How to use PEEL, Five senses and 5w1H to write an interesting AL1 Picture composition for PSLE Chinese?

Introduction

There are many ways to write a picture composition and I think the best is a mix of the use of PEEL, five senses and 5W1H methos. let discuss a bit about those methods of writing.

PEEL

PEEL stands for writing in a systematic way with a Point you want to convey, follow by an explanation of the point, an example with the point and end with a closing. This is the method to write for Argumentative compositions yet many used it to structure a paragraph in picture composition. P stands for writing a point. E stands for Explanation, E stands for Example and L stand for Linking last sentence back to the Point.

Five senses

Five Senses writing method starts with writing what a writer’s sight (can See), Sound (can hear), Smell (can smell), Touch (can feel textual) and taste (can use tongue to differentiate). This method of writing helps to describe the different perspectives of the environment which helps to build up the atmosphere for things to happen.

5W1H

5W1H is about asking the question with When, Who, Where, What, Why and How. Those questions help writers know what are the few important things to note when they are writing compositions.

All of the above is important to a composition in different ways.

What is tested in picture composition?

Well you have 6 pictures (in PSLE and primary 5, 4 when you are in Primary 3 and 4). The last one is a blank picture with a question mark. The five pictures will show a event happening with picture 1 being the introduction, picture 2 and 3 being the development of the story and picture 4 and 5 as the climax of the story. So we always write picture 6 as the ending of the story and then add a paragraph to write the moral of the story learnt.

So 7 paragraph is the minimum number of paragraphs students need to score AL1, (in order to get AL1, 1 paragraph is about 3/4 page, so 7 paragraphs is 5 pages is minimum.) and 2 pages of composition paper is the quality requirements to PASS. as a rule of thumb, 2 page can pass, 5 pages to score AL1. This is NOT a FIXED rule as sometimes you will have super talented students who can score AL1 with only 5 pages or less etc. Quality > Quantity.

The 8 helping words

Most students knew you need to write with the 8 helping words yet most do not know WHY? the reason for the 8 helping words is to provide important guideline for the development of the story. The 8 helping words are the KEYWORDS for the story so student will not write on the wrong path of the story. The KEYWORDS guide the students in the story.

I have noticed it long time ago in PSLE picture composition questions. When the students are not sure of the storyline, the 8 helping words actually is guiding you to SEE the story via the examiners eyes.

The one important thing in picture composition is the Topic.

most student solve the picture puzzle by looking at pictures, write them out 1 picture at a time, somethings combine several pictures into one paragraph. sometimes referencing the 8 helping, but most of time no one looked at the helping words the second time. Most students think they see the pictures and that is it. MOST will miss the topic of the story and write with something else in their mind.

Nowadays the pictures may contain several topics in the pictures and writing the wrong ones will not help you with your grades.

The introduction

One key thing about the introduction is to build in 5W into it. For example as a starter, always start a introduction with

When, Who , go where, do what, and why?

今天早上，风和日丽，我和弟弟上学读书。因为第一节课就是听写了。

There are so many ways to start a composition but you just need to master ONE way. use the 5W method to start any compositions.

The next line is to add more details about the introduction, describe more about environment, people or the scene. You can use your 5 senses to write about the environment. For example write about what you see when you arrived, What you hear and what you touched, Then write about what you think this place is and what are all the people doing here.

Talk about your character, wo or xiaoming, what they looked like, how are they dressed etc.

And add those idioms that you learnt.

The developments 1 and 2 – small problems to tell before the big problem

Developments are small problems related to the topic and they must have each a introduction, a development and a ending. The ending will continue to develop in the next paragraph as development 2.You need to tell the 5W1H of the story and the PEEL of the topic, you can write a portion of the story relevant to the topic.

5W ; When, Who, Where, What and Why.

H for How does the story unfolded?

PEEL: what is the topic, why is that so and give an example to show your topic and lastly link last sentence to topic.

Climax is the Solving of the BIG problem

Now you need to provide a solution to solve the small and big problem. Some advanced writers provide a TWIST in climax 1 to complicate the problem which will delight the readers and teachers. some twist is the devil and angel which saw the writer makes up a devil and an angel to show and tell the characters undecided choices: to ge a good angel or be an evil devil.

And the big problem must be showed to be perfectly solved to finish writing your climax.

Ending

Now you need to clearly demonstrate that you have close all its gaps in the story. all characters must be present again, all characters need to have an ending. All the problems must ended.

Moral of the story

This Paragraph is all about making a summary with the lessons learnt from the story therefore you need to spell out the topic of the story here. you can use the common phrase “所谓“经一事长一智”经过这件事后，我学会了/知道了……“ there are a lot of good phrases for this part and you should learn more of them.

Conclusion

writing a picture composition is all about topic and storyline so if students write all the 7 paragraph according with PEEL, 5 senses and 5W1H, then your quality of the story may be better than when you don’t do any of the above.