Integrate learning in daily life, fully penetrate into the English context, and cultivate outstanding talents

C.U.H.K. F.A.A. Thomas Cheung School Emphasizes student-centeredness. The teaching team actively promotes diversified teaching strategies from curriculum design, extracurricular learning activities, and the connection between kindergarten, primary school, and middle school. In addition to improving students' English language knowledge, it also allows students to immerse themselves in the English context on a daily basis and comprehensively improve their English ability. Principal Li Huiyuan believes that students can learn happily in a strong English context, which will not only effectively improve their English proficiency, but will also be of great benefit to cultivating positive values ​​and lifelong interests.

Detailed course planning for learning stages

The school has an experienced teaching team that is able to design high-efficiency courses in response to the needs of student growth and social development at any time, so that students can learn in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere while establishing positive and healthy values and attitudes. At the junior primary level, the English subject team has added the "School-based English Reading Program" (SRP) to the regular curriculum, using two connected classes in each cycle, taught by foreign English teachers, local teachers and teaching assistants, and teaching English pinyin in a group learning format. Basic rules help with reading and spelling new English words. Teacher Li Yuanshan, head of the English subject, said: "The course pays special attention to strengthening students' English pinyin ability. The teaching team will conduct interesting activities such as group reading and singing children's songs to enhance students' reading ability and reading confidence."

In the upper elementary grades, the school promotes the "KEYS2 Curriculum", in which students read passages in different genres and engage in a variety of extension activities, including speaking activities, group games, creative writing, etc. In the process, students not only make full use of what they have learned in class, but also make good use of mind maps to construct writing frameworks, stimulate students' imagination and writing interests, and improve their English writing skills. Under the diversified curriculum planning, students can increase their interest in English learning through learning activities, gradually master different reading strategies and a large number of words, and improve their reading, writing and comprehension skills.

At the same time, the school also promotes "FUN STEAM ECA". Foreign English teachers will lead students to conduct small experiments in the science room during extracurricular activities on Fridays. Through "hands-on" group activities and experimental reports, students can apply what they have learned and strengthen their English listening and speaking skills.

Featured A+ Courses: Interdisciplinary Integrated Learning

The school believes that learning cannot be limited to textbook knowledge. A diverse and integrated learning model can inspire students to have unlimited possibilities. In view of this, the school has integrated the classroom timetable of junior primary schools in the early years, and arranged daily subject learning into the morning period, and launched the school-based special course - "A+ Course" in the afternoon period. The "A+ Course", which has a total of 9 sessions per week, covers diversified artistic elements such as visual, music, physical education, drama and recitation. It is learned in the form of interdisciplinary units and is taught collaboratively by local teachers and foreign English teachers to increase students' opportunities to use English.

Teacher Feng Guiping, the head of the English subject, said: "Two foreign English teachers will be responsible for leading two drama classes and one speaking class. In the drama class, we follow the singing and traveling model that students are accustomed to, and perform lively and interesting scripts to cultivate their interest in art, and at the same time, they can feel the English lyrics and read the text. The beauty of words enriches personal cultivation. As for the speaking class, through newly designed oral practice tasks, students are led to learn from four major thematic units - "Who am I", "Happy Loudspeaker", "I Love My Family", and "I Love Nature", and practice fluent daily English responses. "

The huge NET team accompanies the growth process

The team of foreign English teachers can create a campus atmosphere of "English Everywhere". The school employs 3 full-time foreign English teachers and 2 part-time foreign English teachers. Principal Li said: "The foreign English teacher assigned by the Education Bureau is mainly responsible for the English courses in junior primary schools; the two additional full-time teachers are responsible for the English courses for grades four to six; and the two part-time teachers are fully responsible for English extended learning activities, including the 'A+ course', aiming to design interesting and inspiring activities for students. We believe that systematic education planning can comprehensively take care of students' learning needs and achieve 'enjoyment of learning English'."

In addition to teaching in the classroom, the five foreign English teachers also used their spare time to interact in English on each classroom floor during breaks. Students can participate in booth games with different themes and use English to communicate flexibly while having fun. They can also collect reward stamps and exchange them for small gifts to encourage "listen more and speak more".

Pay attention to diversified reading and improve English ability

In order to promote English reading, the school has opened an "English story class" in junior primary schools. Foreign English teachers will read lively and interesting English books with students to learn reading skills and enhance their interest in reading. At the upper primary school level, the "Online After-school Speaking Training Class" guides students to fully express their thoughts after reading, and to quote life examples to apply what they have learned in daily life.

At the same time, the school also makes good use of resources to purchase the "Raz-Kids" online reading platform for students at all levels, which provides a large number of English e-books to help students establish regular reading habits. In addition, the school also participated in the "Reading Marathon" platform organized by Books and Beyond Reading Club to provide post-reading oral training for Primary 4 and Primary 5 students. The organization also held reading workshops, leading students to study 20 English books related to positive values, and through interactive communication such as games and sharing, to achieve value education and comprehensively improve their English language skills.

Top-notch English Drama Class to develop common skills

English drama is a brand-new project developed in recent years, and has become one of the school's "championship teams" with impressive results. The top-notch English drama class was established in 2013. It is one of the school-based gifted education courses. External professional tutors and school teachers provide professional training to potential students. Musicals are used as a platform to cultivate students' multiple intelligences and inspire their creativity. Through English musical theater training, students have increased opportunities to be exposed to and use English. At the same time, through a diverse, lively and interesting learning process, their English expression ability has been significantly improved, their confidence in using English has been further established, and their interest and motivation in learning English have been enhanced. In the process, I am even more pleased to see that students have improved in communication and collaboration with others.

The top-notch English drama class actively participated in competitions outside the school. The students showed off their knowledge and performed outstandingly every time. The results are encouraging! Every year, we participate in the Hong Kong School Drama Festival and win a number of awards, including the "Outstanding Actor Award", "Outstanding Collaboration Award", "Outstanding Audiovisual Effect Award", etc. We have also won the highest honor of the School Drama Festival, the "Judge's Recommended Performance Award" many times. The winning students have been invited to perform large-scale public performances with other award-winning schools. Through public performances, students can not only enhance their self-confidence and showcase their talents, but also expand their personal knowledge. Principal Li added: "Many sister schools and external organizations have praised our school's performance students for being able to speak fluent English. They were even invited to participate in Radio Hong Kong's "Sunday Smile" program to tell stories in English. In fact, through training in English musicals, students not only have more opportunities to be exposed to and use English, but also improve their listening and expression skills, which greatly enhances their confidence in learning English."

Prepare for the interview for high school promotion and pave the way for your ideal path

The school has always made great efforts to improve the performance of students in high school entrance interviews, hoping that students can be the first to win admission to their preferred high school. The "English Interview Class for Junior High School" is offered to primary five and primary six students. It is taught by foreign English teachers. It focuses on strengthening students' coping skills and further improving their English listening and speaking skills through different interview sessions such as practice test questions, self-introduction, reading passages, and group discussions, so that they can express their opinions fluently and enhance their confidence in interviews.

Moreover, self-evaluation and peer-evaluation elements are added to the class to guide students to learn interview tips. The head of the English section said that the focus of peer evaluation is to practice peer-to-peer learning, discover strengths and weaknesses in the performance of peers, and make reflections and improvements, so as to learn from each other's strengths and continuously improve listening and speaking skills. At the same time, classes are conducted in small groups to design higher-order thinking challenges for students with higher abilities; for those with lower abilities, they are provided with appreciation of masterpieces to observe and learn and lay a solid foundation.

On the other hand, in order to improve the ability of sixth grade students to use English and enhance their competitiveness for admission to their preferred middle school, the school has launched the TOEFL Junior Preparatory Course to prepare for the TOEFL International English Proficiency Test. In a recent public examination, students were able to achieve better results, which is gratifying.