Making Use of Assessment Data for English Language Curriculum Planning

Making Use of Assessment Data for English Language Curriculum Planning 15 December 2006 English Language Education Section Curriculum Development Institute Education & Manpower Bureau

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 Planning and Developing the School-based English Language Curriculum

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 • Adopting a cross-curricular approach • Promoting assessment for learning

Assessment data Useful feedback to students Revised expectations Interpreting Observing Improved teaching plans Improved teaching strategies Effective learning Analyzing Impetus for learning Collecting Assessment for Learning? Reflection

Experience Sharing • School A - strengthening the development of reading skills - promoting cross-curricular learning - creating a language-rich environment • School B - designing better listening tasks - providing more opportunities for the meaningful use of English through task-based learning and teaching • School C - leading the English panel - facilitating professional development

School A Learning needs identified • Students need more challenging questions to further develop their higher-order thinking skills • Students need to be exposed to a greater variety of text types to enrich their writing • Students need more practice to enhance their speaking skills in authentic situations

Focus in Curriculum Planning • Strengthening the development of reading skills in reading workshops • Promoting cross-curricular learning • Creating a language-rich environment

Development of Reading Skills • Implement the PLPR programme - help pupils develop a positive attitude towards reading - expose students to a range of text types • Use effective questioning techniques in reading workshops to help students develop: - reading skills - critical thinking skills and creativity

Cross-curricular Learning • Promote the integration of language skills • Expose students to a range of text types • Provide students with more coherent learning experiences • Encourage collaboration across different KLAs

Creating a Language-rich Environment • Speak to students in English inside and outside the classroom • Encourage students to interact with one another in English inside and outside the classroom • Introduce the English Super Kids Scheme • Set up the English Garden • Display target vocabulary and language structures on the learning wall

School B Learning needs identified: • Students need more challenging tasks to enhance their listening skills • Students need a greater variety of tasks to consolidate their language skills through meaningful use of language

Focus in Curriculum Planning • Designing better listening tasks • Providing more opportunities for the meaningful use of English through task-based learning and teaching

Module: Knowing Our Teachers Listening to a description about a new teacher (Listening) Reading a description about the new teacher (Reading) Interviewing classmates about their favourite teachers (Speaking) Interviewing own favourite teacher (Speaking) Writing an article on ‘My favourite teacher’ (Writing) Adopt a task-based approach Promote the integration of skills Provide scaffolding

Module: Knowing Our Teachers • Listening skills: • listen for specific information • understand connection • between ideas • 3. make inferences Listening to a description about a new teacher (Listening)

Module: Knowing Our Teachers Text: Description about people (organization of the text) Grammar: 1. Use the simple present tense to describe habitual actions and to express interests 2. Use the present perfect tense to relate past events to the present Reading a description about the new teacher (Reading)

Module: Knowing Our Teachers Vocabulary: different kinds of hobbies Grammar: 1. Use the simple present tense to describe habitual actions and to express interests 2. Use the present perfect tense to relate past events to the present Interviewing classmates about their favourite teachers (Speaking) Interviewing their favourite teachers (Speaking)

Module: Knowing Our Teachers Vocabulary: different kinds of hobbies Grammar: 1. Use the simple present tense to describe habitual actions and to express interests 2. Use the present perfect tense to relate past events to the present Writing an article on ‘My favourite teacher’ (Writing)

Scaffolding • From listening and reading to writing: the input from the listening and reading texts provide the ideasfor writing • The reading text provides a model for the structure of the writing and helps pupils to organize their ideas • The grammar practice on the target language items and structures in the GE programme and the speaking task provides the necessary language support for the writing task

School C The English panel heads take aleading rolein facilitatingcoordination of work andcollaboration among panel members as well as monitoring the implementation of the curriculum by: • working closely with level coordinators to ensure coordination, coherence in planning and collaboration among teachers teaching the same year level and across year levels, especially in the choice and design of learning and teaching content and materials 21

Leading the English Panel • Share directions and keep pace with the latest developments • Ensure a balanced and coherent school-based curriculum • Build a collaborative culture • Attend and lead the collaborative lesson preparation sessions of different levels at the initial stage as a resource person and a model • Demonstrate flexible adaptation of textbooks & • selection of suitable tasks from different resources • Input ideas on quality learning & teaching

Facilitating Professional Development Encourage sharing of knowledge, ideas, experiences and good practices • In-house workshops • Collaborative lesson preparation • Regular sharing sessions • Peer lesson observation • Teacher reflection 23

English Language Education Section Curriculum Development Institute Ms Emilie Tong Tel. no.: 2892 6571 Ms Carol Pang Tel. no.: 2892 6569

Thank You

Making Use of Assessment Data for English Language Curriculum Planning