Guided Composition Made Simple

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How My Rural Form 4s Nailed Zimsec English

Intro: My Form 4s barely spoke English. I gave them a handout with templates and starters, and they wrote reports and letters like pros. Pass rates jumped 15% in 2024.

Objective: Teach guided composition for Zimsec Paper 1, Section B.

Materials: Handout (see below or link), chalkboard, pictures (e.g., borehole).

Plan:
Warm-Up (5 min): Draw a borehole, ask in Shona: “Wakamboona chinhu chakashata?” Kids say: “No water!” Say: “Write to fix it!”
Activity (40 min): Give handout, explain in Shona: “Mushumo is for headmaster.” Model report: “This report is about the broken borehole.” Pairs write about a dirty classroom. Try letters: “Hello, how are you?” Kids write to friends.
Wrap-Up (5 min): “What’s easy?” They say: “Templates!” Homework: Write a letter.

Takeaway: Low TTT, local examples, and templates work. Try it!

#Zimsec #Education #EnglishComposition #Zimbabwe #RuralEducation

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Handout: Guided Composition Templates and Starters
For Rural Zimbabwe Learners

1. Report: To Headmaster; Starters: "This report is about...", "I write to tell you about..."
2. Memo: To School People; Starters: "This note tells you about...", "Please know that..."
3. Article: For School Magazine; Starters: "Do you know about...?", "[Topic] is important."
4. Speech: At Assembly; Starters: "Today, I talk about...", "I want to tell you about..."
5. Informal Letter: To Friend; Starters: "Hello, how are you?", "I am happy to write to you."
6. Formal Letter: To Headmaster; Starters: "I write to ask for...", "Please help with..."


Tips for Zimsec: Pick one format, use the template, start with a starter, write short sentences, check spelling.

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