VOLUME SIX 2018 ENL*GHT

A LITERARY RESOURCE FOR TEACHERS

A PUBLICATION OF THE LITERATURE DIVISION OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE ACADEMIC GROUP NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION, SINGAPORE enl*ght is a publication of the Literature Division of the English Language and Literature Academic Group at the National Institute of Education, Singapore.

Signature programmes at NIE for Literature teachers include the following:

The NTU-NIE Teaching Scholars Programme The MEd (English) programme offered by NIE (TSP), a prestigious four-year programme aims to equip Literature and English Language for outstanding persons with a passion teachers with a repertoire of critical, aesthetic, and calling to be professional leaders in cultural and multimodal literacies in relation to education. It aims to produce graduates with English education. intellectual rigor, strong leadership, and global For more information, please go to https:// perspective to make significant contributions www.nie.edu.sg/our-people/academic- to education. For more information, please groups/ell/programmes/higher-degree- check out tsp.nie.edu.sg programmes/master-of-education-in-english

The Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) or PGDE (Sec) in NIE is a 16-month programme which aims to equip university graduates with the skills and knowledge to teach two subjects at the secondary level.

For past issues of enl*ght, please visit bitly.com/enlightELL or scan the following QR code

2 enl*ght EDITORIAL

Dr Loh Chin Ee

Assistant Professor, English Language and Literature National Education of Institute [email protected]

Photo by Wan Zhong Hao

Loh Chin Ee is founder The first issue of enl*ght was published in January 2011 and as I reflect on of enl*ght and the editorial for this sixth issue, I am struck by the time and effort our many assistant professor volunteers have put into sharing their ideas, expertise and research with other at the National literature educators. It has reminded me that we are a literature community – a Institute of Education, group of people who share the same common interests in promoting the love Nanyang Technological and study of literature among our students. University, Singapore. Four articles in the first half of this issue focuses on poetry. Three resulted She teaches pre- from the Ethos Little Things Symposium organized at the end of 2017 for service, inservice and Literature educators. Elvina provokes us to think about how we can use film graduate courses on and photographs to prompt discussion and analysis while Michelle illustrates literature curriculum, how she has used Singapore poetry fruitfully to discuss culturally relevant instruction and issues in her classroom. Our Year 2 BA students, Clarise, Kishan and Estee assessment, reading interview poet Tse Hao Guang about Singapore poetry, education and writing and school libraries. and select extracts from Singapore poems to guide discussions of progress in the Singapore context. In the final article on teaching poetry, Andre draws on work from his Final Year project to explore how literature educators can examine nature poetry in concrete Singapore.

In the second section, we turn our attention towards assessment. Huan Ting interviews the team from CHIJ St Theresa's Convent to find out more about the teaching of writing and I provide some tips on teaching writing and using writing to learn in the Literature classroom. Victoria and Daniel return to their tertiary classrooms and interview their former tutors, Stella Wee from Singapore Polytechnic and Barrie Sherwood from Nanyang Technological University for their thoughts on creative writing and its assessment. While creative writing is not an examinable subject in our literature classroom, it is certainly a possible extension of our literature lessons. Understanding the elements of creative writing can help us engage intimately with the writers’ craft, helping us to read texts better, more critically and appreciatively.

We conclude this issue with our first ever Aunt Agony issue, where experienced teachers, Shahnaaz Sidik and Tina Kishore answer pressing questions about assessment in the literature classroom.

We have tried, in this issue, to provide more reproducible pages that you can reproduce for use in your own classrooms. Please use them and let us know if they have been useful (or not). If you have ideas for other issues, do email me with your ideas.

Finally, to enl*ght’s contributors, interviewees and supporters, thank you for your labour of love.

enl*ght 3 CONTENT

POETRY

Experiencing Unfamiliar Poetry by Elvina Wang | pp. 4

You Know You Want (L)IT! A Place for Local Poetry Through Thematic Teaching in Our Classrooms by Michelle Ng | pp. 8

Keeping an Open Mind on Poetry (& Literature) with Tse Hao Guang by Clarise Aathar, Kishan Kanna and Estee Faith Leong | pp. 12

A Short Guide to Reading Homegrown Nature Poetry in the Literature Classroom by Andre Wong | pp. 17

ASSESSMENT

Going Beyond P.E.E.L: Teaching Writing at CHIJ St Theresa by Ang Huan Ting | pp. 23

Tips for Writing in the Literature Classroom by Loh Chin Ee | pp. 26

When Creative Writing Goes Wrong with Stella Wee by Victoria Lee | pp. 27

Teaching Creative Writing with Professor Barrie Sherwood by Daniel Keng | pp. 29

Aunt Agony (Literature Edition) by Daphne Ng and Priscilla Gan, Daniel Keng and Victoria Lee | pp. 33

New Books for Literature Teachers | pp. 36

Contributors’ Biographies | pp. 37

iv enl*ght EXPERIENCING UNFAMILIAR POETRY by Elvina Wong

Elvina graduated from As part of her sharing at the Ethos Little Things Symposium the NIE PGDE programme Elvina Wong shares with enl*ght how she tackles cheem-ness in in 2014 and currently her Secondary 4 Literature classroom. teaches English Language and Literature at Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary Literature = Cheem? School. She is a bookworm During Teachers’ Day, I received a card from a student who wrote, “I enjoy and is on a mission to learning Literature because I feel that I am learning a very cheem subject.” nurture her students into Feeling bemused, it led me to think about why this student perceived empathetic readers. Literature as such. Was it just the bombastic and cheem words that they see in their novels and poems? As I pondered, I realised that for this student, it was not just the words they read, but the experiences that these words bring. It was the breadth of exposure to the world that made one feel that they are learning more than a subject for an exam. Through the creative nature of Literature, students get an opportunity explore topics beyond the textbook and beyond their daily lives; and this is what makes literature cheem – in a good way.

In teaching Literature, I found that the Secondary 4 students in my class lacked exposure, experience and most importantly, confidence in tackling topics that were unfamiliar. This led me to identify two big challenges I had to overcome. First, how can I lead my students to approach a topic that is completely unfamiliar and detached from them? Second, how can I help them develop the courage to engage in discussions during my Literature classes?

To help my students ease themselves into insightful discussions of poems dealing with unfamiliar topics, I developed a three-step process. The three steps are:

Step 1: Sensory Experience Trigger Step 2: Stimulus Analysis Step 3: Poem Analysis

enl*ght 4 Step 1: Sensory Experience Trigger

The aim of the ‘Sensory Experience Trigger’ is to prompt thoughts and feelings towards a topic. This usually takes the form of a thought-provoking stimulus such as a video, a song, a quote or still images. The main objective of this first step is to get students personally invested in the topic. For example, when introducing war poetry, I played a video entitled “One Hundredth of a Second” which talked about war photography and revealed the guilt of a photographer who took advantage of the death of a young girl to capture an award- winning photograph. It was a short but poignant film which left the students reeling with anger, guilt and shock. A class discussion was then conducted in which students shared what they found most striking in the video. At this point, I know I had already won the students over to this topic.

To prompt thoughts and feelings towards a subject through thought-provoking stimulus - it can be a video, song, quote or photograph.

Scan the QR Code to watch the video - One Hundredth of a Second

After watching the video ...

1. How did you feel after watching the video? 2. What was happening to the main character? 3. What was the most striking thing you saw? 4. What do you think the main character should have done?

5 enl*ght Step 2: Stimulus Analysis

The next step requires students to apply their skills of analysis to an approachable stimulus in the form of photos, song lyrics or a video. Their analysis can focus either on a particular aspect or a general reflection of the stimulus. Through stimulus analysis, students practise literary analysis on something less daunting than a poem. For example, in the module on war poetry, I divided students into groups, and I gave each group a photograph depicting a scene of war. There was a photograph of a father holding the body of his child as South Vietnamese soldiers looked down from their armoured vehicle. There was a photo of a member of a Thai political faction striking at the lifeless body of a hanged student outside a university in Bangkok. The students were asked to respond to the question, “What do you find striking in the photograph?”. Their responses were shared with the rest of the class. This is where students can build the confidence to engage in meaningful dialogue regarding a previously unfamiliar topic. Students are usually more willing to share their thoughts in tasks that do not resemble formal assessments.

Have students apply analytical skills towards a more approachable stimulus - i.e. photographs or song lyrics Guiding Questions This photo, taken by Horst Faas, shows a father as he holds the body 1. How would you describe the of his child as South Vietnamese images in the photo? Army Rangers look down from their 2. How do you feel after seeing armoured vehicle March 19, 1964. the photo? Why? 3. Why do you think it is important The child was killed as government to capture war photographs? forces pursued guerrillas into a village near the Cambodian border.

It won Faas the Pulitzer Prize for Photography in 1965.

This heart-wrenching photo from the invasion of Inchon, South Korea shows the devastating effects war inflicts upon civilians.

The Korean War began on June 25, 1950, when the North Korean People’s Army (NKPL) launched an invasion of South Korea. Although the United Nations quickly stepped in to back South Korea, the North Korean forces secured victory after victory in their merciless push to the South.

For months, the NKPL proved an unstoppable force, and both UN and South Korean forces were pushed all the way to the Pusan Perimeter at the lower edge of the Korean Peninsula.

enl*ght 6 Step 3: Poem Analysis

The third and final step would be the application of the skill to the text itself. At this juncture, the students would already be sufficiently comfortable with the topic. In addition, they would have already been practising the skill of analysis during earlier steps. In the war poetry module, students analyzed the poem “War Photographer” by Carol Ann Duffy, responding to the question, “What is striking about the war photographer’s behaviour in the poem?” The question type used is consistent throughout the three mediums introduced in this lesson – video, photograph and poem. At this stage, the once daunting and unfamiliar topic will no longer be a foreign and scary concept but one which they are personally engaged in.

While we cannot make students physically experience every single event in the world, we can try our best to evoke empathy and emotions in them. I cannot bring the students to war, but I can bring war to them. I guess this is what Literature does, encapsulating the myriad of emotions and experiences of the world within a single text. As clichéd as it may be, Literature really is a window to the world. And this is pretty cheem.

*cheem (adj.): difficult, complex, confounding

Apply analytical skills to the actual poem/text. Students should be familiar with how to interact with the poem.

War Photographer (extract) by Carol Ann Duffy

Something is happening. A stranger’s features faintly start to twist before his eyes, a half-formed ghost. He remembers the cries of this man’s wife, how he sought approval without words to do what someone must and how the blood stained into foreign dust.

A hundred agonies in black and white from which his editor will pick out five or six for Sunday’s supplement. The reader’s eyeballs prick Scan the QR with tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers. code for the From the aeroplane he stares impassively at where full poem he earns his living and they do not care.

7 enl*ght Y O U K N O W YOU WANT (L)IT!

A PLACE FOR LOCAL POETRY THROUGH THEMATIC TEACHING IN OUR CLASSROOMS by Michelle Lim Xi

Michelle has been As part of her sharing at the Ethos Little Things Symposium, teaching Literature and Michelle Lim tells enl*ght how she infuses local poetry in her Social Studies for 6 years. literature classrooms through thematic teaching. She graduated with a Masters in Education (English Literature) from the National Institute of Make Poetry Wanted Education (NIE) in 2017. Literature is the study of life which encourages the development of empathy Michelle believes every and sensitivity in students. As Literature teachers, it is our responsibility to student should have the create opportunities through the three genres of prose, poetry and drama for chance to enjoy Literature students to question differing thoughts on social issues and form connections and not merely study it with their lived experiences, effectively building their capacity in developing as another subject for critical perspectives. Yet, poetry receives limited attention from teachers in examinations. the Literature classroom because of the perceived limitations of the language As such, she takes pride in abilities of students, believing that they struggle to analyse and understand crafting and implementing poems. Even when poetry is taught, most teachers refrain from relating a vibrant Literature their lessons to real world contexts and social issues. Our natural inclination curriculum that provides towards the “safer” teaching of “timeless” poems mean we neglect students’ creative opportunities difficulties in identifying with characters and themes in foreign contexts which for students of different can be dissimilar and far removed from their life experiences. Students cannot learning styles. When she be blamed for being unable to make connections across texts when they learn is not thinking up new poetry in isolation from the other genres of Literature. lesson ideas, Michelle likes to think she is writing To make poetry accessible and enjoyable for our students, Literature nice poetry. teachers must, first and foremost seek to enrich students’ engagement as well as empower their learning in the subject by building their confidence. We should also acknowledge that our students have different learning styles and recognise the need to provide them with varying learning opportunities in our subject. Thematic teaching of Singaporean poems is one way in which poetry can come alive for our students and guide them towards finding their voices.

enl*ght 8 The Damai Way others. These assignments draw of ‘Privilege’ in our society. Social on students’ real-life experiences experiments like the ‘Privilege At Damai Secondary, we focus and knowledge to guide them Walk’ and the ‘Privilege Card Game’ on thematic teaching as a way to towards seeing the relevance of were modified and carried out in expose students to poetry in a the subject in their everyday lives. class by our teachers. Emphasis on meaningful way, using Singapore point-driven paragraphs with the poetry. Contrary to beliefs that Thematic Approach ‘IPE’ framework means writing is local poetry has little to offer, ‘Prejudice and Stereotypes’ is a constantly practised. The regular students are challenged by the thematic local poetry package practice helps to ease students into myriad of rich experiences they studied over a series of lessons for essay-writing. never knew existed in Singapore. our Secondary Two students. Our Focusing on inquiry and real-world, We have observed that our first lesson requires our students to scenario-based learning, the thematic packages of local poetry conduct interviews with their peers, themes of ‘Growing Up’ and ‘Family’ build students’ confidence and teachers and family members are explored at the Secondary engagement in Literature because to elicit common impressions One level. Lesson packages of the familiar Singaporean of foreign workers for example, consist of local poems, music and contexts. These ‘real’ contexts construction workers and domestic short animated films mirroring bring the study of Literature to helpers. Videos such as mean students’ experiences of family, life for students and contribute to tweets about foreign workers from friends, school as they move on creating a classroom environment Singaporeans were also shown to from primary school to secondary where they feel safe to air their foreground the relevance of the school lives. voices and learn to accept diverse theme to their everyday lives. views. When, the subject becomes Rather than merely getting students Students learn that ‘Prejudice and “more relevant” to them, it also to read a poem and write their Stereotypes’ occur because of our builds their capacity in developing answers to a pre-set question, human nature to judge and to think both analytical and critical students are encouraged to express we know a person based on what perspectives. their thoughts of the poem through we see and hear. The teachers note extended assessments such as art, Students not only grow to that using this mode of discussion creating visual representations appreciate and enjoy the beauty created a greater sense of trust like comic storyboarding or even of poetry, but also appreciate it as students are more inclined to song lyrics. as a study of humanity. In the share their opinions on sensitive words of one particular student, issues like as biases against certain “Literature is so real. We are talking nationalities, gender discrimination, about the world.” Identify, Purpose, Effect racism and social inequality. While in a typical classroom, any To ease students into writing In the following section, mention of these topics would have responses, the framework of Michelle shares two poems and ignited an uproar of “ooohs and guiding questions I(dentify) guiding questions from her ahhs”, students were confident -P(urpose) -E(ffect) is used. lesson package "Prejudice and to question the biased views we During class discussions, Stereotypes." The first poem, have of foreign workers, judging students are asked to share their "The Calculations of Migrant them through our eyes when we Life" is introduced to elicit thoughts on parts of a poem are unable to see the difficulties students' responses and the which resonate with them. Next, they might have for resorting to second poem,"Made of Gold" students have to think about other means of livelihood to feed is introduced after the first how the poem is a reflection of their families. poem for analysis. This two society’s values and in turn, pen step approach allows students their responses to the changing The theme of ‘Prejudice and to discuss both issues and social expectations of them at Stereotypes’ naturally lends itself poem in detail. A writing task different ages which inadvertently to the subsequent examination typically follows the discussion affect their relationships with and analysis of the poems.

9 enl*ght Name:

Class:

Guiding Questions 1. What are some of the struggles faced by migrant workers in Singapore? 2. What are some of the sacrifices made by migrant workers when they come to work in Singapore? 3. How has the reading of the poem affected your impression of migrant workers in Singapore?

N Rengarajan, 32, was born in Pudukkottai, Tamil The Calculations of Migrant Life Nadu, India. He came to by N Rengarjan, translated by Krishna Udayasankar and Gopika Jadeja Singapore in 2014 and works in the construction sector. Rengarajan’s poems are often Pluses Minuses satirical and make fun of politicians and social ills. Back home, people have sold We are lured He has won awards in several paddy fields to pay for education by the smell of money poetry competitions in India. but have no jobs. into exile His favourite poet is the Tamil poet and lyricist Vairamuthu. Here we sell labour Both the married and the unmarried to buy paddy fields back home. are temporarily transformed into ascetics.

We who labour When it comes to marriage know the true exchange rate life in a foreign land proves crueler of our home currency. than a flawed horoscope.

Our jewellery was often with the bank. There is little difference between love Now that we are here and life in a foreign land. our jewellery remains home. In love we dream of events that may not happen. Our forefathers In exile, life is a waking dream. used to pay money into loan accounts. Now, we have savings accounts. We are here, our relatives are there. Both love and life in exile Our dynasties used to grow mean pain. on the strength of loans. Now we save for our progeny. We have money Perhaps, proximity yet are no different from the poor – and vagrancies of youth like them, we long for good food. led to arguments with my parents. Living in a foreign land Thanks to migrant life, we can buy everything that has a price distances have increased but love and affection. and so have affections. Ours is not a foreign life Our lives are foreign to us.

Permission granted by Migrant Worker Poetry Competition, N Rengarajan, Krishna Udayasankar and Gopika Jadeja to reproduce this poem for educational purposes.

enl*ght 10 Name:

Class:

Guiding Questions 1. Annotate the poem in detail. 2. What are the literary devices used in this poem? How do they support the main idea in the poem? 3. Why does the poet use this device(s)? 4. How does the poet hope for his/her readers to feel and react to the poem?

Made of Gold by Alvin Pang

"The villagers were told that if they put their hands on the walls of Tekka market, money will flow out" - The Straits Times 23 Aug 1998

This too, is an image of ourselves:

Walls that bleed money. Dusty streets lined with gold. Wave after wave, a babel sea of dreamers on our shores. They build our towers like cliffs, strong against the sky. They build our homes and our temples. In return we lead them to our gods. Some are blessed. First they take all my money. Others learn to stretch a day’s pay Then they take me to JB in lorry for weeks, to be looked oddly upon later go Singapore in tour bus. without flinching, to eat I hide in luggage hole with five others. with cracked hands. I scared. They just push us in like that. Now I know they crooks but too late.

I cannot go back they kill me I owe so much. I cannot pay back enough. Agent take my passport then dump me on the streets of Tekka. I wash dustbin I scrub dump sometimes I sleep sometimes I eat.

This all I got after working a year. If only someone told me the walls of Tekka not made of gold.

Permission has been granted by the respective copyright holders to reproduce this worksheet for educational purposes. From “Local Anaesthetic: A Painless Approach to Singaporean Poetry” edited by Pooja Nansi and Erin Woodford (Singapore: Ethos Books, 2014)

11 enl*ght KEEPING AN OPEN MIND ON POETRY (& LITERATURE)

WITH TSE HAO GUANG by Clarise Aathar, Kishan Kanna and Estee Faith Leong Photo courtesy of Jon Gresham

Tse Hao Guang's Deeds of Hao Guang was invited to share about the history of Singapore Light (Math Paper Press, poetry at the Ethos Little Things Symposium. NIE BA students 2015) was shortlisted Clarise, Kishan and Estee find out more about his opinions on for the 2016 Singapore Singapore poetry, education and writing in an interview. Literature Prize. He edits UnFree Verse (Ethos Books, 2017), online journal OF ZOOS, and Do you think Singapore poetry is important in schools? poetry.sg critical essays. He is a 2016 International I think it is, but we should take a broad understanding of what 'Singapore Writing Program fellow poetry' means. I think studying Singapore poetry should mean that (1) non- and the 2018 National English poetry is included, both in the original (in 'mother tongue' classes) and Writer-in-Residence at in translation; (2) that both poetry from decades past as well as contemporary Nanyang Technological poetry by younger people is included; (3) that immigrant, migrant and emigrant University. writing counts; and, most importantly, (4) that the focus on 'Singapore' never comes at the expense of wide and deep reading of other kinds of poetry, especially those composed originally in English, if we are to be serious about sound and sense in poetry. It is a tall order, and something has to give somewhere.

How would you characterise the development of Singapore poetry over time?

More people are writing poetry in English as mass education in English and a surge in the growth of the middle class have given more people artistic and literary aspirations. In terms of style, content and concerns of serious writers of poetry, I sense a shift away from the older nationalisms and cultural identity crises towards both a more playful attitude towards language as well as a stronger focus on the self, identity and their relation to Singapore society.

Who or what poems are "must-reads" for students of Sing Lit?

I am averse to giving suggestions like these, because I doubt that there are any students specifically studying Singapore Literature outside universities (and even then it is questionable), and that there are "must-reads". I prefer reading as exploration, not as consuming cultural capital or creating celebrity or "raising awareness", but I will share some figures whose work I think should be more well-known: Wong May, Arthur Yap (apart from “2 Mothers in an HDB Playground” and “Old House at Ann Siang Hill”), Yeow Kai Chai, Hamid Roslan (first collection out soon I think!), Ruth Tang, Ho Poh Fun and Teng Qian Xi. I trust that the bestsellers and the spoken word poets are already widely listened to and read by the theoretical student of Sing Lit.

enl*ght 12 How do you think Singapore poetry What are the significant concerns Singapore compares with poetry of other nations? poetry have explored and how do you foresee its future development? Comparison is the thief of joy (Theodore Roosevelt), especially in a society that already does this in many It would be unjust to reduce a nation's literature to a other fields. Don't bring this into poetry please! series of concerns, like a Straits Times forum letter, and I cannot presume to foresee anything. I only hope that the platforms, producers and audiences associated with literary and artistic endeavour strive to keep alive the As a poet, how do you think SingLit is sense of POSSIBILITY. Singapore already has too much received now in comparison to the past? of the sense that there are a few correct 'ways' of, say, There seems to be more interest now in consuming it. I earning money. Far be it for me to narrow possibility in am not sure if this is simply a numbers thing. However, I the arts. get very suspicious of people who point to numbers and As a poet, how do you think Singapore Poetry other quantifiable key performance indicators (KPIs) to should be introduced to students? judge the success of art.

As a practice that is wider and deeper than just post-1965 writing, or writing in English, or necessarily interested What made you want to pursue poetry and in representing or contradicting representations of the who/ what are your influences? nation. As language in tension, simply put. I do not think I pursued poetry as much as the other way around. I enjoy the process of writing more than I hate What would be the first poem you would it, and I kept doing it. I consider myself influenced by recommend for someone approaching different things and people over time, but the work I am SingLit for the first time? producing now is indebted to Marianne Moore, Black Mountain poets and artists including Charles Olson and 一代人 Hilda Morley, Denise Levertov, Lorine Niedecker, An Qi, Bei Dao, Wong May, translation across language and 黑夜给了我黑色的眼睛， culture, bilingualism, flea markets and other sites of 我 却 用 它 寻 找 光 明 。- - 顾 城 repurposing, and interruption.

A Generation

Night gave me black eyes, but I used them to search for light. -- Gu Cheng

The Red Wheelbarrow

So much depends upon

a red wheel barrow

glazed with rain water

beside the white chickens

-- William Carlos Williams

Neither of whom are or ever were Singaporean.

13 enl*ght Singapore's literature syllabus focuses largely on New Criticism as a reading strategy currently (New Criticism involves the close reading of the text and its objective properties in and of itself). What do you think of this strategy?

Human history is rife with pendulum swings from one end of the spectrum to the other. While of course context is important, I do not think it serves texts well to be read wholly as products of context, and I doubt that teachers of literature now are emptying their texts of context. I do not think teachers will be able to fully teach context, either, unless you are suggesting only teaching texts produced by writers from societies as close to ours as possible. I do not see any contradiction between close reading and contextual reading.

What I hope is that literature is not reduced to "concerns"--the relationship between society and language is too complex to be reduced to one over the other or one serving the other. If there is something I hope literature syllabi would change, it would be a move away from a goal-oriented approach (students must be able to score on these tests or essays; students must learn "morals" including certain narratives of the nation, or empathy, etc.) to a process-oriented approach: where students (1) understand the value of persistence when tackling difficult or alien texts, (2) understand that writing In the following section, can be a way to work out complex issues of language or society and Clarise, Kishan and Estee (3) see how moving between languages/texts/cultures represented in texts shares a series of Singapore allows for different possibilities of thinking, reasoning and imagination. I can poems and guiding questions only dream, right? for you to discuss the idea of progress with your students.

enl*ght 14 Name:

Class:

Progress has been Singapore’s enduring concern ever since its independence. The following poems have been handpicked for their differing attitudes towards progress.

1971 2000

Poem #1 Poem #2 Excerpt from Old House at Ann Siang Hill Excerpt from How to Fly the Singapore Flag

[…] last week of July the Straits Times bore an article with a simple tag so what if this is – your grandfather’s house it told us: How to Fly the Singapore Flag his ghost doesn’t live here anymore your family past is it told us that superannuated grime we could display it in August which increases with time but remove it by September otherwise nothing adds or subtract no other flag or emblem above, or to its right the bricks and tiles no words or graphics upon it, and if it might untill re-development be torn or worn which will greatly change hand it to the RC; this house-that-was if not, wash it separately – dozens of it along the street dry it indoors the next and the next as well nothing much will be missed […] eyes not tradition tell you this We cannot decide how a flag is to be flown; Arthur Yap We can only raise it, give it winds And let it make change, on its own

Daren Shiau

Works Cited: Yap, Arthur. "Old House at Ann Siang Hill" Writing Singapore: An Historical Anthology of Singapore Literature, edited by Angelia Poon, Phillip Holden and Shirley Geok-lin Lim, NUS Press, 2009, pp.224. Shiau, Daren. "How to Fly the Singapore Flag." Writing Singapore: An Historical Anthology of Singapore Literature, edited by Angelia Poon, Phillip Holden and Shirley Geok-lin Lim, NUS Press, 2009, pp.224.

15 enl*ght Guiding Questions 1. In what ways do these poems question or reaffirm the national narrative of progress? 2. What is the tone of voice in these poems, and how does it reflect the persona’s attitude towards progress? 3. Do you agree with the personas viewpoint? Why or why not?

2015 2017

Poem #3 Poem #4 Excerpt from Paradise City Excerpt from In Exile

Take me to a coffee shop. I am there, Any coffee shop will do. where I am not supposed to be. Someone will swear it has: The best yong tau foo. The eggiest telur prata. […] The gingeriest teh halia. The quietest... air-conditioner. Because no place survives here without being the best With the machines, we bury At something. our hopes and dreams Take me to the wheels of our best minds churning. in the forest of concrete columns, walls and beams. Take me to the book-loving gangster. The millionaire cab-driver. I become oblivious The flat-dwelling cat feeder who knows that a dream, Beholding this nest of lonely souls Is the most expensive asset to own and towers kissing the sun. In this city. (But Oh how lovely! to own something non-taxable) I never know Take me to paradise city whether dreams would meet reality Where the grass is green and the people in this turbulent exile, far away from home So shiny and new and always knowing where to go neither do I perceive the schism between —where do we go—how do we move forward—always residents and immigrants! moving forward—MAJULAH! Why are immigrant lives exiled? Take me What do I look for in the streets Home. of this city of dreams, though I am confined in a cell, at – Jennifer Anne Champion 31, Street 2, Sungei Kadut.

Mahbub Hasan Dipi

Works Cited: Champion, Jennifer. "Paradise City." A History of Clocks. Red Wheelbarrow Books, 2015. Dipu, Mahbub Hasan. "In Exile." Migrant Tales: an Anthology of Poems by Migrant Bengali Poets in Singapore, edited by ZAkir Hossain Kohkan and Monir Ahmod. Translated by Debabrota Basu, Babui Prokashoni, 2017, pp.49.

enl*ght 16 A SHORT GUIDE TO READING HOMEGROWN NATURE POETRY

IN THE LITERATURE CLASSROOM by Andre Wong

Though nothing can bring back the hour

Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;

We will grieve not, rather find

Strength in what remains behind.

William Wordsworth extract from Ode on Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood

Andre Wong is a Year The Natural World 4 student currently pursuing a BA(Ed) degree Images of the natural world have long been a staple feature in English at the National Institute of writing tradition. When one tries to recall specific examples, perhaps it has Education. He occasionally become almost reflexive to call to mind the works of prominent literary agitates himself with the figures like William Wordsworth, John Keats, Ralph Waldo Emerson or David fact that his proudest work Henry Thoreau. After all, it was in the prolific writings of the Romantics and after nearly two decades Transcendentalists that Nature emerged as a main theme — either poised of formal education is against the unrelenting march of materialism or in appreciation of it as an none other than an essay invigorating source of beauty. on essays on poems about trees. Nonetheless, sitting Yet as Literature teachers, we know that Nature appears quite ubiquitously in at the back of his uncle's the texts we teach. Whether we are up a tree trying to pull students on board sputtering pickup en route in our admiration for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Lord of the Flies” to an Ulu night fishing spot or trying insistently to prod their imagination with each line of “To Autumn” somewhere in Punggol or “The Tyger”, the natural world emerges either as a main subject or more has been an endearing passively in setting or figures of speech. In Singapore, however, where lived memory ever since he experiences among Nature mostly depend on the smatterings of trees that line was a little child. our road pavements in addition to pleasantly curated national parks, the extent to which appearances of Nature in texts have a bearing on our students’ lives may sometimes be called into question.

Much has certainly been done on the part of local environmental organisations that should not be overlooked when considering the above. Both state- funded and non-governmental groups like the National Environment Agency, The Earth Society and the Nature Society (Singapore) continue to dedicate

17 enl*ght themselves to initiating and sustaining educational programmes for students and the general citizenry about the environment. Nevertheless, these initiatives largely remain aimed at raising awareness about sustainability and refining scientific understandings of local flora and fauna. Students require relatable and localised literary engagements with Nature that can enrich their personal appreciation of its beauty. In this article, suggestions will be briefly offered with regards to how home-grown Nature poetry can be introduced in the Singapore Secondary English Literature classroom. Recommendations are mainly pedagogically-disposed offshoots of various findings gleaned from my final year paper at NIE, in which I sought to identify recurrent themes in locally written Nature poetry.

Home-grown Examples extract from Ode on Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood Noteworthy anthologies that showcase local poets engaging with the natural world in Singapore include No Other City: The Ethos Anthology of Urban Poetry (2000) and From Walden to Woodlands (2015). These texts are useful for teachers, seeing that the poems showcased often present various perspectives through which students can consider manifestations of Nature in Singapore. I personally believe that poems selected from these and other sources should be able to reinforce students’ Literature learning in two primary ways: either as supplementary readings to contextualise students’ understanding of natural images in texts already being read, or as focal texts in a unit exploring Singaporean Literature.

Contextualising Students’ Understanding Singapore Nature Teachers discussing Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely poetry could be used to as a Cloud” with their class in relation to the imaginative supplement readings to possibilities of the natural world could introduce Eddy contextualise students’ Tay’s “Reading Wordsworth” contrastingly. The latter understanding of exhibits the potential of locally conceived works to spark natural images in texts, or as focal texts further consideration about how sensitivities towards in a unit exploring Nature may differ when applied to our Singaporean Singapore Literature. cityscape, where excessive urban encroachment often necessitates the search for redefined expressions. When trying to explain the significance of the natural world in texts like A Midsummer Night’s Dream, furthermore,

enl*ght 18 teachers can consider poems similar to Joshua Yap’s “Remembering Trees” to present the relationship remembering trees between Man and Nature as conceived within the mind by Joshua Yap (extract) of a Singaporean. Evident in his poem is an ambivalence towards the natural world conceivably shared by many i remember forsaking Singaporeans, where the city dweller is often inclined to the path well-beaten beneath their swaying limbs forsake the benignity of Nature only to have feelings of endearment arise belatedly in the wake of its destruction. for the well-paved Discussing poems such as Tay’s and Yap’s alongside through legions of sleeping cars prescribed texts can thus foster meaningful connections till I realised for students, as they are led to “explore connections thick, thick between literary texts and “[their] own lives” (MOE hid the leaves from one another Syllabus, 2013, p. 5). and the rain from me as i danced away a childhood Using Nature Poetry as Focal Texts beneath their silent gaze

There are abundant poems and activites when using the poem as the focal text. Amongst the poems found in Walden to Woodlands is Aaron Maniam’s “Walk to Work”, one of many well-suited to animate students’ imagination about the natural world in their immediate surroundings. The poem is a penetrating reflection on how commonplace and frequently neglected On pages 22 and 23, the authors and publishers have given enl*ght manifestations of Nature also avail themselves to permission to reproduce two poems for use in the Literature classroom. poeticising, if only Singaporeans actively search for their own “perfect light angle” to perceive it by. Teachers may choose to first analyse such a poem and put forward the opinion that it still possible to be inspired by seemingly dull appearances of the natural world, before following up discussions with a short walk around areas in school where Nature presents itself. For instance, teachers could lead students on a guided stroll around a school garden or a concentration of roadside trees and invite them to zoom in on a few natural objects of their interest in order to come up with their own similes, metaphors or personification. This could even be pushed further by encouraging students to write their own poetry using the various comparisons they have come up with.

While recommendations on how local Nature poetry may be incorporated into Singapore Secondary Literature lessons have only been briefly outlined in this article, they could serve as useful starting points for teachers who have not yet decided what to do with the images of the natural world that continue to linger on the periphery of Literature discussions in the classroom.

19 enl*ght Reading Wordsworth by Eddy Tay

Rooted in pavement under a tropical sun, trees and lampposts stand in line by the road. Your words are fiction glancing off my page. Consequently, my heart does not leap up when I behold a rainbow in the sky, but feels out of recesses between brick and mortar, awaiting fresh strings of vowels, thread-ends of a new vison.

extractExtract fromfrom AA Lover'sLover's SoliloquySoliloquy (Eddie(Eddie Tay,Tay, SixthSixth FingersFingers Press,Press, 2005)2005) also in Little Things: An Anthology of Poetry (Loh Chin Ee, Angelia Poon & Esther Vincent (Eds), Ethos Books, 2013)

Other poems to consider

"A Visitation of Sunlight" by Aaron Lee "Report to Wordsworth" by Boey Kim Cheng A rumination about sunlight. Great for modelling the An entreaty to Wordsworth, bemoaning how Nature poetry personification of Natural images. appears to have lost its influence on society at large.

"Garden City" by Gilbert Koh An observation of how Nature exists in relation to the city, in light of the Garden City concept. enl*ght 20 Trees are Only Temporary by Leong Liew Geok

The one and a half day weekend There is no place for shooting splendours Past, I can no longer place the familiar In the fever of estates and shopping centres; Albizia; vanished without smoke, kaput. Cut to pieces, where have all the rugged Just like that, with half of Saturday, gone? All of Sunday, from my office window. Boles which leave no bloody stump, But baldness flush to the ground? Monday says trees are only temporary. Take that saga down the slope: Do not weep — crying's not in. Three trunks shot from one spot. Do not sigh — time goes wasting by. No bleeding, no scars to mention; Screaming is unproductive, Woodshavings mark a triple execution. For instant trees come Quick from any nursery. If trees could yell in decibels, Drown the drone of saws Trees are only temporary In final screeching falls, In a flourishing garden city. We might be less careless To cut and carry so efficiently.

Permission granted by Marshall Cavedish and Leong Liew Geok to reproduce this poems for educational purposes.

21 enl*ght Walk to work

There is a time every morning

when You send tendrils

of light to the wayside trees:

Leaves whisper in hushed shadows

while filament ferns glow

golden on the dark of bark.

On most days, I pass these by

but today I must have stumbled

upon a perfect light angle:

Branches outspread, shining heavenward

and I learn again that all things

have their language of praise

Aaron Maniam

Permission granted by Ethos Books and Aaron Maniam to reproduce this poem for educational purposes.

enl*ght 22 GOING BEYOND P.E.E.L

TEACHING WRITING AT CHIJ ST THERESA'S

by Ang Huan Ting

The CHIJ St Theresa's Going Beyond the P.E.E.L team comprises of Mrs Shivani Rohan, The P.E.E.L. (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link) essay structure is often Subject Head/Lit, Ms introduced across multiple disciplines in secondary schools as a tool to Ann Ang former Head of guide students in scaffolding their writing. However, it is precisely the careful Department/EL and Mr attention that this format pays to the structure of each paragraph that has Samuel Zou. Shivani and caused some teachers and students to find it limiting, and possibly even Samuel teach both Lower stifling the writer’s freedom of expression and personal style. Literature and Upper Secondary teachers across Singapore have, true to their creative ability, come up with a Literature at CHIJ ST variety of new and improved acronyms to combat the limitations of the PEEL, Theresa's. Ann is currently from the straightforward PEAL (Point, Evidence, Analysis, Link), PETAL (Point, a lecturer at NIE. Evidence, Technique, Analysis, Link), PEEEEL (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Evidence, Explanation, Link), PEDAL (Point, Evidence, Device, Analysis, Link) to the more elaborate TEPAE (Technique, Evidence, Purpose, Analysis, Elaboration) and TEAQL (Topic sentence, Evidence, Analysis, Quote, Link).

Why is it then, that even when given a rigid structure to follow, certain students still have difficulty with writing and structuring their argument? What about students who find following a formula restrictive and want to take their writing a step further?

We spoke to the Literature team from CHIJ St Theresa’s Convent to get their opinion on the use of the PEEL essay structure, its benefits, limitations, and alternative writing tools teachers can use to help students take their writing a step further.

23 enl*ght What is good literary Shivani: We tend to use PEEL a whereas PEEL emphasises text- writing to you? lot in Lower Secondary. When centricity. So ‘Evidence’ really is students come in from Primary what is at the heart of what we Ann: To me, good literary writing schools, they would not have taken wanted to do. When we came up combines a personal response Literature previously so PEEL offers with the Combine-Emphasise- from the student, which consists a good handle for them to grasp the Synthesise method, we wanted of an emotive element which basics of writing. This would enable to teach students how evidence produces an insight, balanced with those who take Literature in Upper interplays. We wanted to show how a rational element. It involves the Secondary to not have a problem different evidence can align and student having to back up his/her with quantity. It allows students to how two seemingly different pieces argument which would involve in develop paragraphs, though they of evidence can actually put across depth logical thinking about the may be mechanical and superficial the same point but in different various areas of study. Putting the at first. Upper Secondary teachers ways (this would be the ‘Emphasise’ two together, the logical element would then focus on quality and element) and explain the process and emotive element should helping the students with getting of seemingly difference pieces support one another. deeper insights. of evidence coming together (the ‘Synthesise’ element). Shivani: When you mention good Ann: Well, PEEL is a simple enough literary writing, two elements come way of helping students focus their Ann: A less abstract example would to mind: that the voice of the person thinking and getting those who are be if you’ve read a short story and writing should come across, as well weaker to write paragraphs — it’s the main character in the story is as the element of persuasiveness, very pragmatic. But because I teach a courageous person who saves that makes the reader either want Upper Secondary Literature, PEEL someone but then at the end of the to agree with your viewpoint or sometimes be an easy way for me story he is scared by something emotionally connect with you. to get the student to say something else. When you put two seemingly so that it perhaps meets the different evidence comes together, Samuel: I think for me I like to see requirements of the exam rubrics. it could show how the human being engagement and nuance as central However, PEEL is also limiting. is a complex individual and that fear concerns. I think it’s the way we Sometimes I think I use PEEL can come in different ways. The were brought up, but we tend to because I’m insecure, because I thing about ‘Synthesise’ it that it categorise and dichotomise. But want the students to come up with works the evidence in the analysis if a student can show that there is answers fast. But at the back of my in a way that it enables the evidence a middle ground, not necessarily mind I know it is not enough. PEEL is to become more nuanced, and sitting on the fence, but some kind a simple enough way of organising the ‘Combine – Emphasise – of navigating of the middle, that thinking, and good for those Synthesise’ helps students tease would be good literary writing. who are weaker to organise their out these seemingly contradictory insights. It’s pragmatic. pieces of evidence in their analysis.

What are your thoughts on Shivani: We’ve only introduced this existing literary structures method last year, so we haven’t CHIJ St Theresa’s has like the PEEL essay done it for very long. I found this moved beyond PEEL by method quite simple (together with structure to encourage coming up with the Combine- sharing a Success Criteria) when good writing? Emphasise-Synthesise used to teach a high-performing Sam: I think PEEL is quite open- method. Could you explain class. For students of higher ability, ended. It basically puts out four this 3-step method as well as we can use this method to take the basic tenets of writing. Sometimes how teachers can adapt it for students to a level where they can we find that such a structure helps use in other schools? self-evaluate, self-assess or even students approach writing, but we peer mark and show each other thought about how this could be Sam: Well, I grew up with PEEL, and identify which other pieces a way students approach thinking having learnt it in Secondary school of evidence could be included to as well. This led us to introduce the and still found it useful in University. better support their case. ‘Success Criteria’ in our lessons to PEEL puts an emphasis on Ann: I used the ‘Combine’ method see how we could understand how evidence. In University discussions with the Normal (Academic) classes students should approach thinking our contributions tend to be based but didn’t use the word ‘Combine’ rather than just writing. on ideas rather than on evidence, because it is rather abstract.

enl*ght 24 Instead I chose to ask them to pick meant by the “most apt evidence”. Course). Literature feedback out two pieces of evidence from the When I do this with my students, is often very chunky and given text to support their case. This led they unpack the rubric for me and weeks after it’s due, so ‘Criteria for to the students wondering ‘do I just along the way we look at some good Success’ is useful because it allows put two quotes together in each examples of good writing as well. us teachers to give immediate paragraph?” To avoid students feedback. Students always hanker just simply including two pieces of for feedback and want to know evidence per point, I asked them Do you have any tips? when they’ve done something to pick out two related pieces What has personally worked wrong so we can try to give them of evidence to emphasise one quick assessments to help them for you? point or make a contrast between see what they have gotten wrong. the two. I have yet to get to the Ann: I don’t know the profile of Shivani: Peer assessment is ‘Synthesise’ stage with this class learners in each school, so teachers something that I’ve tried out. but the students are now able to would need to identify what In addition, it is important to understand that two pieces of difficulties the students in their remember that feedback should not evidence can be put together to be school face. Teachers may want to be just from teacher to student but part of an extended argument and zoom in on areas and skills that the vice versa. Getting feedback from this would help them see the text students may need greater help in, students — on how I give feedback at a larger level and develop better perhaps a skill like ‘Elaboration’ for and whether it helps them — helps thinking processes. example — is it the vocabulary that me to find out what the students is limiting the students’ answers need from me. or the skill behind it that needs to How should teachers teach be unpacked for students. Each this process of thinking element of the ‘PEEL’ is huge. For to students? instance teachers tend to look at ‘Evidence’ and think that it is a Sam: Sometimes you can point out pretty self-explanatory term, but inconsistencies in the character as to the students it may be difficult an area of discussion and having a even for them to select suitable discussion about it before actually evidence. I think it’s important to writing the essay. Teaching this remember to not stinge on teaching process would involve the teacher the thinking, even if it takes a noticing for the students, modelling longer time. for them. We would need to get Sam: For me a common thread students to compare models of that I see in students from ‘Synthesised’ essays versus a Secondary One to Four is usually regular ‘PEEL’ model and check if evidence engagement. I find that they are able to see the value in the that is something that I want all former and whether it led to a more my students to grasp. Even at convincing argument. Secondary One, when students Shivani: Something that could come up with a point, they might work would be to show students an discover that the point and example of someone who has done evidence don’t really match. They a good job and showing them how might be looking at something a same point was communicated that is tangential and nuanced. differently to very different effects Perhaps even from Secondary and getting them to articulate 1, if we encourage our students why was one better. There is a to look at evidence closer, and need to check what students’ build habits from the start, this understanding of ‘better’ is which would help them build a strong would involve spending a lot of time foundation for writing. Something tearing apart the ‘O’ Level rubric that I also found helpful was giving and unpacking what is meant at immediate feedback (a strategy each stage, for instance what is I learnt from the Skillful Teacher

25 enl*ght TIPS FOR WRITING IN THE LITERATURE CLASSROOM by Loh Chin Ee

In our Literature classrooms, we often focus on teaching students to write but forget that the process of writing can contribute to learning. We provide some suggestions, adapted from Teaching Poetry to Adolescents: A Teachers Guide to Little Things by Loh Chin Ee, Angelia Poon and Ester Vincent for teaching writing and using writing to learn in the Literature classroom.

1. Encourage short, regular writing activities. 6. Practise writing paragraphs. Short pieces Help students to think about their writing by of work allow teachers to mark quickly and instituting short daily or weekly 5-minute to identify whether students learnt the skills writing activities. These writing activities can focused on during class. This way, feedback include a reflection about the text, journal can be more targeted and regular. entries or free-writing. 7. Develop writing units over the year instead of 2. Think-Pair-Write. A variation of the Think-Pair- single writing lessons. Plan to integrate writing Share activity where you ask students to jot across the term so that it complements the down their thoughts instead of just keeping reading and thinking going on in class. it in their heads. This way, every student will 8. Get students to collaborate in small teams have something so share, and the process of of two to three. Peer discussion and critique penning down their thoughts forces them to works well, but make sure you provide clear shape their ideas for communication. guidelines for how to conduct brainstorming 3. Get students to write a short paragraph about or feedback sessions. Do this regularly so that the poem or story before you start teaching. students get used to it. This way, they practice writing and thinking 9. Use technology to amplify the learning. Apps on their own. Discuss the poem or story and such as Padlet and Google Docs are useful for have them develop their original ideas after the getting students to share their ideas and to discussion. collaborate online. 4. Use post-its! Post-its are great for getting 10. Create writing portfolios for students. Having students to jot down their ideas. Keep their a writing portfolio is one way for students to post-its as traces of their ideas and writing reflect on their writing over the year. development.

5. Focus on one area of improvement at a time. Sometimes, we try to do too many things at a time and students get all confused. Spend one term on selecting evidence, another on elaboration and another on developing big ideas.

enl*ght 26 WHEN CREATIVE WRITING GOES WRONG

WITH STELLA WEE

by Victoria Lee

enli*ght was given the opportunity to sit in one of Ms Stella Wee’s creative writing classes at Singapore Polytechnic’s Creative Writing for Television and New Media (DTVM) programme, where students discussed potential storylines Ms Stella Wee is a senior lecturer teaching creative and scripts for The Leon Theory, a web series. After the class, writing at Singapore Victoria Lee spoke to Ms Wee about the difficulty of assessing Polytechnic’s Diploma in creative writing. Creative Writing for TV and New Media. She has been teaching since the I feel like a 17-year-old all over again, sitting in The Writers' Room as Ms Stella diploma was created in Wee guides groups of second-year students in writing the next episode of The 2009, and has written for Leon Theory, a web series developed by students of the diploma programme. shows such as Phua Chu Once upon a long time ago, I was just like them, writing stories of all sorts, and Kang, Maggi and Me, and submitting them for assessment. As a student, I never did really know what many others. went behind these rubrics that decided my grades. Now, as a teacher, I delve into the mind of a creative writing master to learn more about designing rubrics for the assessment of creative writing.

27 enl*ght CRITICISMS & CRITIQUES “good” story. The survey results VICTORIA: Okay, do you share your also give me an opportunity to rubrics with anyone else? VICTORIA: Many teachers would discuss and talk about story STELLA: The good thing is that love to teach creative writing in the rankings with a class. Peers will I teach my modules across all classroom, but they find it difficult explain to each other various the classes. So the rubric is to critique students’ work. Do you reasons for the rankings. I will let only for myself. But our rubrics have any tips for teachers? them tell each other why. Not me, I goes through many layers. Ms do not want to be the "bad guy". Let STELLA: My advice is that Gamar (senior lecturer teaching them be the bad guys. during the first lesson, there Journalism at DTVM) looks at it. Ms have to be constant reminders VICTORIA: Is there any teacher Mary (DTVM senior lecturer and that the process of writing critique then? course manager) looks at it, and not involves rewriting, getting feedback just once. Because next year, the STELLA: In terms of formative and getting critiqued. I did not do same module, the same thing. We assessment, there is an assignment this for the first batch of students go through it again. and come feedback time, I had one whereby a first draft is graded for student say that I sucked away editing. The objective is to see that VICTORIA: So the rubric is just all the love that she had had for the student can edit with given constantly changing throughout writing. notes. I also do an exercise where the year? the students will use an online tool STELLA: So every time I teach like Poll Everywhere or Google the module, there is this whole ASSESSMENT & RUBRICS Docs to comment on their friends’ process of sending the rubrics to presentations while they are VICTORIA: How do you assess two people, letting them vet, and listening and I will also write my own these creative writing projects? then getting it approved. I think this comments. I will then print out all process is so intense and it has STELLA: The basic idea is that the peer evaluations, and then do a so many layers because it is going if you want a learning outcome, face to face with the student. back and forth, and we are cleaning you must be very clear on the VICTORIA: What do you look out each other’s work before it gets purpose of the project. There have for when assessing story writing? approved. We’re not talking about to be clear objectives on what the first round here. We’re talking you want students to learn. The STELLA: I think that it is best to about six, seven rounds and we’re actual assignment itself must be just keep it simple. Some students still trying to find simpler ways to connected to these objectives so tend to use bigger words when they do it. that the students will know exactly can use easier words. They tend to how they are being assessed. make sentences more complicated Ultimately, they will understand that than it should be, and I think that is LAST WORDS the grades are not given based on not what the industry wants. Read my mood. Harry Potter; the real test of a writer VICTORIA: Is there anything that is writing simple sentences with you would like secondary school For example, I used to write in my great imagery. teachers to know? rubric, “Created an interesting character”. That is so vague. What VICTORIA: What is a bad rubric? STELLA: This is one thing that exactly is interesting? Now, this I hope that we can do at the STELLA: Anything that is vague, part of the rubric has been changed Secondary school level. To keep and anything that quantifies. to, “Created a memorable character stories local. I’m not talking about Because you cannot quantify and that the audience will care and Singlish. I wrote for PCK (Phua Chu say, “Oh, I have to have three plot worry for”. So now, I must worry Kang) but I don’t think that at the points and two turning points”. Who and feel for Cinderella. There is an secondary school level we should does writing this way? No one does emotional quality here that can be advocate Singlish. Because I think writing by numbers. But I’ve seen quantified. that they need a strong foundation. that and I don’t believe in numbers. But telling local stories does not Before I mark, I give the students There are even some books in mean that it is low class and that is three stories and I make them writing that say that, at this point of the worst thing. There is really a lot rank the stories through an online the story, you must have this event of good local stuff out there. survey. Around 80% of the time, etc. That’s crazy. I don’t subscribe everyone agrees on the same to that sort of writing.

enl*ght 28 TEACHING CREATIVE WRITING

WITH PROFESSOR BARRIE SHERWOOD

by Daniel Keng

Barrie Sherwood is the Continuing the theme of creative writing, we turn to NTU Assistant Professor author of two novels (The Barrie Sherwood. A/P Sherwood has been teaching creative writing (short Pillow Book of Lady Kasa, story fiction, non-fiction and poetry) at the School of Humanities for four years. DC Books, Montreal and In his classes, students are routinely engaged in activities such as having Escape from Amsterdam, to write short excerpts involving either a paper clip, a keychain or a stapler, Granta Books, London/ constructing narratives from everyday objects. We sit down with him to find St Martins Press, NY.) in out more about his teaching of creative writing to inspire teachers who would addition to various stories like to try out creative writing with their students. and essays. He teaches creative writing at NTU.

29 enl*ght Who are your literary does not descend when providing expectations, dialogue should be as inspirations personally? feedback to others. clear as a game of tennis in that you should always know where the ball I have lots of personal preferences I find that here (in NTU), you are is (and who’s turn it is to hit the ball). Growing up, my favourite series (at all around the same age, and Other common errors include the age 13/14) were the Robert Ludlum Singapore is not that big, so we all overuse of adjectives (“wow words” and Alistair McLean thrillers. Now know what someone else is talking as they were referred to in primary I like a whole range of novelists about when they’re talking about a school) and adverbs, and not to Vladimir Nabokov, Richard Yates, particular dish or place or Singlish mention the recurring use of clichés Alice Munro, Patrick White, WG term, and so that all makes for a or hackneyed tropes in fiction. Sebald, Angela Carter and Gustave good dynamic (because there’s a Flaubert - these are some of my level of common understanding). The more general common errors favourites. You go through phases. include setting something in a place I like them because they’re all where the writer has never been, inventive with the language. They What are some common which is a very tough thing to do. If are virtuous, right down to the word mistakes that you’ve seen you were in a photography class, — never sloppy. in CW works from your you wouldn’t be assigned to take students? How can students photographs in the Antarctic, would avoid these common you? You’d be taking photographs at the coffeeshop, because it’s How do you know when a mistakes? something you know. Nabokov creative writing class is I go over these at least once every said that he never set (a story) going well? course. I read this book by John anywhere he could not observe as I like it best when I can just stand Gardner (The Art of Fiction) when well as anyone else could. Setting back and watch the class provide I was about 24 or 25 and it has is the potential for the unforeseen feedback for each other, and I’m a section in it called “Common circumstance to happen, which just a referee... and ideally the best Errors”, and the next day I was does not happen when one game is when the referee is not the a better writer, because it was a romanticises a setting. center of attention I would say this catalogue of all the errors that I was would have to happen at least once making as well. So sometimes, it’s a class for me to feel like it has been a matter of introducing students Do you have any pet peeves a successful class. to these things, so that they know in teaching CW? these are errors in the first place. When you are writing a short story, A good example in fiction would be you can’t expect a novel. Readers Are there a particular set of using the wrong turns of phrases - who just love fantasy or science class dynamics that works for example, the sentence “Locking fiction and who want to reproduce well for the teaching and the door, John ran down the street” what they love, which is natural, learning of creative writing? is not grammatically incorrect — because all these detective novels however, the sentence suggests What works well is when the class have been written by people who’ve that John locked the door and ran is all one group, ideally in a circle read and been influenced by other down the street simultaneously, or semicircle and approaching detective novels. But these people which is illogical if you think about something together. For workshops don’t realise that you can’t crush it. But these issues are also seen in in which students are providing the features found in fantasy into published fiction from established feedback for their peers about what a short story and introduce the writers, and so it may soon become they’ve written, ideally you have a reader to an entirely new world in an issue so common that no one small group of about 6-8 students the space of 1000 words. regards it as important . Another taking charge of the discussions common mistake students make and taking responsibility for it to is formatting dialogue. Until happen and ensure that silence you’re ready to subvert readers’

enl*ght 30 Do you have any favourite to tell the student that he/she isn’t Students have to know the tools literary techniques in CW? going to show this piece of work to that they can have and use, and anyone, and so you give the student they should be taught that at times, No, because the range of creative permission to make mistakes in sticking to conventions of the fiction is just so big. What I like vocabulary or grammar, to write in genres may stifle their creativity. seeing is students who try to abbreviations, to write as messily experiment with genre conventions as possible, or to go off topic and to - for example, can you write a gothic write as much as they want. horror story set in Pulau Ubin? Can Do you have any advice you take those features, as seen in In doing so, I think you take the for teachers of creative Edgar Allan Poe, and translate them stress off the slightly less confident writing? to the here and now? students - and perhaps later down Just get students writing! It doesn’t the line, once a routine has been matter what the students write, established and they’ve generated as long as they write. Maupassant some material, you can ask them Your CW (Fiction) class is supposedly said to a young writer: to revisit their favourite material structured around free “put the black on the white”, and and continue expanding on these writing and small group that’s the important act. I would ideas. But what’s important is that discussions - why did you emphasise upon writing routinely ideas have been generated in the choose to do so? in some kind of observational first place, in a no-stress sort of journal, then thinking how one can Free writing is incredibly important environment. take something from that journal to because it generates materials entertain a larger audience. and when students are being encouraged to write in some way, What other pedagogical it creates a special atmosphere approaches can be used in which everyone is doing it in the teaching of CW? and everyone is working on the How suitable are these same thing. It doesn’t matter approaches in teaching what you write, as long as you teenagers (as opposed to can get something on the paper. adult learners in university)? For someone younger, you could provide general topics that don’t You could craft a creative put too much pressure on the writing class based on genres student to generate results - such alone, I suppose. You could do as describing their favourite a programme whereby for two dessert, or TV show or retelling a weeks, the focus would be on scene from a typical family dinner. detective fiction, and then switch to romance for the next two weeks thereafter, so on and so forth. Free writing is There was this class we taught in incredibly important Some of our students cite York that was called “Writing to because it generates confidence issues when Order” that adopted this approach, materials and when it comes to writing or so we had different people for students are being expressing themselves five to six different mini-modules encourage to write in - how do you then deal (short stories, graphic novels etc.) some way, it creates with this issue when you and students had to turn in short a special atmosphere introduce free writing? assignments for each mini-module. in which everyone is Before you start 15 minutes of For assessment, the students got doing it and everyone free writing on whatever subject to choose which two out of their is working on the you are tasked to write, you have five or six pieces they wanted to same thing. focus on and expand thoroughly.

31 enl*ght CREATIVE WRITING GENERAL MARKING CRITERIA by Barrie Sherwood

In order to qualify for a particular mark, it is not necessary for an assignment to display all the qualities listed. This is a very broad list of those criteria your reader may be evaluating your work upon.

Language Character and dialogue

Clarity and precision; vitality and inventiveness; vivid Complex and nuanced characterisation; plausibility and and dextrous engagement with the possibilities of complexity of motivation and psychology; avoidance English; avoidance or exploitation of clichés, archaisms of stereotypes; exploitation of stock types for comic and generalities; selective deployment of adverbs and or satiric effect; sophisticated handling of moral or adjectives; use of figurative language to telling effect; skilful psychological development; subtle handling of tensions exploitation of ambiguity; control of cadence, rhythm and between characters; effective individuation of voices; tone; control of the varieties of linguistic register; technical dialogue revealing of character; convincing use of speech accuracy in grammar and punctuation; avoidance rhythms, diction and idioms; avoidance of hackneyed or of repetition and redundancy; evidence of editorial wooden expressions. ability throughout. Self commentary Form and structure Lucid, coherent, insightful; engaged and perceptive; Sustained, coherent and appropriate structure; balance of analytical rather than descriptive; fully attentive to technical complexity and economy; inventive engagement with genre and thematic issues; awareness of traditions, key concepts conventions; control of narrative pace and chronology; and appropriate critical vocabulary; fully attentive to the control of narrative tense; skilful deployment of back- redrafting and editing process; discriminating use of story; skilful handling of narrative transitions; coherent and supporting evidence from notebooks and earlier drafts; properly realised ‘story arc’; inventive awareness of the skilful integration of supporting evidence; judicious limits and possibilities of point-of-view; consistency in the evaluation of achievements and failings. use of point-of-view; evidence of editorial ability throughout. Presentation Theme and content Legible typeface; typographical variations appropriate Insight and maturity; subtlety and power; emotional to content; double-spacing; generous margins; pages and intellectual depth and sophistication; complexity numbered and in order; author’s name and the title clearly and sophistication of moral engagement; inventive displayed; word count supplied; consistent method for the engagement with familiar themes and genre conventions; formal presentation of dialogue; correct and consistent use creation of plausible and involving scenarios; sophisticated of grammar and punctuation; correct spelling. understanding of the possibilities of dramatisation (‘showing’) and exposition (‘telling’); judicious deployment of research.

Setting and observation

Vivid and selective; clear and convincing delineation of fictional world; attention to the relationship between setting and character; strong sense of atmosphere and place; strong appeal to all five senses; individuality and precision in observation of detail; effective deployment of detail; sophisticated understanding of the possibilities of dramatisation (‘showing’) and exposition (‘telling’).

enl*ght 32 AUNT AGONY FOR LITERATURE TEACHERS

by Daphne Ng, Priscilla Gan, Daniel Keng and Victoria Lee

In enl*ght’s first ever Aunt Agony column, Daphne Ng, Priscilla Gan, Victoria Lee and Daniel Keng surveyed about 40 teachers to find out their most pressing concerns with Literature assessment. Questions that were raised most frequently were complied and sent to experienced teachers, Ms Shahnaaz Sidik and Ms Tina Kishore for their insights on these concerns.

Shahnaaz is Subject Tina is Subject Head Head Literature at Pasir Literature at Evergreen Ris Crest Secondary Secondary School. She is School. She has had 15 passionate about poetry years of experience as and children’s literature, a Literature teacher, is and while she loves a collecter of children's many works and several and enjoys reading young writers, Jane Austen and adult fiction. Alfian Sa’at have a special place in her heart.

How can I make assessment the text or literary skills. For example, engaging without sacrificing on getting students to write creative pieces quality and content/skills? is engaging and also checks on students’ application of literary skills. Ms Shahnaaz Sidik (SS): Formative Ms Tina Kishore (TK): Well-designed assessment lessons can be engaging alternative or creative assessments can without sacrificing on content/skills, be engaging without compromising on by using the areas of study as a focus content/skills. For example, to assess of learning, while applying engaging characterisation, ‘gift giving’ tasks can techniques that check for students’ reveal deep understanding of what understanding. For example, in assessing characters would (not) appreciate and students’ understanding of plot, ‘character suitcases’ can reveal what cooperative learning strategies in creating characters hold dear. Getting students to a montage or newspaper reports engage create a game based on a text can show students and ensure that content quality is plot familiarity and dioramas of setting. not compromised. Dramatic presentations are also excellent Similarly, alternative assessments, to ascertain understanding. engaging tasks need not veer too far from

33 enl*ght The challenge therefore is to create and measurable behaviour, use literature is how a case can be enthralling tasks with rubrics that parallel language across the scale, proved and an argument be assess what is intended. and point allocation indicates the strongly made — it is a skill that degree to which standards are needs to be learnt. However, rigour and challenge are met. Descriptions for rubrics must engaging too – the human mind Offering students an argument be crafted precisely, or they can loves puzzles and students can structure helps, especially in early be misinterpreted. switch off when things are too stages of writing. With persuasive simple. Essay and passage-based To strengthen content validity, writing, this consists of three questions require analysis and rubrics should be given to students components — a claim, data and evaluation, higher order thinking along with assignments so that warrant — or simply put, a point, skills. Responding to a well-chosen they understand the assessment evidence and justification or unseen piece or question, pitched criteria. Providing students with explanation. It is thus easy to see appropriately, can be intellectually graded exemplars using the why PEEL and its other evolved stimulating, enjoyable (‘gasp!’) rubrics could also give them better variants, have gained lifespans and gratifying. understanding of what constitutes this long. Having said this, many poor, average or good performance. students eventually develop more How can I ensure content mature and personal writing styles validity (for Literature) and once they find persuasive when using rubrics for How can I help students to voices that work and we should alternative assessments? improve in writing when not impose PEEL or otherwise upon them. SS: Try to derive the content/skills most of them think that that you want students to learn. For doing well for literature Once a basic writing structure content, this could be knowledge is elusive (even when the is established, understanding and understanding of the areas of exam rubrics have been and perfecting its components study. For example, an alternative explained)? become important: What makes a assessment of choosing and point good, clear, accurate? Why enacting a scene from a novel SS: Students need to see good is this piece of evidence better allows assessment of the plot’s essay examples, so exemplars and than another in proving a point? key moments, understanding teacher modelling are important. When and how does analysis of characters, and even setting The writing process must be made become insightful? Fine-tuning and atmosphere. Such rubrics explicit and visible. Short paragraph each aspect can be done using should be targeted to the skills and writing, instead of whole essays, paragraphs from students’ work. outcomes we want from students. to check that students have As a class, students could evaluate This ensures that the criteria and internalised a paragraph’s structure each paragraph for how it may descriptors in our rubrics are can be given — this is crucial for be improved – understanding relevant. weaker students so they do not an argument’s structure gives feel overwhelmed. The functional students the language to critique TK: We must be clear about what language of literary essays can each paragraph for its components. we wish to measure, or what learner also be taught, for example, in behaviours we expect. Once this using words like ‘implies’ to indicate Another way to improve writing is is clear, we must design rubrics to analysis. Students can read their to provide supporting word lists. communicate such expectations. peers’ writing and comment Sometimes, students can sense a point, but struggle with labelling Rubrics should focus on what purposefully on them; this will help them see that their writing has an it. In such cases, vocabulary lists learners can demonstrate and thus for feeling words, character traits, can be structured using levels of audience other than the teacher and gain other perspectives. words to describe mood, tone or achievement. It is particularly atmosphere might assist students helpful if each level is accompanied TK: We often encounter students to appropriately express their by well-crafted descriptive labels. who offer amazing verbal thoughts. These descriptions help students responses in class but come understand expectations and assessment time, disappoint their performance with regard to terribly because they cannot those expectations. Well-written construct logical and persuasively descriptions express observable written arguments. Writing for

enl*ght 34 How can I teach valid and are happy to dismiss them in personal response? favour of those of their teacher. We thus must convince students of the validity of SS: In trying to get students to have their feelings so as not to cripple them in a voice, the PEEL format may be responding to literature. constrictive. Students’ responses become formulaic and they spend a lot Students should be shown what of time finding and copying quotes. While personal response looks like. Thoughtful this is not wrong, it does not lend well to responses that comment on how words guiding students to develop their own in the text make one feel, or what an voice. image makes one think of are illustrative. One strategy is to give students an One possible strategy then is journaling. annotated text and ask them which Reflection questions that get students annotations they find most interesting. to identify their thoughts and feelings, Sometimes, reacting to others’ thoughts and analyse them consistently can first before responding with one’s own is help. Additionally, at the end of a unit easier and might build their confidence in on, for example, a character, questions offering their own thoughts and feelings. for students to evaluate their take on the character will allow them to develop However, not all personal responses personal responses. Another way is are equally appreciated. Common through debates. When students must inappropriate responses should also be take sides, not only will they learn to see highlighted. Among these, three types different viewpoints, they will later make appear most frequently: their own stand, a personal response. Some students may feel inhibited in 1 developing personal responses because Many students confuse personal they will say ‘I don’t know how to feel’ or response with links to personal they fear getting their answers ‘wrong’. knowledge or experience, e.g. “I have For such students, a safe environment been in similar situations and usually, must be created where they are people who… do not… ”. not judged so critically, even if their responses may be challenged by other 2 students. Students tend to moralise, e.g. “The boy should not feel this way, he is TK: How ironic, that to respond unappreciative of…” Instead, students according to one’s feelings is something should consider why the boy might be that needs to be taught. However, feeling this way and comment on that. Literature is the only subject that asks Students who condemn or idealise this of students. I suppose for this we characters may find their feelings not as should be thankful, but also sensitive valid as one demonstrating empathy and to the fact that it is only at Secondary understanding. One, when students first interact with Literature that their feelings are actually 3 sought for. So yes, personal response, Students tend to speculate, providing or at least how to express one’s feelings analyses unsupported by the text in appropriately, needs to be taught. attempts to rationalise parts they don’t understand, e.g. “Maybe the writer A personal response is when a genuine says this because he had a troubled feeling is evoked by the text in the reader. childhood…” We thus need to teach students to be Showing examples of acceptable aware of their reactions and feelings as and unacceptable responses might they read (that these may be intended by thus steer students towards writing the writer) and not to undermine them. more thoughtfully. Students often do not find their feelings

35 enl*ght NEW BOOKS FOR LITERATURE TEACHING

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed (edited by Ken Mizusawa)

Mend the old, embrace the new, cherish what is borrowed.

This anthology brings together three powerful and affecting local plays by three of Singapore’s celebrated playwrights — Haresh Sharma, Desmond Sim and Geraldine Song — that convey to us the value of mending the old, embracing the new and cherishing what is borrowed. Designed for the lower secondary classroom, it comes with comprehensive introductions, full annotations and a range of questions and prompts to guide a critical analysis of each and every play as works of literature and theatre.

SINGAPORE: STAR PUBLISHERS, 2018

Hook and Eye: Stories from the Margins (edited by Phillip Holden)

“Each story invites readers to enter into the world of marginal yet strangely familiar figures, to explore the possibilities of empathy, and thus to see familiar landscapes in a new light.” — Philip Holden, editor

These stories are set in disparate locations in Singapore, ranging from landed properties to migrant worker dormitories, and speak of struggles and persistence. And love.

A teaching companion guide by Dennis Yeo and Rachel Teo is slated to be launched in the second half of the year. To be informed when the guide is released, please email [email protected]

SINGAPORE: ETHOS BOOKS, 2018

The Car and Other Plays (edited by Verena Tay)

Three specially selected school plays by seasoned theatre practitioner Verena Tay, including the award-winning 'The Car'. These three plays tap into the realm of myth and fantasy, while still being firmly rooted in the reality of living day-to-day in modern Singapore. Understanding both the teaching and learning needs of the teacher and student, these plays are the keys to nurturing a passion for theatre, and at the same time, fitting the curriculum.

The Car and Other Plays is included within the Ministry of Education's list of recommended texts for the Lower Secondary School English Literature syllabus from 2017.

SINGAPORE: MATH PAPER PRESS, 2016

enl*ght 36 CONTRIBUTORS

Clarise Aathar Estee Faith Leong Kishan Kanna

While taking this photo, the last Despite her long-term commitment While he may look entirely blissful, thing Clarise expected was for to the study of History, Estee Kishan was not at all enjoying the it to be featured in Enl*ght as is unable to resist the allure of ice cream which he discarded a representation of her. If she Literature, and has frequent after the photo was taken. When knew that she had so few suitable dalliances with the subject. A Year not posing for pictures, he enjoys pictures, maybe she would have 2 TSP History and Literature BA attempting to be a social media posed differently. Or maybe not. student at NIE, she enjoys hanging influencer, and runs marathons he Currently a Year 2 TSP BA student out with the "Lit(erature) Babies", FC does not train for. Kishan is a year 2 exploring Literature at NIE, she Barcelona, a good skincare regimen TSP BA student at NIE. enjoys life and her friends, two and watching We Bare Bears. of whom she is very happy and privileged to be featured alongside.

Daniel Keng Jun Wen Victoria Chanel Lee Daphne Ng

Daniel graduated from the NIE Having graduated from NTU's Daphne graduated from the NIE PGDE programme in 2017 and is English programme and SP's PGDE programme in 2017 and now a first year English Language and Creative Writing for TV and New teaches English Language and Literature teacher at Marsiling Media, Victoria now teaches at Literature at East Spring Secondary Secondary School. In his Literature Zhenghua Secondary School. She School. She enjoys watching classroom, he consistently injects has a soft spot for Singlit and tries movies, drinking tea and talking the use of multimodal examples to travel, write, and keep up with about the humorous exploits of her in the teaching of literary devices web and graphic design trends students. Her secret indulgence and is not afraid to come up with whenever free time comes her way. is (re)reading the Lord of the Rings creative and innovative approaches trilogy. to lessons and committee projects.

37 enl*ght Ang Huan Ting Claryce Lum Wan Zhong Hao

Huan Ting studied English and Claryce Lum graduated from the Having read English and Related Literature at the University of NIE PGDE programme in 2011 Communication Studies at York, before enrolling in NIE's PGDE and is a founding member of Nanyang Technological University, programme from 2013-2014. She is enl*ght. She has taught literature Zhong Hao is currently working passionate about bringing learning at Shuqun Secondary School, with Dr Loh Chin Ee as a research out of the classroom and takes Fuhua Secondary School, assistant. He is in the midst of pride in designing interdisciplinary Pioneer Secondary School and completing a Master of Arts in learning journeys for students. General Paper at Anglo-Chinese Applied Linguistics at NIE. When he She feels deeply about Singapore Junior College. She has recently is not researching, he can be seen Literature and hopes that readers, completed a Master of Arts in with a camera, looking to document local and around the globe, grow Global Studies. She now works as fleeting moments. an understanding and appreciation Editor of English language learning of the Literature of Singapore. magazines Present Perfect and She currently teaches Literature REPRESENT published by Think and History at Evergreen Tank Studio, a part of local social Secondary School. enterprise The Thought Collective.

Priscilla Gan Wan Zhi Xin Nadiah Song

Priscilla teaches at Hwa Chong Zhi Xin studied Graphic Design Nadiah graduated from NIE in Institution (High School). She at the University of the West of 2012. She previously taught English graduated from NUS with a England, Bristol. She has since Literature and Language at Loyang Bachelor's degree in Law and worked as a graphic designer for Secondary School and was a policy the University of Edinburgh with over 3 years. She is responsible officer in Higher Education Policy a Master's in English Literature. for most of the design work for this Division, MOE. Nadiah is a founding Priscilla graduated from the PGDE issue of enl*ght and has an intense member of enl*ght. Programme in 2017. love of cats.

enl*ght 38 Volume Six of enl*ght delves into poetry and creative writing. We invite you to read this volume and adopt the ideas to your classroom.

Materials in this publication are for educational use only.