The Latest Development in the Primary English Language Curriculum and its Implementation Issues

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The Latest Development in the Primary English
Language Curriculum and its Implementation Issues
Foundation of Curriculum Leadership and
Management Series (2) The Latest Development in
the Chinese Language Education and English
Language Education KLA Curricula

• 15 October 2007
• English Language Education Section
• Curriculum Development Institute
• Education Bureau

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Role of PSM(CD)s as Curriculum Leaders

• Keeping abreast of the development of the central
  English Language Curriculum
• Supporting the development of a school-based
  English Language curriculum
• Coordinating a cross-curricular approach to
  curriculum planning
• Creating a language-rich environment and friendly
  atmosphere
• Facilitating the smooth interface between key
  stages
• Facilitating the development of a learning
  culture among teachers

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Subject Curriculum Guide
English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1
6) (2004, CDC)
Implemented at Primary 1 in September 2005
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Diagrammatic Representation of the English
Language Curriculum Framework
English Language Curriculum
Strands
9 Generic Skills
Values and Attitudes
Flexible and Diversified Modes of Curriculum
Planning Effective Learning, Teaching and
Assessment
Overall Aims and Learning Targets of English
Language
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Features of the English Language Curriculum Guide
(Primary 1- 6)

• Using a task-based approach in learning, teaching
  and assessment
• Introducing a variety of text types
• Learning and teaching grammar in context
• Developing vocabulary building skills
• Learning and teaching phonics in context
• Strengthening learning to read
• Promoting a reading to learn culture
• Promoting assessment for learning
• Making better use of dictation and assigning
  meaningful homework

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School-based English Language Curriculum
Development

• Based on
• Central curriculum framework
• School strengths student learning needs,
  abilities and orientations

• Choose an entry point and involve collaboration
  among the stakeholders and other agencies in the
  process of designing, implementing, evaluating
  and continuously improving the learning, teaching
  and assessment plans and activities

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Components of a School-based English Language
Curriculum

• General English Programme
• Reading Workshops
• Intervention Programme
• Enrichment Programme

English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary
1-6)(CDC, 2004), pages 97-101
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General English Programme

• Providing ample opportunities for purposeful,
  integrative and creative use of language
• Using the task-based approach in learning,
  teaching and assessment
• mastery of subject knowledge and skills
• development of generic skills and positive values
  and attitudes
• Maximizing learners exposure to a wide variety
  of text types and learning resources
• Taking up about 60 of the English lesson time

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Reading Workshops

• Taking up about 40 of the English lesson time
• Closely linked to the learning and teaching that
  take place in the General English Programme
• Using real books of a variety of text types
• Adopting effective teaching strategies

• Helping learners develop and practise reading
  skills through reading real books
• 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

• Laying a good foundation for lifelong learning

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Variety of Text Types

• Information texts
• Narrative texts
• Exchanges
• Procedural texts
• Explanatory texts
• Persuasive texts

English Language Curriculum Guide (P1-6), p.17
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Teaching Strategies for Reading
Teacher Support
Storytelling

Independent Reading
Reading Aloud
Reading Workshops


Shared Reading
Supported Reading
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Five Teaching Strategies for Reading
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Cross-curricular Linkage in Curriculum Planning
Organising modules of learning to establish
meaningful links among concepts and ideas
acquired in different KLAs and to help students
construct and apply knowledge in the process

• Decide on the themes or topics to establish
  meaningful cross-curricular links
• Draw up an overall plan of Learning Targets and
  Objectives, relevant learning activities and
  schedule of work
• Develop and evaluate the learning, teaching and
  assessment materials and activities

English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6),
p.107
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(No Transcript)
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Cross-curricular Learning
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Aims of English Language

• To provide every learner of a second language
  with further opportunities for extending their
  knowledge and experience of the cultures of other
  people as well as opportunities for personal and
  intellectual development, further studies,
  pleasure and work in the English medium
• To enable every learner to prepare for the
  changing socio-economic demands resulting from
  advances in information technology these demands
  include the interpretation, use and production of
  materials for pleasure, study and work in the
  English medium

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The English Language curriculum framework is
organised into three Strands

• Strands Organisers of Learning
• Interpersonal To use English to think
• and communicate
• Knowledge To use English to acquire,
• develop and apply
  knowledge
• Experience To use English to respond
• and give
  expression to
• experience

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Learning Objectives - Focuses

• Forms and Functions
• (text types, vocabulary, grammar items and
  structures,
• communicative functions)
• Language Skills
• (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing)
• Language Development Strategies
• (e.g. developing thinking skills, developing
  self-motivation
• positive attitudes, planning, managing
  evaluating
• ones own learning)
• Positive Values and Attitudes
• (e.g. confidence in using English,
  sensitivity towards
• language use in the process of
  communication, respect
• for different cultures)

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Creating a Language-rich Environment

• Speak to pupils in English inside and outside the
  classroom
• Encourage pupils to interact with one another in
  English inside and outside the classroom
• Set up the English Corner
• Display target vocabulary and language structures
  on the learning wall
• Display English reading materials inside and
  outside the classroom

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Interface between KS1 and KS2

• KS1
• Provide children with positive language
  experiences and create a stimulating environment
  to enhance their interest in language learning
• Use interesting and meaningful activities to
  motivate learners
• Put more emphasis on the development of phonics,
  listening, speaking and reading skills

• KS2
• Continue to provide active, engaging and
  meaningful learning activities
• Provide opportunities for learners to develop
  dictionary and information skills as well as to
  practise the integrative use of language
• Strengthen grammar learning by providing a wide
  range of materials and activities for application
  of language and skills learnt
• Continue to encourage learners to read materials
  in English

English Language Education KLA Curriculum Guide
(Primary 1- Secondary 3))(2002), pp.26-27
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Interface between KS1 and KS2

• Aim for a balanced and comprehensive coverage of
  the learning targets and objectives within and
  across year levels
• Ensure continuity and vertical coordination
  across the key stages to provide opportunities
  for learners to progress from one stage to another

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Interface between the Primary and Secondary Levels

• Curriculum planning should focus on
• both the learning/teaching processes
• and outcomes. It should best start at the
• primary and junior secondary levels to
• ensure a smooth interface with the NSS.

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Design of the NSS English Language Curriculum
With language arts and non-language arts modules
English Language Curriculum and Assessment Guide
(Secondary 4-6)(2007), p.10
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Interface between the Primary and Secondary Levels

• Develop students reading skills and cultivate
  their reading habit
• Encourage extensive reading and viewing
• Expose students to a variety of language arts
  materials
• Provide more practice on giving presentations and
  engage students in group interaction

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Development of a Learning Culture

• Encourage teachers to attend professional
  development programmes
• Arrange time for collaborative lesson planning
• Encourage teachers to explore different learning
  and teaching materials and effective teaching
  strategies
• Encourage peer observation
• Provide opportunities for sharing of teaching
  ideas and experiences

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Promoting Assessment for Learning

• Sharing learning intentions and success criteria
  with learners
• Providing quality feedback
• Making use of assessment data to enhance learning
  and teaching
• Internal assessment
• TSA

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Modes of Assessment
Assessment tasks
Shared writing and process writing
Learning tasks and activities
Conferencing
Projects
Assessments in Schools
Oral presentations
Portfolios
etc.
Homework
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Assessment Data
Assessment for Learning
Interpreting
Analyzing
Reflecting
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Listening

• Some Suggestions of the Way Forward
• Use poems, songs and rhymes to help pupils
  develop sensitivity towards the sounds and rhythm
  of the English language
• Expose pupils to more authentic listening
  materials covering a range of text types (e.g.
  advertisements, announcements, telephone
  conversations) to prepare pupils for listening to
  English in real-life situations
• Draw pupils attention to the use of spoken
  English in their daily life (e.g. conversations
  with the NETs, announcements on the MTR)
• Make use of activities like storytelling, reading
  aloud and shared reading to develop pupils
  listening skills (let pupils comprehend more
  meaningful chunks by asking them to listen to or
  read aloud continuous prose)
• Help pupils develop the habit of listening
  attentively throughout the whole learning and
  teaching process

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Listening

• Some Suggestions of the Way Forward
• Develop in pupils the good habit of listening to
  the whole recording once to get the gist or main
  ideas the first time they listen. In subsequent
  listening, guide pupils to locate and understand
  specific details
• Teach the skills explicitly rather than just
  playing the tape/CD and checking answers
• Increase in complexity the content of the
  listening materials as pupils progress from KS1
  to KS2 (e.g. providing opportunities for pupils
  to listen to extended texts rather than merely
  short and discrete items)
• Help pupils anticipate the content of the
  listening text and tune in
• Help pupils develop their simple note-taking
  skills
• Review the problems when pupils fail to identify
  the information required and guide pupils how to
  get the answers

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Reading

• Some Suggestions of the Way Forward
• Expose pupils to a range of text types
• Use multi-media resources to boost pupils
  interest and confidence in reading
• Teach pupils different reading skills explicitly
  instead of just explaining the meaning of the
  vocabulary
• Guide pupils to read for meaning (i.e. understand
  the main ideas/gist of the whole text before
  learning how to locate specific information)
• Use effective questioning techniques to help
  pupils develop reading skills as well as critical
  thinking skills and creativity
• Allow wait time for pupils to formulate their
  responses

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Effective Questioning Techniques

• Ask questions to check knowledge and
  comprehension
• Ask more open-ended questions to stimulate
  thinking

• Application
• Analysis
• Synthesis
• Evaluation

English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6),
pp.150-151
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Writing

• Some Suggestions of the Way Forward
• Learning and teaching
• Ask open-ended questions

• Encouraging pupils to express their personal
  experiences, ideas and feelings
• Helping pupils develop creativity

• Gradually reduce the support given to pupils

• Providing a model
• Providing guiding questions
• Providing an outline

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Writing

• Some Suggestions of the Way Forward
• Learning and teaching
• Expose pupils to a variety of text types
• Discuss the topic for the writing task, clarify
  the purpose and audience, discuss the format,
  conventions and language features whenever
  appropriate
• Use shared writing and process writing to help
  learners progress from the stage of guided
  writing to independent writing
• Provide opportunities for the application of the
  language items and structures learnt
• Encourage pupils to use a variety of language
  structures and vocabulary
• Guide pupils how to organise ideas (e.g.
  understand the use of a mind map and appropriate
  cohesive devices rather than just answering
  guiding questions)

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Writing

• Some Suggestions of the Way Forward
• Learning and teaching
• Help pupils develop the habit of reviewing their
  own work to avoid careless spelling and
  grammatical mistakes
• Give quality feedback to pupils on how they can
  improve their writing (acknowledging pupils
  efforts and give encouraging remarks)
• Foster a good learning culture in class by
  demonstrating examples of good pupil writing and
  highlighting pupils strengths

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Speaking

• Some Suggestions of the Way Forward
• Provide more practice on reading aloud
  (application of phonics skills)
• Provide more practice on giving presentations or
  rehearsed speech (e.g. show-and-tell)
• Provide more practice on spontaneous interaction
• Encourage pupils to talk with the NETs or English
  teachers in English both inside and outside the
  classroom
• Encourage and guide pupils to give appropriate
  elaboration
• Develop pupils confidence in speaking English
  (emphasis on fluency before accuracy)
• Teach the communication strategies explicitly

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Marking Writing / Speaking
Some Suggestions of the Way Forward

• Use holistic marking
• Identify the focus of the task
• Decide on the marking criteria which can cover
  the different aspects (e.g. content, language and
  organisation for writing)
• Acknowledge what pupils can do
• Avoid counting every single grammatical/spelling/p
  ronunciation mistake
• Practise consensus marking to gain a common
  understanding of pupils performance and
  facilitate the provision of feedback

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Professional Development Courses 2007-08

• Induction for English Panels at Primary Level
  (3-hr seminar, Nov 07)
• Literacy Instruction for Teachers (3-hr seminar,
  Jan 08)
• Enhancing English Vocabulary Learning and
  Teaching at Primary Level (6-hr workshops, Mar
  Apr 08)
• Developing Learners' Writing Skills through
  Process Writing at Primary Level (15-hr
  workshops, Mar Jul 08)
• Professional Development Course on Assessment for
  Learning in English Language at Primary Level (5
  weeks, Jan Apr 08, run by HKIEd)
• Professional Development Course on Catering for
  Learning Difficulties in English Language
  Learning (8 weeks, Jan Apr 08 , run by HKIEd)

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Professional Development Courses 2007-08

• Learning and Teaching in Primary English
  Education Series (3- hr workshops organised by
  NET Section)

• Shared Reading (Nov 07)
• Introduction to Poetry Writing (Nov 07)
• Speaking and Listening Classroom Activities
  (Dec 07)
• Learning and Teaching Strategies for Effective
  Link between KS1 and KS2 (Jan 08)
• Application of Assessment for Learning (Mar 08)
• Using Text Types in Writing (Apr 08)
• Setting up a School-based Reading Programme (Apr
  08)
• Developing a School-based Phonics Programme (May
  08)
• Using Process Drama in the English Classroom (May
  08)
• Catering for Learner Diversity (June 08)

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Resource Packages
Songs, Rhymes and Tales for KS1 KS2
Lets Experience and Appreciate Drama (LEAD)
Lets Experience and Appreciate Poetry (LEAP) KS1
KS2
Strategies and Activities to Maximize Pleasurable
Learning Experiences (SAMPLE)
Phonics Multimedia Resource Pack
Phonics in Action
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Resource Packages
Adopting Task-based Approach in the Primary
Classroom
Good Practice in Speech Activities
Using IT to Learn, Learning to Use IT
Learning English is Fun - English Language Camp
Activities for Primary 4 Students
Promoting Assessment for Learning in English
Language Education at Primary Level
Promoting Quality Interaction in the Primary
English Classroom
Writing Packages (P1-3 P4-6)
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Resource Packages
Web resources
Literacy Instruction For Teachers
Enhancing English Language Curriculum Planning,
Learning and Teaching through Cross-curricular
Modules at Primary Level

• ETV Programmes
• Presentation Skills
• Quality Feedback
• Storytelling

Web resources
Promoting Critical Thinking, Creativity and
Cultural Awareness through Language Arts in
Primary Schools
The Splendour of Writing Poems Inspiring
Students Imaginations
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More Information

• General circulars, training calendar, links,
  etc. http//www.edb.gov.hk
• Quicker access to information regarding the
  English Language Education Key Learning Area
  training opportunities, references resources,
  etc. http//www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?langno1nod
  eID2402
• English Language Education Section, CDI
• Room 1206, 12/F., Wu Chung House, 213 Queens
  Rd. East,
• Wan Chai, HK (Fax [phone])
• Ms Emilie Tong (Tel [phone])

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Thank you