2018

ESSARP Creative
Writing Competition

Regulations…………………………….…………………Pages 2 and 3
Guidelines for participating students .........Page 4 and 5

Guidelines for Schools .....................................Page 6

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 ESSARP Creative Writing Competition
Regulations:
1) All candidates (two per category) should gather before 2 p.m. on the date
of the Competition at their school.

2) The Competition will take place from 2 pm to 4 pm. Candidates will be

given 2 hours to write their essays.

3) Each school is responsible for giving each of their candidates the username
and Password provided in the entry form by St Brendan’s College

4) Candidates must not provide their names or their School’s name,

5) All scripts must be submitted on Tuesday 29th May, 2018 as soon as

the competition ends at 4 pm.

6) English/English and Spanish/English Dictionaries are allowed. Online

dictionaries are allowed.

7) Categories

Beginner - 10 - 11 years old up to the date of the competition

Junior - 12 - 13 years old up to the date of the competition

Intermediate 14 - 15 years old up to the date of the competition.

Senior - 16 - 17 years old up to the date of the competition

8) Tasks

There will be 5 questions for each category.

• Write a story that includes: ……..

• Title for description or narrative.
• Title for description or narrative.
• Use of a visual aid (comic, photograph, painting) as the basis of a piece of
writing.
• Use the film clip shown as the basis of a piece of writing. The movie clip is
the same for all categories.

9) Length of pieces per category

Beginner - approximately 150 words.

Junior - approximately 250 words.

Intermediate- approximately 350 words.

Senior - approximately 500 words.

NOTE: The number of words is not a limit. It is only a suggestion.

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10) Rubrics

Adjudicators apply the criteria outlined in the rubric below to all categories, while
taking into account the skills reasonably expected for each age group.

The successful entries are generally those that capture and retain the reader’s
attention. Cohesion and coherence are very important both in terms of narrative
flow and organisation.

Candidates should take care to follow the subject they have chosen.

Outstanding Very Good Effective Below

Expectations

Creativity The piece The writing is The writing is The writing is

contains occasionally mostly consistently
exceptionally imaginative in unimaginative but unimaginative in
imaginative form and/or contains at least both form and
writing content. one fresh idea in content.
throughout in form and/or
both form and content.
content.

Word Choice Vocabulary is Vocabulary is Vocabulary is There are word

both consistently occasionally basically effective choice errors
imaginative and imaginative and but uninspired. throughout,
well suited to mostly suited to complicating
the needs of the the needs of the comprehension.
piece. piece.

Narrative Flow The piece has There are There are several/ There are serious
strong narrative occasional serious lapses in lapses in narrative
flow and is lapses in narrative flow, but flow throughout,
consistently narrative flow, they do not affect complicating
engrossing. but the writing comprehension. comprehension.
maintains
interest
throughout.

Organisation The piece is The piece is While the structure There are serious
exceptionally well structured is basically structural
well structured, overall, with effective, there are imbalances
both as a whole occasional several/serious throughout,
and in individual imbalances. imbalances. complicating
segments. comprehension.

Use of English Spelling and There are few/ There are several/ There are serious
grammar are minor spelling serious spelling spelling and/or
correct and and/or and/or grammar grammar errors
appropriate grammar errors errors, but they do throughout,
throughout. that do not not affect complicating
detract from comprehension. comprehension.
overall quality.

ESSARP Creative Writing Competition

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 Guidelines for participating students:

Welcome to this year’s online version of the competition!

READ the following guidelines carefully.

1. Log into the computer system. At the time of the competition you
must not have access to any public folder within the school network.

2. Follow the link below to access this competition site:

moodle2.stbrendans.edu.ar
3. Select the section “Creative Writing Competition”

4. Choose "DEMO" or “2017” to practice before the competition and

"2018" the day of the Creative Writing Competition (29/05/2018 at
2.00 pm).

DEMO username: cwc2018

DEMO password: cwc2018DEMO

5. Select the level at which you will participate:

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6. A window will open for you to insert the username and password
provided by your school to access the site.

7. You will find an introduction with instructions. Read them carefully.

8. After the instructions you will find five different topics to read or
watch to use as an inspiration. Use the headphones to watch the
video.

9. The last section “Submit” is where you will write your piece of work.
Select the icon of the hand to start writing and then choose
“Edit my submission”. At any time you can go back to the
menu to read instructions. The system will save your work
whenever the “Save changes” button is pressed. Make
sure that once you have finished you press the “Save changes”
button.

10.The site will be available from 2.00 to 4.00 pm. After the deadline
(4.00 pm) submitting work will not be accepted.

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ESSARP Creative Writing Competition
Guidelines for Schools:

HARDWARE & SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS:

a) One (1) PC per participating student (we suggest the school should
have 1 or 2 extra computers available in case of a hardware/
software failure)

b) Headphones: each participant must have a headphone connected to

the computer before the competition starts.

c) Internet connection.

d) Access to online dictionaries / thesaurus / translators…?

PROCEDURE

a) After enrolling the school and candidates for this competition, each
school will receive a username and password for each participant.
The school will be responsible for delivering that information to each
candidate. These username and password will be used only the day
of the competition.

b) Three (3) weeks before the competition participants will be able to

access the site with a general username and password (also
provided by this organization). This will allow them to get used to
the site, read the user guidelines and try the “Demo” section.

c) The presence of technical support is recommended. The external

supervisor will not be responsible for solving any hardware/software
malfunction.

d) In case of a power cut, the school representative at ESSARP will

have to communicate with Mrs. Debora Mc Cormack at
dmccormack@stbrendans.edu.ar to allow an “extension” of the
online site´s deadline for that day. In case the power is not
restored 2 hours after it was cut, that school will be given another
opportunity the following week.

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