Music + Drama + Reading, Diversified English Collaboration, Learning Interest Leads Knowledge Accumulation

C.C.C. Kei Wan Primary School (Aldrich Bay) Since its founding half a century ago, the school has adhered to the school motto "Know the Way and Discipline Oneself", focusing on the cultivation of students' basic knowledge and character. The three key development directions include: academics, moral character and music. Principal Huang Jingwen understands students' needs for further studies and invests a lot of resources in English teaching, striving to develop students' communication skills and interest in learning English, and lay a solid foundation for students to advance to high school. More than 70% of the school's graduates have gone on to English secondary schools. The rewards are huge and it is widely praised by the outside world.

Multi-oriented teaching strategies to inspire learning interest

In terms of course design for the English subject, the school has created an online learning platform "E-lympics" for junior primary students, which contains a rich vocabulary library and interesting games, allowing students to review the knowledge in the textbooks, such as small exercises in the form of games, which can effectively consolidate the vocabulary foundation. The content of the platform is concentrated in five major development areas: listening, writing, reading, speaking, and vocabulary. The teacher team designs suitable teaching materials in various aspects. For example, foreign English teachers record story content and produce it into electronic audio books to allow students to learn independently. After each book is introduced, there will be small tasks for students to complete, and outstanding works will be displayed in the class to enhance students' confidence. Moreover, teachers will design some games on "E-lympics" for students to participate in and learn English through activities. The BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) program has been implemented for grades one to three, mainly in English teaching. Software such as Nearpod, Edpuzzle, and Quizzlet will also be used in the classroom to enhance students' learning interest and interaction, allowing teachers to instantly see what students are doing in class and respond immediately.

The school has hired four foreign English teachers. In addition to two foreign English classes per week, students can also receive speaking training after class. Even during the epidemic, this training is still conducted in small groups on Zoom. Principal Huang said: "Foreign English teachers are an important factor in creating an English context. In addition to studying in regular English reading classes, students can also practice well after class. The school has individual English group conversation tutoring. In the morning, foreign English teachers will chat with students in English. There will also be booth games during recess for students to learn English vocabulary, and competitions will be held to arouse students' interest and learn and use English."

Cultivate early reading habits and strengthen reading and writing skills

The school focuses on training students' reading and writing skills. The early reading culture has been implemented in the school for many years. There is a reading time every morning. When students return to the classroom, they will take the initiative to read and read English books on Wednesdays. The school has cultivated students' reading habits since the beginning of primary school. In addition, foreign English teachers create interesting classes, which can cultivate students' writing interests and skills. Read chapter books when you are in high school to achieve the connection effect between primary and secondary schools. Foreign English teachers will also enter the classroom to support students in the process of reading with companions and reading independently. Classes are tight due to the epidemic. After class, students will hold Zoom classes with foreign English teachers in small groups to have extended discussions on the units they have learned. In the form of small class teaching, students have more opportunities to practice their speaking skills.

In 2018, the school applied for the Promotion of Primary School English Learning Subsidy Scheme (PEEGS) of the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research and used the fund to innovate the English curriculum framework. Principal Huang said: "The biggest feature of the English curriculum is to allow students to apply what they have learned. Language is just a skill, and how to apply the skills after learning them in class is the most important. Therefore, the school attaches great importance to self-study and self-evaluation in the curriculum." In addition to morning reading, the classroom has a large number of books, and an English book corner has been set up. Subject teachers also collect books suitable for students, such as Western classics, so that students can not only improve their English knowledge, but also be influenced by the cultural and positive moral values.

In addition to physical books, the school also purchases online reading platforms for students, and pays special attention to interdisciplinary reading, allowing students to explore different areas of knowledge starting from the English subject. Teachers can also use online platforms to distribute some books that match the theme to students for extended reading. Under interdisciplinary collaboration, subjects are expanded to help students equip themselves with the skills they need to master in the future.

In addition to creating a reading atmosphere, the school is also committed to cultivating students' writing skills and encouraging them to participate in writing competitions and achieve outstanding results. The school also regularly publishes English magazines, allowing students to become little writers and share articles in the magazines.

Simulated high school entrance interview to help you get into your favorite high school

The school will hold multiple mock interviews for high school students to enter middle school to help students train organizational skills and teach self-introduction strategies. Foreign English teachers will also visit the classrooms of high school students every day and take turns conducting individual talks, including self-introduction training. Therefore, during the self-admission process for secondary school, the rate of students getting admitted to their preferred secondary schools is quite high.

Combining English and music to broaden students’ horizons

Music is one of the school’s development priorities, and students are often encouraged to participate in overseas music competitions and exchanges. For example, in 2019, students went to Sweden to participate in the World Choir Competition and won a gold medal. During the process, students need to use English to communicate with local people. Secondly, the songs are all in foreign languages, allowing them to be exposed to the languages ​​​​of different countries. In addition to competitions, students also have the opportunity to participate in musical instrument lessons from famous teachers.

Another major feature of the school is the script and all tracks of musicals created by alumni and students. Recently, in order to celebrate the school's 50th anniversary, it applied for the Quality Education Fund to produce the English musical "In His Eyes". "This musical combines our three key development directions: academics, music and moral character. We hope to increase students' interest in learning English while also learning to appreciate themselves, care for others, and cherish all life." Principal Huang said frankly that during the epidemic, teachers and students were unable to go to school for physical rehearsals most of the time. It was not only difficult for them, but it was also a new learning experience, allowing students to better appreciate the positive values ​​promoted in the musical.

Although the performance was not possible due to the epidemic, the school filmed the entire musical and screened it at the Olympian City Cinema. On that day, many principals and friends from the education sector were invited, and the then Secretary for Education, Mr. Yang Yunxiong, came to officiate. In addition, the school also played the musical for all students to watch after classes resumed, and designed follow-up lessons to allow students to reflect on the content of the play. Teachers will also excerpt some scenes suitable for students' level for students to reenact in class, integrating drama elements into regular English classes as an opportunity to improve students' English listening and speaking skills. In order to further enhance students' interest in English, the school also implements "Life Movie Education" to use movies as a medium to convey correct values. Teachers will select different foreign and local movies for students to appreciate.

Establish an English gifted group and establish an extracurricular English atmosphere

The school will set up three classes of English gifted groups for senior primary schools every year - a publication writing group, a debate group and a hand puppet group. In the activities of the publication writing group, the foreign teachers will discuss the content of the publication with the students, and then divide into groups to collect the required information for writing; in the activities of the debate group, the foreign teachers, in addition to introducing the rules and techniques of the debate competition, more importantly, improve the students' independent learning skills and the ability to think critically through the process of preparing and conducting debates; as for the hand puppet group, students can give full play to their creativity and creativity. The foreign teacher will create hand puppet plays with the students and even make hand puppets themselves. Through three sets of activities of different nature, students can use English effectively, present information in different ways and share it with the whole school.

Overseas exchange activities, looking at the world

Before the epidemic, the school also had overseas exchange activities every year, such as allowing sixth grade students to participate in summer courses at some universities in Cambridge, England. Overseas activities allow students to use English, increase their confidence in speaking English, understand the importance of English and broaden their international horizons. The school once arranged for students to participate in an orchestral competition in Vienna. The students were required to use English and receive "master class" training from local famous teachers. The senior students helped take care of the junior primary students. This became a good opportunity for moral education to be learned and applied, allowing students to learn to be independent and take care of others. It really made the students grow a lot. The school has also taken students to the UK to participate in summer training camps. The training camps are divided into classes according to ability. Students have the opportunity to be in a group with European students who are older than themselves, thus gaining a lot of opportunities to use English. Since the event was held in the school building, students could also experience the learning environment and atmosphere of foreign middle schools and universities and broaden their horizons. Many students were inspired by this experience and decided to study abroad in the future, which benefited a lot.