Induction for New English Panel Chairpersons at Primary Level English Language Education Section Curriculum Development Institute Education Bureau 26 November 2008

2 Features of the English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1- 6) Strengthening ‘learning to read’ Learning and teaching grammar in context Developing vocabulary building skills Catering for learner diversity Promoting assessment for learning Using a task-based approach in learning, teaching and assessment Promoting a ‘reading to learn’ culture Enhancing the implementation of the Reading Workshops Enhancing the implementation of the Reading Workshops Learning and teaching grammar in context Learning and teaching grammar in context Strengthening teachers’ skills and strategies in Strengthening teachers’ skills and strategies in giving quality feedback Learning and teaching phonics in context Medium-term focuses Strengthening the learning of vocabulary and its Strengthening the learning of vocabulary and its application in writing/speaking tasks Catering for learner diversity Catering for learner diversity

3 Reading Workshops Laying a good foundation for lifelong learning Helping learners develop and practise reading skills through reading ‘real books’reading skills Reading as a springboard for the development of higher order thinking skills, creativity and other language skills Developing in learners positive attitudes towards learning English Providing coherent and connected learning experiences for the children Providing opportunities for learners to take an active role in learning Using real books of a variety of text typesa variety of text types Adopting effective teaching strategiesteaching strategies

4 Text Types  Different text types (e.g. poems, diaries, school rules/game rules, posters, cartoons, news reports) have their own particular textual structures, style, grammar features and vocabulary

5 Reading Workshops Storytelling Reading Aloud Shared Reading Supported Reading Independent Reading Teaching Strategies for Reading English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6), p. A29

6 Developing Students’ Reading Skills  Do you expose your students to a variety of text types?  What do you usually do to help your students understand the meaning of difficult words - ask them to look up the dictionary, explain the meaning to them or guide them to use the clues in the text?  Apart from locating specific information, what other reading skills should we help students to develop? Expose students to a variety of text types Guide students to use the pictorial clues and contextual clues to work out the meaning of difficult words Guide students to identify the main ideas, understand the connection between ideas by identifying the cohesive devices, etc. Ask open-ended questions to help students develop critical thinking skills and creativity

7 Learning and Teaching Grammar in Context  Facilitating grammar learning and teaching through exposure to a variety of text types  Using grammar focus activities and exercises in task-based learning  Introducing grammar rules and terms in an explicit way at appropriate stage of learning when necessary  Giving equal emphasis to the development of fluency and accuracy English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6), pp

8 Traditional grammar teaching  Out of context  Teaching grammar items one by one TBL grammar teaching  Has a context  Students learn certain grammar items (form) and use them in meaningful contexts and for purposeful communication (function) Traditional Grammar Teaching Vs TBL Grammar Teaching

9 Vocabulary Building Skills Word Formation  Affixation (e.g. unhappy, careless)  Compounding (e.g. foot+ball=football)  Conversion (e.g. cook a meal, a cook)  Derivation (e.g. excite, exciting, excited, excitement) English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6)(2004), pp

10 Vocabulary Building Skills Word Association  Synonyms (e.g. happy = glad)  Antonyms (e.g. bright dark)  Homonyms (e.g. catch a bus, catch a cold)  Collocations (e.g. make a wish, watch TV)  Lexical sets (e.g. furniture – table, chair, desk, cupboard) English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6)(2004), pp

11 Paradigmatic Approach Syntagmatic Approach Receptive Productive Approaches to Vocabulary Learning

Promoting Assessment for Learning

Assessment Activities in Schools Assessments in Schools Oral presentations Homework etc. Shared writing and process writing Portfolios Learning tasks and activities Conferencing Assessment tasks Projects Please refer to pp of the CG

14 For accountability  Reporting learners ’ attainment against the learning targets and objectives For improvement  Identifying learners ’ strengths and weaknesses in order to enhance learning and teaching Why assessing? Assessment of LearningAssessment for Learning Assessment for Learning vs Assessment of Learning Mainly school heads, teachers and parents Mainly learners and teachersWhom to inform? Assessing learners ’ performance and progress against the learning targets and objectives Providing quality feedback forquality feedback learners, which entails timely support and enrichment, and helping teachers review the learning objectives, lesson plans and teaching strategies What to focus? For accountability  Reporting learners ’ attainment against the learning targets and objectives Assessment of Learning Promoting Assessment for Learning in English Language Education at Primary Level (2004), p.5

Features of Quality Feedback Nature  Diagnostic and corrective  Positive Purpose  Help learners achieve learning targets  Improve learning and teaching Delivery  Clear and easy to understand  Timely Application  Practical and feasible  Interactive and dialogic

16 Leading and Managing the English Language Curriculum

17 Curriculum Planning and Development Curriculum Management Professional Development  Identify an entry point/ focus of development  Decide on the implementation strategies - Start small - Highlight what to include in the Scheme of Work - Ensure vertical co-ordination  Gain consensus  Co-planning  Peer lesson observation  Managing resources  Workshops  Sharing of good practices

18 Facilitating Professional Development  Regular sharing sessions  Peer coaching  Peer lesson observation  Teacher reflection  Collaborative lesson preparation  School-based action research projects Encourage sharing of knowledge, ideas, experiences and good practices

19 Facilitating Professional Development  Collaborate with the NET to develop learning and teaching resources  Collaborate with the teacher-librarian to promote a reading culture  Promote collaboration across different KLAs (e.g. cross-curricular tasks/projects) Promote a collaborative culture

20 Serving as the Bridge between the English Panel and Other School PersonnelBridge  Explain the direction and rationale of the school English Language curriculum to other school personnel  Give suggestions on whole-school planning to facilitate English Language curriculum development and professional development

21 Planning and Developing the School-based Curriculum

22  General English Programme  Reading Workshops  Intervention Programme  Enrichment Programme Please refer to pp of the CG Components of a School-based English Language Curriculum

23 Planning and Developing the School-based English Language Curriculum Balanced Flexible Coherent ProgressiveLearner-centred Innovative Integrative Communicative

24 Enquiries English Language Education Section, CDI Room 1206, 12/F., Wu Chung House, 213 Queen ’ s Road East, Wan Chai, HK Ms Wanda LAW Tel: