For the uninitiated, SNT stands for Show Not Tell. They are a crucial facet in how we teach composition writing to elementary school students in our country.

Essentially, instead of telling the readers directly how the characters might be feeling, we train students to use phrases that hint at their characters’ emotional state. They may describe facial expressions, body language, idioms, among the whole arensal of literary devices.

This means that well-meaning teachers, earnest to pull up their charges’ scores, collate descriptive and evocative phrases and distribute them to their students. In some schools, students are tested on their ability to spell these phrases during the weekly spelling test.

Here’s a sampling of what my school collated: Her eyes sparkled with joy. He twirled around in the sunlight. He grinned like a Cheshire cat.

These phrases might help students to get the top band marks, but let’s face it, they aren’t exactly original. Are we teaching our young memorisation skills or the ability to look within themselves and recognise their emotions?

But how do I exactly teach bright-eyed 11-year-olds to come up with original SNT phrases when they don’t have much life experience?

I thought about this challenge and decided to concretise the process for them. Specifically, I thought about the things that I like.

I do like sunflowers. 🌻

So, one SNT phrase I concocted over the weekend is his smile radiated warmth, like sunflowers leaning toward the sun.

Not bad! I was quite impressed with myself. Then, I thought about other things I like, such as money.

Another SNT phrase that popped into my mind today was an instant smile brightened his face, just like when he found money on the ground.

Or this: “The joy that warmed his heart also powered his movements. He moved with a fluidity—a smoothness—he usually displayed only while travelling.*

This somehow made me think of a soda bottle. I could also employ personification! What if happiness were a soda bottle?

This is how I came up with the below sentence:

Let’s see if my students can come up with their original SNT phrases tomorrow!