Introduction to Curriculum Leadership and Management Series for
New Primary School Curriculum Leaders (2009/10)
Key Emphases and Strategies in
Planning the English Language Education KLA
12 October 2009
English Language Education Section
Curriculum Development Institute
Education Bureau
Subject Curriculum Guide
English Language Curriculum Guide
(Primary 1 – 6)
(2004, CDC)
Implemented at Primary 1
since September 2005
Diagrammatic Representation of the
English Language Curriculum Framework
English Language Curriculum
Interpersonal Knowledge Experience
Targets for:
Key Stage 1
Key Stage 2
Key Stage 3
Key Stage 4
Learning Objectives:
Targets for:
Key Stage 1
Key Stage 2
Key Stage 3
Key Stage 4
Targets for:
Key Stage 1
Key Stage 2
Key Stage 3
Key Stage 4
Forms and Functions
Skills and Strategies
Attitudes
Flexible and Diversified Modes of
Curriculum Planning
+
Effective Learning, Teaching and Assessment
Overall Aims and Learning Targets of
English Language
Values and Attitudes
9 Generic Skills
Strands
Key Emphases of the English Language
Curriculum Guide (Primary 1- 6)
• Strengthening ‘learning to read’
• Promoting a ‘reading to learn’ culture
• Using a task-based approach in learning, teaching and
assessment
• Promoting learner independence
• Catering for learner diversity
• Promoting assessment for learning
• Creating a language-rich environment
Key Strategies
Emphases of
the
English Language
for
Implementation
Curriculum Guide (Primary 1- 6)
• Strengthening ‘learning to read’
• Enhancing the implementation of the Reading Workshops
• Promoting a ‘reading to learn’ culture
•• Learning
and teaching
grammar
in contextteaching and
Using a task-based
approach
in learning,
• Providing
opportunities for language use
assessment
• Learning and teaching phonics in context
• Promoting learner independence
• Developing vocabulary building skills
•• Incorporating
the Intervention
Catering for learner
diversity Programme and
Enrichment Programme into the English curriculum
• Strengthening
teachers’for
skills
and strategies in
Promoting assessment
learning
giving quality feedback
•• Creating
Designinga alanguage-rich
whole-schoolenvironment
language policy
8
Reading Workshops
• 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
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
Teaching Strategies for Reading
Storytelling
Independent
Reading
Reading
Workshops
Supported
Reading
Reading
Aloud
Shared
Reading
English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6), p. A29
Developing Students’ Reading Skills
• Do you expose your students to a variety of text
• Expose
types? students to a variety of text types
• What do you usually do to help your students
• Guide
students
use theofpictorial
understand
the to
meaning
difficultclues
wordsand
- ask
them to look
up the
dictionary,
theof
contextual
clues
to work
out theexplain
meaning
meaning to them or guide them to use the clues
difficult words
in the text?
•• Guide
Apart from
locating
specific
information,
students
to identify
the
main ideas,what
other reading
should we
help students
understand
theskills
connection
between
ideas byto
develop? the cohesive devices, etc.
identifying
• Ask open-ended questions to help students
12
develop critical thinking skills and creativity
Planning the Reading Workshops
Theme: Wonderful Seasons and Weather
GE Programme
Reading Workshops
• One unit from the
coursebook
 The Seasons
• Three books:
 Watching the
Weather
 Hot Sunny Days
 Bird Hotel
• One poem
 Daisy Chain
English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6), pp. E12-16
Resource Package
Literacy
Instruction
For
Teachers
Professional Development Programmes
2009-2010
Reading across the Curriculum to
Enhance the Transition from KS1 to KS2
and from KS2 to KS3 (Refreshed)
Apr - May 2010
Suggested Booklists for
Reading across the curriculum
http://www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?langno=1&nodeID=2773
16
Learning and Teaching Grammar in Context
• Using grammar focus activities and exercises in
task-based learning
• Facilitating grammar learning and teaching
through exposure to a variety of text types
• 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.160-164
Traditional Grammar Teaching Vs
TBL Grammar Teaching
Traditional grammar teaching
TBL grammar teaching




Out of context
Teaching grammar items
one by one
Has a context
Students learn
certain grammar
items and use them
in meaningful
contexts and for
purposeful
communication
Developing Phonics Skills
Helping learners:
• develop an awareness of the letter-sound
relationships through explicit teaching
• build up strategies for decoding (in reading) and
encoding (in spelling) words at an early stage of
learning
• gain confidence and competence in reading aloud
and develop an interest in reading books in English
• develop strategies in discriminating sounds, in
listening and speaking in English, and use accurate
spelling in writing
English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6), pp.171-174
19
Learning and Teaching Phonics in Context
• Incorporate phonics teaching into the school
English programme instead of adopting and
implementing a separate phonics programme
• Teach and practise phonics in the GE Programme
as well as Reading Workshops through short,
interesting and purposeful activities and games
(e.g. funny rhymes, phonics tic-tac-toe)
English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6), pp.171-174
Resource Packages
Phonics in Action
Strategies and Activities to
Maximize Pleasurable
Learning Experiences
(SAMPLE)
Developing Vocabulary Building Skills
• Encouraging learners to read extensively to acquire
vocabulary in natural contexts, especially the high
frequency words
• Modelling and teaching the different ways in which
learners can attack and organise words
- guessing and inferring meaning
- organising words in vocabulary books
- word formation and word association
- using and making dictionaries
• Using tasks to provide authentic contexts for
vocabulary use
English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6), pp.164-171
22
Approaches to Vocabulary Learning
Paradigmatic
Approach
Receptive
Syntagmatic
Approach
Productive
Paradigmatic Approach
Word Hierarchy / Superordinates
?
Sports
football
tennis
basketball
?
Furniture
desk
chair
cupboard
Syntagmatic Approach
Topic: Jobs
PEOPLE ACTIONS OBJECTS PLACE
Chef
cook
meals
restaurant
Teacher
Singer
Pilot
Vocabulary Building Skills
Word Formation
•
•
•
•
Affixation
Compounding
Conversion
Derivation
e.g. unhappy, careless
e.g. foot+ball=football
e.g. cook (v) a meal, a cook (n)
e.g. excite (v) , exciting (adj),
excited (adj), excitement (n)
English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6)(2004), pp. 168-171
Vocabulary Building Skills
Word Association
• Synonyms
e.g.
• Antonyms
e.g.
• Homonyms
e.g.
• Collocations
e.g.
• Lexical sets
e.g.
happy = glad
bright
dark
catch a bus, catch a cold
make a wish, watch TV
furniture – table, chair,
desk, cupboard
English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6)(2004), pp. 168-171
Providing Opportunities for Practice
Pupil’s revised draft 1
lexical substitution
The Super Student in Our Eyes
XXX should get the most humorous person
tells
us
talks
about
interesting
funny
award. He tells
us
funny
things.
shares
tells
humorous
funny
He tells
funny
stories. He tells us
funny
crazy
funny
silly faces and does
funny
jokes. He makes funny
marvellous
funny
funny
tricks. He plays funny
fun games and
funny
draws different funny pictures. We all think he
is the most humorous person in class.
Providing Opportunities for Practice
Pupil’s revised draft 1
lexical expansion
The Super Student in Our Eyes
When?
Where?
XXX should get the most humorous person
award. He talks about interesting things. He
shares humorous stories. He tells crazy
jokes. He makes silly faces and does
marvellous tricks. He plays fun games and
draws different funny pictures. We all think
he is the most humorous person in class.
When?
What happens next?
How often?
What happens
next?
How
often?
What happens
next?
Resource Package
Enhancing Vocabulary
Learning and Teaching
at Primary Level
Professional Development Programmes
2009-2010
Enhancing English Vocabulary
Learning and Teaching
at Primary Level (Refreshed)
Nov 2009
Catering for learner diversity
• Incorporating the Intervention Programme and
Enrichment Programme into the school-based
English Language curriculum
• Using different strategies (e.g. differentiation,
flexible grouping, project learning, open-ended
learning tasks and activities) to cater for the
diverse needs, abilities and interests of learners
• Providing opportunities for learners to use a
combination of their intelligences (e.g. verbal and
linguistic, visual and spatial, bodily and
kinesthetic, interpersonal)
Intervention Programme
• A short, focused remedial programme providing
timely support for learners who have exhibited
learning difficulties
• Conducted in small groups during class time on a
withdrawl mode or outside class time
• Providing additional time, additional opportunities
and focused learning based on the objectives of
the regular GE Programme
• Using a task-based approach as well as some short,
form-focused pre-task grammar exercises
English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6), p.100
Intervention Programme:
Mini-Project on Writing Funny Rhymes
• Aims to help P3 pupils develop:
- motivation and positive attitude towards learning English
- some enabling skills in pronunciation and spelling
• 10 sessions to help learners use their letter-sound knowledge
to work out the pronunciation and spelling of words
• Use ‘Paper doors’ game to help learners write lines for the
funny rhyme
English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6), pp.A38-47
Enrichment Programme
• Extending the more able learners through a variety
of activities
• Conducted during or after class time, inside or
outside the school premises to provide
opportunities to further develop learners’
capabilities in learning English through life-wide
learning
• Introducing challenging tasks based on the
learning experiences already provided in the GE
Programme
• Encouraging the development of creativity and
critical thinking through open-ended tasks
English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6), p.101
Enrichment Programme: English Chief Scheme
• P5 and P6 learners are selected to be English Chiefs
• Coaching is conducted, with the teacher modelling the skills and
language for conducting a language activity
• English Chiefs conduct activities in the English Room during lunch
time each day. They develop:
- leadership skills through arranging younger learners into groups
- communication skills through giving instructions and guiding
younger learners to play games
- critical thinking skills through assessing and giving feedback on
others’ work
- skills in storytelling and creativity through dramatising the stories
- proficiency in spoken English through interacting with younger
learners
English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6), pp. E37-42
36
Promoting Assessment for Learning
• An integral part of learning-teaching-assessment cycle
• Sharing learning intentions and success criteria with
learners
• Using different modes of assessment
• Making use of assessment data (e.g. TSA data, internal
assessment data) to help review
- expectation of pupils’ learning
- content of learning
- strategies to enhance learning
• Providing quality feedback to enhance learning
English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6)(2004), pp. 191-201
Modes of Assessment
Learning tasks
and activities
Assessment
tasks
Shared writing
and
process writing
Conferencing
Oral
presentations
Homework
Assessments
in Schools
Projects
Portfolios
etc.
Quality Feedback
•
•
•
•
•
•
Positive
Diagnostic
Constructive
Focused
Timely
Encourage self-correction and independence
Resource Packages
ETV Programme on “Providing
Quality Feedback”
Promoting Assessment for Learning
in English Language Education
at Primary Level
Promoting Quality Interaction
in the Primary English Classroom
Professional Development Programmes
2009-2010
Using the Learning Progression Framework
to Enhance the Learning, Teaching and
Assessment of English Language
at Primary Level (Refreshed)
Dec 2009
Devising a Whole-school Language Policy
• Create a rich language learning environment
• Widen the space of learning and teaching English
• Enhance students’ motivation in learning English
Creating a Rich Language Learning Environment
• Encourage the use of English in all English lessons
• Encourage students to interact with teachers and one another
in English outside the classroom
• Display target language items and vocabulary as well as
students’ work on the learning wall in the classroom
• Display print materials in English (e.g. posters, signs,
notices) all around the school
• Set up a well-stocked library with reading materials of a
wide range of subject content and text types
• Provide easy access to reading materials in different parts of
the school
Creating a Rich Language Learning Environment
• Establish a lively and encouraging school and
classroom atmosphere through daily routines or
practices (e.g. morning reading time, reciting during
assembly, show-and-tell activities, Campus TV)
• Organise English learning activities (e.g. English Days,
English Camps, drama performances)
Widening the Space of Learning and Teaching English
• Arouse students’ curiosity and interests in observing
language use in the school campus and the real world
(e.g. signs, announcements, advertisements)
• Give assignments which require students to make use of the
materials displayed in the school and outside school
• Encourage students to watch TV programmes or listen to
radio programmes in English (e.g. Sunday Smile on RTHK3)
• Encourage students to take part in English activities
organised by other institutions (e.g. SCOLAR – Drama in
Education, HK Speech Festival)
Enhancing Motivation in Learning English
• Foster a ‘can-do’ attitude and encourage risk taking
• Incorporate interesting language arts activities (e.g.
storytelling, Readers’ Theatre, songs, rhymes, drama)
• Set up Reading Award Schemes
• Nurture a school reading culture through role-modelling
of teachers and the school head
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?langno=1&nodeID=2402
• English Language Education Section, CDI
Room 1206, 12/F., Wu Chung House, 213 Queen’s Rd. East,
Wan Chai, HK
(Fax: 2834 7810)
Ms Emilie Tong
(Tel: 2892 6571)
48