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Teaching Philosophy

Enabling students toEnabling students toexperience the real world inexperience the real world intheir English lessonstheir English lessons

▲ Left to right: Mr TOONG, Kevin Michael,Mr DRYSDALE, Matthew James, Ms HOKin-ling, Holly, Ms LUK Ka-yan,Chermaine, Ms WONG Hiu-ching, Rachel

"With the vision to provide quality educationand individual attention and care forstudents, Good Hope School has developedan integrated approach of teaching Englishin class, blending English Language,literature and drama together to providevarious creative platforms for the students toput textbook knowledge into practice. Thisteaching philosophy, coupled withstrategically-designed co-curricular activities,can allow students to learn throughexperience."

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Subjects taughtEnglish Language, English Drama,

English Literature (S1-6)

School

Good Hope School

Ms LUK Ka-yan,Chermaine

(Years of teaching: 12)

Mr DRYSDALE,Matthew James


Ms HO Kin-ling,Holly


Mr TOONG,Kevin Michael


Ms WONG Hiu-ching,Rachel


20142014 // 20152015 行政長官卓越教學獎薈萃行政長官卓越教學獎薈萃Compendium of the Chief Executive's Award for Teaching ExcellenceCompendium of the Chief Executive's Award for Teaching Excellence056

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Website:http://www.npc.edu.hk

Ms WONG Mei-chu

Tel: 2345 5633

Fax: 2341 8282

Email: [email protected]

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Raising students'English standard throughan effective languagecurriculum plan titled

"CHANCE"

Ways to Obtain Informationon the Teaching Practice

Contact

The awardees have led the English Panel in theschool to devise a six-stage plan to develop the basicEnglish competence of their students and raise Englishstandard in their CMI (Chinese as a medium ofinstruction) school since 2009. The design of their planis underpinned by a conceptual framework calledCHANCE (Confidence, Habit formation, Awareness,New experiences, Challenges, Empowerment), whichguides the setting of learning objectives for each stageof language development. The CHANCE frameworkhas succeeded in facilitating students' language learningand enhancing their English Language communicativecompetencies.

A range of well designed resources and teachingmaterials are used to develop students' confidence,encourage good habit formation, raise languageawareness and promote communicative languagelearning in the school. A reading culture is promotedby adapting different text types from various literary/imaginative sources to enable learners to acquireeffective reading skills and form good reading habits.The effective implementation of the school readingprogramme, establishment of classroom routinesconducive to good habit formation, and alearner-centred curriculum have succeeded in nurturingstudents to be capable of independent learning.Students learn and make progress according to theirabilities and pace, and make steady improvement intheir command of the English Language. An array ofextra-curricular activities is in place to give ampleopportunities for students to practise English inauthentic situations. Through the promotion ofintegrative use of language in various activities and awide range of learning experiences like the use of miniprojects and free writing/ journal writing, students'self-learning habits are nurtured and communicativecompetence enriched. Strategic planning and timelyimplementation of these effective learning activities notonly promote collaborative skills and co-operativelearning among students, but also enable students to

achieve personal, intellectual development and culturalunderstanding.

The teachers have succeeded in changing the schoolculture and devised exemplary teaching practices basedon their conceptual framework titled CHANCE.Through the continuous efforts of the teachers, a schoollanguage policy has gradually been formulated, inwhich the use of English is promoted both inside andoutside the classroom. The whole school approach topromote an integrated use of language through differentlearning experiences has proved to be effective insupporting students' language development. Theteachers are highly dedicated to their work and havedemonstrated excellent collaboration in building up amotivating learning environment that improves thequality of education for their students.

The awardees have been disseminating the school'sinitiatives and good practices to parents and the publicthrough forums and seminars. They work with staffmembers in their school to promote professionaldevelopment. Their efforts have led to a positive andharmonious school culture in which teachers workcollaboratively for a common goal.

▲ Students engagedin quality interaction

Each student hashis/her own learning

style, so the best way ofteaching English is toaddress the differentneeds of each learner.

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藝術講求創意與創

新，教導學生學習藝術，也要

千變萬化，迎合學生的程度與需

求。救恩書院視覺藝術科簡李麗池老師

致力於校園營造別開生面的藝術氛圍，整

個校園都佈滿學生作品，藉互相交流與觀

摩，讓學生彼此增進藝術造詣。她亦以

身作則，每年推出不同類型的視覺藝術

項目讓學生參與，題材層出不窮，

與藝術不斷創新的精神如出一

轍。

教教師師

專專訪訪



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Pleasurable, meaningful and productive languagelearning experience

"We do not want our students to memorisevocabulary, proverbs or idioms and regurgitate themon examination paper. Instead, we provide alanguage-rich environment with lots of activitiesinside and outside the classroom to encourage ourstudents to learn English in interactive ways,"according to Ms Chermaine Luk, the Head of GoodHope School's English Panel. She addedenthusiastically that in order to tap the potentials ofindividual students, the five awardees in the school puttheir heads together to develop a wide range ofco-curricular activities to integrate with the standardEnglish curriculum. These activities include theproduction of school publications, public speaking,debates, choral speaking, musical theatre and drama.The activities are designed with the element ofenjoyment and fun in mind to promote students' abilityin daily life communication.

"I think providing a broad variety of activities is themost important, so that students can make their ownchoices, and everyone has a chance to take part andexpress themselves," according to Mr Drysdale.

Catering for students of different abilitiesThe awardees believe that each student is unique

with their own talents and everyone acquires languageskills in different ways. In other words, the best wayof teaching English proficiency for a particular studentmay not work well for others. Therefore, the crux ofdesigning an English Language curriculum is to addressthe different needs of learners. For example, inactivities such as debate and public speaking, there

might be a chance that certain skilful presenters wouldtake up the centre stage and dominate speaking time,while the weaker ones are sidelined. To avoid this,

measures are in place to ensure activeparticipation of the whole class. "Weencourage shy students to take part ininter-class competitions. Fair chances arethere for everyone. An example on howthis is achieved can be found in our debateclasses," Ms Luk said.

"The debate content is tailor-made to fitinto our curriculum across all levels in theschool. Students take up different roles atdifferent times so that they can learn attheir own pace. The less outspokenstudents might be assigned with assistingroles to help prepare floor questions andpresent the research materials to thedebaters. Later on, these students willadvance to be speakers or debaters,assuming more important or leading rolesin competitions."

captions:opening ate57o:▲ Left to right: Mr TOONG,

Kevin Michael, Mr DRYSDALE, MatthewJames, Ms HO Kin-ling, Ms LUK Ka-yan,Chermaine, Ms WONG Hiu-ching, Rachel

ate57a: ▲ A competitive atmosphere at theInter-class Public Speaking Competition

ate57b: ▲ A student taking centre stage in theInter-class Debating Competition

ate57c: ▲ Getting into the role in their ownchoice of costume enhances students'performance in the Choral SpeakingCompetition

ate57d: ▲ So many books, so little time! Studentsmake a start at the annual Reading Festival

As a result of such a thoughtful arrangement, severalshy students have excelled in various public speakingcompetitions. "Even their own teachers are amazed byhow well they communicate. Imagine the confidenceboost that is given to the students!" said Mr Drysdale.In fact, most senior students would be equipped withcommunication skills and enriched vocabulary to takeon a "fight in words" on sophisticated topics or socialissues towards the end of their study at the school. Butthe strongest weapon they have acquired is confidence,that is the vital dynamo of winning a debate.

Synchronising language arts activitieswith the main English Language curriculum

"Five years ago, when we tried to incorporate dramainto the formal curriculum, we did encounter someteething problems. When we firstimplemented the drama curriculum,students often had to learn poems andshort stories that were not part of thecore curriculum; therefore they wouldhave to spend extra time and effort onthem," Ms Ho and Ms Wong explained.

After evaluating the situation, theteam decided to re-design the dramacurriculum to be based on short prose,novels and poems used in literaturelessons in the core curriculum. Nowstudents are able to adapt short storieslike Roald Dahl's "Lamb to theSlaughter" into a drama performancewithout needing to spend drama lessontime on comprehension exercises.While preparing for the dramaproduction, students are motivated toread reference materials and carry out characteranalysis in class. This instills passion among studentsto read literature in a more in-depth way, and kindlestheir genuine interest in reading.

Team work as the key to successAs the school celebrated its 60th anniversary last

October, the team of teachers and students staged the

musical production "Alice in Wonderland". "Thislarge-scale production became a showcase for dramaand public speaking that aspiring young performerswould look up to. The preparation and rehearsalsspanned over a year and a half. Both performers andbackstage crew members benefited from the experiencetremendously," said Mr Toong.

"Having the experience of playing differentcharacters in the drama definitely helps. Actingenables the students to develop empathy with thecharacters, which further enhances their appreciation ofthe authors' intention in literature works," Ms Lukexplained.

For the future, the panel of teachers is currentlyexploring the feasibility of transforming the classroominto a "court room". A "court room"? Yes, they planto add a mock trial into their English Language

curriculum. All these inspirational ideas aim atproviding chances for students to master English as asecond language, and at the same time, get acquaintedwith legal procedures and criminal justice process."There is always room for improvement!" Ms Lukconcluded enthusiastically. "We all are dedicated tothinking out of the box to try out new teaching methods,"she said with a big smile.

▲ Students are encouraged to make their own choice on the roles and costumes duringthe choral speaking competition.

▲ So many books, so little time! Students make a start at the annualReading Festival

◀ Demonstrating theircompetitive spirit atthe Inter-class PublicSpeaking Competition

▲A student taking centre stage in the Inter-class Debating Competition

▲Putting their heads together in a mind-mapping activity

Creating a holisticlanguage environment

The overarching philosophy of the English panel atHKUGA College is to provide students with a holisticlanguage education. We aim to prepare students notjust for the examinations, but for life outside school.We see English as a vital life skill, and our curriculumis designed to nurture students who are as confident inface-to-face communication and public speaking as theyare in reading and writing. All-round competency inthese skills gives students more opportunities in life.

We aspire to foster in students a love andappreciation for English in all its forms. We aspirealso to develop their creativity, communication skillsand co-operative learning skills that are essential in themodern world. Above all, we aspire to cultivatestudents who are eager and confident in using theirEnglish Language skills to actively engage in the worldaround them.

Characteristics of our school-based curriculumThe English curriculum is entirely school-based and

designed to cater for the needs and interests of ourstudents. All the units are thematically organised,covering all eight language arts and non-language artselectives over a six-year period. Each unit is centred

We are delighted and proud to have wonrecognition from this Award. We believe thatthe English programme at the College iseffective in stimulating and maintaining students'interest in learning English as well as providingthem with the necessary skills and confidence touse English in their everyday life, both duringtheir school years and beyond.

around interactive and purposeful tasks and projects sothat students are always using language with a clearpurpose and objective in mind. These tasks range fromprocess writing, oral presentations to large-scale groupprojects such as advertising (involving the creation,marketing and sale of a product) and film production(including scriptwriting, storyboarding, acting andfilming). These projects are completed in collaborationwith other panels, such as Technology & Living, Musicand Visual Art.

Nurturing intrinsic motivation and lifelong learnersA great deal of attention is paid on developing

intrinsic motivation: once students understand andappreciate how important and pleasurable learningEnglish can be, then lifelong learning can take place.The curriculum emphasises engaging learners ingenuine and authentic acts of communication. Anauthentic and natural English Language learningenvironment is created throughout the school. Thelearner-centred instruction enables students to take aninterest in and responsibility for their own learning.They approach their work with purpose and a strongsense of ownership. The interactive, collaborativenature of the task-based and project-work approach hasproven to be the most effective way in developinglearners’ interest, confidence and proficiency inEnglish, as reflected in the positive learning attitudeand good performance of our students.



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結語

能實踐一套整全的跨學科藝術教育，必須

有一個理想的教學環境、一位信任老師及

給予老師教學自主和空間的校長，及一群

充滿熱誠的教師。感謝上帝帶領我加入一

個這樣優秀的教學團隊—救恩書院；十多

年來，讓師生共同經歷不一樣的藝術教

育。

We are dedicated professionals whowork to make English lessons bothchallenging and accessible to allstudents. Coming from differentparts of the world, we bring with usa huge range of experience andexpertise, and we readily pass thisknowledge on to every student. Wealso aspire to create a positiveenviroment to immerse every student in aproductive learning process.

Fostering a lifelong interest in the English LanguageThe ultimate goal of English teaching at Good Hope

School is to develop a well-rounded English Languagecapability in our students. To this end students aregiven a rich array of learning opportunities both insideand outside the classroom.

An integrated approach combining EnglishLanguage, literature and drama education is adopted.Through this, we aim to develop in students theconfidence and capability to use the language. Moreimportantly, we hope to foster in our students a lifelonginterest and appreciation for English as both a learningtool and as a global language for communication andcreativity.

Across all levels, we aim to cultivate a self-learninghabit, and to develop students' sensitivity to languageuse and cultural differences. Through the holistic

provision of English co-curricular activities, includingSchool Publications, Public Speaking, Debating, ChoralSpeaking, Musical Theatre and Drama, and byproviding opportunities to serve the community, wetrain students to articulate personal responses, expressopinions, and demonstrate critical and analytical skillsin the English Language.

Developing students' talents in language artsWe contribute to the development of students via

two main threads: through the formal Englishcurriculum - i.e. classroom-based delivery of Englishlessons - and through co-curricular activities. We havehad significant successes in these two threadsindividually, but our most rewarding achievements havebeen in the integration of co-curricular activities into

the formal English curriculum. This hasbeen particularly notable in the areas ofMusical Theatre & Drama, Debating,Public Speaking, Publications andReading, which play important roles inthe language and whole-persondevelopment of the students at theschool.

We have been improving andexpanding the junior and senior EnglishDrama curricula to complement ourEnglish Language and English Literaturecurricula. We also strive to seek newways for our students to showcase theirtalents in performing arts and speech, aswell as finding new outlets for studentsto fully utilise their creative potential.

In particular, an integrated curriculum incorporatingEnglish Language, Literature and Drama has beenestablished. In English lessons, students intensivelystudy selected pieces of short prose, poetry and novels.Based on these texts, students are aided to attain adeeper level of understanding of their content. Forexample, they are given opportunities to establishempathy with the characters, or challenged to interpreta wide range of language and experience incontextualised settings. Futhermore, students areencouraged to invent their own additions to the text andcontent in their drama performances, through activitieslike scriptwriting, and insertion of original, authenticdialogue for use.

As we have witnessed significant improvement instudents' engagement with and understanding of settexts, as well as their confidence in using English, ourbelief that drama is an irreplaceable means of languageteaching has been further consolidated. By making anordinary language classroom more animated, it triggersstudents' interest in appreciating the language.

Encouraging participation for allAlongside Drama Education, Debating, Public

Speaking and Publications play complementary roles inGood Hope. There is a debating component in thecurriculum of each level, with the end goal of holdingan inter-class debating contest for each form. Bytailoring the debate topics to the curriculum, students'learning in those areas is reinforced, but now with theextra motivation of competition.

We work tirelessly to develop the diverse skillsinvolved in drama, debating, public speaking andpublishing in our students. Our teachers show studentswhat it takes to be a competent future leader with goodcommunication, interpersonal and self-managementskills by acting as their role models. More importantly,the English panel firmly believes that equalopportunities should be given to all students indeveloping their English proficiency. Conscious effortsare made to develop inclusive learning activities thatcan cater for students of all levels of ability. We feelso pleased and satisfied as all our students are activelyengaged in the process of learning and acquire animprovement not only in their command of English, butalso their character, communication andproblem-solving skills, as well as learning the values ofteamwork, commitment, self-discipline and leadership.

Throughout the years, we have helped our studentsto serve the community by teaching English to newimmigrants in Hong Kong and primary school childrenin Mainland China. The English panel trains studentsand conducts micro-teaching sessions to equip studentswith the skills necessary to deliver effective teaching.

▲Brainstorming ideas during process writing

◀ Students building up confidencein a debating group exercise

▼ Developing eloquence inoral presentation

▶ Flexible grouping canfacilitate the sharing of ideas

Over recent years, with the collaboration ofour colleagues and the enthusiasm of ourstudents, we have made a significant change tothe teaching and learning of English at GoodHope School. With dedication and commitment,we have worked together to ensure that thebroad range of co-curricular activities canintegrate seamlessly into the core Englishcurriculum to improve the quality of Englishlearning at our school.

Teachers'Teachers'SharingSharing


The awardees are a team of dedicated teachers, whohave developed a coherent, balanced and diversifiedschool-based English Language curriculum,incorporating drama, public speaking, and readingprogrammes to immerse learners in a productiveEnglish learning environment. An integrated teachingapproach with English literature and drama as its focusis adopted to extend language abilities of students tothe fullest. Reading habits are nurtured throughactivities such as extensive reading schemes, a readingfestival, "Battle of the Books" and literacy circles. Alanguage-rich environment is created in the school, sothat learners are provided with ample opportunities touse English for different communicative purposes. Alearner-centred approach in which students areencouraged to contribute to the learning process bysharing their views and learning experiences isembraced. Learners feel motivated to acquire Englishas a second language through a subconscious process ofacquisition. This is achieved by exposing learners tocarefully designed learning activities that engage themin group work or pair work for quality interaction andgenuine communication.

A wide range of life-wide learning experiences in theforms of extra-curricular and co-curricular activities areorganised for the students to widen their exposure tothe authentic and integrative use of English. Life-wideactivities are organised on a regular basis to extend thelearners' experience in the use of English and toenhance the development of generic skills, positivevalues and attitudes conducive to both language andwhole-person development. Students are constantlyinvolved in various activities conducted in Englisharound the school.

The main focus of instruction is to develop learners'strategies and skills in self-directed learning and fosterpositive attitudes of lifelong learners. Processes thatassist students in managing their thoughts, behavioursand emotions in order to successfully navigate theirlearning experiences and extend their language abilities

are adopted. Learning strategies such as forethoughtand planning, performance monitoring and reflectionson performance are emphasised. As a result, learners'confidence as well as interpersonal and collaborationskills are fully-fledged. Students are able to developthe ability to appreciate the beauty and power of theEnglish Language in creative or literary texts and othercultural forms, and develop a critical attitude towardsideas and values.

The teachers have demonstrated passion, expertiseand outstanding efforts in devising an effectiveschool-based curriculum which promotes an integrativeuse of language in a language-rich environment, andproviding a wide range of learning experiences toenhance students' language competencies and cultivatetheir personal and intellectual development, culturalawareness and understanding of the world. They arealso committed to supporting school development,which is evident in the constant sharing of theirteaching ideas both inside and outside school. Aboveall, at Good Hope School and beyond, they havefostered a culture of collaboration among Englishteachers.

▲Enhancing students' creativity and free expression through drama activities

Website:http://www.ghs.edu.hk/sec

Ms LUK Ka-yan, Chermaine

Tel: 2321 0250

Fax: 2324 8242

Email: [email protected]

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Enhancing students'learning outcomes throughan integrated approachbased on language artsand literature

Ways to Obtain Informationon the Teaching Practice

Contact



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Teaching practices presented with theTeaching practices presented with theCertificate of MeritCertificate of Merit

獲嘉許狀的教學實踐獲嘉許狀的教學實踐

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