PSHE Curriculum at DGS –
The introduction of Junior
Secondary Liberal Studies
Why offer Liberal Studies?
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to seek possible ways of integrating the
subjects grouped under PSHE
to develop students’ thinking skills, civic
mindedness, learning skills, values and
attitudes
to teach students a way of living
to help students respond to the knowledgebased society and globalized world
How to go about it?
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Sharing of aspirations with the senior staff
by the headmistress
set up an ad hoc committee comprising
PSHE panel heads and deputy heads
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to look into the pros and cons of the various
modes of integrated curriculum and suggest the
mode that is appropriate for DGS
to suggest the elements to be incorporated into
the new subject
How to go about it?
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create space for the introduction of a new
subject in F.1 through negotiation (20042005) 
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The library period is given up with the reading and
information search skills being incorporated into
the new LS lesson.
The Chinese History curriculum sees a greater
flexibility in trimming the syllabus, thus 1 lesson is
given up.
How to go about it?
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The Form Period for Form 1 is cut to once
per month. The Liberal Studies teachers are
arranged to be the Form teachers.
The above changes make possible the
introduction of a new subject with 18 triple
lessons and 12 double lessons in Form 1 in
the academic year 2004-2005.
How to go about it?
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Changes in staff deployment –
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The teacher librarian will teach 1 class as the
library periods are cut.
A Home Economics teacher will teach 1 class as
the senior form Dress & Design is no longer
offered.
The AS level Liberal Studies teachers rearrange
their team teaching load to make room for two
of them to each teach an LS class in F.1
How to go about it?
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set up a working group comprising the
potential F1 LS teachers
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to work on the content of the new curriculum
to provide mentorship by more experienced Liberal
Studies teachers in the group while working in
collaboration to design the curriculum and various
teaching activities.
How to go about it?
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Principles behind the way to go about it
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Individual PSHE subjects will remain as the
building up of a solid background knowledge is
essential in the junior secondary years.
Strong coordination between departments and
teams is to be maintained to avoid overlapping of
learning contents.
Gradually build up the future team of teachers for
NSS LS through teacher mentoring.
Challenges
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to decide on which mode of integration to be
adopted
to create space for cross-subject learning
e.g.project learning, Geography, History,
Chinese History, Civic Education
to let students, teachers and parents fully
understand what this subject is about, its
requirement and its learning objectives
The end product
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The ‘end product’ is basically the same as
what has been anticipated.
The reflective feedback of students show their
basic understanding of subject aims and their
acquisition of some critical thinking skills.
The ‘end product’ of this pilot trial gives
insight to how the curriculum should be
designed and suggests changes needed to
help students better learn and parents to
better understand what Liberal Studies is.
PSHE mode of curriculum
planning (2005-2008)
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The school adopts an individual subject mode of
curriculum planning.
Subjects of the S1-S3 PSHE curriculum (Chinese
History, History, Geography and Religious Knowledge)
are tailored to make room for the introduction of
Liberal Studies, which is a school-based curriculum.
A smooth interface with the SS1-SS3 independent
PSHE subjects and Liberal Studies, a compulsory core
subject in the NSS curriculum, can be ensured with
the adoption of this mode of curriculum planning.
PSHE mode of curriculum
planning (2005-2008)
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Project-learning is integrated into Liberal Studies to
enable students to connect knowledge, skills, values
and attitudes and to construct knowledge in the
process.
Cross-curricular and extra-curricular programmes /
activities are organised to provide PSHE learning
experiences for healthy personal development and the
nurturing of moral and social values.
The allocation of lessons are as follows (5-day cycle):
LS Chin Hist History Geog
RK
S1
2*
1
2
1
2
S2
2
1
1
2
1
S3
2
2
1
1
1
(*The 2 lessons for S1 were originally the library
period and one of the Home Economics lessons)
(Starting from 2006-2007, the duration of each
lesson is 50 minutes)
The introduction of Liberal Studies will not
squeeze out foundation knowledge of the
humanities disciplines
PSHE curriculum at DGS
S3
LS
S1
Chin
Hist
Hist
Geog
RK