Practical Approach to Writing the Perfect Situational Writing | O Level Question with Model Essay

Summary

In this educational video, Teacher Cheryl walks students through a structured approach to acing situational writing. She outlines three crucial steps: identifying key points in the question (Purpose, Audience, Context), extracting relevant information from visual stimuli, and rephrasing that information into a coherent response. Cheryl demonstrates this process using a practical example from an O-level exam, offering tips on how to effectively address all parts of the question. The video emphasizes the importance of using both textual and visual cues to create a well-rounded and thoughtful situational writing response.

Takeaways

• 😀 Situational writing is an easy component to score in, and the lesson provides practical steps to help you excel in it.
• 😀 Step 1: Identify the PAC (Purpose, Audience, Context) in the question to guide your writing approach.
• 😀 Purpose (P) refers to the type of text you need to write (e.g., email, article, proposal).
• 😀 Audience (A) refers to who you're writing to, and you should include any audience-specific information provided in the question.
• 😀 Context (C) refers to the situation and any background information, including your identity in the scenario (e.g., student council member).
• 😀 The PAC is essential to be included in your introduction paragraph to clearly set the tone and focus of your writing.
• 😀 Step 2: Identify relevant information from the visual stimulus to support your writing.
• 😀 Visual stimulus details can help address multiple parts of the question. The key is to pick out relevant and sufficient information.
• 😀 In Step 3, you must rephrase the information from Step 1 and Step 2 into clear, well-written paragraphs to fully address the question.
• 😀 Practice is key! Consistently using the three steps—identify key points, extract information from the visual stimulus, and rephrase it—will help you master situational writing.

Q & A

What is the main focus of today's lesson in the video?

The main focus is on situational writing and practical steps to help students excel in this component, which includes identifying key points in the question, relevant information from the visual stimulus, and rephrasing the identified information.

Why is situational writing considered an easy component to score in?

Situational writing is considered easy to score in because it involves a structured approach that, when followed properly, allows students to address all parts of the question in a logical and coherent manner.

What are the three steps that students should follow in situational writing?

The three steps are: 1) Identify key points in the question, 2) Identify relevant information from the visual stimulus, and 3) Rephrase the information identified in steps 1 and 2.

Why is Step 2 important in situational writing?

Step 2 is crucial because it helps students incorporate relevant and sufficient information from the visual stimulus into their writing, ensuring they address all aspects of the question and provide a complete response.

What does 'PAC' stand for, and why is it important?

'PAC' stands for Purpose, Audience, and Context. It is important because it helps students gather essential details to include in their introduction paragraph, which sets the tone and direction for the rest of the situational writing.

What are the key points that should be identified in the question prompt?

The key points to identify include the Purpose (what is the writing task), Audience (who are you writing to), and Context (what is the situation or background of the task). Additionally, students should pay attention to any bullet points in the question.

How does the visual stimulus help in situational writing?

The visual stimulus provides additional details that can help students choose relevant information to support their response. It offers context-specific information that should be integrated into the writing to make it more detailed and tailored to the question.

What type of question was used as an example in the video, and what did it ask the students to do?

The example used in the video was a question from the 2020 O-Level Paper 1, asking the students to write an email to their aunt and uncle advising them on which overseas trip would be best for their brother and sister-in-law's wedding anniversary. The email should also explain why the selected trip is suitable, what activities would be enjoyable, and how the trip would make the anniversary special.

How should students address the multiple parts of each bullet point in the question?

Students should carefully address each part of the bullet point by breaking it down into smaller tasks. For example, if a bullet point asks two things, such as 'state the type of holiday and why,' both parts need to be answered clearly and thoroughly in the response.

What is the significance of rephrasing information in Step 3?

Rephrasing the information helps students express the key points in their own words, making their response more cohesive and demonstrating their understanding of the task. It also prevents the use of direct copy-pasting and ensures the writing sounds natural and engaging.