Despite many enquiries from parents, it took us a long time to develop and launch our P1 and P2 English enrichment programme. The reason was this. If we had to run a course for lower primary children, it was important for The Schooling Society to pioneer a unique and unusual English writing programme. It was critical for us to be able to inspire normally reluctant writers.
The Mission
The TSS lessons had to be exciting, fun and yet highly effective for high ability students. The end goal was to jump start an English writing journey for young children. A huge but energising task for our team.
The Formula
Storytelling is the cornerstone of our programme. Every alternate week, the children follow the story of an original character in a series of beautifully illustrated booklets. These booklets are written, illustrated and printed in-house. They read stories that are pitched at a high level but they read together with their teacher and their classmates. As part of our Integrated Curriculum (IC) syllabus, the children also learn about science, geography, history and mathematics. The beauty is that English language is used as a vehicle for The Schooling Society teachers to teach our students about the world beyond them. The aim of these booklets is to inculcate a habit of reading from a very young age.
Then on other alternate weeks, students learn to write compositions in a guided manner. Since they are young, The Schooling Society curriculum is designed to reinforce and strengthen grammar skills. This gives the students a strong foundation so that they can write grammatically accurate sentences. These grammar exercises are designed to be integrated into the composition writing portion so that our students have the opportunity to practise adequately before jumping into writing by themselves. The lessons are designed to equip students with advanced writing skills. Such skills will encourage them to write independently.
The Children’s Response
Our students enjoy the lessons tremendously. After the initial reluctance and wariness to write, one by one, they blossom. They know that they can write freely and not be judged or assessed rigidly. They know that new, original, unusual and fun ideas are always welcomed at The Schooling Society.
Our Philosophy
We believe that any child can learn to write well. With the correct guidance and inspired teachers, they learn to find their own voice and to develop into articulate and confident writers.
Written by The Schooling Society (Boutique Enrichment Centre)
