1. Partnering with Parents in the Learning of English Language
How to support and enrich your child’s learning and cultivate the love for the language
26 April 2013

2. A Strong Foundation for Rich Language & Life
Teaching English in RVPS !
A Strong Foundation for Rich Language & Life

3. Overview Why change? What we want for our children
What is changing for the better?
New ways to teach and learn

4. WHY change?
The Child & The World

5. What we want … All children should enjoy learning
English, develop good language skills,
be effective communicators and
lifelong learners.

6. WHAT is changing for the better?
New Ways to Teach
&
New Ways to Learn

7. EL Syllabus 2010 Rich Language For All Emphasis on
Strengthening the foundation of language learning
Enriching the EL curriculum in our schools

8. Strategies for English Language Learning and Reading
STELLAR
Strategies for English Language Learning and Reading
Aims to move EL learners towards independence using authentic texts and learning activities that motivate and engage different learners

9. STELLAR lessons Language Skills STELLAR lessons develop …
Listening & Viewing
Speaking & Representing
Reading & Viewing
Writing & Representing

10. What is a LOWER primary STELLAR lesson like?
1.Shared Reading Experiences
2. Shared Writing
Experiences
3. Language Use Activities in Learning Centres
Children read a storybook with the teacher and engage in discussion with teacher and peers.
The teacher prepares mini-lessons based on specific needs of children to prepare them for reading & writing activities, e.g. grammar, vocabulary, word recognition, decoding skills & spelling.
The teacher models writing using children’s language. Children engage in writing together and writing independently.

11. What we are doing in RVPS
Opportunities for cooperative learning
Emphasis on independence in listening, reading and viewing as well as speaking, presenting and writing

12. What we are doing in RVPS
Shared Book Approach (SBA)
SBA an integrated and balanced language teaching approach
Uses motivating and enjoyable “big books” of enlarged print and illustrations

13. What we are doing in RVPS
The goals of the SBA :
Provide an enjoyable experience with books for all of the children.
Encourage pupils to try out the language in non-threatening situations.
Teach and reinforce word identification skills, vocabulary and language structures as specified in the MOE English syllabus.

14. What we are doing in RVPS
The goals of the SBA :
Provide additional experiences with the text for those pupils who do not learn as quickly as the others.
Provide opportunities for those children who are ready to read the stories independently
in pairs, individually, or in small groups.

15. What we are doing in RVPS
Modified Language Experience Approach (MLEA)
An integrated and balanced language teaching approach
Uses motivating and enjoyable experiences
Extend and expand on the language skills learned from the Big Books of SBA.

16. What we are doing in RVPS
The goals of the MLEA :
to provide enjoyable and motivating shared experiences that can be
thought about
talked about
written about
read and reread

17. What we are doing in RVPS
The goals of the MLEA :
Shared experiences to generate oral communication
Reinforce word identification skills, vocabulary and language structures taught in the SBA lessons
Encourage pupils in their acquisition of writing skills
Scaffolding through Class and Group writing

18. Making the Transition From Lower to Upper Primary P1 - 3a  P3b, 4-6
Learning to Read  Reading to Learn
Shared Reading  Silent Reading
Big Books  Range of Text Types

19. What is a UPPER primary STELLAR lesson like?

20. What we are doing in RVPS
Sustained Silent Reading (SSR)
Supported Reading (SR)
Know - Want to know - Learnt (KWL)
Retelling (RT)
Language Activities and Sentence Manipulation
Speaking
Writing Process Cycle (WPC)
Differentiated Instruction (DI)

21. How parents can support and enrich your child’s learning
Read with your child
Listen to what your child says
Respond to your child’s questions and ideas
Write with your child

22. Reading - activities Let your child see you reading both for pleasure
and for information
Set aside a quiet place in your home for you and your child to read without distractions
Read aloud your child's (and your own) favourite stories
Keep these reading sessions fun and do not "test" your child with too many questions

23. Reading - activities
Encourage your child to retell familiar stories in his/her own words
Read aloud new stories and encourage your child to talk about the characters or what they think might happen next
When the book becomes familiar, encourage your child to read it aloud to you
Visit the library frequently

24. Listening and Speaking - activities
Listen to your child
Your response to your child’s questions and ideas will get him thinking
Before reading a new book, talk about the covers and the title page and ask what it might be about.
Boost your child’s confidence in expressing himself

25. Writing - activities Model writing to your child
Short notes, reflections, personal responses
Encourage self-expression

26. "Language acquisition does not require extensive use of conscious grammatical rules, and does not require tedious drill." Stephen Krashen

27. As parents ……
Create a home environment that constantly offers opportunities for learning
Play games that bring out the beauty and fun aspects of the language
Reading together of newspapers, Little Red Dot (LRD), discuss interesting articles with your child to keep abreast of current affairs, reflect and write short personal responses

28. Online Learning Resources1) 2)
STrategies for English Language Learning and Reading (STELLAR) Resources for Parents
Iphone app to improve your English 3) 4)
Recommended list of books and audio/visual materials for your child (NLB)

29. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the learning experience together with your child……
Thank you !