Findings

Analysis

Students’ improvement in their writing skills was significant because of sufficient scaffolding.

Scaffolding strategies including analysing text features, organising and brainstorming ideas, using graphic organizers, introducing useful language and expressions as well as class reporting are helpful for students.

Observations include:

• more developed ideas to illustrate themes
• clearer plot structures
• improved paragraphing
• more attempts in using dialogues
• more logical use of cohesive devices to link up ideas

Students were able to reflect and consolidate their own learning with formative assessment tools.

The peer assessment checklist and teachers’ feedback in the assessment rubrics have fostered assessment for learning. Students were more aware of the need to edit and fine-tune their work.

Students’ speaking skill was enhanced.

Students were able to apply the knowledge they learned in the Short Stories elective.

The Short Stories elective-related knowledge was conceptualised using mind maps.

Students were able to demonstrate the elective-related knowledge they learned in their tasks.

Visual aids helped students of low to average abilities understand the subject matter in English more easily.

Students displayed creativity in their tasks. They were able to think of new endings to short stories and there was variety in the student work collected in class.