Preparing students for the NSS Electives through strategic mapping of the junior secondary curriculum St. Louis School

Language ArtsNon-Language Arts Learning English through Drama Learning English through Drama Learning English through Short Stories Learning English through Short Stories Learning English through Poems and Songs Learning English through Poems and Songs Learning English through Popular Culture Learning English through Popular Culture Learning English through Social Issues Learning English through Social Issues Learning English through Debating Learning English through Debating Learning English through Sports Communication Learning English through Sports Communication Learning English through Workplace Communication Learning English through Workplace Communication Elective Modules

How prepared is your school to implement the NSS curriculum? How prepared are your students to learn English through the elective modules? Preparation for the NSS curriculum How prepared are you to teach the elective modules? Curriculum Teachers Students

NSSC

Myths about NSS electives Questions in the HKDSE can be answered without studying the electives Learning the compulsory part well is already sufficient (80 % vs. 20%) We can wait until students are in senior forms Knowledge and skills acquired can enrich writing content Students should apply the language learnt in a broad range of contexts Ensuring the interface between junior secondary and NSS is important SBA Questions in the writing paper Facts Myths

St. Louis School School background  EMI school  aimed to help students build a firm foundation in reading  aimed to prepare students for the NSSC  in search of a plan that could “kill two birds with one stone”  a plan devised on junior secondary curriculum development

Pop Culture Social Issues & Debating Year 3 (08-09) Year 2 (07-08) Year 1 (06-07) S1S2S3 S1S2 S1 Develop S3 modules through infusing social issues & debating into textbook units Refine the S1 and S2 modules Develop S2 modules through infusing pop culture into textbook units Refine the S1 modules Develop S1 modules through infusing knowledge and skills related to the focus into textbook units FocusTime Target Focus of work Short Stories Strategy 1: Three-year progressive development plan

Year 1 Short Stories modulemodulemodulemodule Refine or develop learning activities and tasks Ensure balanced coverage of learning objectives Review and select modules to be covered Identify skills and knowledge to be developed Integrate the identified skills & knowledge in modules Strategy 2: Conducting curriculum mapping

Strategy 3: Developing modules through strategic integration Year 3 Social issues and Debating Year 1 Short Stories Year 2 Pop Culture module module module module module module module module module module module module Mini- debate Process Writing Project Group Magazine Project NewsArticle Movies Expositorytext Debatespeech FilmReviewMovies MagazineArticle FeaturedArticle ShortStories Fiction based on movies Readerspoems Identified skills and knowledge knowledge Suitable learning tasks and activities Featured learning activity

Strategy 3: Developing modules through strategic integration Year 3 Social issues and Debating Year 1 Short Stories Year 2 Pop Culture module module module module module module module module module module module module Mini- debate Process Writing Project Group Magazine Project NewsArticle Movies Expositorytext Debatespeech FilmReviewMovies MagazineArticle FeaturedArticle ShortStories Fiction based on movies Readerspoems Vertical Continuity Horizontal continuity

Distinctive text features use of dialogues and temporal connectives use of formal (e.g. editorials) and informal language (e.g. captions) effective use of discourse markers and rhetorical devices Reading skills and strategies needed: Noticing text structures Story structure: setting/characters rising action/ problem climax resolution / outcome Text structure of pop-culture texts: sequence text structure of feature articles & film reviews Text structure of expository texts: cause and effect problem and solution Texts infusedNarrativesPop-culture texts Expository texts and debates Electives to be prepared Short storiesPop culture Social issues Debating S1S2S3 Strategy 4: Placing emphasis on the teaching of reading

Exemplar module: showing how to help students develop and apply the skills and knowledge planned Year 3 Social issues and Debating Year 1 Short Stories Year 2 Pop Culture Process Writing Project Module Module on Christmas Module Module Module developed based on the chosen theme / genre mode

S1 Module on Christmas Core language skills and grammar items Examples of learning tasks/activities Skills and knowledge related to elective focus Reading and discussing the story “A Brother Like That” & “A Christmas Carol” Analysing and comparing characters Making comparisons Vocabulary for describing characters Describing and analysing characters Analysing the story using an organiser Story elements Reading strategies: prediction visualization making inferences Writing a reflection and making a presentation Past tense Speaking verbs Responding to fiction text Writing a story on the theme of Christmas Use of narrator’s voice Use of dialogue Analysing language use Understanding and appreciating stories Making connections Story writing Story elements Features of stories

Explicit teaching of reading strategies and skills

Visualisation – guiding students to form mental pictures or images as they read Visualise what the character looks like Visualise the characters’ facial expressions and feelings

Making inferences based on evidence AppropriateAdjectives Evidence The teaching of Reading Strategies

Making inferences Working out the implied meaning

Analysing and comparing characters Learning adjectives to describe good and bad personalities

Using the adjectives they have learnt and the skills in inferring Evidence Analysing and comparing characters

Analysing the narrator’s voice Learning different ways to write dialogues Analysing language use

Analysing the story Understanding the structure of stories and story elements

Making connections 1) If you were Paul, what would you do after this Christmas? What gift would you give to the boy?

Writing reflections and making a presentation students could step into the character’s shoes and relate the story to their personal life Student’s reflection

S1 Featured Learning Activity Process Writing Project (2 nd term)

story plot character profile

2 nd draft Speaking verbs Use of dialogue

Peer-editing form

Process Writing Projects

Year 3 Social issues and Debating Year 1 Short Stories Year 2 Pop Culture Group Magazine Project ModuleModule Module on fashion Module infused new components into a textbook unit Exemplar module: showing how to help students develop and apply the skills and knowledge planned

S2 Module on Fashion Core language skills and grammar items Examples of learning tasks/activities Skills and knowledge related to elective focus Reading about and discussing different fashion items and fashion trends Watching a fashion show Designing outfits & writing commentary scripts Features and language used in a commentary Using persuasive language 3Cs Presentation skills in a fashion show Language & vocab. for describing fashion (passive voice, adjective order, comparison) Staging a fashion show and presenting fashion items Features of photo captions Giving feedback on classmates’ performance Language & vocab. for discussing pop culture Language for writing commentary scripts Language & vocab. for describing fashion Language and structures for writing captions (appositives, prep of time) Peer learning and peer assessment Writing a reflection on the show Taking photos and writing captions Integrated use of language Presentation skills Reflective learning

Watching a fashion show

Designing outfits

Learning how to write a commentary

Staging a fashion show

Taking photos at the fashion show Writing captions

Peer assessment and peer learning

Writing reflections on the show

S2 Featured Learning Activity Group Magazine Project: a collection and compilation of students’ good work

Guidelines for the group project

Students presenting their work progress Teacher and peer feedback on their on- going projects

Teacher-student conferencing Teacher-student conferencing

Magazine cover Group magazines

Contents page Editor’s words

Featured article Fashion show event

Interviews

Movie review Crossword puzzle

Exemplar modules: showing how to help students develop and apply the skills and knowledge planned Year 3 Social issues and Debating Year 1 Short Stories Year 2 Pop Culture Mini- debate Teenageproblems Global GlobalWarming Jobs Module on charity infused more components into a textbook unit Knowledge and skills infused

Knowledge and skills covered in previous modules Identifying cause-effect relationships Identifying problem-solution relationships Language for causal relationships and problem solving Viewing issues from different perspectives Language for expressing different points of view, giving reasons and evidence Generating ideas through organisers Rhetorical devices and presentation skills

Viewing issues from different perspectives Viewing issues from different perspectives

Use of graphic organizers

S3 Module on Charity Core language skills and grammar items Examples of learning tasks/activities Skills and knowledge related to elective focus Discussing the issue on compulsory volunteering Reading about and discussing SPCA killing rescued dogs Discussing social issues from different perspectives Basic set-up and rules of debating Reading and speaking skills Learning the basic set-up of a debate Understanding fallacies Revisiting how to present arguments, show disagreement and give support Discussing social issues Adj. + to / that “If” conditionals Formulating arguments counter-arguments, giving support Revisiting rhetorical devices Identifying obvious fallacies and make rebuttals Language for presenting arguments and giving support Debating and thinking skills Writing arguments and holding a debate Integrated use of language Using rhetorical devicesRhetorical devices

AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE JudgesScorers MC Time keeper Motion Set-up and rules of the debating

Identifying obvious fallacies and making rebuttals Stereotyping Personal attack Jumping to conclusions Jumping to conclusions Appeal to tradition

Analysing debate speeches

Revisiting rhetorical strategies Triplet Repetition

Students’ work - arguments

S3 Featured learning activity Mini-debate

Impact On curriculum… curriculum continuity and coherenceimproved curriculum continuity and coherence between junior and senior forms diversifiedless textbook drivena more diversified curriculum and less textbook driven curriculum broadening and deepeningmore opportunities for broadening and deepening students’ learning experiences

Impact Teachers gained.. enhance the interfaceinsight into how to approach the electives and how to enhance the interface between junior and senior secondary a better understanding of student learning more ideas about how to refine and modify teaching plans and activities

Impact Students had a taste of the new curriculum and built a foundation for future studies whole-person developmentexperienced a wider range of learning opportunities (greater variety of text types, a broader range of contexts) whole-person development autonomy to plan their projectshad autonomy to plan their projects and to reflect on and evaluate their own learning life-long learning

S2 Pop Culture Pop CultureS3 Social issues & Debating Social issues & Debating Critical thinking Communication and collaboration Presentation skills Problem solving skills Creativity Critical thinking Communication and collaboration Development of Experience Strand Creativity Critical thinking Focus Learning tasks and activities Impact S1 Short Stories Short Stories

Development of Experience Strand Reflecting on his past experience When I was a Primary 4 student, I seldom listened to If I had a my teacher……If I had a chance, I would pay chance, I would pay more more attention during lessons and study very hard for the examinations..

Development of Experience Strand Helen Keller I know Helen Keller who is as good as them. She is blind, deaf and dumb. She knew the life of a blind person was very hard and difficult, so she did a lot of things to help the blind people. Responding through making text to text connection

Development of Experience Strand Responding through making real-life connections Showing a deeper level of sensitivity through reflection

Creativity Critical thinkin g

Poem Letter to the editorPhoto caption Critical thinking skills Critical thinking skills Skills in responding (to social issues)

Development of generic skills Presentation skills Presentation skills Communication & collaboration Communication & collaboration Problem-solving skills Problem-solving skills

Students’ reflections

Planning Implementation  On-going review Evaluation 1. Putting in place the PIE cycle Learner diversity Balanced coverage of text types Implications for teaching, learning and curriculum development

Ensuring horizontal and vertical continuity and coherence in the junior and senior curriculum S4 S5 S6

Implications for teaching, learning and curriculum development 2. Strategic planning think big but start small set priorities based on the electives to be offered infuse skills and knowledge progressively provide opportunities for students to broaden and deepen learning experiences

Way forward: building on the foundation laid…. offer short stories & social issues in NSS use students’ knowledge about character analysis to prepare them for SBA use skills acquired in learning social issues and debating to decode non-fiction texts strike a balance: breadth vs depth & simplicity vs complexity offer a new elective to promote broader to promote broader learning experiences offer a new elective to promote broader to promote broader learning experiences teach more advanced skills and in more depth