Enhancing Gifted Student Learning - A Portfolio-Based English Programme

1. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. An English Gifted Programme “Write Out Of The Box” (2004 – 2005)

2. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. Background: ☺ A seed project with the Gifted Education Section ☺ An implementation of gifted education policy by running school-based gifted development programmes

3. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. Aims ☺ To enhance gifted students’ creativity and critical thinking abilities by piloting pull-out enrichment programmes in student English learning ☺ To pilot school-based selection procedures for the high ability students in English (student learning)

4. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. ☺ To enhance teachers’ professionalism and promote a community of expertise and learning among English teachers (professional growth of teachers) ☺ To foster school development (application of student portfolio)

5. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. Level of the target students : P5 No. of students : 16 No. of lessons : 8 Duration : 1 hour Teachers involve : Miss Lo M Y, Miss Tang L S. Miss Wong Y C, Miss Ho H Y Dates of Classes : 3/2, 24/2, 10/3, 14/4, 28/4,12/5,26/5, 2/6 Showcase : 8/7

6. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. Outline of the programme contents:

7. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. Methods of selecting gifted children: ☺ Nomination by subject teachers according to: 1. academic result 2. observation and comments on students skills like: collaboration, critical thinking and creativity ☺ Assessment : selection task

8. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. How to assess students progress? ☺ Pre-test ☺ Post-test ☺ Student portfolios

9. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. Pre-test (Selection Task) “ Three Little Raindrops”

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12. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. Post-test “Three Little Pigs: (new version)

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17. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. A students portfolio ☺ A purposeful collection of student work that tells the story of the students’s efforts, progress, or achievement in a given area. This collection must include student participation in selection of portfolio content; the guidelines for selection the criteria for judging merit; and evidence of student refection. (Arter and Spandel 1992, P.36)

18. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. The portfolio process ☺ It is not the simple collection of work into a folder. ☺ It is an ongoing process if observations, assessments, collaboration and dialogues. ☺ It is a process which involves dialogues: ♀ in the students ♀ among students ♀ between the student and the teacher ♀ between the student and family ♀ among the student, the student’s family and the teacher

19. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. Reading portfolios ☺ The portfolios should contain a variety of texts produced by the student that exhibit the student’s response, understanding, and reflection on the materials that she has read.

20. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. Example of collected items: ☺ reading lists ☺ illustrating story frames (e.g. drawing the story board) ☺ story retelling (e.g. bubble map, free writing) ☺ reading goals sheet ☺ artwork, mind maps etc ☺ self-assessment / peer-assessment

21. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. Writing portfolios ☺ Pieces can be selected to demonstrate specific characteristics of writing, examples of different genres, writing used in various curriculum projects, personal responses to reading, or change over time.

22. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. Examples of collected items ☺ writing lists ☺ writing record / log ☺ drafts, revisions, final copies ☺ writing goals sheet ☺ self-assessment / peer- assessment ☺ Teacher conference notes

23. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. Difficulties / Limitation ☺ The length of each lesson is not long enough ☺ The number of lessons is insufficient ☺ Lack of experience ☺ The overall plan is too brief ☺ Lack of time for preparation of the showcase ☺ Student are not familiar with the goals setting

24. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. Recommendation ☺ Extend the duration of each lesson from one hour to one and a half hours ☺ Extend the number of lessons from 8 & 10 ☺ More planning is needed to improve better linking between lessons ☺ Modification is needed according to the students’ progress and ability ☺ Goal setting should be guided by teachers closely, therefore, grouping should be done before course started

25. Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School P.M. Findings ☺ Gifted students seem to do better in their thinking skills and creativity ☺ Students’ reading and writing skills are also enhanced ☺ The course effectively strengthen students’ confidence ☺ Parents reflect students build up reading interest and habit ☺ Teachers’ professionalism is promoted through collaboration ☺ Catering gifted students / underachievers will be one of our school policies