert should have done so? Why or why not? [3]

6. Years later, during the reunion Mr Hundert confronted the older Sedgewick about his dishonesty, in the bathroom scene. Sedgewick argued with Mr Hundert about how his traditional views of morality have no place in the real world, where one has to lie and cheat to rise to the top. Evaluate both Mr Hundert’s and Sedgewick’s arguments and state whose views you support and why. [3]


Semantics [7]
14. For each of the following words or phrase, give one one or short phrase (of not more than seven words) which has the same meaning that the word or phrase has in the movie.

a) Visigoth (Mr Hundert: "Well, he might be an important senator, but I'm afraid his son, Sedgewick, is a bit of a Visigoth!")

b) reprobate (Mr Hundert to students: "I regret being in the company of drunken reprobates!")

c) a beacon of light (Sedgewick to Mr Hundert: " Your virtue is our beacon of light.")

d) virtue

e) oligarchy (The emperor set up an oligarchy under which the people suffered terribly.)

f) tyranny (Hundert to students: "A ‘tyranny‘ is what we have in this classroom!” Sedgewick nevertheless refused to give in to the tyranny of the draconian Mr Hundert.)

g) bravado (Sedgewick decided to show his bravado by challenging Mr Hundert incessantly.)

-------------------------------------------------------------

Memorable Quotes from The Emperor's Club (2002)
from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0283530/quotes

William Hundert: It's not living that is important, but living RIGHTLY.

William Hundert: Great ambition and conquest without contribution is without significance. What will your contribution be? How will history remember you?

William Hundert: Aristophanes once wrote, roughly translated; "Youth ages, immaturity is outgrown, ignorance can be educated, and drunkenness sobered, but STUPID lasts forever."

William Hundert: Well... Senator... The Greeks and the Romans provided a model of democracy, which I don't need to tell you, the framers of our own constitution, used as their inspiration. But more to the point I would think when the boys read Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Julius Caesar even, they're put in direct contact with men, who in their own age, exemplified the highest standards of statesmanship, of civic virtue, character, conviction.

William Hundert: Sir, it's my job to mold your son's character, and I think if...
Senator Bell: Mold him? Jesus God in heaven, son. You're not gonna mold my boy. Your job is to teach my son. You teach him his times tables. Teach him why the world is round. Teach him who killed who and when and where. That is your job. You, sir, will not mold by son. I will mold him.

Older Deepak Mehta: A great teacher has little external history to record. His life goes over into other lives. These men are pillars in the intimate structure of our schools. They are more essential than its stones or beams, and they will continue to be a kindling force and a revealing power in our lives.

William Hundert: The worth of a life is not determined by a single failure or a solitary success.

William Hundert: However much we stumble, it is a teacher's burden always to hope, that with learning, a boys' character might be changed. And, so, the destiny of a man.

William Hundert: As I've gotten older, I realize I'm certain of only two things. Days that begin with rowing on a lake are better than days that do not. Second, a man's character is his fate.

William Hundert: Excuse me?
Louis Masoudi: Huh? What me?
William Hundert: Yes, sir. What is your name?
Louis Masoudi: Uh, Louis.
William Hundert: Just Louis?
Louis Masoudi: Louis Masoudi, sir.
William Hundert: Mr. Masoudi, could you define the word "path" for me?
Louis Masoudi: Well, there are several definitions, I suppose.
William Hundert: Would "a route along which someone or something moves" be among them?
Louis Masoudi: Yeah. Oh, yeah. No. Yeah. I'm s-sorry, sir.
William Hundert: Follow the path, Mr. Masoudi. Walk where the great men before you have walked.
Louis Masoudi: Yes, sir. It's, uh - It's better for the grass.
William Hundert: It's better for you.

William Hundert: The end depends upon the beginning.

Directed Writing [30 marks]: Resumes & Covering Letters

You are advised to write between 180 and 250 words for this section.

You should read the information carefully and plan your answer before you write.

You have decided to respond to an advertisement for a tutor, placed in The Straits Times on 18 June 2005. Write a covering letter to the manager of Bukit Gorblok Learning Centre, to persuade him to consider you as a worthy addition to the tuition centre. Consider the impression that you would like the employer to have of you. You must include the following information:

1. position that you are applying for
2. how you had learnt of the job vacancy
3. your relevant educational qualifications
4. relevant skills or work experience that you possess
5. personal attributes which the employer will be interested in
6. specific examples which demonstrate your ability to teach well

You should include any further information, which you think will be helpful.

Short & Long Vowels

lip..............leap
sip............. seep
tin.............. teen
rim............ ream
lid..............lead
rip.............reap
sit..............seat
Sid.............seed
shot.........short
sin.............seen
slip............sleep
shit...........sheet
fit.............feet
full...........fool
bitch.......beach
ship........sheep
pull........pool
hid........heed
rid........read
gin........gene
Tim......team

Reading: Vocabulary (Inference & Contextual Clues)

CHARLOTTE'S WEB

1. Please go to the desktop and click on the icon named "Shortcut to Charlotte's Web DVD" to watch the movie.
2. Activate "Subtitles" and select "Track 2" (to view English subtitles).
3. As you watch the movie, listen to the songs and read the lyrics that follow.
4. Highlight the words that you do not understand.
5. Using the inferential skills we have learnt, try to infer the meaning of the new words, before consulting the dictionary.

Chapter 1: 6:14-8:20
THERE MUST BE SOMETHING MORE

There must be something more to us than you and me
It must be tangled up somehow with destiny
I used to think the sum of one and one was two
But we add up to more, me and you

When we are close together it's so plain to see
Together we are better than we used to be
I don't know how to say the things I'm thinking of
But the something more I'm feeling must be love

I used to think the sum of one and one was two
But we add up to more me and you

I don't know how to say the things I'm thinking of
But the something more I'm feeling must be love


Chapter 2 (13:56 - 16:37)
I CAN TALK

I can talk!
I can talk!
I can actually, factually talk!

Isn't it great
That I articulate?
Isn't it grand
That you can understand?

I don't grunt, I don't oink
I don't even squeak or squawk
When I wanna say a something
I open up and talk

I can talk!
I can talk talk talk
I can talk!

I pop with perspicacity
I'm loaded with loquacity
My vocalized veracity is tops
Semantically each bit of me's
The verbalized epitome
My plethory of patter never stops!

Isn't it great
That I articulate?
Isn't it grand
That you can understand?

I don't honk, I don't eek!
I don't even squeak or sqwuak
When I wanna say a something
I open up and talk

I can talk!
I can talk talk talk
I can talk!

It's wonderous and mystical
I'm hardly egotistical
Because of this linguistical aplomb
But speaking quite pragmatically
My self-esteem emphatically
Dramatically improved since I was dumb!

Isn't it great
That I articulate?
Isn't it grand
That you can understand?

I don't honk, I don't eek!
I don't even squeak or sqwuak
When I wanna say a something
I open up and talk

I can talk!
I can talk talk talk
I can talk!


Chapter 2: 22:07 - 23:58
CHIN UP

Chin up, chin up
Everybody loves a happy face
Wear it, share it
It'll brighten up the darkest place
Twinkle, sparkle
Let a little sunshine in
You'll be on the right side
Looking at the bright side
Up with your chinny chin chin

Chin up, Chin up
Put a little laughter in your eyes
Brave it, save it
Even though you're feeling otherwise
Rise up, wise up
Make a little smile begin
You'll be happy hearted
Once you get it started
Up with your chinny chin chin!

Chin down
You can't come frowning
Turn around
Starting, clowning
Think sad - your trouble's double
Think glad - they burst like bubbles

Chin up, chin up
Every little time your spirits wilt
Chin up, chin up
Give your attitude in upward tilt
Twinkle, sparkle
Make a little fun begin
You'll be on the right side
Looking at the bright side
Up with your chinny chin - chin up!


Chapter 5: 30:28
WE'VE GOT LOTS IN COMMON

WILBUR:
Oh, we've got lots in common where it really counts
Where it really counts we've got large amounts
What we look like doesn't count an ounce
We've got lots in common where it really counts

WILBUR:
You've got feathers, I've got skin, but both our outsides hold us in

COW:
I've got hooves, you've got webbed feet, but we both stand up to eat!

CHORUS:
'Cause we've got lots in common where it really counts
Where it really counts we've got large amounts
What we look like doesn't count an ounce
We've got lots in common where it really counts

WILBUR:
You've got a beak, and I've a snout, but the both of us can sniff about

HORSE:
You say quack, and I'll say neigh, but we're talking either way!

CHORUS:
'Cause we've got lots in common where it really counts
Where it really counts we've got large amounts
What we look like doesn't count an ounce
We've got lots in common where it really counts

CHARLOTTE:
You're born to swim, and me to spin, but we both love this world we're in
We share the sun, the earth, the sky, and that's the reason why

CHORUS:
We've all got lots in common where it really counts
Where it really counts we've got large amounts
What we look like doesn't count an ounce
We've got lots in common where it really counts


Chapter 6
37:57-38:27
DEEP IN THE DARK

Now is the hour
When frogs and thrushes
Praise the world
From the woods and rushes
Sleep, my love
Sleep, my only deer
In the dark...


Chapter 6
38:28-40:52
CHARLOTTE'S WEB

Fragile and magical shadows
Silently start to appear
Lovely and lyrical
Silvery miracle
Charlotte's web

Carefully spinning her tracings
Lacy and gracefully sheer
Over and under the infinite wonder of
Charlotte's web

Why is she spinning and weaving away all night long?
What is she trying so hard to convey with her silent song?
Sometimes when somebody loves you
Miracles somehow appear
And there in the warp and the woof is the proof of it
Charlotte's web

Why is she spinning and weaving away all night long?
What is she trying so hard to convey with her silent song?

Sometimes when somebody loves you
Miracles somehow appear
And there in the warp and the woof is the proof of it
Charlotte's web


Chapter 8
53:54-56:00
MOTHER EARTH AND FATHER TIME
How very special are we
We're just a moment to be
Part of life's eternal rhymeHow very special are we
To have on our family tree
Mother Earth and Father Time

He turns the seasons around
And so she changes her gown
But they always look in their prime
They go on dancing their dance
Of everlasting romance
Mother Earth and Father Time

The summer larks return to sing
Oh, what a gift they give
Then autumn days grow short and cold
Oh, what a joy to live

How very special are we
For just a moment to be
Part of life's eternal rhyme
How very special are we
To have on our family tree
Mother Earth and Father Time

Chapter 9 (58:17-1:00:04) – Chapter 11 (1:11:03-1:11:08)

A VERITABLE SMORGASBORD

A fair is a veritable smorgasbord orgasbord orgasbord

After the crowds have ceased

Each night when the lights go out

It can be found on the ground all around

Oh, what a ratly feast!

Melon rines and bits of hotdogs

Cookie crumbs and rotton cotton candy

Melted ice cream, mustard dripplings

Mouldy goodies everywhere!

Lots of popcorn, apple cores

Bananna peels and soggy sandwiches

And gobs of gorgeous gook to gobble at the fair

A fair is a veritable smorgasbord orgasbord orgasbord

After the gates are shut

Each night when the lights go out

It can be found on the ground all around

That's where a rat can glut, glut, glut, glut!

Chapter 13 (1:18:12 - 1:20:18)
ZUCKERMAN'S FAMOUS PIG

He's some pig
Some pig
Some terrific, radiant, humble pig
He is some pig

Oh wow look at him now
Zuckerman's famous pig
Suey, whaddya see?
The greatest hog in history!
Fine, swine, wish he was mine
What if he's not so big?
He's some terrific, radiant, humble thig-a-majig of a
Fine, phenomenal

My land, isn't he grand?
Zuckerman's famous pig
Golly, you gotta agree he's a real celebrity
Fine, swine wish he was mine
What if he's not so big?
He's some terrific, radiant, humble thig-a-majig of a pig
The terrific, radiant, humble
Zuckerman
Zuckerman
Zuckerman
Zuckerman
Zuckerman's
Zuckerman's famous pig!

Chapter 14 (1:25:02-1:26:08)
CHARLOTTE’S LAST SONG

The autumn days grow short and cold
It’s Christmas time again
Then snows of winter slowly melt
The days grow short and then

He turns the seasons around

And so she changes her gown

But they always look in their prime

They go on dancing their dance

Of everlasting romance

Mother Earth and Father Time

How very special are we for just a moment To be part of life’s eternal rhyme

Listening & Speaking: The Tonic

Practice shifting the Tonic:

1. My wife doesn't smell like a crate of durians, yours does.
2. My wife doesn't smell like a crate of durians, my dog does.
3. My wife doesn't smell like a crate of durians, she did.
4. My wife doesn't smell like a crate of durians, she looks like one.
5. My wife doesn't smell like a crate of durians, she smells for one everytime she is depressed.
6. My wife doesn't smell like a crate of durians, she smells like ten.
7. My wife doesn't smell like a crate of durians, she smells like a truckful.
8. My wife doesn't smell like a crate of durians, she smells like a crate of chikus.
   

Continue shifting the tonic, and think of your own endings:

1. I don't look like Brad Pitt, …
2. I don't look like Brad Pitt, …
3. I don't look like Brad Pitt, I ____ like him.
4. I don't look like Brad Pitt, …
5. I don't look like Brad Pitt, …
6. I don't look like Brad Pitt, …

Practice shifting the Tonic:
1. Greenviewans shouldn’t vandalise white school walls, Siglapians should.
2. Greenviewans shouldn’t vandalise white school walls, but they do anyway.
3. Greenviewans shouldn’t vandalise white school walls, they should obliterate them.

Continue shifting the tonic, and think of your own endings:
1. Greenviewans shouldn’t vandalise white school walls, they should vandalise _____ school walls.
2. Greenviewans shouldn’t vandalise white school walls, …
3. Greenviewans shouldn’t vandalise white school walls, …

Fractured Fairy Tales

In the Pipeline...

Inventive Writing Activity

Fractured Fairy Tales
http://www.tooter4kids.com/classroom/fractured_fairy_tales.htm

Exercise 1: Errors in grammar or vocabulary/semantics

Read the following sentences carefully. Do they show errors in grammar or other aspects of language?

1 She has five lovely offspring.

2 He is a big character.

3 I hope you’ll attend the party with your spouse.

4 I purchased this pencil yesterday.

5 She is donning a beautiful hat.

6 She delivered a male child this morning.

7 You didn’t avail of the opportunity.

8 We enjoyed at the theatre for two hours.

9 It smells sourish.

10. I know swimming

Exercise 2: Nouns & Noun Groups, Articles, Determiners

Please choose the better option:

1 There is/are a lot of furniture in the shop.

2. In the pond there is/are a hundred salmon/salmons.

3. There’s a bowl of fruit/fruits on the table.

4. The Dutch is/are very friendly.

5. I caught a lot of fish/fishes yesterday.

6. I have only two baggages/ pieces of baggage.

7. He asked for a cigarette/ a piece of cigarette.

8. Some houses are made of wood/woods.

9. The cellos/celloes were particularly resonant.

10. There were several apparatuses/pieces of apparatus on the bench.

11. The beggar’s clothes/ clothings were all torn.

12. All the teachers gave us their formulae/formulas for gracious living.




Exercise 3 Nouns and noun groups, articles, determiners

Explain the errors:

1.Your information are false.

2. The police has arrested the suspect.

3. The young man’s clothings were all torn.

4. Sheeps are not very clever.

5. We put all the equipments on the bench.

6. Musicality is the main criteria in the contest.

7. The fruit were delicious.

8. The scissors is on the table.

9. Put your luggages on the rack.

10. Windows are made of glasses.




Exercise 4 Concord, Verbs and verb groups

Choose the better option:

1.The man who ate the bananas is/are feeling ill.

2.The class is/are sitting quietly, scratching their heads.

3. The police has/have caught the villain they were looking for.

4. A large number of people is/are going to the concert.

5. There is/are two thousand dollars in my pocket.

6. The cat, as well as the dogs, is/are fed once a day.

7. Mathematics is/are a difficult subject.

8. Neither the dictionary nor the grammar book was/were very helpful.

9. That bunch of flowers have/has wilted.

10. The majority of the people at the party was/were very rich.

11. There is/are an apple and three pears on the table.

12. Fish and chips is/are fattening.

13. One of my books is/are missing.

14. Darts is/are a silly game.

15. None of the students is/are coming to the party.

16. Sam is one of those people who never help/helps others.

17. A quarter of the boys in the team has/have gone down with flu.

18. Mei Ling’s family is/are having dinner with the family next door.

19. The Stars and Stripes was/were flying form the building.

20. A hundred grams of sugar is/are all you need.

Exercise 3: Concord, Verbs & Verb Groups (Transitive & Intransitive Verbs)

1. This is to inform that Mr Tan Ah Seng is no longer in our employ.

2. `Where can you buy bananas?”
`You can buy in the supermarket.’

3. I’d appreciate if you’d let me know what you think.

4. I can’t eat.

5. I went to a party and enjoyed very much.

6. If you don’t work hard, you’ll regret later.

7. I laid on the bed for an hour.

8. All those in favour, rise your hands.

9.`Where’s your homework?’
`I forgot to bring’.

10.I must stress on the difficulty of this task.

11. Mary is listening the music.

Exercise 4-6: Sentence Structure

Exercise 4 Coordination and subordination

Comment on the following sentences:

1. I am a busy person and has no time for relaxation.

2. He picked up his umbrella and walk out of the house.

3. Mary can knit and sews very skilfully.

4. Did you make it yourself or bought it in town?

5. He couldn’t afford a birthday present for her or even to buy her a card.

6. What’s the point of having a car and not able to use it?

7. Although I don’t like bananas, but I can eat them anyway.

8. Do you know where does he live?



Exercise 5

Read the following sentences. Identify the errors made, state the rule(s) involved and re-write the sentence in the correct form.

1While Tim and I were pitching the tent. Tom went to gathered things and small branches to make a fire that night.

2 He knew that if he fought with the robber, he would lost due to that the robber had a knife.

3 At first, Tan was suspicious of the man. But he did not want to miss the chance to earn some money.

4 So he drove towards him when the man opened the door he rushed into the taxi.

5 Although it was very dark but I could see the man’s face.

6 I rejected his offer and decided to close the door but no matter how hard I tried, it was to no avail as he was extremely strong.

7 Before he could finish the sentence, I quickly ran towards my home however he followed me to my doorstep.

8 Both of my friends Tim and Tom were late.

9 We decided to spend the day there and we spotted an open space in the jungle.

10 Blood oozed out from his neck. At that time, Mr Tan was consumed with fear.



Exercise 6

With a partner, give examples of the following. Provide the rule and the correct sentence structure in each case:

1 Jumbled- up/illogical sentence

2 Fragmented sentence

3 Incomplete sentence

4 Inappropriate subordinating conjunction

5 Inappropriate co-ordinating conjunction

6 Run on sentence

7 Wrong combination of conjunctions

8 Inappropriate marker of time

Exercise 7 Prepositions

Comment on the following sentences:

1. The guest- of honour- officially opened up the sports meet.

2. The teacher emphasized on the importance of the assessment.

3. He is running presidency.

4. Sue is a hardworking girl from whom you should be learning from.

5. Tom is talented and excited over wakeboarding.

6. You can highlight on the need for revision but she would still not listen.

7. We are angry on the way she handle the matter.

8. The boys missed the training the greater part of the semester.

9. Mrs Tan did not do this with us for last year.

10. The project has been going on two years now.

Exercise 8 Stative and dynamic verbs

Which sentence is better ? Why?

1. I’m having/have a headache.

2. He’s thinking/thinks of going to America.

3. Where are you staying?/Where do you stay?

4. This is the third time I am coming/I have come to this restaurant.

5. I am suggesting/suggest that you do the job immediately.

6. Poh Chai is having/has breakfast at the moment.

7. I’m not feeling/don’t feel very well today.

8. I’m not understanding/don’t understand what you say.

9. I’m declaring/declare this festival open.

10. He is owing/owes me ten dollars.

11. He is having/has a heart attack.

12. He is having/has a shower at the moment.

Exercise 9 Tense, aspect

Identify the errors and explain the rules involved:

1.I sat in the bath last night when the telephone ring.

2. I feel ill last night when I go to bed; I eat too many oysters.

3. Who eat the biscuits? There are hardly any left.

4. I come to Singapore fifteen years ago.

5. When I arrived at the library everyone go; the door was locked.

6. This is the first time we try this exercise.

7. They go to the Michael Jackson concert when he was here.

8. When I walk down Orchard Road the other day, I see a clown.

9. After I finish the work, I went home.

Reading & Writing

Telling versus Showing


Telling:

Each morning, I ride the bus to school. I wait along with the other people who ride my bus. Sometimes the bus is late and we get angry. Some guys start fights and stuff just to have something to do. I'm always glad when the bus finally comes.


Showing:

A bus arrived. It discharged its passengers, closed its doors with a hiss and disappeared over the crest of a hill. Not one of the people waiting at the bus stop had attempted to board. One woman wore a sweater that was too small, a long skirt, white sweater, socks and house slippers. One man was in his undershirt. Another man wore shoes with the toes cut out, a soiled blue serge jacket and brown pants. These people made faces. A mouth smiled at nothing and unsmiled, smiled and unsmiled. A head shook in vehement denial. Most of them carried brown paper bags rolled tight against their stomachs.

(From: Caplan, Rebekah. A Training Program to Help Students Be Specific)

Elaboration

A. Building bigger sentences and adding details


I left the party and walked home.

Leaving the noisy, crowded, smoke-filled room where the party was reaching a crescendo of dirty jokes and raucous laughter, I walked home slowly through the humid night, smelling the fragrances of tender, recently born flowers and sensing the inescapable conclusion that something new, exciting and important was about to happen in my life.


Jason was a short, fat man.

Since he stood only slightly over five feet in height, Jason presented an almost comical appearance, with his 230 pounds of flesh collected largely around his waist and pushing forward from his midriff like the ponderous swell of an expectant mother.


A trout took the baited hook immediately.

As soon as the baited hook had struck the water, a large speckled trout hit it with tremendous force, splitting the water with its glistening body and diving, with great power, into the deepest, darkest part of the water.

(Adapted from Koch & Brazil, 1978:68)


It suddenly became silent as he walked in.

I woke up, feeling slightly confused.




B. Perceiving Resemblances


Simile – an expression making a comparison in the imagination between two things using the words “like” (e.g. behaving like a fool) or “as ______ as” (e.g. as white as snow)

Metaphor – a phrase which describes one thing by stating another with which it can be compared, without using the words “like” or “as _______ as”:

For example: The roses in her cheeks


(1) Compare yourself to some person/ thing, using similes or metaphors:

For example:

I am like a bull. Whenever I see him come to the office with that gaudy tie, it makes me see red.

I am a rock; nothing will move me.


(2) Compare yourself to:

(a) a shoe (b) a nail (c) a desert

For example:

I am like a shoe. I get worn out easily.

There is something of a nail in me. I don’t like to be hit on the head.

Writing - Tone & Register

MY ENGLISH TEACHER

Hi! My name is Ng Lai Huat. I am from class 1E3. Now, I am going to tell you about my English lessons.

Every week, I will have about six English lessons, but I love the English lessons because of the teacher. He was a very funny but something he can be very fierce, too. His name is Mr Nooh. He is a very funny person because he joke and laugh with us and play with us. But when we will very noisey he will shout and asked us to stand outside the class. But after a while he will lent us in again and can still joke with us. When he is angry he will just keep quite. Mr Nooh is tall but not handsome. But some of them said that he is handsome but I do not think so.

OK! I have to end now. But do not let Mr Nooh see this or he will scold me. OK!



PUNISHMENT

One fine Monday morning, Janet woke up and brushed her teeth. She looked at her mirror, thinking of what happened the day before. She was doing her prefect duties when she saw a wallet on one of her classmates table, she wanted to buy CDs, branded goods, so she took the wallet.

She immediately went to one of the toilet cubicle and opened the wallet. She saw a fifty dollars note. She already knew that because on that day they were suposed to bring $50 to pay the teacher. She took out the money and put the wallet into the toilet.

She went out of the toilet and act as normal. Thinking of that, she immediately ate her breakfast and went to school. Janet wanted to confess on what she did but she was somehow thinking that no one saw her. She was in a diliema. Soon, she finally do the right thing.

She went to the staff room and told her form teacher on what she did. The teacher gave her a punishment of serving two days detention. If she had not confessed and return the money, the matter was found out by the teacher, she could have to serve five days detention.

Writing: A Trip to the Zoo (Recount)

A Trip to the Zoo

Yesterday my family went to the zoo to see the elephant.

When we got to the zoo, we went to the shop to buy some food to give to the animals.

After getting the food we went to the nocturnal house where we saw some birds and reptiles which only come out at night.

Before lunch we went for a ride on the elephant. It was a thrill to ride on it. Dad nearly fell off when he let go of the rope.

During lunch we fed some birds in the park.

In the afternoon, we saw the animals being fed.

When we returned home, we were very tired but happy because we had so much fun.

Text Structure

Orientation:

Event 1:


Event 2:


Event 3:


Event 4:

Event 5:

Evaluation:

Syntax & Paraphrasing Exercises

Sometimes I go down to the beach in the evening and help old Mr Clarke pull his boat out of the water.

“Why don’t you buy a fibre-glass boat?” I often ask him, and point out that few man-made materials are stronger than fibre-glass and that fibre-glass is also much lighter than wood.

However, he is very proud of his heavy wooden boat and in reply to my suggestion he usually complains that there is no beauty or skill in boat-building nowadays and that no one has the time or patience to build a boat like his.

Once I was foolish enough to offer him the loan of my fibre-glass boat but he pointed to it in disgust and exclaimed, “ Even if you give me one I shall never go to sea in an ugly thing like that!”

Mr Clarke does not believe that any modern product can stand up to a normal amount of wear and tear, nor that it can beautiful.

His boat has certainly stood the test of time – he had it built over forty years ago and it has never needed any major repairs - and I must admit that it is a beautiful piece of workmanship.

I do not agree that machine-made products are necessarily ugly, for one can produce unusual and beautiful designs with modern materials. However, I have to agree that the quality of modern workmanship is often poor.

Poor workmanship is the result of the manufacturer’s attempts to keep the cost of production down while he is also attempting to increase his sales and when quantity is the aim behind the production, the quality of a product is sure to suffer.

I know only too well from my own experience that clothes fall apart at the seams and the covers come off books and even expensive items break down for no apparent reason.

At least I can mend clothes or my books myself, but if the television breaks down and I ring up the engineer, he will probably tell me that he cannot come for two weeks because he is already so busy with repairs.



Rephrase the passage overleaf using the following cues:

Sometimes I go down to the beach in the evening in order to _________________ out of the water.

I often ask him why ___________________ , and I point out that fibre-glass is not only one of _________________________ but is __________________ material than wood.

However, he is very proud of his heavy wooden boat and he usually ________________ to my suggestion by __________________ and that people _______________ either __________ (busy) ____________ (impatient) to build a boat like this.

Once ________________ offered to ______________ but ____________ to it in disgust and he exclaimed that , _________________ go to sea in such _____________________ .

Mr Clarke has no faith _______________________ (durability) of any modern product, nor __________________ that it can be beautiful.

His boat has never needed any repairs since it ______________ for him over 40 years ago, so ___________________ and it _____________________ (undoubtedly) _____________________ .

I have to agree that modern workmanship is often poor although _____________ for designs ______________ (bound) _______________ when it __________________ (mass-produced).

Poor workmanship (stem from) ___________________ to keep the cost of production down and at the same time _____________________ and _____________________ (bound) _________________ when it ___________________ (mass-produced).

I know only too well from my own experience that clothes _________________________________________________________________ .

At least I can mend clothes or my books myself, but if I ring up the engineer because ____________________ , he will probably tell me ________________________ that he cannot come for two weeks.


From: Alexander, L.G. (1974). In Other Word: 20 compositions exercises for intermediate and post-intermediate students. Longman.

English Language Paper 1 Marking Scheme

Dearest Double Agents,
If you are wondering why you were awarded the dismal marks for your classified compositions, refer to the remarks in the relevant band below, which corresponds to your marks, to find out what your composition lacked and how you could have improved it.

Section One [30 marks]

You are advised to write between 350 and 500 words on one of the following topics.
At the head of your composition, write the number of the topic you have chosen.

1 Should sport at school be compulsory for all students? (exposition, argumentative)

2 Write about an occasion when cooking for the family at home produced some unexpected results. (narrative/recount)

3 It is said that young people should always respect and obey those older than themselves. Do you agree? (exposition, argumentative)

4 Describe your ideal home and explain why you think it would be the perfect place to live. (mixed genre, exposition ie. Discussion and explaination)

5 Dressing. [open = argument (eg. University dress code), discussion (eg. How people are judged according to how they dress) ]



Section One (Free Writing) - 30 Marks
BAND DESCRIPTORS FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF WRITING IN SECTION 1

27-30 marks

• Apart from very occasional slips, the language is accurate. (mechanics, language)
• Sentence structure is varied and demonstrates the candidate’s skill to use different lengths and types of sentences for particular effects. (mechanics, language)
• Verb forms will be largely correct, and appropriate tenses consistently used to sustain a logical progression of events or ideas. (mechanics, language)
• Vocabulary is wide and precise. (mechanics, language)
• Punctuation is accurate and helpful to the reader. (mechanics, language)
• Apart from very occasional slips, spelling is accurate across the full range of vocabulary used. (mechanics, language)
• Paragraphs have unity, are linked, and show evidence of planning. (organization)
• The topic is addressed with consistent relevance; the interest of the reader is aroused and sustained. (content)
• The tone and register are entirely appropriate to the topic. (style)


23-26 marks

• The language is accurate; occasional errors are either slips or arise from attempts to use ambitious structures or vocabulary that may be imperfectly understood.
• Sentences show some variation of length and type, including the confident use of complex sentences to create some natural fluency.
• There may be occasional slips in verb forms or tense formation but sequence will be consistent and clear throughout the piece.
• Vocabulary is wide enough to convey intended shades of meaning with some precision.
• Punctuation is accurate and generally helpful.
• Spelling is nearly always accurate.
• Paragraphs show some evidence of planning, have unity and are usually appropriately linked.
• The response is relevant and the interest of the reader is aroused and sustained through most of the composition.
• There is evidence of a genuine effort to achieve an appropriate tone and register for the topic.


19-22 marks

• The language is mostly accurate; errors that occur will not mar clarity of communication.
• Sentences may show some variety of structure and length, although there may be a tendency to repeat sentence types and ‘shapes’, producing a monotonous effect.
• There may be errors in irregular verb forms but control of tense sequence will be sufficient to sustain a clear progression of events or ideas.
• Vocabulary and idioms are mainly correct when they are simple; mistakes may occur when more sophistication is attempted.
• Punctuation is generally accurate, although errors may occur when more difficult tasks are attempted e.g. the punctuation of direct speech. Sentence separation is correctly marked by punctuation
• Spelling of simple vocabulary is accurate errors may occur when more ambitious vocabulary is used.
• The composition is written in paragraphs which may show some unity, although links may be absent or inappropriate.
• The composition is relevant and will arouse some interest in the reader. There may be an impression of lack of originality and/or some evidence of lack of planning.
• The tone is usually appropriate to the topic, although there may be slips of register with some unsuitable vocabulary or idiom.


15-18 marks

• The language is sufficiently accurate to communicate meaning. There will be patches of clear, accurate language particularly when simple vocabulary and structures are used.
• There may be some variety of sentence length and structure but the reader may not be convinced that this variety is for a particular purpose.
• There may be errors in verb forms and tense consistency which cause some uncertainty in the sequence of events or disturb the ease of communication.
• Vocabulary is usually adequate to convey intended meaning, although it may be insufficiently developed to achieve precision. Idiom may be uncertain at times.
• Punctuation will be used but may not enhance/clarify meaning. Some sentence separation errors may occur occasionally.
• Simple words will be spelt accurately, but more complex vocabulary may show some spelling weakness.
• Paragraphs will be used but may lack unity or coherence.
• A genuine attempt has been made to address the topic, but there may be digressions or failures of logic and there may be occasional irrelevance. Compositions may lack liveliness and interest value.
• The tone may be uneven.


11-14 marks

• Overall meaning is never in doubt, but the errors are sufficiently frequent and serious to hamper precision and may slow down speed of reading.
• Some simple structures will be accurate but a script is unlikely to sustain accuracy for long.
• Errors in verb forms and tenses will sometimes confuse the sequence of events.
• Vocabulary may be limited; either too simple to convey precise meaning or more ambitious but imperfectly understood. Some idiomatic errors are likely.
• Simple punctuation will usually be accurate, but there may be frequent sentence separation errors.
• Simple words will usually be spelt correctly, but there may be inconsistency, and frequent mistakes in the spelling of more difficult words.
• Paragraphs may lack unity or be used haphazardly.
• The subject matter will show some relevance but the incidence of linguistic error is likely to distract the reader from merits of content.
• The tone may sometimes indicate that the candidate recognises the nature of the topic but only inconsistently.


7-10 marks

• There will be many serious errors of various kinds throughout, but they will be of the ‘single-word’ type, i.e. they could be corrected without re-writing the sentence. Communication is established, although the weight of error may cause ‘blurring’ from time to time.
• Sentences will probably be simple and repetitive in structure.
• Frequent errors in verb forms and haphazard changes of tense will confuse the meaning
• Vocabulary will convey meaning but is likely to be simple and imprecise. Errors in idiomatic usage will be a significant feature.
• Punctuation will be haphazard and may be completely absent in some parts.
• Spelling may be inconsistent
• Paragraphing may be haphazard or non-existent.
• There may be evidence of interesting and relevant subject matter but the weight of linguistic errors will tend to obscure or neutralise its effect.
• There may be some recognition of appropriate tone for the genre


3-6 marks

• Sense will usually be decipherable, but some of the errors will be multiple, i.e. requiring the reader to re-read and re-organise before meaning becomes clear.
• There are unlikely to be more than a few accurate sentences however simple, in the whole composition.
• The content is likely to be comprehensible, but may be partly hidden by the density of the linguistic errors.


0-2 marks

• Scripts are almost entirely, or entirely impossible to recognise aspieces of English writing
• Whole sections make no sense at all
• Where occasional patches of relative clarity are evident some marks
should be given
• The mark of 0 should be reserved for scripts that make no sense at all from beginning to end.


Note on Section 1

Short Work:
Work under 350 words will penalise itself.
Work under 150 words cannot score more than 20 marks.


Section Two [30 marks]

Begin your answer on a fresh page.
You are advised to write between 250 and 350 words for this section.
You should read the information carefully and plan your answer before beginning to write.

You are the pen-pal of the teenage members of the Smith family, who live in London. The Smith family consists of:
• Mr. John Smith (aged 45) – a business man and keen golfer.
• Mrs. Anne Smith (aged 40) – an art teacher, who likes visiting craft markets.
• Sam Smith (aged 16) – a student, who is interested in animals and birds and loves sport of all kinds.
• Lucy Smith (also aged 16, Sam’s twin sister) – a student, who enjoys beach holidays and loves shopping.
• Mr. Ben Jones (aged 65, Anne’s father) – a retired history teacher, who spends his time reading and gardening.

You have received a letter from your friends, saying that the family cannot agree on where to go for a holiday which will suit them all.

Write a reply to your friends, describing what your country has to offer to each of
them to provide an ideal family holiday.

Your letter must cover the requirements of all five people in detail.

You should suggest a programme of activities that they will all enjoy.

Set your letter out correctly, in clear, accurate English and in a friendly tone to welcome them to your country.





Section 2 (Situational Writing) — 30 marks

The 30 marks are allocated as follows:
• Task Fulfilment 10 marks
• Language 20 marks

BAND DESCRIPTORS FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF TASK FULFILMENT IN SECTION 2

Note:
Addressing the required points is only one factor in the award of the Task Fulfilment mark – candidates should be awarded the mark which best fits the performance as a whole, as follows:

9-10 marks
• The response shows a good understanding of the purpose of the task.
• There is a clear awareness of situation and audience.
• The format is entirely appropriate for the task and situation.
• All the required points are addressed in detail, fully amplified and well organized.
• The given information is well-used to justify personal opinion and interpretation.
• The tone and register are entirely appropriate for the topic.

7-8 marks
• The response shows an understanding of the purpose of the task.
• There is an awareness of situation and audience.
• The format is appropriate for the task and situation.
• All required points are addressed but not always developed in detail.
• The given information is organised to support personal opinion.
• There is evidence of a genuine effort to achieve an appropriate tone and register for the topic.


5-6 marks
• The response shows some understanding of the purpose of the task.
• There is some awareness of situation and audience.
• The format is generally appropriate but may not be completely so.
• Most of the required points are addressed but not developed.
• The given information may not be logically used to support opinion.
• The tone is usually appropriate to the topic although there may be slips of register with some unsuitable vocabulary or idiom.


3-4 marks
• The response shows only partial understanding of the purpose of the task
• There may be some confusion as to situation and audience
• The format may be inappropriate for the task and situation.
• All of the required points may not be addressed.
• Information may be used irrelevantly
• The tone may be uneven

1-2 marks
• The response shows misunderstanding of the purpose of the task.
• There is confusion as to situation and audience
• There is little evidence of an attempt to adopt a specific format
• Not all of the required points will be addressed.
• Information is misunderstood or irrelevant

NB:
A mark of 0 should be given only when:
• The response is totally incomprehensible;
• The candidate has merely copied out the question or parts of it at random;
• The question is not attempted at all.


BAND DESCRIPTORS FOR ASSESSMENT OF LANGUAGE IN SECTION 2

18-20 marks

• Apart from very occasional slips the language is accurate.
• Sentence structure is varied and demonstrates the candidate’s skill to use different lengths and types of sentences for particular effects.
• Verb forms will be largely correct, and appropriate tenses consistently used to sustain a logical progression of events or ideas.
• Vocabulary is wide and precise.
• Punctuation is accurate and helpful to the reader.
• Apart from very occasional slips, spelling is accurate across the full range of vocabulary used.
• Paragraphs have unity are linked, and show evidence of planning.
• The topic is addressed with consistent relevance; the interest of the reader is aroused and sustained.


16-17 marks

• The language is accurate; occasional errors are either slips or arise from attempts to use ambitious structures or vocabulary that may be imperfectly understood.
• Sentences show some variation of length and type including the confident use of complex sentences to create some natural fluency.
• There may be occasional saps in verb forms or tense formation, but sequence will be consistent and clear throughout the piece.
• Vocabulary is wide enough to convey intended shades of meaning with some precision.
• Punctuation is accurate and generally helpful.
• Spelling is nearly always accurate.
• Paragraphs show some evidence of planning, have unity, and are usually appropriately linked.
• The response is relevant, and the interest of the reader is aroused and sustained through most of the composition.


13-15 marks

• The language is mostly accurate; errors that occur will not mar clarity of communication.
• Sentences may show some variety of structure and length, although there may be a tendency to repeat sentence types and ‘shapes’, producing a monotonous effect.
• There may be errors in irregular verb forms but control of tense sequence will be sufficient to sustain a clear progression of events or ideas.
• Vocabulary and idioms are mainly correct when they are simple; mistakes may occur when more sophistication is attempted.
• Punctuation is generally accurate, although errors may occur when more difficult tasks are attempted, e.g. the punctuation of direct speech. Sentence separation is correctly marked by punctuation.
• Spelling of simple vocabulary is accurate; errors may occur when more ambitious vocabulary is used.
• The composition is written in paragraphs which may show some unity, although links may be absent or inappropriate.
• The composition is relevant and will arouse some interest in the reader. There may be an impression of lack of originality and/or some evidence of lack of planning.


11-12 marks

• The language is sufficiently accurate to communicate meaning. There will be patches of clear, accurate language, particularly when simple vocabulary and structures are used.
• There may be some variety of sentence length and structure but the reader may not be convinced that this variety is for a particular purpose.
• There may be errors in verb forms and tense consistency which cause some uncertainty in the sequence of events or disturb the ease of communication.
• Vocabulary is usually adequate to convey intended meaning, although it may be insufficiently developed to achieve precision. Idioms may be uncertain at times.
• Punctuation will be used but may not enhance/clarify meaning. Some sentence separation errors may occur occasionally.
• Simple words will be spelt accurately, but more complex vocabulary may show some spelling weakness.
• Paragraphs will be used but may lack unity or coherence.
• A genuine attempt has been made to address the topic but there may be digressions or failures of logic and there may be occasional irrelevance. Compositions may lack liveliness and interest value.


8-10 marks

• Overall meaning is never in doubt, but the errors are sufficiently frequent and serious to hamper precision and may slow down speed of reading.
• Some simple structures will be accurate, but a script is unlikely to sustain accuracy for long.
• Errors in verb forms and tenses will sometimes confuse the sequence of events.
• Vocabulary may be limited, either too simple to convey precise meaning or more ambitious but imperfectly understood. Some idiomatic errors are likely.
• Simple punctuation will usually be accurate but there may be frequent sentence separation errors.
• Simple words will usually be spelt correctly, but there may be inconsistency, and frequent mistakes in the spelling of more difficult words.
• Paragraphs may lack unity or be used haphazardly.
• The subject matter will show some relevance but the incidence of linguistic error is likely to distract the reader from merits of content.

6-7 marks

• There will be many serious errors of various kinds throughout, but they will be of the ‘single-word’ type, i.e. they could be corrected without re-writing the sentence. Communication is established, although the weight of error may cause ‘blurring’ from time to time.
• Sentences will probably be simple and repetitive in structure.
• Frequent errors in verb forms and haphazard changes of tense will confuse the meaning.
• Vocabulary will convey meaning but is likely to be simple and imprecise. Errors in idiomatic usage will be a significant feature.
• Punctuation will be haphazard and may be completely absent in some parts.
• Spelling may be inconsistent.
• Paragraphing may be haphazard or non-existent.
• There may be evidence of interesting and relevant subject matter, but the weight of linguistic errors will tend to obscure or neutralise its effect

3-5 marks
• Sense will usually be decipherable but some of the errors will be multiple, i.e. requiring the reader to re-read and re-organise before meaning becomes clear.
• There are unlikely to be more than a few accurate sentences, however simple, in the whole composition.
• The content is likely to be comprehensible, but may be partly hidden by the density of the linguistic errors.


0-2 marks
• Scripts are almost entirely, or entirely impossible to recognise as pieces of English writing.
• Whole sections make no sense at all.
• Where occasional patches of relative clarity are evident, some marks should be given.
• The mark of 0 should be reserved for scripts that make no sense at all from beginning to end.


Notes on Section 2:
Short Work:
The Task Fulfilment mark should be awarded in the normal way. Work under 100 words cannot score more than 10 marks for Language.

JC1 Art Elective Programme Lecture 1 - The Birth of Art: Prehistory Through Medieval

Specific Instructional Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to
1. categorize human prehistory into at least three time periods in chronological order
2. list at least three civilizations renowned for their works of art

Instructions
1. Please log on using the following:
a. User Name: 0805students
b. Password: 0805students
c. Domain: N-Zone
2. Click here to get an overview of the lecture topics from weeks 1 to 5, and here for an overview of today's lecture.
3. Visit the online resources that are hyperlinked to the Mindmap overview
4. Record your findings in the K-W-L table below (attach extra pages if necessary)
5. Keep in mind that you are required to write an information report of your findings (see homework)
6. You may click here to print these instructions from a Microsoft Word document.

K-W-L Chart
Click here to download and view the K-W-L chart.
Area of Focus:
· Prehistoric art
· Suggested civilizations renowned for their works of art* (select at least one):
o The art of Egypt
o The art of Greece
o The art of Rome
*Alternatively, you may research on other civilizations that are of interest to you.

· Before you begin your research, fill in the first two columns.
· Fill in the last column after completing your research.
· Go back to the "K" column and determine if any of your prior knowledge was inaccurate.
· Correct inaccurate information
· Go to the "W" column and underline any of your questions that your research did not answer.
· Be prepared to bring these unanswered questions up in the next lesson
· Reveal how you will find answers to them and where you will look to get the answers.

Homework:
Essay Entitled “The Birth of Art: Prehistoric Through Medieval”
· Using Microsoft Word, write an information report of at least 500 words providing an overview of the development of art from the prehistoric through medieval
· Please include any one civilization renowned for its works of art
· Include any one work of art from this civilization that appeals to you and discuss why you find it interesting
· Plagiarism is a serious offence. If you are using information from print and non-print resources, please cite your references appropriately (refer to sample essay here)
· Please state your word count at the end of the report!
· You may use the information report template available here

Online Submission of Homework via LiteSpeed WorkBin
· When you have completed and PROOFREAD your information report, please log onto your LiteSpeed E-Learning account here
· User Name: (your NRIC number)
· Password: (also your NRIC number)]
· Go to “Resources” and click on “Workbin”
· Click on “Digital Drop Box” and upload your completed information report to the sub folder named “Information Report”
· The information report is due on 15 January 2008, 12:30PM
· Print your essay and file it into your Art Elective Programme folder for checking on 23 January 2008, 12:30PM

Art Elective Programme Folder
· Please appoint a tutorial group representative to buy a standardized folder to organize and file your written work
· The tutorial group representative will collect them and submit them to me for checking on 23 January, 12:30PM

Mindmanager Software and Viewer
If you have installed the Mindmanager software and viewer from http://www.mindjet.com/us/, you may download the Mindmaps here (weeks 1-5 overview) and here (week 1).
Note: After you have downloaded the Mindmaps, please change the extension from .doc. to .mmap. I'm afraid the web server that stores the files does not accept file extensions with four letter names such as .mmap, hence I had to change the extension to .doc.

Issues & Concerns
· If you have questions, issues or concerns to highlight, please leave a comment by clicking on the "comment" link at the end of this post.
· I will receive an e-mail notification of your posting and will respond on this blog

Copyright Issues
Please note that AEP notes downloaded from LiteSpeed, are governed by the copyright laws stipulated by The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore,The Copyright Licensing and Administration Society of Singapore (CLASS) and International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations.

Special Provisions for Educational Institutions
Under the Special Provisions for Educational Institutions, the AEP notes that you download from LiteSpeed are for your personal use only, and cannot be shared with other NYJCians or distributed to individuals outside NYJC. No part of the electronic materials may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission.
.
Simply put, you must neither disclose your LiteSpeed password to anyone, nor share the softcopy (via e-mail or removable media such as thumbdrives and memory cards), with individuals outside our lecture group. Should you decide to print of your lecture notes for your personal use, you may not share them with anyone.

Rationale
Whenever your art history reading assignments contain copyrighted material, NYJC will declare that access to the material is restricted to the 27 students in our lecture group to CLASS. CLASS will then bill the Ministry of Education for the use of the copyrighted material by the 27 students in our lecture group. The bill will be paid for by NYJC at a predetermined amount per page per AEP student.

Sharing & Distribution of Downloaded Materials
Hence, distributing the softcopy or hardcopy to anyone outside the lecture group is an offence, as NYJC has only paid for the use of the copyrighted content by the 27 AEP students.
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Anyhow, it is only fair that we give due compensation to the owners of the materials who have painstakingly created them. If we do not fairly compensate authors for use of their copyrighted books, we may inadvertently discourage them from writing more great books.
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Moreover, you would not want anyone to plagiarise and freely distribute (and financially profit from) your painstakingly researched and written essays would you? Put yourself in the shoes of the author and look at the issue from their perspective. It is likely that you will write a paper or article at undergraduate or postgraduate level in the near future, and it is unlikely that you would enjoy having your original work copied and freely distributed without your consent.
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Do leave a comment in the LiteSpeed forum or my blog if you have any questions or opinions about this issue.

Anti-Drug Comic Strip Competition
I've created a sub folder entitled "comic strip competition" in the digital drop box folder in your workbin.

You may upload your preliminary sketches and final submissions here, if you are using digital media.

JC1 AEP Practical Lesson Overview for 180108
New files have been uploaded to your JC1 AEP work bin. Please download and view the resources before this Friday’s practical lesson on 18 01 08.
The plan for the practical will be as follows:

Trigger: Vote for your OG idols! Who in this class do you find “beautiful”? What about the idol’s face do you find beautiful? What is beauty? Can it be mathematically defined?

Watch video stimulus: The Human Face and the Golden Ratio

Using a transparency and a 0.5mm tip erasable marker, trace the outline of the face and facial features (self or of someone else)

Obtain accurate physical measurements of facial features

Ascertain how close the measurements correspond to the golden ratio

Determine if your chosen OG idols fit the western notion of beauty

Reassess your definition of beauty

Discuss if we concur with your definition

Highly Recommended Reading
Book: The Geometry of Art and Life
Author: Matila Ghyka
Published: 1977
Publisher: Courier Dover Publications
Preview the book here.

Book: Harmonic Proportion and Form in Nature, Art and Architecture
Author: Samuel Colman
Published: 2003
Publisher: Courier Dover Publications
Preview the book here.

Homework
Paint a portrait on canvas using the grid method. Please include the head and shoulders in the portrait. The portrait may exclude hands.

Suggestions:
-collect canvas from teacher at the end of the practical lesson
-carefully select a digital or analogue photograph of a face (of self or others) — one with good focus, composition and lighting! Take a good photograph of yourself or of someone else if you have to.
-draw or etch grids onto the photograph
-using the grid method (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWJcWMzHbi4), enlarge the photograph onto canvas
-please submit your completed portrait to the tutorial representative next Friday, latest by 18:00 hours
-do paint well, as your portrait (together with your submitted information report and coming online quiz) will be evaluated for readmission into the second admission exercise in February (should you wish to remain in this art elective programme)
-take note of your difficulties, strengths and weaknesses faced during the entire process
-do learn from this experience, as it will help you in a related practical lesson in February, where you will have the opportunity to digitally manipulate a photograph to create an advertisement

Reminder
Do bring your preliminary digital or analogue sketches for the anti drug comic strip competition for evaluation, so that the teachers may grant you the green light to proceed with the rendering of the your comic.

Thank you.

Art History Information Report
Kudos to the 5 students who have submitted your information reports over the weekend!
.
However, I believe several of you may have forgotten to acknowledge certain references in your report. Please note that you must cite your references, if the information in your report is obtained from print and non-print sources (ie. information that is not originally yours!).

.Anti plaigurism software (see http://www.turnitin.com/static/plagiarism.html) can easily detect plaigurism, so please do not take the risk.

Presenting the Irresistable... Ms Alvina Lau!

Dearest Greenviewans,

As promised during my introductory lesson, attached is the prized photograph of my irresistable sister, Ms Alvina Lau - we share a striking resemblance, don't we?

Oh all right, so it was a desperate ploy to trick all of you into checking out my blog - hey, I did get you to, didn't I?

Well, as all of you have learnt by now, I am an ardent supporter of IT in education and will endeavour to integrate it in my lessons wherever and whenever possible.

Please do not hesitate to tell me WHAT you'd like to do during my English Language and Art lessons and HOW you'd like me to deliver them.

I'd appreciate your comments and will try to incorporate your ideas and suggestions into my lessons wherever possible. Tell me what you like about any one of my lessons and what you abhor about them. I will use them to tweak future lessons. Remember - if I do not receive any feedback from you fellas after my lessons, I'll simply assume that everything is hunkey-dory.

If you have online resources you'd like to share with the entire class, or simply have the insatiable urge to lament about my lessons, leave a comment on my blog - better still, create your OWN blog and rant about me or my lessons, on YOUR blog. It's easy to set up and is free!

Have a go at it, and share your experience with the rest of the Greenview community. Just remember to exchange your blog addresses with your classmates, so that they will know what to type into the address bar, to view your blog.

Have fun blogging!

Feedback: Term 3 Week 1 - 27 June - 1 July 2005 (Introductory Lesson - Digital Art)

Please publish your comments for Term 3 Week 1: 27 June - 1 July 2005 in this post.

Thank you.

Term 3 Week 2: 5 - 8 July 2005 (Colour Psychology - Integrated Art & Literature Lesson*)

*Lesson will be conducted at the canteen & Rainforest Lab. I seek your cooperation in assembling outside the classroom with your pencil cases, at the sound of the bell, to facilitate movement to the respective venues.

Materials required for this lesson:

1. Pencil & Eraser
2. registered e-mail account OR blog account
3. thumbdrive/ floppy disc or any other type of removable media.

Sneak Peek (Trigger):

How does color in our environment affect us?

•Weightlifters do their best in blue gyms
•Babies cry and people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms
•seamstresses avoid green threads on the eve of a fashion show to avoid bad luck

Follow these links to learn more…

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html
http://www.colorconnections.com/color_for_health/page3.html
http://www.bharatmatrimony.com/astrology/color.shtml
http://www.colormatters.com/entercolormatters.html
http://www.sanford-artedventures.com/play/color2/rechrome_a.html

Take a quiz to test yourself…
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/quiz/psychcolors/1.html

Please publish your comments for Term 3 Week 1: 5 - 8 July 2005 in this post.

Thank you.

Term 3 Week 3: 11 - 15 July 2005 (Hybridization - Integrated Art & Biology Lesson*)

*Lesson will be conducted at the eco-pond & Rainforest Lab.

I seek your cooperation in assembling outside the classroom with your pencil cases, at the sound of the bell, to facilitate movement to the respective venues.

*2TD will have this lesson in week 2 (5 July) instead.

This lesson... ahem, I meant "mission" will be aborted, as we had to abort our Colour Psychology microLESSON last week, due to the sheer number of students who were unable to log into their accounts . We will continue with our Colour Psychology Mission this week.

Materials required for lesson:

1. Pencil & Eraser
2. registered e-mail account OR blog account
3. thumbdrive/ floppy disc or any other type of removable media.

Sneak Peek:

http://deralt.smugmug.com/gallery/1664/1/4441230

http://www.fnuky.com

http://www.boingboing.net/2004/05/21/hybrid_fruit_photosh.html

http://urbanlegends.about.com

Online Rhyming Dictionary

http://www.poetry4kids.com/modules.php?name=Rhymes

Please publish your comments for Term 3 Week 3: 11 - 15 July 2005 in this post.

Thank you.

STUDENTS OF 2TD

As of 5pm, 6 June 2005, I still have not received the sketches and poems from the following 2TD students, who were absent on 5 June:
1. Nur Suhana (8)
2. Nurahiqin (9)
3. Amirul (27)
4. Fitry (31)
5. Qinfeng (40)

I have e-mailed the worksheet to the e-mail accounts of Suhana, Nurahiqin (Qinfeng - via MSN Messenger).

Fitry did not give me his e-mail account., and Amirul gave me an invalid e-mail address. Please inform these 2 boys to collect their worksheets from my letterbox, when you see them in class.

The 5 absentees must complete the worksheets and either:

1. e-mail them to me at ntuvpa@gmail.com by 6pm, Monday, 11 July.

or

2. print them and place them in my letter box in the General Office labelled "LAU ALVIN", by 6pm, Monday, 11 July.

Alternatively, you may collect the worksheets from my letterbox. I have left 5 copies for the 5 of you. Please complete them and return them to my letterbox, by 6pm, Monday, 11 July.

You will receive an F grade for this assignment if you do not submit your sketch and poem to me by the stipulated deadline. Please e-mail or speak to me, if you have any questions regarding the worksheet.

Thank you.

Term 3 Week 4: 18 - 22 July 2005 (Hybrid Superheroes - Integrated Art & English Language Lesson*)

*Lesson will be conducted at the the school field & Rainforest Lab.

Secret Agents, I'm afraid that we'll have to abort this mission as well, as we've received a more critical mission from "The Boss". Please refer to post on "Healthy Lifestyle Week Poster Design Competition " for your mission brief.

Materials required for this lesson:

1. Pencil & Eraser
2. registered e-mail account OR blog account
3. thumbdrive/ floppy disc or any other type of removable media.

Sneak Preview:

http://www.alldumb.com/media/content/2005/05/11824.swf
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/hottopics/superheroes/
http://shdictionary.tripod.com/index.html



Please leave your comments for Term 3 Week 4: 18 - 22 July 2005 in this post.

Student Feedback

Dearest Greenviewans,

As mentioned, I'll be utterly grateful if you could provide me with comments on my 1st week at Greenview, so that I may evaluate and reflect upon what I've done (or not done).

Please leave your comments about what you like or dislike about my lessons and pedagogical approach, by clicking on the "comments" icon, which is located at the end of this post.

You may leave an anonymous comment, but do state your class, so that I will be able to identify which lesson you are referring to.

Many thanks.

Double Agent 0035 - Disguised Beyond Recognition by Secret Agent 0036

Secret Agent 0036, please title your artwork, by leaving a comment in this post.

What do the rest of you think? Please evaluate this work and leave your comments in this post - can you suggest any more effects? Do you think that the artist... ahem... I meant to say, do you think Double Agent 0036, was successful in his aim to disguise Agent 0035, by making him unrecognizable to the rest of the double agents in Greenview, posing as unassumingly naive and innocuous Lower Secondary students?

Assessment Criteria (Rubric) for Mission 1: Sketch & Reworked Photograph

Your missions - submitted sketch and reworked photograph - will be assessed and assigned 0 to 4 marks, based on the following criteria:

Assessment Criteria for Mission 2: Poem

1E1 double agents, please upload your poems about your artwork in this post.

Please leave your name, register number and class, so that I can assign the marks/grades to the relevant student.

Your poems must be at the very least, 8 lines long. Please use the Online Rhyming Dictionary, if you need help rhyming.

All the best... and remember, this is an inter-class competition, so I will award the top 3 students with outstanding pictures and poems, with exclusive prizes!

1E2 double agents, please upload your poems about your artwork in this post.

1E3 double agents, please upload your poems about your artwork in this post.

1E4 double agents, please upload your poems about your artwork in this post.

1NA double agents, please upload your poems about your artwork in this post

1NB double agents, please upload your poems about your artwork in this post.

1TC double agents, please upload your poems about your artwork in this post.

2E2 double agents, please upload your poems about your artwork in this post.

2E3 double agents, please upload your poems about your artwork in this post.

2E5 double agents, please upload your poems about your artwork in this post.

2NA double agents, please upload your poems about your artwork in this post.

2NB double agents, please upload your poems about your artwork in this post.

2NC double agents, please upload your poems about your artwork in this post.

2TD double agents, please upload your poems about your artwork in this post.

Nameless & Untitled Poems

Dear Agents,

Despite my SIX reminders during the lesson, to include a your name, class, register number, and title for your poems, there are invariably several nameless and untitled poems.

Please scroll down to ensure that you have included all the details, or I will not know who to assign the marks for the poem to.

Detention for Non-Compliant Secret Agents

Dear Non-Compliant Secret Agents,

It has come to my attention that several rogue agents have sat through my entire Art lesson in the Rainforest Lab WITHOUT submitting your edited photograph and poem.

I will be forced to submit your names* to "The Boss" for detention next week if:

1. you do not e-mail me your photograph (at ntuvpa@gmail.com) by 11:59pm, Sunday, 17 July
2. and post your poem in this blog, by 11:59pm, Sunday, 17 July.

*This applies to all agents who were absent with a valid medical certificate, and those excused from my lesson, due to official duties.

Please e-mail wayneczx@hotmail.com or bryon_pathouse@yahoo.com.sg or aloyowen@yahoo.com.sg, to request for the photographs to work on.

Your names will be announced over morning assembly next week, to inform you of the venue for detention, if you fail to comply by 11:59pm, Sunday, 17 July.

PS: Be forewarned - you will learn first hand, the differences between cognitive and behaviourist approaches to managing your non-compliance, if you refuse to respond to my attempts to recover your late homework from you; continue to resist and you will face the wrath of "the agency".

Happy Birthday to the Following July Babies!

1E1
LIYANA SIDDIQAH BTE KHAIRUL A 21/07
CHUA HE XUN 06/07
TNEE WEI CHONG 23/07

1E2
BRYON SENG WEI CONG 23/07
JONATHAN HO YEE HIN 26/07
RUSYAIDI B SHAHROM 22/07

1E3
CHEN WEIXIN 22/07
SOONG KENRIC 15/07
MUHAMMAD NABIL B ISMAIL 14/07

1E4
CHIEN KIAT TENG ALICIA 03/07
NUR 'ATIKAH BTE RAZALI 19/07
SANDRA QUEK HUI MIN 29/07
MUHAMMAD JAZLI B SARIDIN 10/07
TAN CHUN KIAT 10/07

1NA
MOHAMMAD FARHAN B ROHANI 16/07
MUHAMMAD KHAIRI B ABDUL KARIM 15/07

1NB
MARILYN CHIA PEI YIN 7/23

1TC
NUR HIDAYAH BTE ABDUL RAHMAN 11/07
KHAIRUDDIN B ABDUL RAZAK 16/07
MOHAMAD SAHIL B SUHAIMI 08/07
NIGEL LIM KIM LOONG 10/07
ROSLI B ABD RAHIM 08/07

2E1 ANG PEI YING AGNES 10/07
CHEW YILIN CHERYL 24/07
CHIA KAI XIN 03/07
HO YOU MIN JASMINE 31/07
NUR FADZLINA BTE AB MAJID 27/07

2E2
JOSERINA NG XI WEI 03/07
RIDHWAN B ALWI 22/07
YEOW JING TECK JEREMY 13/07

2E3
OH JUN XIAN 22/07
SIM WEI SENG DEXTER 05/07

2E5
CANDICE LIM WON YUN 05/07
SHARIFAH NURASSYURA BTE SAYD H 14/07
KAMAS MUHAMMAD ALIFF B KAMAS 07/07

2NA
*hmm... no July babies from 2NA - how odd!*

2NB
NUR DIYANA BTE MOHD AMIN 7/18
NADIRAH BTE AHMAD 7/17
CHEW ZHENG ZHI ZACK 7/15
TAN YONG AN 7/13

2NC
LIM SHENG HAN 25/07
MUHAMMAD EDZUAN B KHALID 06/07
NARESH KUMAR S/O SITTARAMAN G 04/07

2TD
SARAH ZAWANI BTE ABDUL RAZAK 7/26
MUHAMMAD NUH B MOHD INDRA 7/22
SYAFIQ B JEFFREYDIN 7/23

Competitions / Contests

Dearest Greenview Double Agents,

Please click on the following links, to win fantabulous prizes!

Singapore Digital Art Competition 2005
HYPE Digital Art Gallery
Trade your way to the Land of a Thousand Smiles

Do drop a comment, if you'd like me to integrate any of the competitions, into your Art lessons.


HealthLine Dial-In Contest
The top three winners in each category will each receive cash prizes.

1) Students aged between 13 -16 years
1st Prize : $400
2nd Prize: $300
3rd Prize : $200
3 Consolation Prizes: $ 50 each

2) Students aged between 17 - 21 years
1st Prize : $600
2nd Prize: $500
3rd Prize : $300
3 Consolation Prizes: $ 50 each

To participate in the contest,

• Dial HealthLine at 1800 848 1313
  

The HealthLine Dial-In Contest was first held from July to Sept 2004 for secondary school students. It created excitement and curiosity among students and attracted more than 15,000 calls during the contest period.

Back by popular demand, this contest will be held this year for all students between 13 to 21 years of age.

Healthy Lifestyle Week Poster Design Competition

Dear Double Agents,

Please bring your drawing blocks and colouring media of your choice (coloured pencils, crayons etc) for your Art lesson for the week of 18-22 July, as this will be our final mission.

Please note that this will be graded and will count towards your CA2 results, so please do your research and brainstorm for ideas on the theme BEFORE your Art lesson.

1. Theme "Take care of your eyes"
2. The poster must show one or more ways to take care of the eyes so that vision problems can be minimized.
3. Any medium can be used (e.g crayon, color pencils, etc)
4. 2 categories (lower and upper sec)
5. Prizes for each category:

• 1st prize - $120 cash voucher per participant
• 2nd prize - $100 cash voucher per participant
• 3rd prize - $80 cash voucher per participant
• 30 consolation prizes - $50 cash voucher per participant

Arts & Culture - Concerts & Events

Braddell Heights CC Chinese Orchestra Concert

Treat yourself to a Hair-Raising Experience - update!

2NA Class T-Shirt

Dear 2NA Double Agents,

I was approached in the canteen this afternoon by 2NA double agent 0019, and asked to design your class T-shirt.

I cannot design one FOR you, as I'd be robbing you of an opportunity to discover what creative talents you may have yet unleashed, but I can facilitate the designing process though.

The late Dr Piaget once warned:

"Each time one prematurely teaches a child
something he could have discovered for
himself, the child is kept from inventing
it and consequently understanding it completely."

I will therefore spare you the disservice, and instead, offer you the following links, for inspiration:

http://www.itiswhatitis.co.uk/
http://www.printmojo.com/lifeexpanding
http://www.circle-r.com/
http://artapart.com/
http://www.dubraydesigns.com/
http://www.t-shirtcountdown.com/t-shirts/index.php
http://artapart.com/t-shirt-designs/
http://www.jamnart.com/
http://mmb.music.umich.edu/sections/altos/tshirt.asp

You may google "T-shirt Designs" and see what fascinating hits, your web search or image search returns.

Please leave a comment in this post, or speak to me, if there is anything else I can do, to facilitate in the synthesis of YOUR designs.

Blogging Experiment - Upper Primary & Lower Secondary Level

I've finally gotten around to getting my students to start their own blog. It was a harrowing experience of mistyped passwords and forgotten user IDs, but all 4 students did manage to post their very first blog - although one student still wasn't able to activate her photobucket account to upload photographs, at the end of the session.

Well, I'll simply have to reflect on the lesson and see where I could've have improved my mode of delivery and instructions, which obviously caused some confusion.

So, Zahira, Samuel, Pei Shan and Jeremy - do write about your grouses and suggestions on how you would like me to use the blog for our lessons, in the weeks to come. It's your blog, so share with us, how you would like the blog to make your June holidays a fun and rewarding one.

You may either add a comment to my blog, or better still - create a post in your own blog. We will make it a point to read all 5 blogs at the start of every session, so do remember to update your blogs regularly.

So, set forth on your mission and have fun kids!

Request for Blog Addresses

Dearest Double Agents,

I'm afraid that I was unable to read the Blog addresses which many of you wrote onto the worksheet, during my introductory lesson.

Please leave your Blog addresses, as a comment in this post, if you'd like for us to view them.

Thanks.

Links to Students' Blogs & Online Resources

Online Dictionaries
www.onelook.com
www.m-w.com
www.dictionary.com

Listening & Speaking
http://www.surfnetkids.com/games/phonics-mm.htm
http://www.learningresources.com/customerservice/instructions/pdf/5056guide.pdf

Gammar, Vocabulary, Reading & Comprehension, Cloze Passage, Sentence Construction Exercises
www.tut-world.com

English Language Learning & Teaching Resources
http://www.goodenglish.org.sg/SGEM/
http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/
http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/index2.htm

The longest word in the English langauge
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A542008
http://www.expage.com/longestword2

Trivia
http://www.ripleys.com/welcome.html
http://www.factmonster.com/
www.talkingcock.com
http://www.emporis.com/en/


Members of 2905
Alvin
Azri
Beng
Charmain
Christine
Christine Sarah
Della
Faizal
Hud
Huda
Isham
Jamilene
Jocelyn
Joe
Joyce C.
Joyce T.
Kenneth
Liza
Lyn
Mona
Nana
Sara
Siti
Sha
Shaha
Tas
Wendy
http://dailywindchime.blogspot.com/
Yunqian
Zu

Students' Blogs
http://www.outtatears.blogspot.com/ Marilyn's
http://prafa.blogspot.com/ Aliah's
http://mutualhallucination.blogspot.com Grapevine's
http://www.thanefarious.blogspot.com Greenviewan's
http://www.l0vehhim.blogspot.com Greenviewan's
http://www.almeo.blogspot.com/ Almeo's
http://www.nizam78.blogspot.com/ Nizam's
http://shanenbloggyblog.blogspot.com Shan En's
http://syahid05.blogspot.com Syahid's
http://poodaniel.blogspot.com Daniel's
http://blk50regent.blogspot.com/ Samuel's
http://zbz94.blogspot.com/ Zahirah's
http://losersrawk.blogspot.com/ Jeremy's (error resolved)
www.myownfreedom.blogspot.com Wei Yin's
www.peihwaahpei.blogspot.com Pei Shan's
www.freedom4bernice.blogspot.com Bernice's
www.siaoginas.blogspot.com
http://www.girlxxpower.blogspot.com/
http://jeremy1993.blogspot.com Jeremy's
http://gracennokia.blogspot.com/ Grace's
http://leon19992.blogspot.com Leo's
http://iamcharis.blogspot.com Charis'
http://isaac1aug.blogspot.com Isaac's
http://diamond1995.blogspot.com Crystal's
http://miko1.blogspot.com/ Miko's
http://cherylpam.blogspot.com/ Cheryl's
http://leefiona.blogspot.com/ Fiona's
http://cripler.blogspot.com Joel's
http://91394131.blogspot.com Kenny's
http://buzzer56.blogspot.com Yu Feng's
http://johnathan1991.blogspot.com/ Johnathan's
http://ian_han1992.blogspot.com Ian's
http://blue624862.blogspot.com Boon Fong's
http://bukitbatokstreet52.blogspot.com Ashwin's

Structured Academic Controversy I

SAC 6a, Phase 1: To flee or not to flee - Zingapore under attack

Zingaporeans, brace yourselves! The leader of the GI terror organization, Boh-sama Beng Larding, has warned that a cataclysmic terrorist attack on Zingpore is imminent. We need YOU to save us from the widespread panic that has ceased Zingapore!

Boh-sama insists that Zingapore does not stand a chance against an attack from the GI terror group, and has urged Zingaporeans to flee the country. Seeing similarities between Zingapore and Singapore, Zingapore’s Co-ordinating Minister for National Security, Dr Kayakumar has sought YOUR assistance in convincing Zingaporeans not to flee Zingapore in the face of danger!

In teams of two, research on the current issues and concerns in Singapore’s homeland security, to deepen your understanding of the situation, so that you may convince Zingaboreans to remain.

Your mission is to:

(SAC Team A)
Convince Zingaporeans that, Zingapore does not stand a chance against an attack from the GI terror group, and that leaving Zingapore for safer pastures is the best solution.

OR

(SAC Team B)
Convince Zingaporeans that Zingaporeans from all walks of life, that leaving Zingapore is not the best solution, and that Zingaporeans from all walks of life should stand united and face the threat together.

Upload your arguments in this post by clicking on "comments".

SAC Fieldwork 6: Bukit Batok War Memorial

Teams A & B gathering evidence to support their arguments.

Interestingly, the boys changed their minds about wanting to defend Zingpore, when they experienced the heat, humidity and steep forrested terrain that the soldiers in the past had to endure, when we visited the war memorial.

Please click on the following thumbnails to view the photographs taken by the students

Both teams furiously planning counter-arguments

Team A: Jeremy Yeo and Moazzam Ali Khan

Counter-arguments planned by both teams just before they were blogged

Several of the SAC Debaters

SAC 6b: Secondary students entering the fray...

(Please click on thumbnails to view enlarged image)

Structured Academic Controversy II

The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve - To Save or Not to Save
Please post your arguments to support saving the reserve here.

Please post your arguments to support CLEARING the reserve here.

Group Consensus

Please post your joint decisions here.

Feedback and Comments on Bukit Timah Fieldwork, microLESSON, SAC-Blogging

Do let me know what you think about the lesson here.
What did you like or hate about it?
Would you have preferred certain aspects of the lesson to have been done differently?
Thanks a million!

Photographic evidence gathered by Hui Ying's team

Fieldwork photographs from Alan's team

Jeremy's photographs taken with his Nokia

Fieldwork photographs taken by Yue Yu's team

Fieldwork photographs taken by Joel's team

Teaching Practicum 2

Teaching Practicum 2 has truly been an extraordinary learning experience, in my teacher-training at the institute. It has indeed been a period of self reflection and discovery of my pedagogical style, and its inherent strengths and weaknesses: but more importantly though, the experience has brought about an entirely new dimension and re-assessment of my role as an aspiring teacher. I am truly grateful for the indelible experiences gained from the remarkable sojourn at Changkat Changi Secondary School, where I experienced the trials and tribulations, and the joys of teaching.

The 8 gruelling weeks, have been a most humbling and meaningful experience, in which I have discovered first-hand how, my very actions and words shape the minds and characters of my charges. I have learnt that it truly does not matter what I teach, but how I teach that determines my worth as an educator. The teaching practicum has entrenched in me, the belief that teachers are innovators and facilitators, creating learning experiences etched firmly in the minds of learners.

I have come to realize that English Language and Art are therefore merely the tools with which I impress upon these impressionable individuals, life-long skills and values which will see them through their lives, long after the sound of the last school bell has faded.

Blissful Moments with Class 1T1

"They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel."

Teacher Quotes

I will never forget how my students made me feel; boy I will remember the anger, frustration and joy of having had the opportunity, to be a part of their lives - even if it was but a fleeting 8 weeks.

It's strange how in wanting to make a difference in their lives, I discovered that it was the students who were making a difference in mine.

"What's Mr Lau up to THIS time?"...... memorable moments with my students

"Artist as art educator" or "Art educator as artist"?

artist (noun):
"A person who is master of the liberal arts; a learned person"

Oxford Talking Dictionary, 1998

educator (noun):
"someone who educates young people"
.

OneLook Dictionary Search

.

It didn't take long for me to decide, that I saw myself more as an educator than an artist; perhaps "art educator as aspiring artist", would be more apt.

.

When Asst Prof Reaney posed the question to the tutorial group, during ECA 222 Contextualising Artworks, I was surrounded by tutorial mates who had accolades, exhibitions and illustrious achievements accredited by local and overseas art institutions, to their name. I on the other hand, had merely dabbled with Graphic Design, Batik Painting and Portraiture as a GCE 'A' Level art candidate.

.

Could I, with my limited experience with art, possibly ever dream of assuming the label of "artist" - one who is "master of the liberal arts; a learned person" ?

.

Certainly a tall order which I doubt I can truly attest to, at this juncture of my education.

.

Nevertheless, my teaching practicum experience has taught me that I am far from being an "artist", as defined by the Oxford Talking Dictionary. Instead, it was in teaching the underprevileged lads from the rowdiest Normal Technical classes that I found my true passion, joy and niche in life, being an Art and English Language teacher.

.

Teaching Practicum 2 has reaffirmed my convictions, and reminded me of my obligations to my students, as an educator. Hence, despite the agony, anger and disappointment in the first 3 weeks of the teaching practicum, the more my lessons went awry and the more students defied and swore at me, the more I was compelled to soldier on.

.

Winston Churchill:
The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

.

Elbert Hubbard:
A failure is a man who has blundered but is not capable of cashing in on the experience.

.
Havelock Ellis:
It is on our failures that we base a new and different and better success.

.
Albert Schweitzer:
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful

.
“A good education is not so much one which prepares a man to succeed in the world, as one which enables him to sustain a failure.”
(Bernard Iddings Bell)

TEACHING PRACTICUM III

REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
21 Februrary - 20 April 2007
Chong Zheng Primary School

Presenting... the CZ Idol Finalists from Primary 5 Aspiration of Chong Zheng Primary School!


Happy Birthday to the following 5 Aspiration students who are turning 11 this month of March!
3 CHEONG JING YU JESLYN 08/03/1996
31 QUEENIE LEE JIA JING 15/03/1996
4 CHNG SHUN QUAN 16/03/1996
38 WIRDA IZZATI BTE HAMZAN 18/03/1996
20 MUHAMMAD ALI B SYED AHMED K 22/03/1996
32 SIM JUN HENG, JOEL 26/03/1996


-------------------------------------------
Week1: Trainee Teacher Orientation
Wednesday, 21 February
First Encounters

Tagging along as Ms Lee (SCM) went about her day was indeed an eye-opener for me. We were with SCM’s form class, Primary 5 Graciousness for their Maths lesson.

I had a student throw up all over the table in the first hour, as he was completing his Maths class test. I was truly impressed by how well-behaved class Primary 5 Graciousness was. They weren’t as loud and fidgety as I expected 10-11 year old children to be. Little did I know, they were the crème de la crème of the P5 cohort.

After the Maths test, we left classroom 5G and proceeded to the Music Room, where I observed Ms Lee’s Primary 3 music students play Mary Had a Little Lamb on their recorders.

Ms Lee exploited several classroom intervention methods that were worthy of note:
11-Slaps… oops! I meant 11-“Claps”
To gain student attention:
i. Teacher claps 11 times
ii. Students clap in unison on the last two claps
iii. Students yell “music” on the last two claps
iv. Teacher repeats claps until all students respond

Discipline Song
I did not hear students singing the song, but Ms Lee did elaborate
When students have to wait for the teacher to give further instructions, or when students are walking as a class to their lesson venue:
1. Teacher gets students to sing their “class song”
2. Students continue singing until they arrive at destination, effectively reducing noise level, by replacing incessant chatter with music to the teacher’s ears… aah…

I wonder if the P6 students would be as responsive and sign along in unison, as that would be the age they might be embarrassed about pubertal changes in voice pitch.

In the afternoon, I attended contact time and was introduced to the teaching staff by the Principal, Mrs Gill. Mrs Gill stressed the need for teachers to submit their class attendance to the general office staff on time, and reiterated that serious consequences awaited teachers who didn’t comply.

I was seated beside an affable Cikgu Salim, during contact time. Oddly, he reminded me of the 10 Commandments—the movie. Might be because of this palpable prophet-like calmness and inner peace that such people appear to radiate—a certain aura that can’t quite be described… it isn’t something one can see, touch or hear, but it’s simply something once can sense. Hmm… could I pull that off and get students to see me in the same way? That'll be the day!

I wonder why certain teachers have this X-factor, this charm, this likable demeanour that students often and readily respond to (and acquiesce with). How could I be a “student’s pet”? Best I examine how such teachers win over their young charges, for they probably require vastly different cognitive approaches to classroom management and discipline, as my students are unlike those I taught at Greenview and Changkat Changi Secondary Schools, who were largely at Level 2: Conventional Ethics, the ethics of others.

I believe that the Lower Primary students may still be at Level 1 of Kohlberg’s stages of moral reasoning—Preconventional Ethics, the ethics of geocentricism. Typical of students up to age 10, who don’t quite understand rules set down by teachers. Evidently, there are Upper Primary students who have progressed to Level 2, conventional ethics, where they exhibit a semblance of conformity to rules and conventions set down for them.

It’d be best to determine which stage of moral reasoning my students are at, to determine which set of intervention measures would be most efficient during my teaching practicum.

Here’s to being a “student’s pet”—preconventionally and ethically?

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Thursday, 22 February

Facing The Firing Squad

I was introduced to my one of my nine CTs today, Ms Rosabel Teo. I tagged along as she taught her form class, Primary 5 Aspiration.

I was introduced to the students, who wasted no time in firing questions at me. Are you married? Do you have a girlfriend? Are you sexy? Are you handsome? Are you sarcastic?

What I found most difficult was not the questioning, but in getting the “firing squad” to raise their hands and wait for their turn, to ask. Instead, I got a chorus of questions coming at me, one after another, even before I could complete my answers.

I found that intervention continuum somewhat effective at getting them to listen to me.

Recalling the 5-step intervention continuum:

Step 1: praise desired behaviour. “I really like the way Isaac’s group is quietly waiting for my answer. Fantastic, what respectful students—thank you!”

Step 2: ignore inappropriate behaviour

Step 3: use indirect cues (proximity, methods of redirecting attention back to teacher/lesson, vicarious reinforcers which make students observe the consequences of another student’s behaviour, and adjust their own behaviour accordingly)

Step 4: use desists

Step 5: apply consequences

The 5 Aspiration students were audibly and visibly more responsive to teacher questioning than the 5 Graciousness students during the Science, Maths and English lessons. God they were deafeningly and excruciatingly loud! Jeremy, Shun Quan and several of the boys had an especially ear-piercing pitch which aggravated my hyperacusis as they shrieked and yelled their answers to Ms Teo.

Leroy enjoyed drumming his table and making strange animal noises—hmm… he could be the class “sound effect specialist” during outdoor lessons perhaps?

I heard Ali singing aloud but he sang rather well—ahaa… a potential class music director during Art lessons!

Luqman eagerly raised his hands to answer the teacher’s questions, enthusiastically shouting the answer aloud when he wasn’t called. Bing Yuan and De Xuan were just as raring to show everyone what they knew, but were more aggressive than Luqman, in how they incessantly made noises to get the teacher’s attention. How could I exploit their inexhaustible verve, zest, spontaneity… this explosive energy which these 11 year olds seem to have in abundance? Outdoor cheering? Competitive activities? I see the potential for several exciting (and ear-splittingly loud) possibilities for outdoor Art lessons!

Ms Lee forwarded my tentative timetable to me at 7pm in the evening, asking if I could insert my personal details into the attachment, before forwarding it to all 9 of my CTs and NSC. Good thing I managed to do so before leaving for home. There teacher still in the staff room right up till 7:38PM, when the school attendant makcik came to lock the doors.

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Friday, 23 February
Behavioural and Social Cognitive Theory in Action

Aaah, I love Fridays. I was back with Primary 5 Aspiration, where I observed them during their Maths and English Language lessons. I’ve managed to remember about a sixth of the students’ names.

I’m amused by how the ultra taciturn students are able to peacefully sit alongside their ultra vocal students, who appear adamant to be the cynosure of the entire classroom. Wouldn’t Isaac, Andrie and Viknesh want to hog the limelight one day out of their entire lives? For the moment, these ultra taciturns seem contented with staying far away from the glare of everyone’s attention.

How could I get more out of the ultra taciturns, without letting the ultra vocals steal the show? Round Robin? Think-pair-share? Conscience Alley? But would the taciturns want to be in the spotlight? Or would they freeze and fear speaking up in front of everyone?

I noticed that Joel and Bryan were at each other’s throats several times during Science, disagreeing, arguing and pointing their fingers at each other. An opportunity to infuse conflict management and cooperative learning skills during Social Studies lessons perhaps?

Eggen and Kauchak (2001, pp. 234-240) advocate the use of behavioural and social cognitive theory to regulate student behaviour. Social cognitive examines the processes involved as people learn from observing others and gradually acquire control over their own behaviour (Bandura, 1986, 1997, cited in Eggen & Kauchak, 2001, pp. 234-235) .

Experts have identified three similarities that I find relevant to my teaching:

1. experience is an important cause of learning (as indicated by cognitive researchers Piaget and Vygotsky)

2. reinforcement and punishment are pivotal in regulating behaviour

3. feedback is important in promoting learning (and in refining teaching proficiency)

I therefore ought to correspondingly:

1. design lessons which allow learners to experience, infer and construct knowledge, possibly via kinaesthetic or hands-on experiments (action painting perhaps?), differentiated instruction (Tomlinson, 2005; Tomlinson & Eidson, 2003a, 2003b) and cooperative learning (Jacobs, Gan & Ball 1995; Johnson & Johnson, 1992; Vermette & Foote, 2001)

2. employ modelling and vicarious reinforcement during lessons to minimise infractions

3. provide immediate comment on student behaviour and ask for their feedback on my lesson

I had this idea of grouping the 5 Aspiration students according to their birthdays, but Ms Teo mentioned that they were already grouped—several according to ability while others took their “group dynamics” into account.

Best I continue to observe their behaviour during lessons, to evaluate which intervention strategies I could use to deal with their infractions.

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Week 2: Classroom Observation (School CA2 Week 27 Feb - 2 Mar)

Monday, 26 February

Last but Not Least

Back from the weekend and raring to meet the rest of my new students. Ms Lee officially introduced me (last in line) to the school together with the rest of the trainee teachers for whom today was their first day at Chong Zheng Primary. I’m amazed how virtually every student who greeted me remembered my surname. May I assume that they will be able to recall terms in Social Studies and Art as quickly? Perhaps only if these terms are concrete. For abstract terms, I may have to actively involve students in relating abstract ideas to their personal lives, for this helps to increase learning and create more meaningful lessons (Flavell, Miller & Miller, 1993).

Lower readiness learners may still be in the concrete operational stage where their thinking is still tied to available experiences (Eggen & Kauchak, 2001, p. 43). It is imperative that I bring in concrete experiences to increase understanding and lay the foundation for more advanced thinking (Nuthall, 1999). Graphic organizers may help facilitate recall and encoding abstract information into memory (Tomlinson & Eidson, 2003). Thus, learners are better able to synthesize, organize, and arrange abstract information (Parry & Gregory, 2003, p. 100).

There was a change in my timetable halfway through the day, and I ended up observing only the last 3 minutes of Primary 3 Excellence completing their English Language worksheet on adjectives. I didn’t expect the P3 students to be so tiny (and cheek-pinchingly adorable). They stole glances at me and were interested in getting to know me. Could I use this curiosity to my advantage during my Social Studies lessons with them?

Anyway, I’ve finally edited the photographs of the P5 Aspirers and added backgrounds which were in line with the 5 Aspiration classroom décor’s ocean theme, to their photographs. I’ve included their birthdays as well, as there are several pairs of students who share the same birthdays. Could that be something for the kids to be excited about?

Hmm… I could use those photos as a trigger to get them excited about creating portraits through the graphic design software installed in Computer Lab 1 during Art lessons.

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Tuesday, 27 February
Those New Shoes

This is the CA1 week, where most of my lesson observations are affected by the afternoon CA papers. I understand that teachers ofen use the morning before the CA papers to revise and clear any doubts students may still have. Lesson observations with Primary 5 Confidence and 5 Excellence were therefore cancelled. I was able to observe P5 Aspiration for four periods of English Language and Mathematics though, before the first CA paper of the week commenced.

The 4 periods with the 5 Aspirers really helped, as I’ve finally managed to remember all 38 names of the 5 Aspirers! I’ve made it a point to make an effort to remember students’ names ever since my supervisor highlighted how important it was during my first teaching practicum at Changkat Changi (where I was often fumbling over their names).

While observing P5 Aspiration during their Maths and English Language lessons, Luqman as sheepishly asked, “where you buy your shoes?” This caught me entirely by surprise. I wore my new pair of shoes today and I amazed that Luqman noticed. “Nice! Very shiny” Luqman added. So Luqman has an eagle eye for detail. I don’t believe I’ve ever noticed what others wear on their feet.

It’s amazing how children pick up these things, so effortlessly. How could I exploit his alertness and attention to detail? Perhaps a lesson on tessellations and mosaic design? Or batik design? Hmm… I see several possibilities.

Oh, and it appears that Luqman has been spreading the word that he saw me at the Mosque in Tampines last Friday during congregational prayers, because students have been asking about my religion all day. Perhaps I could exploit the students’ interest in my background for Social Studies lessons on race relations.

Through the questions that the students have been asking me, it is evident that the vast majority are unable to form questions with the wh-interrogatives. Donovan wanted to know where I studied and asked, “You last time study which school?” Numerous other accounts indicate a transfer of Chinese grammar into spoken the students’ spoken English. Donovan was evidently thinking in Chinese—你以前读哪一间学校？Directly translated, it reads, “You in the past study which school?”

Similarly, I surmise that Luqman was thinking in Malay, "Di mana awak membeli sepasang sepatu itu?".

It’d be good if I could integrate grammar teaching on wh-interrogatives into my SS lessons. Students could practice constructing grammatically sound questions during interviews or pair work. I’ll be thinking about it over the next few days.

I found a good chapter on modelling in my Educational Psychology text (Eggen & Kauchak, 2001) which I would be good to keep in mind. It states three powerful forms of cognitive modelling to help my students and myself handle problems which we encounter:
(A) Direct modelling (Ogbu, 1987, 1999b, cited in Eggen & Kauchak, 2001, p. 237)
(B) Symbolic modelling (Bandura, 1986, cited in Eggen & Kauchak, 2001, p. 236)
(C) Synthesized modelling (Bandura, 1986, cited in Eggen & Kauchak, 2001, p. 237)

If I were to employ cognitive modelling, my lessons would have to involve modelled demonstrations, accompanied by verbal descriptions of the demonstrator’s thoughts and actions (Pintrich & Schunk, 1996, cited in Eggen & Kauchak, 2001, p. 237).

In fact, I already see cognitive modelling in action. Symbolic modelling is apparent when students imitate behaviours displayed by characters in books, plays, movies or television. I’ve observed that even teachers ourselves are affected by symbolic modelling. For instance, when my CT advised me be firm with the students and not get too friendly with them, I observe her actions (and the actions of other teachers) and try (but fail miserably) to imitate their stern or garang façade when I am teaching.

Synthesized modelling is said to have occurred when I noticed students developing behaviours by combining portions of observed acts. For instance, when Donovan raised his hand to ask me a question in standard grammatical English (well, he did try his hardest) after seeing that Luqman raised his hand to ask me questions, and heard that I Bryan rephrasing his question into grammatically sound interrogatives.

The challenge therefore is in how I can effectively exploit the power of modelling in my lessons.

Gosh, the school attendant makcik is here again to lock up the staff room doors. That’ll be all for the day… signing off.

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Wednesday, 28 February
Decentralization

My Art lesson observation with Primary 3 Confidence was cancelled due to CA revision. That left me time to think about the Art lesson Plan for P5 Aspiration. I worked on the three suggestions from Ms Teo and Mdm Tan:
(1) a class mural for P5 Aspiration
(2) Sony Creative Science Competition
(3) Designing and constructing costumes for P5 Excellence participants of the Around the World in 8 Minutes national competition
(4) Sculpture to greet visitors at the foyer

I see opportunities to use the modelling techniques and behavioural and social cognitive theory discussed in this journal thus far.

With the help of my CTs, I intend to identify the higher readiness learners and get them to be “experts” whom group members can consult whenever they encounter problems. Mrs Teo has already highlighted that Ali had displayed a high level of visual/spatial intelligence.

I could decentralize my authority to these “experts” or group leaders to micro-manage the group, so that I only have to deal directly with the few leaders, who will in turn disseminate the instructions to their group members. Thus I need not attend to each and every student.

I intend to conduct a regular “prize giving ceremony” to recognize the best group. This will “incentivise” students who work well with one another. With the help of a point reward system, I hope to spur group members into urging and prodding their group members to behave well. When students do not submit work, I hope that I need not speak to the students individually, but need only to speak to their group leader, who will then compel these stubborn group members to comply. When a group member misbehaves, I hope the other members will remind him that he is jeopardising the group’s chances of winning the best group prize, and therefore be motivated to check on the other group members.

However, evaluating and rewarding good behaviour and work, requires considerable interaction with students in their groups. I fear that seeing the classes for only 30 minutes or 1 hour a week, may not give me sufficient time with the students, to decide which team has worked well enough together, to award the prize for the best group. Perhaps I could observe them outside Art lessons. I could also name the best group at the end of the month, instead of every week. In Changkat Changi Secondary, this was easier to implement, as I saw Class 1T1 5 hours a week for English Language, and was therefore able to conduct the prize giving ceremony every Friday.

Hmm… I’ll be thinking of ways to get around the problem of seeing my students for only 30 minutes or an hour a week.

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Thursday, 1 March

Lesson observations cancelled due to CA1.

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R E F E R E N C E S

Eggen, P. D., & Kauchak, D. P. (2001). Educational Psychology: Windows on Classrooms (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Flavell, J., Miller, P., & Miller, S. (1993). Cognitive development (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Jacobs, G. M., Gan, S. L., & Ball, J. (1995). Learning cooperative learning via cooperative learning : a sourcebook of lesson plans for teacher education on cooperative learning. Singapore: SEAMEO Regional Language Centre.

Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (1992). Encouraging thinking through constructive controversy. In N. Davidson & T. Worsham (Eds.), Enhancing Thinking Through Cooperative Learning (pp. 120-137). New York: Teachers College Press.

Nuthall, G. (1999). The way students learn: Acquiring knowledge from an integrated science and social studies unit. Elementary School Journal, 99(4), 303-342.

Parry, T., & Gregory, G. (2003). Designing brain-compatible learning (2nd ed.). Glenview: SkyLight Professional Development.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2005). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.

Tomlinson, C. A., & Eidson, C. C. (2003a). Differentiation in practice : a resource guide for differentiating curriculum, grades 5-9. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Tomlinson, C. A., & Eidson, C. C. (2003b). Differentiation in practice : a resource guide for differentiating curriculum, grades K-5. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Vermette, P., & Foote, C. (2001). Constructivist philosophy and the cooperative learning practice: toward integration and reconciliation in classrooms. American Secondary Education, 30(1), 26-37.