Language Learning Support Section, EMB 20 December 2006

1. Holistic Curriculum Planning to enhance the teaching and learning of English language Language Learning Support Section, EMB 20 December 2006 in secondary schools

2. Programme Rundown Free template from www.brainybetty.com

3. $3 million is a large sum of money. How can we use it? frustrated… confused… How can we succeed in getting $$$ ? EMB won’t give us the full amount so easily… Accountable? Sustainable? Guarantee good results? How to explain to other subject panels why all the resources go to English … If we are not able to get $3 million, it’s a waste of time writing the proposal. 6-year plan… Holistic planning??? A large sum of $ = A heavy workload?

4. What could have caused such a panic? What new and special things can we do? 6 years is a long period of time… must have a lot of additional things to do… How can we spend the money? How can we get the full amount? I don’t know how to write the plan… Any training??

5. No resources PLEASE!!!

6. Holistic planning – the process The planning process inter-connects: curriculum development, teacher development and school development Teacher development English Enhancement Curriculum development School development Free template from www.brainybetty.com

7. Must holistic plans involve very big scale changes? Scale & school context • readiness of the teachers • needs and characteristics of the students • school goals, etc. Free template from www.brainybetty.com

8. Smaller scale: One new focusof English learning per year Free template from www.brainybetty.com

9. Medium scale: Balanced development of skills in English learning across the years Free template from www.brainybetty.com

10. Broader scale: English across the curriculum Free template from www.brainybetty.com

11. Common features of a holistic plan • Coherence (among focus and sub-focuses and strategies) • Continuity (across years and levels) Free template from www.brainybetty.com

12. What does a holistic planning process involve? 1. Consideration of a wide range of factors School context Strengths and weaknesses Sustainability Availability of resources Other factors…. Free template from www.brainybetty.com

13. School head, subject panels, teachers, parents and students 2. Communication among different stakeholders Free template from www.brainybetty.com

14. Development of an action plan Needs analysis Identification of focus 3. Taking each step of planning seriously Evaluation Free template from www.brainybetty.com

15. As you watch the role play ... Note down: • what the school plans to undertake • why they want to adopt these measures • what they want to achieve in the end Think about: • if these measures help students to learn English better Free template from www.brainybetty.com

16. There sth novel sth BIG Can these measures help students learn English better? Here What do they plan to do? •  Ss’ interest • Ss’ standards • Ss’ confidence • 4 things to do: • English opera • Campus TV • English summer course • Tuition lessons School’s wish to apply for the $ Free template from www.brainybetty.com

17. Let’s read through their draft plan Comment on:  how well they analyze their current situation  how feasible their plan is  whether it is easy to attain the targets set  whether they have made the best possible use of the resources Free template from www.brainybetty.com

18. Let’s look at the draft plan together I. Present state of play A. Existing measures at school Just a stock-taking list without evaluation of effectiveness of the measures Free template from www.brainybetty.com

19. Let’s look at the draft plan together How about needs of other stakeholders other than students? Needs identified are too general and not evidence-based! I. Present state of play B. Needs Analysis Needs identified fail to help the school decide what to work on and how  Students weak in English • Students have poor foundation • Students lack interest/motivation in learning English • Students have little confidence in using English • Students do not have exposure to English outside school • Students lack family support in learning English Free template from www.brainybetty.com

20. existing new Let’s look at the draft plan together Objective too broad II. The plan itself To improve students’ English standard and motivation Objective: Measures: • Continue with the use of TBL + Start teaching L.A. • Create an English-rich environment at school • Develop in students a reading habit • English opera • Campus TV • 2-week summer English course • Tuition lessons after school Too many focuses No prioritization Free template from www.brainybetty.com

21. Let’s look at the draft plan together • a lot of add-ons on top of what they are now doing  stand-alone measures Free template from www.brainybetty.com

22. Let’s look at the draft plan together Co-ordination & supervision Effective deployment of human resources  Availability Quality Sustainability Over-reliance on hire of service Free template from www.brainybetty.com

23. Let’s look at the draft plan together … involving III. Use of resources Sustain the impact? Hiring Drama for Everyone Hiring of service from a tuition school Subsidizing Ss to attend a 2-week summer English course Role of Ts Employing additional TAs Employing a GELT Complement or extend c/r teaching?  Buying equipment to set up the Campus TV • Improving facilities in the English Corner • Buying more English books for the school library and the English class library • Buying an on-line reading programme licence Free template from www.brainybetty.com

24. … involving people Trainers from Drama for Everyone NET GELT English Ts Tutors from the tuition school Ts from an overseas institute TAs Teacher librarians Let’s look at the draft plan together III. Use of resources Free template from www.brainybetty.com

25. Let’s look at the draft plan together IV. Evaluation Use of questionnaires, surveys and interviews  Use of Ts’ observations  Proper performance in reading  Progressive improvement in speaking  An increase in the school average in public exam results Variety  Measurable  Observable By how much? Outcomes can be reflected by deliverables • Teachers • unit/lesson plans • teaching materials • resource packages • Students • their work like book reports, play scripts • students’ performances Free template from www.brainybetty.com

26. There Here The Planning Process V. Evaluation 5-step curriculum renewal process IV. Implemention (Strategies & Resources) III. Communicationwith parties involved II. Priorities & Goals Setting I. Needs Analysis Free template from www.brainybetty.com

27. I. Conducting needs analysis What tools to use K I S S Keep Improve Start Stop S W O T Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Free template from www.brainybetty.com

28. I. Conducting needs analysis ever-increasing workload & pressure weak and shy in speaking principal very supportive additional funding for English projects Free template from www.brainybetty.com

29. Keep Improve Start Stop I. Conducting needs analysis KISS Analysis Free template from www.brainybetty.com

30. Evaluate the effectiveness of current measures  Continue as Ss are more engaged in tasks  more chance to use English  But more time needed to finish 1 unit Inside classroom • -Adopt TBL in teaching English • Use games and activities in English classrooms • Make use of IT (MMLC, on-line reading) • English lessons (G.E. + reading + grammar + language arts) • Introduce project learning • Teach phonics • Include lesson(s) for TSA • Ss write book reports and journals on top of English compositions • Co-teach with the NET in some classes K  Better integration of various components?  Use LA materials in reading lessons? I S S Project learning in English too difficult for Ss! S 1 lesson devoted to preparing Ss for TSA? Free template from www.brainybetty.com

31. Evaluate the effectiveness of current measures Outside classroom • Organize English extra-curricular activities: • School radio (lunch-time broadcast) • English Week •  English Corner  English Club  Show & Tell  Halloween Activities - Organize Extensive Reading Scheme • Organize English bridging courses for P6 students promoting to S1 • Organize discretionary enhancement programmes for Ss after school • Ss enjoy these activities but their effects cannot be sustained • Relationship between these activities and classroom teaching I Majority of Ss still don’t like reading and they hate doing book reports I Free template from www.brainybetty.com

32. I. Conducting needs analysis KISS Analysis  Using TBL with the English course book, but use Bk A only •  Development of reading skills in students through reading lessons and reading programme • Infusion of language arts into the English curriculum • Better integration of different components in the English curriculum  Creating more opportunities for students to speak the target language Mechanical teaching and over-drilling of grammar  Excessive emphasis on project learning in the English KLA Free template from www.brainybetty.com

33. There V. Evaluation IV. Implemention (Strategies & Resources) III. Communicationwith parties involved Here II. Priorities & Goals Setting II. Priorities & Goals Setting I. Needs Analysis What could have been done? Free template from www.brainybetty.com

34. II. Setting priorities and goals ~ Identifying the development focus ~ Infusion of language arts into the English curriculum at junior secondary in preparation for language arts electives at NSS language arts • Students •  Lack motivation & confidence in learning English • Poor foundation and weak retention  Are passive in learning •  Lack a chance to use English and lack exposure to English • LA • Variety of text types (poems, stories, films, dramas) provide interesting contexts and content for learning English •  Ss can respond to various forms of text types  increase their opportunity to use English LA  Using LA involves a different approach from traditional teaching methods  Ts need to adopt a more learner-centred approach and teach more creatively • Teachers • Lack the necessary knowledge and skills for teaching LA • Some new teachers joining the school • School • Develop a professional teaching team + collaborative culture • Cater for student diversity LA  Engage Ts in capacity building (collaborative lesson planning + peer lesson observation + courses, workshops and seminars) LA  Early preparation for Ss to get them ready for TSA, SBA and NSS External  TSA, SBA  NSS Free template from www.brainybetty.com

35. There V. Evaluation IV. Implemention (Strategies & Resources) III. Communicationwith parties involved III. Communication with parties involved Here II. Priorities & Goals Setting I. Needs Analysis The Planning Process Free template from www.brainybetty.com

36.  C  C  C  A higher chance of success ommunication onsensusbuilding onflict resolution III. Communicate with parties involved • Michael Fullan • In face of changes, all staff need to understand: • what changes are being implemented • why the changes are being implemented • when they are to be implemented • how they will impact on the school and on them personally • what they will need to do differently – curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, knowledge update, learner diversity, motivating interests what why when how what Free template from www.brainybetty.com

37. There V. Evaluation IV. Implemention (Strategies & Resources) IV. Implementation (Strategies & Resources) III. Communicationwith parties involved Here II. Priorities & Goals Setting I. Needs Analysis The Planning Process Free template from www.brainybetty.com

38. related focuses main focus IV. IMPLEMENT: STRATEGIES vertical continuity Progression in scale and coverage Language across the curriculum English KLA 3-year plan on cross-curricular planning Short stories Drama & Films Popular culture Free template from www.brainybetty.com

39. IV. Implementation: Strategies •  Strategies in alignment with objectives set • Teacher: • Readiness • Deployment • Professional development + Resource building • Curriculum: • Horizontal coherence • Vertical continuity • Scale: time  People coverage •  Creation of a language-rich environment • Celebration of success Free template from www.brainybetty.com

40. IV. Implementation: Resources Financial Human Time Community Space Knowing what resources there are Free template from www.brainybetty.com

41. V. Evaluation V. Evaluation There IV. Implemention (Strategies & Resources) IV. Implementation (Strategies & Resources) III. Communicationwith parties involved Here II. Priorities & Goals Setting I. Needs Analysis The Planning Process Free template from www.brainybetty.com

42. V. Evaluation Infusion of language arts into the English curriculum at junior secondary in preparation for language arts electives at NSS Story-reading Story-telling Reading Speaking Reading log record no. of books read and their types • No. of stories read and varieties (cartoons, comics, fables, fairy tales, plays, etc.) • An in Ss’ reading interest • Grasping and application of reading strategies • Extracting and organizing information and ideas from texts • Understanding the use of a range of language features to present themes, characters, experiences and feelings • No. of times Ss have to tell stories • Pronouncing words clearly and accurately • Using a range of delivery techniques to convey meaning (volume, pace, tone, stress, posture, etc.) • Expressing information and ideas • Using a range of vocabulary and language patterns • Using formulaic expressions and a range of strategies • Using organizing techniques to convey meaning Quantity Quality • Questionnaires • Interviews •  Frequency of library visits  Note taking • Summarizing • Mind maps  Setting  Rhyme  Simile  Repetition Free template from www.brainybetty.com

43. V. Evaluation Infusion of language arts into the English curriculum at junior secondary in preparation for language arts electives at NSS Story-reading Story-telling Reading Speaking Quantity  In class • In school • No. of stories to read and what kind (cartoons, comics, fables, fairy tales, plays, etc.) • Grasping and application of reading strategies • Extracting and organizing information and ideas from texts • Understanding the use of a range of language features to present themes, characters, experiences and feelings • Applying a range of reference skills • No. of times Ss have to tell stories • Pronouncing words clearly and accurately • Using a range of delivery techniques to convey meaning • Using a range of vocabulary and language patterns • Using organizing techniques to convey meaning Q u a l i t y • volume, pace, tone, stress • eye contact, posture, gesture • Introducing the topic • Sequencing and developing ideas • Giving conclusions Free template from www.brainybetty.com

44. Tips for improving the plan Free template from www.brainybetty.com

45.  Needs analysis • Don’t just stock-take what the school does • Evaluate the effectiveness of the existing measures Free template from www.brainybetty.com

46. Example Evaluation: use of TBL in classroom teaching is effective as Ss can learn in a contextualized and meaningful way. Their results in reading comprehension are better. Keep Free template from www.brainybetty.com

47. Example Evaluation: Many Ss just flip over the pages without reading seriously. Improve Regular sharing will be arranged for Ss to share what they read Free template from www.brainybetty.com

48. Example Students are weak in English as a result of poor foundation. They lack interest/motivation in learning English and so they have little confidence in using English. Students do not have exposure to English outside school as they do not have the family support in learning English. How weak?  Half the Ss get under 50% in TSA writing  Weak in writing  Weak in generating ideas as seen in Ss’ work and observed by Ts Free template from www.brainybetty.com

49.  Action plan • Specific objective • Particular focus as an entry point and then develop related focuses Free template from www.brainybetty.com

50. To improve students’ writing abilities Improve the writing curriculum Improve the quality of writing Improve the teaching of writing Objective To improve students’ English standard Free template from www.brainybetty.com