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”,
