English Language & Literature Department

English Language & Literature Department

English Language and Literature Department

Vision

To mould creative, confident communicators and independent thinkers

Mission

To provide opportunities for students to become proficient writers, confident and expressive speakers, and critical and independent thinkers

English Language Curriculum

By the end of the Secondary 4 year at Crescent, a student should be able to:

  • communicate clearly, accurately and effectively in speech and writing that is appropriate for purpose, audience, context and culture;
  • think critically and evaluate what they read to be critical and independent thinkers;
  • analyse a variety of complex texts in different forms and styles;
  • appreciate the nuances of language and how language works in different contexts;
  • use language to demonstrate understanding of world issues.

Special Programmes

Sec 1 Communicative Arts
The Communicative Arts integrates both Literature and English, with a strong emphasis on the 21st century competency of effective oral communication.

Through Communicative Arts, students are exposed to a wide range of skills (e.g. inferential, analytical) to cater to the different learner types. Each lesson in the programme has a strong emphasis on collaborative work in order to shape an independent learner and effective communicator. Differentiated modes of instruction are also adopted within units. For example, in the poetry unit, key concepts are taught through the use of collage, performance, and writing their original poems.

Focus: Storytelling, Dramatization, Narratives, Poetry

Secondary 2 English Language Programme
The Secondary 2 programme focuses on Visual Literacy in which students are given the exposure to the different techniques used in visual texts so that they have a deeper understanding of the rationale of the techniques used.

In tandem with the focus on oral communication, students are now taught the art of persuasion. They learn the techniques of delivering a persuasive speech by examining how different prominent leaders around the world. This unit is also part of the Integrated Curriculum, involving Literature and History with the theme “Conflict”. Various formative assessments including peer assessments are used to help students grasp and internalise these techniques.

Focus: Persuasive Speech, Visual Literacy, Speech Writing

Secondary 3 English Language Programme
With a strong emphasis on expository writing, the programme aims at sharpening students’ skills in developing convincing arguments to train them to be critical and independent learners. This is followed by a debate course for the students so that they can better grasp the art of persuasion and argument.

As part of the Secondary 3 Integrated Curriculum with the theme “Health”, students learn about the different elements of persuasion. In doing so, not only do they gain a better insight into various real-world health issues, they also get to apply such knowledge as they create their own health advertisements to persuade others to subscribe to their proposed health programme.

Focus: Debate, the Power of Language, Expository Writing

Creative Arts Programme
The Creative Arts Programme is an annual literary encounter for Secondary and Junior College students that seeks to nurture young, talented writers in Singapore organised by the Gifted Education Branch of the Ministry of Education.

At Crescent, the English Department conducts workshops for talented students to develop their passion for creative writing. Through this programme, students are given guidance on how to create their portfolio as they reflect on issues such as fluency and flexibility in the crafting of ideas, originality of insight, truthfulness of feeling and sensitivity to the world at large.

English Literature Curriculum

The aims of the English Literature Curriculum at Crescent are:

  • To widen students’ breadth of literary experience by exposing them to a wide range of genres of writing;
  • To enable students to understand and analyse the effectiveness of the various literary works; 
  • To provide opportunities for students to write creatively and enhance their ability to understand the processes behind the creation of literary works;
  • To provide students with a platform to explore themes which touch on a wide range of human concerns that encourage an understanding of moral and ethical issues and foster an awareness of the world they live in;
  • To hone students’ skills of literary appreciation and for the development of perceptive and logical thinking.

Special Programmes

Secondary 2 English Literature Programme
The highlight of the Secondary 2 Literature programme is the 5-week Integrated Curriculum Programme. This Programme, which sees the integration of four subject disciplines – English Language, Literature, History and Art, harnesses technology to create a learning environment that enables students to collaboratively explore issues that focus on the theme of Conflict and Change. It also aims to develop in the students the Enduring Understanding of Rising Above Challenges.

Another area of the curriculum involves Drama, where students study the Shakespearean play The Merchant of Venice. To enhance their learning experience, students engage in enacting certain portions of the play.

Secondary 3 and 4 English Literature Programme
The Upper Secondary Literature programme comprises two major categories:
Paper 1: Set Text – Fasting and Festing by Anita Desai and The Unseen.
Paper 2: Set text – Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.

Central to the study of Literature in the upper secondary is the holistic approach to the subject as well as developing in students the ability to respond critically to the text that enables them to not only understand the writer’s craft but also explore and make relevant connections of what they have learnt to their own lives.

To enhance their learning experience, students participate in the National Schools Literature Festival, a national event which provides students from different schools studying similar texts with a platform to apply their knowledge of the text through debates. Such invaluable experiences enable students to hone their critical thinking and analytical skills as well as communication skills.

Internal Competitions
Secondary 1 Storytelling Competition
Secondary 2 Persuasive Speech Competition
Secondary 3 Debate Competition
Secondary 4 Plain English Speaking Competition (PESA)

Achievements

2016

Commonwealth Writing Competition

  • 1 Bronze (Senior)

Plain English Speaking Competition

  • Finalist (Lower Sec)

National Schools Literature Festival

  • Sec 3 Set Text Debate for Lord of the Flies - Winner
  • Sec 2 Book Trailer - Silver

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