Monday 24 October 2011

English Language Education, Key Learning Area

Activity: analyse an innovative case and identify roles adopted by students. Then present your case highlighting the role of students and perceived degree of innovativeness of the case.


In the case of “English Language Education, Key Learning Area”, it mainly tells us about making an innovation in students’ English reading and writing skills so that they can better learn and improve. In the Buddhist Wisdom Primary School in Hong Kong, there is a group of teachers working together to design extensive learning activities for students, such as Literacy Programme, Guided Reading Programme, and Super Readers’ Club. With using the multi-sensory activities, students felt motivated and became more interested in reading. The photo 1 indicates their passion of reading books after joining in a variety of activities.
photo 1

Abut the Roles adopted by students, before the activities launching, they thought that reading was quite boring, and  their study mode was quite passive. After making change now, they become self-motivators, helpers and active knowledge explorers. In the Reading Mentorship Programme, senior form students volunteer to help junior form students with their reading. Besides, with the co-teaching culture in the school, they learned to share skills and knowledge with one another. After the implementation of innovation in teaching students English language, every student seems to become a great writer and good commenter, who knows how to show appreciation of others' work. For example, we can see the photo 2, where everything they write are “published”. On the desk are some colourful “publications”, bound together with cheerful plastic covers designed by students themselves.
photo 2

Through the reading improvement programme, students are provided with rich language input and connected to a world of alternative experiences, thus enriching students’ personal development and world knowledge. The impact are that they found the skills acquired in the new way of language teaching (i.e. mind mapping, brainstorming and discussion of ideas) realy helped them to read and learn more expressively. Students also enjoyed the writing lessons, conferencing and drafting and were more excited to share their finished products with others.


However, About the perceived degree of innovativeness,it is still relatively low and needs improvement. First, the co-teaching mode requires a lot of work, and is very time-consuming“. Teachers have to squeeze time between classes or breaks to plan and discuss the lessons. As a result, it is very challenging for both teachers and students. Besides, technology develops rapidly today, but this change seems to be a little remote from ICT innovation. So, the teachers may need to figure out some technical aspects in improving students’ learning, and think how this innovation in technology can help students to reach their expected target.


Sources and References:
“English Language Education, Key Learning Area”,

5 comments:

  1. I am not a language teacher, but I also agree that teaching and learning language is difficult.

    Writing is the most complicated part in the process of language learning, as it requires all-round abilities, such as vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, etc. The first thing that a teacher need to do is to arouse their interest in doing this. In this pedagogy, the teachers should have done it successfully.

    I have heard of another similar case, in which teachers are asking students to write their own novels / short stories. Teacher will choose one of them, and pick it to be the storyboard in the drama lesson. I think this is also a good start to motivate students to work hard in their work.

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  2. In this case, teachers successfully extended reading to all levels. They have provided students with rich language input and connected them to a world of alternative experiences, thus enriching students’ personal development and world knowledge.

    As to students in this case, they do more than simply reading or writing. In the Reading Mentorship Programme, senior from students volunteer to help junor from students with their reading, and al the students can recommend books to their classmates. And in the writing course, conferencing with the teacher and end product “publications” are special segments. The roles adopted by students are motivated learners, the selfdirected leaners and appreciators.

    post by Cissy

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  3. The pedagogy is mainly raising students' interests by collaboration.

    One more example I have heard before is a joint subject learning activity between Technology and Living (formerly known as Home Economics) and Computer Subject. Students are asked to produce blog by putting text, photos, videos, etc on their learning blog after the cooking done in T&L class. Students can share and collaborate through the blog, and can comment on the creativity and success of the dishes.

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  4. One thing impressed me is that no matter how innovative the practice or pedagogy is in this case, Hong Kong English teachers do have realized the importance of students’ autonomy and learning awareness and try to motivate students’ participation into the learning process.

    However, I do agree with Ricky’s idea that per the degree of innovativeness, there is still space for improvement. As from the documents about the case, I feel that the innovation practice is more at the surface level in which students work as groups or workshops. But concerning how teacher would give instruction and real teaching scenario, there was no detailed descriptions. While, this is the real teaching methods that makes a big difference.

    In terms of students’ role, I am wondering even motivated about reading via workshop, achievements show, to what extend can they be autonomy about their learning. As if inside the workshop, teachers are still adopting ‘teacher-centered’ way of teaching, while they will make whole decision about the learning process, to what extend can the ‘innovation’ differs from normal classroom teaching, except the fact that they are in smaller class size.
    ________________________
    By Liu, Feifei

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  5. Nice to read an example of language learning here! Since I once worked as an English teacher, I think the example makes sense to motivate students to explore by themselves. Also, I don't think innovation has to be tech-relatted especially in certain environments. Although writing online may be more productive, what students really need is feedback and improvements rather than quantity of practices.
    Thanks for your sharing this case!

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