Join us in our journalling project

As you may have read in my previous posts, I am a great believer in journal writing to help students improve in their writing. My class has just finished a 30-day writing journal and we have started a new one. We are going to spend some time decorating our journal cover. We will also use pictures from magazines and drawings to decorate the pages. I hope to posts some of the students' journal here.

I have copied another 30 writing prompts for them and you can copy and paste it into your journal.

Journal Prompts
Take a prompt each day and respond to it in your journal.
Write as long as you can.
1 Write about someone who influenced your day today.
2 What are some of the traits you most dislike about your mom?
3 What are those those things you love about your mom?
4 What are some of the traits you most dislike about your dad?
5 What are those those things you love about your dad?
6 Write about what your dream life would be.
7 Write about what your dream job
8 Write about your best friend
9 Write about your worst enemy
10 What was your most embarrassing moment, describe in detail.
11 Write about a time when you lied to save yourself. Describe what happened.
12 Write about your grandfather or grandmother
13 As you grow up how have you changed emotionally?
14 If given a chance, what country would you like to visit and why?
15 Make a list of the top 10 cool things in your life
16 What is something you disagree with your parents?
17 Why do you REALLY have to go to school?
18 If you could change one thing about school, what would it be?
19 Make a list of the top 10 values or beliefs you have.
20 Write about 5 life lessons that your mother taught you
21 What is something you would NEVER do, no matter what.
22 What could your best friend talk you into doing?
23 You win the lottery, what then? What would you do with your life?
24 In a storm, you lose all your belongings, and possessions, write how that might feel.
25 Imagine you are dying, who would you deeply talk to, and what would you say?
26 If you have one year to live, what would you like to do?
27 Write about a time you felt rejected
28 Make a list of 10 nice things you would like to do for yourself
29 Write about a teacher who has inspired you when you were young
30 Describe the qualities of your future life partner
31 Describe your ideal bedroom
32 Describe your ideal house
33 What would you do if you were to inherit RM1 million?
34 How would you like to spend your birthday?
35 Write about three interesting characters in your class
36 Collect something from nature today and write about it
37 Who do you talk to when you have a problem?
38 What is your advice to those younger than you?
39 List down the things that you are thankful for in your life
40 Which is least important to you--money, power, fame--and why?

How can I help you?

I have received some requests thus far thru e-mails and comments. One would like to know how to write essays. Someone asked me to mark his essay. Another has a question on literature. Others are searching for past-year questions. I have dealt with some topics in the older posts. So, check it out. However, for those who are sitting for their exam soon, how can I help you? Click on comments or visit my guest page and make your request.

Using prefixes

Challenger 3 Prefixes

This week, write down a prefix such as ex- or dis-
and see how many words you can make from that prefix.
For example:



external, extrinsic, exterior, extraordinary, extrabiblical, extracurricular, extrapolate, extraneous, exterminator, extract, extradite, extraterrestrial, extrasensory, extravagant, extreme.....


Next, look up 'prefixes and suffixes' on the internet and copy them into your vocabulary notebook. Review what you have learnt.

Challenger 2

I hope you have completed Challenger 1 in your vocabulary notebook.

Challenger 2
Write down 20 phrases or useful chunks that you come across through your reading. If you are not reading anything interesting, then, you will have to search actively in the magazines and newspapers.

I have just finished reading Marley and Me by John Grogran. Some useful chunks that I have collected in my journal are:

1 my perseverance paid off
2 prized possession
3 hard, unrestrained, from-the-gut sobbing
4 rambunctious, wired dog
5 I slinked around town self-consciously, convinced all eyes were on me. My ears burned imagining people talking about me.


After you have collected these chunks, try to use them in your own writing. Soon, these phrases will become a part of you.

Vocabulary Challenger 1

This week, I will be giving you a series of challenges which will help you develop your vocabulary.

Challenger 1:

Know Your Verbs

Can you name a verb for every alphabet from A - Z?

A - adopt

B - buy

C -

Alternatively, you can also play this game with your friends.

My Vocabulary Notebook

Finally, now that you have all the sections for your vocabulary book, it is time to put it into good use. Of course, the first thing to do is to always make sure your vocabulary notebook follows you to school. Everytime you learn a new word, decide which section the word should be recorded. Is it an idiom, a proverb or a new word? When you are at home, look at the notebook and see how you can add to it. Is there a synonym or antonym of a word you can check out? Can you draw a mindmap out of new word you have just learnt? Do this for three weeks in a row and you would have formed a new habit.

Useful chunks

One of the fastest way to learn English is see how good writers write. Have a special section called 'useful chunks' where you copy down interesting words and phrases each time you read the newspaper, articles from magazines or essays. These useful chunks show you how the words are used and comes in handy when you write your essays. I am not saying you should copy whole chunks into your essay. That is plagiarism. Rather, you should read those phrases and let it sink into your memory and become part of your working vocabulary.