Using TSA Data to Enhance Curriculum Planning

1. Using TSA Data to Enhance Curriculum Planning English Language Education Section Curriculum Development Institute Education Bureau 22 November 2007

2. For details about the KS3 BC Descriptors, please visit: http://cd1.edb.hkedcity.net/cd/eap_web/bca/index3.htm

3. KS3 Listening Basic Competency Descriptors (TSA Report 2007, p. 215)

4. Item Description (Listening) Poem (What a Day!) Play (Credit Cards) Conversation (Cowboys) Speech Speech Speech Poster, Chart (Charity Run) Poster, Chart (Charity Run) Poster, Chart (Charity Run) Multiple choice, Short answer Multiple choice Multiple choice, Sequencing Gap filling, Multiple choice Gap filling, Multiple choice Gap filling, Multiple choice

5. General Comments (Listening) • Identify the emotional intent of speakers from the tone • Extract specific information • Make simple inferences • Comprehend the main ideas from verbal cues • Integrate and combine information in listening and • reading

6. Suggestions for Enhancing Students’ Listening Skills 9EL1, Part 1, Q.5 & Q.6 Language Features Sound patterns: Rhymes Tapescript: What a Day! (By Dave Lee) [My throat hurts a lot My forehead is hot My shoulder is stiff And so is my neck] Q.5 (29.5%) In stanza 1, ‘lot’ and ‘hot’ are two rhyming words. Listen to stanza 3 and find a pair of rhyming words. ________ and ________ Q.6 (43.4%) Listen to stanza 4 and find a pair of rhyming words. ________ and ________ [Lying in bed, feeling very sore I just can’t read anymore. Another day off, I should get better And hopefully I’ll feel much fitter] [Still not well, the very next day It’s a horrible feeling, what more to say? One last tip or little trick Stay healthy, Do what you can to never get sick] [I can’t eat any food Can’t even drink soup I drink lots of water But it doesn't seem to help] How to help students develop their sensitivity to sound patterns? • Explicit teaching of sound patterns through: • phonics and exposure to a variety of text types • listening to and reading aloud texts and target items

7. Suggestions for Enhancing Students’ Listening Skills 9EL1, Part 1, Q.4 Strategies Identify main ideas and infer feelings of the speaker Tapescript: What a Day! (By Dave Lee) [My throat hurts a lot My forehead is hot My shoulder is stiff And so is my neck] [Lying in bed, feeling very sore I just can’t read anymore. Another day off, I should get better And hopefully I’ll feel much fitter] What kind of day is the writer having? (60.5%) A. a hot day B. a lucky day C. a lazy day D. a bad day [Still not well, the very next day It’s a horrible feeling, what more to say? One last tip or little trick Stay healthy, Do what you can to never get sick] [I can’t eat any food Can’t even drink soup I drink lots of water But it doesn't seem to help] What strategies do students need to develop? • Using semantic and syntactic clues • Recognising the tone of voice expressed by speakers How to help students develop these strategies? • Exposure to a variety of text types through listening • Highlighting the strategies to students

8. KS3 Reading Basic Competency Descriptors (TSA Report 2007, p.216)

9. Item Description (Reading) Poem (A Busy Day) Article (The Land Down Under) Poem (A Busy Day) Expository text (Treasure Island) Expository text (Treasure Island) Article (Community Weekly) Film review (Dr. Chan Lam) Article (Community Weekly) Film review (Dr. Chan Lam) Multiple choice, Short answer Multiple choice Multiple choice, Short answer Multiple choice Multiple choice Multiple choice, Short answer Multiple choice, Short answer Multiple choice, Short answer Multiple choice, Short answer

10. General Comments (Reading) Students with Minimally Acceptable Levels of Basic Competence are able to: • Identify key words and deduce information • Identify supporting details for main ideas • Identify specific information • Analyse and integrate relevant points from one • or more than one text • Identify rhyming words

11. Suggestions for Enhancing Students’ Reading Skills 9ER1, Part 1, Q.6 & 9ER3, Part 1, Q.6 Working out the meaning of unknown words Reading Strategies Why does the writer use the word ‘bliss’ (line 21) in the last stanza? He is _______________. (59.7% & 60.0%) I am in a state of bliss Where gentle breezes kiss my smiling face Away from time and the school day Twinkling stars lead my way To lovely dreams so far away. A. angry B. excited C. happy D. nervous How to help students work out the meaning of unfamiliar words? • Using semantic clues to identify the appropriate meaning

12. Suggestions for Enhancing Students’ Reading Skills 9ER1, Part 2, Q.7 & 9ER2, Part 2, Q.7 Using a dictionary to find out about meaning Look at the word ‘log’ in line 19. Now, look at the dictionary entry for ‘log’ below. Which meaning represents the word in line 19? (44.5% & 45.0%) ‘When pirates went on their journeys, their ship’s captain kept a log. Thishelped them to remember the places the ship had visited, important things that happened, unusual weather conditions and other information.’ log n [C] 1. a piece of wood 2. a written record of a trip 3. a tool to measure the speed of a ship 4. a record of messages sent or received What are the dictionary skills students need to develop? • Recognising dictionary conventions • Using semantic and syntactic clues to identify the appropriate meaning How to help students develop their dictionary skills? • Explicit teaching of dictionary skills • Providing opportunities for application

13. Suggestions for Enhancing Students’ Reading Skills 9ER2, Part 1, Q.8 Making inferences Reading Strategies According to the passage, what is the difference between Australian and Hong Kong seafood? (40.5%) Best loved by Hong Kong visitors is Australia’s seafood. It is fresh, plentiful and, best of all, is usually cheaper than in Hong Kong. A. freshness B. quantity C. quality D. price How to help students establish links between ideas? • Using syntactic clues to locate relevant information • Using knowledge of word association

14. A. The music concerts should be stopped forever. B. The public should care about the elderly. C. The music concerts should continue. D. No loudspeakers should be used. Suggestions for Enhancing Students’ Reading Skills 9ER2, Part 3A (37) & 9ER3, Part 2, Q.8 Reading Strategies Understanding different views and attitudes What does the writer think about the concert? (47.4% & 48.6%) Now, it is true that not everyone likes the music played by Chandra’s group. However, many people enjoy coming to the park to sing. In fact, since most of the people are elderly, it is wonderful entertainment for them every day of the week. Unfortunately, due to a few complaints, the music and singing must now stop. What do you think? How to help students infer the writer’s views and attitudes? • Using semantic and syntactic clues • words that indicate the author’s negative feelings towards the complaints • words that indicate the author’s positive feelings towards the concert

15. KS3 Writing Basic Competency Descriptors (TSA Report 2007, p.217)

16. Item Description (Writing) Text Type: Letter Text Type: Letter Text Type: Email Task: Convincing a student to stop smoking Task: Explaining the choice of pet and how to look after it Task: Planning for weekend activities Input: Letter received, framework of the reply Input: Pictures, ideas, framework of the letter Input: Pictures, keywords

17. General Comments (Writing) Students with Minimally Acceptable Levels of Basic Competence are able to: • Provide some relevant content • Provide some details to support ideas • Use familiar vocabulary • Use simple language patterns despite some • minor spelling and grammatical errors • Use appropriate paragraphing • Use simple connectives and sequencers within • paragraphs • Use some basic features • correct format (letter/ email) • salutation and closing appropriate to the context (letter/ email)

18. 9EW3, Student Work Sample (TSA Report 2007, p.223) Writing • making use of some pictorial cues • and key words play games (badminton/football) have a BBQ take photos

19. 9EW3, Student Work Sample (TSA Report 2007, p.223) Writing The student can provide relevant content and develop ideas by: • describing relevant weekend activities ‘have a birthday party’, ‘play computer games’, ‘watch films’, ‘play card games’ • describing the activities and providing • details in terms of ‘who’, ‘where’ & • ‘when’ ‘for Kitty’, ‘at my home’, ‘at 11:30 a.m. at Sha tin KCR station’, ‘at 12:30’ • giving reasons ‘because that day is her birthday, therefore we will celebrate with her…’, ‘because we want to give her suprise’ • giving examples ‘such as play badminton and football’

20. Suggestions for Enhancing Students’ Writing Skills 9EW3, Student Work Sample (TSA Report 2007, p.223) • describing feelings Para 1 ‘We haven’t seen each other for a long time. I really miss you!’ Para 2 ‘I’m sure you won’t feel bored.’ Para 3 ‘I guess she will be moved to tears.’ Para 4 ‘You will surely be happy to meet a lot of old friends.’

21. 9EW3, Student Work Sample (TSA Report 2007, p.223) Writing The student can use familiar vocabulary by: • referring to the key words provided ‘have a BBQ’, ‘play badminton and football’, ‘take photos’ • expanding on familiar vocabulary ‘a birthday party’ ‘will celebrate’, ‘a birthday cake’, ‘give her suprise’, ‘have enough time to prepare the food’

22. 9EW3, Student Work Sample (TSA Report 2007, p.223) Suggestions for Enhancing Students’ Writing Skills • using lexical substitution • use of synonyms ‘party’ - gathering, ‘birthday’ - big day • use of pronouns ‘birthday party’ - it • enhancing lexical richness • use of adjectives • use of adverbs • expanding noun phrases ‘On Sunday, we will have a surprise birthday party for our lovely good friend, Kitty…’ ‘… to spend an exciting weekend with friends.’ ‘The party will start at 12:30 sharp.’

23. 9EW3, Student Work Sample (TSA Report 2007, p.223) Writing The student can use a range of language patterns to: • present future plans ‘On Sunday, we will have a birthday party.’ ‘After eating the food, we will play computer games, watch films and play card games.’ • extend invitations ‘I hope you will join us.’ • make suggestions ‘If you want to take photos, you can bring your camera.’

24. 9EW3, Student Work Sample (TSA Report 2007, p.223) Suggestions for Enhancing Students’ Writing Skills The student can improve the writing by: • using a greater range of tenses / • language patterns to • indicate various degrees of certainty about the future ‘The party starts (will start) at 12:30.’ ‘…we are going to buy(will buy) a birthday cake…’ ‘…(therefore) we are celebrating (will celebrate) with her.’ • make suggestions ‘Let’s meet(We will meet) at 11:30 a.m.’ ‘Why don’t you(I hope you have time to) join us?’ ‘After eating (the food),what about(we will) playingcomputer games,watchingfilms and playingcard games?’

25. 9EW3, Student Work Sample (TSA Report 2007, p.223) Writing The student can organise ideas by: • using adequate paragraphing • introduction (to state the purpose) • two paragraphs (to present the activities) • ending (to extend an invitation) • presenting the activities • chronologically ‘On Saturday’ ‘On Sunday’ • using simple connectives and • sequencers ‘if’, ‘because’,‘therefore’, ‘so’ ‘then’, ‘after’

26. Suggestions for Enhancing Students’ Writing Skills 9EW3, Student Work Sample (TSA Report 2007, p.223) Organisation The student can improve the writing by: • providing coherent links across • paragraphs Para 2 ‘On Saturday, we want to have a BBQ…’ Para 3 ‘After some outdoor activities on Saturday, we will have some indoor activities on the next day. On Sunday…’ Para 4 ‘Are you interested in the activities I plan for this weekend? I hope…’

27. 9EW3, Student Work Sample (TSA Report 2007, p.223) Writing The student can use salient features of an email by: • applying the correct format ‘Dear Amy,’ (to begin the email) ‘Best wishes, Sandy’ (to end the email) • adopting a friendly tone for a personal • email • beginning the email with a question ‘Do you have any free time in the weekend?’ • ending the letter with her first name ‘Sandy’ • use of pronouns ‘I’, ‘we’, ‘you’

28. 9EW3, Student Work Sample (TSA Report 2007, p.223) Suggestions for Enhancing Students’ Writing Skills • including more salient features • such as • contracted forms ‘We will’ - ‘We’ll’ ‘One thing is missing’ - ‘One thing’s missing’ • language patterns to enhance interactions ‘Let’s play football together this Saturday.’ ‘Why don’t we organise a party for Kitty?’

29. General Suggestions for Enhancing Students’ Writing Skills Students can understand the task requirement better by highlighting key words in the questions. You are planning to spend the weekend with your friend. Write an e-mail about the activities you would like to do with him/her. Using the pictures below and/or your own ideas, write an e-mail to your friend in about 150 words.

30. General Suggestions for Enhancing Students’ Writing Skills using mind maps. Students can organise their writing by

31. General Suggestions for Enhancing Students’ Writing Skills Students can improve their own writing by using a process approach. • Focusing on a specific area • Reflecting on their own weaknesses • Evaluating their own work • Revising/ editing their own work

32. Thank You!