English Enhancement Grant Scheme for Primary Schools School-based Implementation Plan School Name: C.U.H.K. F.A.A. Thomas Cheung School (English) Application No.: B 017 (for official use) (A) General information: 1. No. of English teachers in the regular staff establishment (excluding the NET): 8 2. No. of approved classes in 2010/2011 school year: P.1 P.2 P.3 P.4 P.5 P.6 Total No. of approved classes 3 2 2 2 2 2 13 3. No. of operating classes in 2010/11 school year: (if different from the no. of approved classes) P.1 P.2 P.3 P.4 P.5 P.6 Total No. of operating classes 4. Programme(s)/ project(s) implemented or support service(s) received at present: (more rows can be added if needed) Name of programme/ project / support service e.g. PLP - R/W level e.g. P.1-3 Focus(es) of programme/ project/ support service e.g. reading and writing External support e.g. NET Section 1. PLP-R/W P.1-2 Reading and Writing NET Section P. 1
Name of programme/ project / support service e.g. PLP - R/W level e.g. P.1-3 Focus(es) of programme/ project/ support service e.g. reading and writing External support e.g. NET Section 2. PLP-R P.3 Reading NET Section 3. Developing different writing tasks to enhance students writing skills and motivation to learn English at key stage 2 P.6 Writing EDB English Language Support (B) SWOT analysis related to the learning and teaching of English 1 : Strengths 1. Collaborative and sharing culture developed through effective use of co-planning lesson time 2. Supportive school head 3. Enthusiastic coordinators and teachers 4. A full time NET offered good English teaching and innovation to English panel 5. The panel members have good experience in co-teaching and co-planning 6. English teachers have experience in teaching reader s theatre to small group students 7. School students participate in speech festival every school year Weaknesses 1. Students have low motivation in learning English language at school 2. Insufficient English-based activities to encourage students using English at school 3. Teachers lack the time and experience to design and plan for a new and innovative curriculum Opportunities 1. Raise students interest and encourage students to take part in English activities 2. Provide a small-class environment in P.4 - P.6 which help in creating more space for cultivating independent learning inside class 3. Teachers could learn new teaching methods to increase students attention 4. Teachers learn and design new curriculum plans, help to approach a diversity of students Threats 1. Downsizing of the school 2. Pressure from parents as they demand better English results by their children 1 P. 2
4. 25% of students are SEN. Lack of parents support in English study 5. With a wide range of learner diversity (e.g. SEN and NAC) in all levels 6. Students are weak in critical thinking, listening, comprehending and expressing 7. Lack of exposure in different Language Arts (e.g. Drama) 8. The full time NET of the school does not have sufficient time to give support in teaching English to all 6 levels of students. 3. Competition from neighboring schools 4. Based on TSA results, internal school assessments and classroom performances, students are weak in English speaking and listening (C) Based on the SWOT analysis, what is / are the focus(es) of the school s proposed English enhancement measure(s) 2 Areas for improvement Focus Proposed measure(s) to be funded by EEGS Encourage students to get more exposure to English environment Enhance students speaking and listening skills Build up students confidence in using English through participating in small group speech, drama, poems, storytelling, or other related performances in which all students will have an opportunity to perform Enhance teachers capacity of using language arts to teach English Improve English teachers skills in teaching through school-based workshops Develop more suitable, sustainable, balanced and coherent school-based curriculum, and to develop effective learning, teaching and assessment tasks and activities English speaking and listening skills English speech and presentation skills Drama-in-education Reader s theatre To integrate language art teaching into the school-based curriculum To organize related PD workshops for teachers who will try out the new strategies learnt during lessons To employ a native English speaking teacher to provide more opportunities for language use and to enhance students confidence in speaking English To assist SEN students in achieving better English listening and speaking skills to facilitate their learning To develop a school-based curriculum and tailor teaching materials for individual differences To provide a small class environment and give more support in language teaching to SEN students 2 P. 3
(D) How to implement the proposed measure(s): b. Topics: Proposed measures 2012-2013 Learning English through reader s theatre, English poems and songs 2013-2014 Learning English through speech and presentation and language arts lessons c. Expected qualification and experience of the consultants: - a native speaking and qualified teacher - a degree holder major in teaching language arts - relevant experience in teaching language arts in primary schools The provider must own the copyright of all the training and reference materials and the school will share the copyright without recurrent costs after the service period. 1. To hire language arts consultant to organize related PD workshops for teachers to try out the new strategies learnt during lessons a. Total no. of hours: All 2012-2013 All English teachers: - The new developed 20 hours English (totally 10 hours: 4 curriculum will be used teachers in the following years. 2.5-hour teacher workshops) -2 workshops in Oct., Dec., 2012 and -2 workshops in Feb., April 2013 2013-2014 (totally 10 hours: 4 2.5-hour teacher workshops) -2 workshops in Oct., Dec., 2013 and -2 workshops in Feb., April 2014 - Equip all English teachers with rationales and teaching techniques for drama and reader s theatre so as to prepare them for the implementation of the program in the newly developed school-based curriculum. - Teacher s teaching skills will be improved - Teachers teaching skills in enhancing pupils speaking and listening abilities will be improved. - The valuable experience to conduct the newly developed curriculum is sustainable and helpful for teachers in future. Teacher self-evaluation forms will be filled out. Teacher assessment forms will be conducted by professional consultant. Teacher observation report will be prepared by the consultant. Workshops will be videotaped and used for new teachers to ensure sustainability. All materials will be stored in school databank for reuse. P. 4
P. 5 Proposed measures targeting at P.4 - P.6 students. Certain stories in the course-books and extra copies of storybooks will be used. (b) The materials will be related to the modules of the course-book. (c) Frequency of co-planning: School teachers will meet the consultant and co-plan weekly (9 weeks in 1 st term & 9 weeks in 2 nd term) (We have 8 lessons of English in a week. Usually we have two to three week to teach one unit. The language arts curriculum will be integrated with GE and reading curriculum. Certain vocabulary and sentence structures will be taught 2014 (P6) School English teachers and the native English speaking teacher level -Total no. of hours: 36 hrs (18 hours for P4; 18 hours for P5) -Topics: Reader s Theatre and English Poems & Songs appreciation for P.4 P.5 School year (2013-14): September to June 18 hours for co-planning periods for P.6 -Topics: Speech and presentation course with language art (drama) unit. Teaching materials will be developed to fit in the modules for each level. It is expected that the newly developed curriculum could cater for the learning diversity better. - The teaching assistant will support English teachers involved in this programme. He/She may need to act as a helper in the classroom when necessary. (2) To employ a language arts consultant and a teaching assistant to develop a new and school-based curriculum in collaboration with English teachers. (a) The language arts consultant will 2012- School year - 9 units of textbooks - The teaching materials The language arts help develop a reader s theatre, 2013 (2012-13): out of 6 modules. 9 developed will be kept consultant would for future use by school poems & songs appreciation and (P4, 5) September to June language arts have co-planning/ teachers and become our speech & presentation program in -Hour per level: lessons will be review meetings collaboration with local teacher 2013-18 hours for each new English curriculum. developed for each with local teachers - Our school will own the copyright of the materials. - Good practice will be identified through the review meeting and disseminated among all the English teachers by conducting in-house sharing. once per week to plan the speaking and reader s theatre class materials, teaching strategies and the lesson plan. Records of co-planning meetings will be kept. The panel head will monitor the performance of the teaching assistant.
Proposed measures during the language arts lessons. Therefore, we may have sufficient time to finish the new curriculum.) (drama) component incorporated (d) Role of local teachers in co-planning: School teachers need to discuss with the consultant and adapt the materials provided so that pupils learning diversity can be catered carefully. We will have a core leader of KS2 to monitor this programme. (e) Employment of a teaching assistant (TA): A TA will be employed to create space for core team to develop the language arts curriculum. (Duties of TA in this programme: -prepare teaching aids -type minutes of meetings and lesson plans -make charts -photocopy worksheets -take videos) P. 6
Proposed measures (3) Co-teaching Student workshops conducted by both the class teacher and the native speaking teacher. The class teacher needs to co-teach with the native speaking teacher during the workshop. School teachers need to interact with the native speaking teacher. During co-planning time, the consultant will give feedback to school teachers. It is expected that student workshops will be improved from time to time. - School teachers are expected to take up at least 50% of the teaching part. - 6 Try out lessons conducted within school timetable by school teachers to practice the skills. - This is included in the above student workshops. School teachers will try out 3 lessons in each term and the consultant will be the observer. Lesson evaluation will be held after the try out lesson during the co-planning time. 2012-2013 (P4, 5) 2013-2014 (P6) School year (2012-13): ( 18 double lessons. 9 lessons in first term, 9 lessons in second term ) -Topic: Reader s Theatre and English Poems & Songs appreciation for P.4 P.5-24 hours for 18 workshops per class - Total no. of hours: 96 hours School year (2013-14): September to June ( 18 double lessons. 9 lessons in first term, 9 lessons in second term ) - Students have more opportunities to use English language in the various activities. - Students interest in learning English will be aroused. - Students English speaking skill and confidence will be improved. - Students would have opportunities to contact native English speaker in an authentic way in the weekly speech and presentation, reader s theatre, English poems and songs appreciation lesson. Their interest in English - All the teaching materials provided or developed by school teachers and the native English speaking teacher, say the student handbook and worksheets can be re-used in English teaching in future without recurrent costs. The workshops will be conducted by teachers as part of the curriculum after the project years. - The materials will also be used as reference for the school teachers in creating school-based lesson planning and curriculum. - Students interest in learning English will be aroused which will help them to develop the self-learning skills. - School teachers capacity in teaching Keep records of the activities conducted and students participation. Regular discussion at panel meeting to review the implementation and effectiveness of the activities. Lesson observation by peers To track students improvement, their assessment results in the beginning of the term and term-end will be recorded and compared. There will also be a year-end evaluation on students change of P. 7
Proposed measures i. School year (2012-13) Topic: Reader s Theatre and English Poems & Songs appreciation for P.4 P.5 ii. School year (2013-14) Topic: Speech and presentation course with language art (drama) component incorporated for P.6 -Topic: Speech and presentation course with language art (drama) component incorporated for P6-24 hours for 18 workshops per class - Total no. of hours: 48 hours interest in English language would also be aroused due to the adoption of interactive teaching methods. - SEN students can learn from their peers and those adapted materials could help them enhance their interest and ability to read fluently and meaningfully. - Good practice will be identified through the review meeting and disseminated among all the English teachers by conducting in-house sharing. capacity in teaching speaking and reader s theatre will be enhanced through the collaboration with the native speaking teacher. - Through collaboration with local teachers, teachers will gain practical experience in designing and conducting the activities. They will be equipped with knowledge and skills of organizing such activities and hence empowered to conduct such activities on a regular basis in future. - Lesson evaluation after try out lessons will improve school teachers capacity in teaching those language arts so that school teachers are capable to continue the new developed curriculum. students change of attitude towards learning English. Regular review and peer lesson observation among teachers. Co-planning time will be scheduled in the timetable as far as possible. There will be video recordings of some of the lessons in the form of VCDs. There will be an individual report base on the students performance at the end of the course. All the performance will be videotaped for future reference. P. 8
Proposed measures Group report/ evaluation will be prepared by the native speaking teacher. English teachers will discuss students performance with the consultant during the co-planning. (4) An English Drama programme after the final exam as part of the new curriculum so that techniques learned from the former reader s theatre and language arts workshops can be practiced and consolidated. - The programmme will be implemented within class time. Probably, 16 lessons in two weeks after the final exam will be allocated in the time- table. - Students need to further improve their skills from the students workshops. They have to articulate 2012-13 P.4 P.5 (4 classes) 2013-14 P.6 (2 classes) School year (2012-13): - In June 2013, P.4 & P.5 students will have drama practice during all English lessons in the two weeks following the final exam as part of our normal curriculum. 10 hours x 4 classes = 40 hours - Mini drama performance by each class of students - Students will learn how to enrich their communication with the various language arts learned. - Students will share and appreciate - Lessons will be videotaped by the school for future reference. - School teachers will also involve in training students for the drama programme. They can obtain techniques such as drama rehearsing and script development which can be applied in their English teaching. - Scripts developed by the students can be re-used Students will be evaluated individually, base on their performance during the lesson and their final drama performance at the end. The language arts consultant will do the assessment. The language arts consultant and local teachers will design the assessment together. P. 9
Proposed measures their speech, remember scripts with proper expression and intonation. They have to react with their friends and so to practise their communication skills. They also express their appreciation of their friends performance. - School teachers will co-plan with consultant once per week, approximately one hour per time. - Different scripts/story for the different levels, the story will be developed by the students with the help of teachers. Same topic can be done in the future years or schools teachers can pick up other topics. - The workshop will be separated into three parts: (1) Introduction of the drama skills (2) Short story/script writing practice (3) Rehearsing and performance base on the story which the students developed School year (2013-14): - In June 2014, P.6 students will have drama practice during all English lessons in the two weeks following the final exam as part of our normal curriculum. 10 hours x 2 classes = 20 hours peers performance and improve their listening and speaking skills. or adapted for another play. - School teachers can practise what they have learned during the PD workshops when they co-teach with the native speaking teacher. - School teachers have to try out three lessons for the consultant to observe and comment so that they can enhance their confidence to conduct the drama programme in future. - The materials developed can be incorporated as part of the school curriculum in KS 2. The language arts consultant will prepare individual and group report as record of this programme. Some lessons will be videotaped for future reference. English teachers will co-plan with the consultant to design the content of the course and student evaluation setting. P. 10
Proposed measures - The purpose of conducting this programme is to practise student s English Listening, Speaking and Writing Skills through doing a drama performance. And it will also consolidate the skills students learnt from in-class student workshop. - Local teachers will observe every single lesson and co-teach with the native English speaking teacher. (E) Budget and cash flow Proposed measure(s) 1. Teacher s professional development workshop Justification of high hourly rate: The consultant will tailor a school based curriculum for the workshop. This will need more time, and the consultant must be with professional skills and experienced in developing materials that can suit specified requirements of the school. a. School year (2012-13): Theme: How to design and conduct reader s theatre and English poems & songs appreciation lessons Estimated cost 2012 /13 2013/14 Sub-total Funded by Funded by Funded Funded by EEGS by EEGS $22,000 $22,000 $44,000 P. 11
Proposed measure(s) Teaching Hour: 10 hours for 4 workshops b. School year (2013-14): Theme: How to design and conduct speech and presentation course with language art (drama) component incorporated Teaching Hour: 10 hours for 4 workshops 2. Co-planning with the native speaking teacher and Co-development of school-based curriculum (Hourly Rate: $1,000) a. School year (2012-13): Theme: Reader s Theatre and English Poems & Songs appreciation for P.4 P.5 Contact Hour: 18 hours per level, total 36 hours b. School year (2013-14): Theme: Speech and presentation course with language art (drama) component incorporated for p.6 Estimated cost 2012 /13 2013/14 Sub-total Funded by Funded by Funded Funded by EEGS by EEGS $36,000 $18,000 $54,000 Contact Hour: total 18 hours 3. Co-teaching Student workshop (Hourly Rate: $1,000) (3 lessons conducted by teachers with consultant s observation and feedback per term) a. School year (2012-13): Theme: $96,000 $48,000 $144,000 P. 12
Proposed measure(s) Reader s Theatre and English Poems & songs appreciation for P.4 P.5 Contact hour per class: 24 hours 12 hours/ 9 lessons in first term 12 hours/ 9 lessons in second term 2 classes per level and total 4 classes Total teaching hours: 96 hours b. School year (2013-14): Theme: Speech and presentation course with language art (drama) component incorporated for P.6 Contact hour per class: 24 hours 12 hours/ 9 lessons in first term 12 hours/ 9 lessons in second term 2 classes in total Total teaching hours: 48 hours 4 English Drama Programme (Hourly Rate: $1,000) Estimated cost 2012 /13 2013/14 Sub-total Funded by Funded by Funded Funded by EEGS by EEGS $ 40,000 $20,000 $60,000 P.4 & P.5 students (2012-13): 10 hours x 4 classes = 40 hours P.6 students (2013-14): 10 hours x 2 classes = 20 hours P. 13
Proposed measure(s) 5 Salary for a teaching assistant Estimated cost 2012 /13 2013/14 Sub-total Funded by Funded by Funded Funded by EEGS by EEGS $99,000 $8,100 $99,000 $8,100 $198,000 ($8,500 +MPF$425) x 24 months Total: $293,000 $8,100 $207,000 $8,100 $500,000 Reasons for having consultant to support every class in the same level: 1) Teaching English through language arts, especially reader theatre/ drama, is new for school teachers. School teachers need more support or training from the consultant throughout the school year. This will help the English teachers to develop full confidence in conducting the same program or apply the language skills in their English teaching in future school years. 2) The English ability/ student s learning ability is varied among different classes. The consultant is experienced and will help to develop different lesson plans/ teaching materials for different classes, and all the materials and lesson plans will be used by English teachers for future reference. 3) This will help to provide a Native English speaking environment for all the students. Thus every class can have chance to practise their English speaking and listening with the assistant from the Native consultant. P. 14