Seminar on
Catering for Learner Diversity for English
Teachers at Primary Level
10 March, 2006
English Language Education Section,
Curriculum Development Institute, EDB
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2
What does it mean by
catering for learner diversity?
4
How are students different
from one another?
Learner Diversity
A is quiet in
class
3. Personality
while
B is talkative.
A can pronounce
a word quickly
by chunking the
5. Ability
syllables
while
B can finish
reading a passage
quickly.
6.In
Intellectual
face of
a problem,
&
A frets about
Emotional
the
problem
while
B tries
Development
to solve it.
In acquiring new
words, A learns
through songs
1.whereas
Learning
Style
B learns
through
doing crossword
puzzles.
7. complains
Attitudinal
A
about his group
&
members
while
Social
B leads a group
Maturity
discussion.
A works hard
because she
enjoys
English
4. Motivation
activities while
B works hard
for high marks.
A has got
problems with
2.spelling
(Learning)
while B has
needs
difficulty
pronouncing /l/
and /r/ sounds.
A likes
animals
8. Interests
while
B likes car
racing.
5
What is the meaning of
Catering for Learner Diversity?
X Even out
abilities and
performances
 Stretch the
potential of all
students
6
What have you done to
cater for learner diversity?
– Re-teaching part of a lesson? Giving extended tasks?
– Teaching students how to do assignments?
– Assigning supplementary/additional exercises to
provide more practice (e.g. self-designed, adapted/
taken from resources available on the market)?
– Drilling for tests and examinations?
– Providing individual help/ coaching?
– Conferencing with students?
Are they effective?
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Catering for
Learner Diversity
Why?
We believe there
is a need to
stretch the
potentials of
every student.
What?
How?
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Catering for
Learner Diversity
Why?
Curriculum Framework
We believe there
is a need to
stretch the
potentials of
every student.
What?
Learning Targets and
Objectives:
• Language forms
and functions
• Skills and
strategies
• Attitudes
How?
English Language Curriculum Framework
English Language Education
Key Learning Area
Curriculum Guide
(Primary 1 – Primary 6) (2004)
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10
Diagrammatic Representation of the
English Language Education KLA Curriculum Framework
English Language Education Curriculum
Interpersonal Knowledge Experience
Targets for:
to use
English
Key Stage
1
to Key
think
Stageand
2
Key Stage 3
communicate
Key Stage 4
to use
English
Targets
for:
toKey
acquire,
Stage 1
develop
and
Key Stage
2
apply
Key
Stage 3
knowledge
Key Stage 4
to use
English
Targets
for:
to respond
Key Stage 1and
Keygive
Stage 2
expression
Key Stage 3 to
experience
Key Stage 4
Text types
language skills
Learning
Objectives:
FormsFour
and Functions
Vocabulary
SkillsLanguage
and Strategies
Language items
development
Attitudes
strategies
Communicative functions
Flexible and Diversified Modes of
Curriculum Planning
+
Effective Learning, Teaching and Assessment
Overall Aims and Learning Targets of
English Language Education
Values and Attitudes
9 Generic Skills
Strands
9
Catering for
Learner Diversity
Learning Targets and
Objectives:
• Language forms
and functions
• Skills and strategies
• Attitudes
How?
Curriculum Adaptation:
• Learning and Teaching
Materials
• Learning and Teaching
Strategies
• Assessment for
Learning
Intervention & Enrichment
We believe there
is a need to
stretch the
potentials of
every student.
What?
Curriculum Framework
Why?
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The Roles of Intervention &
Enrichment Programmes
School-based English Language Curriculum
Components:
•General English Programme
•Reading Workshops
•Intervention Programme
•Enrichment Programme
Enrichment Programme
“The Enrichment Programme is
designed to extend the more able
learners through different
activities conducted during or
after class time, inside or outside
the school premises.”
From p.101 of the English Language Curriculum
Guide (Primary 1-6) (CDC, 2004)
Intervention Programme
“The Intervention Programme is
a short, focused programme
which provides timely support for
learners who have exhibited
difficulties in learning English.”
From p.100 of the English Language Curriculum
Guide (Primary 1-6) (CDC, 2004)
Short, Focused & Timely
• Additional opportunities
• Additional time
• Focused learning
Suggested Mode of
an Intervention Programme
• Small group size
e.g. 1 teacher to 8 learners
• Regular, additional meetings
for a short period of time
e.g. two 35-minute sessions
per week
Incorporating
Intervention Programme
• Part of the remedial programme
• Additional support programme
Incorporating Intervention Programme
School
English
Programme
Remedial
English
Programme
Incorporating Intervention Programme
Remedial
English
Programme
Int.
Prog.
School
English
Programme
Int.
Prog.
Intervention/
Support
Programme
Please refer to Appendices 7&8
in English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1 to 6)
Remedial English Programme
First Term
Second Term
Intervention Programme 1
Intervention Programme 4
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Intervention Programme 1
2
Intervention Programme 4
5
3
Intervention Programme 2
3
Intervention Programme 5
6
4
Planning an Intervention Programme
1.
2.
3.
4.
Data Collection
Identification of Learning Problems
Identification of Causes of Problems
Identification of Teaching Focus &
Designing Tasks/Activities
5. Assessment for Learning
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C.C.C. Heep Woh Primary School (PM)
Module: Food and Drink
Ms P L Lee, Candy
FOOD BINGO (UN)
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Statements (Verb + UN)
T: Is there any milk?
S: Yes, there is some milk here.
sugar
sugar
cheese
milk
oil
water
butter
Ice-cream
juice
chocolate
ice-cream
BINGO!
FOOD BINGO (CN)
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Statements (Verb + CN)
T: Are there any oranges?
S: Yes, there are some oranges here.
bananas
carrots
biscuits
oranges
sausages
hotdogs
eggs
pineapples
apples
FOOD BINGO (UN)
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Statements (Verb + UN)
sugar
cheese
m_ _ _
o_ _
w_ _ _ _
butter
Ice-cream
juice
chocolate
ice-cream
FOOD BINGO (UN)
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Statements (Verb + UN)
T: Is there any milk?
S: Yes, there is some milk here.
Some sugar
Some
cheese
Some oil
Some juice
Some
ice-cream
A:
there
anyisn’t
water
A:IsNo,
there
anyin
FOOD
yourHUNT
juice
incupboard?
my fridge.
B:B:No,
there any
isn’tjuice
any
Is there
water
my fridge?
cupboard.
inin
your
A:
any
A:No,
Arethere
therearen’t
any cakes
eggs
in my
fridge.
in your
cupboard?
B:B:No,
any
Arethere
therearen’t
any eggs
cakesininyour
my cupboard.
fridge?
UN
• water
• flour
• bread
CN
• cakes
• sandwiches
• sweets
• biscuits
A’s Fridge
cheese
Ice-cream
ice-cream
butter
milk
oranges
CN
• eggs
• pineapples
• apples
B’s Cupboard
salt
oil
sugar
sugar
hamburgers
sausages
Q + Neg:
statement
(‘any’)
UN
• juice
• chocolate
• jam
carrots
bananas
hotdogs
noodles
Noodles
Noodles
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Student A
Student B
Is / Are there any …?
No, there isn’t / aren’t any …
Student C
Is / Are there any …?
Yes, there is / are some …
Student D
Fridge
Student A
A: Is there any …?
C: …
A: Are there any …?
C: …
C: …
A: Yes, there is some …
C: …
A: Yes, there are some …
Cupboard
Student C
A: …
C: Yes, there is some …
A: …
C: Yes, there are some …
C: Is there any …?
A: …
C: Are there any …?
A: …
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Learning and Teaching Materials
Textbook materials
e.g. Is/Are there any...?
Yes, there is/are some ______.
No, there isn’t/aren’t any ______.
Cupboard
Food items
Fridge
Food items
Find out what is in the cupboard and the fridge.
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Learning and Teaching Materials
Adaptations made to textbook materials
Cupboard and Fridge
Supermarket
A: Is/Are there any _____?
A: Is/Are there any _____
B: Yes, there is/are some
=
+
in the _____ section?
B: Yes, there is/are some
____.
____.
No, there isn’t/aren’t
No, there isn’t/aren’t
any ____.
any ____.
Food Hunt in Fridges & Cupboards
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Learning and Teaching Materials
Food Hunt in Fridges & Cupboards
Party Time!
Food for party
• biscuits
• noodles
• tomatoes and carrots
• cheese and ham
•juice and chocolate milk
Information gap
Meaningful context
My fridge

Shopping list
• some carrots
• ...
• ...
Hands-on activities
A: Are there any tomatoes and carrots in your fridge?
B: Yes, there are some tomatoes, but there aren’t any carrots.
A: We need some carrots. We don’t need any ______.
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Learning and Teaching Materials
Helping Teddy and Piggy to eat right
&
Teddy
Piggy
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Breakfast
Tea
Lunch
Dinner
42
AMOUNT
Plenty of
A lot of
healthy diet?
ItIs
isit
anaunhealthy
diet.
plenty
of dairy
Piggy eats too
_______
dairy food.
food.
much
a lot
of sweet food.
Piggy eats too
_______
much
a lot
of cheeseburgers.
Piggy eats too
_______
cheeseburgers.
many
Highlighting the target
language items
Some
Representing
graphically the
differences in
quantities
A little
some vegetables.
Piggy eats _______
Structuring
presentation to
highlight
concept
a little
Piggy eats _______fruit.
too
little fruit.
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Uncountable
nouns
Countable
nouns
Piggy eats too much:
Piggy eats too many:
• chocolate
• sweet food
• cheeseburgers
• hotdogs
Piggy drinks too much:
• milk
Piggy eats too little:
• fruit
Using colour and
layout to compare
and contrast
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Learning and Teaching Materials
Helping Teddy and Piggy to Eat Right
Homework for consolidation
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Specific
guidelines
focus
attention on
application of
food pyramid
Box helps students
decide whether the
item is a countable or
uncountable noun
How?
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Curriculum Adaptation
Learning and Teaching Materials
Divide/ condense units of learning into manageable
components
•
Adapt coursebook materials
(amount, range, sequence, varieties, graphics)
•
Design extended tasks/materials to draw on and expand
learners’ existing knowledge and skills
•
Include specific guidelines to focus attention on concepts
Curriculum Framework
•
How?
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Curriculum Adaptation
Learning and Teaching Strategies
Assess retention of previous learning and adjust strategies
•
Structure teacher demonstration before participation
•
Apply effective questioning techniques
Curriculum Framework
•
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Learning and Teaching Strategies
Reading Traffic-light Sandwiches
and understanding story structure
What do we always find in stories?
Characters
People
Beginning
Time
Setting
Place
Problem
Middle
Events
Ending
Solution
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Traffic-light Sandwiches
Read P. 2-10.
Set questions to enable pupils to
understand the characters,
setting and problem of this story.
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BEGINNING
53
Characters
Who are the main
characters
in the story?
people
in the story?
Setting
Wher were they? How did they feel?
e
Wher did they want to go? How did they feel?
e
When did the story happen?
take place?
How do you know?
BEGINNING
Characters & Problem
Who  Felix and Flora
Let us think.
How did Felix and Flora feel? (P.8)
Did Felix and Flora like Hong Kong?
How do you know? (P.9, P.23)
Do you think they would still go
to Zorb for their holidays? Why?
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What do we always find in stories?
Characters
People
Beginning
Time
Setting
Place
Problem
Middle
Events
Ending
Solution
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Events 1 2 3 4
How did Felix and Flora solve their problem?
Central
PLACE 1
TRANSPORT 1
PLACE 2
TRANSPORT 2
PLACE 3
TRANSPORT 3
PLACE 4
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Let us think.
What do the four events tell you
about traffic-light sandwiches?
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Structuring questions to facilitate reading for meaning
Knowledge
&
Comprehension
• How many kinds of transport did Felix & Flora
use?
• How many places did they try?
• How many times did they hear the answer ‘no’?
Analysis
• Why did they have to look for the traffic-light
sandwiches?
Evaluation
• Do you think they should spend so much time
looking for the sandwiches? Why?
Application
• If they could not find the sandwiches in
Yuen Long, what could they do?
What do the four events tell you about
traffic-light sandwiches?
MESSAGE
Traffic-light sandwiches
are VERY important.
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How?
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Curriculum Adaptation
Learning and Teaching Strategies
Assess retention of previous learning and adjust strategies
•
Structure teacher demonstration before participation
•
Apply effective questioning techniques
Curriculum Framework
•
How?
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Curriculum Adaptation
Assessment for learning
Assessment of learning
For improvement
•Identifying learners’ strengths
and weaknesses
•Setting different targets for
different learners
•Acknowledging pupils’ efforts
and achievements
•Providing quality feedback for
learners, which entails timely
support and enrichment, and
helping teachers review the
learning objectives, lesson plans
and teaching strategies
For accountability
•Reporting learners’ attainment
against the learners’ targets
and objectives
•Including questions of
different difficulty levels in
summative assessment papers
to cater for different learners
Curriculum Framework
What to
focus
Assessment for learning
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What have you done to
cater for learner diversity?
– Re-teaching part of a lesson? Giving extended tasks?
– Teaching students how to do assignments?
– Assigning supplementary/additional exercises to
provide more practice (e.g. self-designed, adapted/
taken from resources available on the market)?
– Drilling for tests and examinations?
– Providing individual help/ coaching?
– Conferencing with students?
How will you modify the way you
cater for learner diversity?
References
•
Brualdi, Amy C. Multiple Intelligences: Gardner’s Theory. ERIC, 1996. ED
410 226. Dickinson, Dee. “Technology that Enhances Multiple Intelligences.”
URL: http://www.america-tomorrow.com/ati/mi1.htm (13 Oct. 2004).
•
Central Health Education Unit, Department of Health
http://www.cheu.gov.hk/eng/info/exercise_04.htm
•
Curriculum Development Council. English Language Education Key
Learning Area Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-Prmary 6) 2004
•
Gregory, G.H. & Chapman, C. (2002). Differentiated instructional Strategies.
California: Corwin Press, INC.
•
Heacox, D. (2002). Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom. MN:
Free Spirit Publishing Inc.
•
Reid, J.M. (ed). Understanding Learning Styles in the Second Language
Classroom. Prentice-Hall, Inc.: New Jersey, 1998.
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Further Reading
• Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of Mind. New York: Basic Books
Inc.
• Gardner, H., & Hatch, T. (1989). Multiple intelligences go to
school: Educational implications of the theory of multiple
intelligences. Educational Researcher, 18(8), 4-9.
• Curriculum Development Institute, Education and Manpower
Bureau. Interim Report on “Study on Strategies to Cope with
Individual Differences in Academic Abilities of Primary School
Pupils” (個別差異發展及研究報告系列中期報告) URL:
http://cd1.edb.hkedcity.net/cd/id/index_en.html (2 Dec, 2005)
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Thank You