Efficient learning community unleashes students’ potential and improves English proficiency in all aspects

Carmel Holy Word Secondary School is committed to developing into a high-performance learning community, creating a high-quality teaching and learning environment, and helping students realize their language potential through diversified teaching methods. Principal Lau Wing Sze leads the teaching team to provide a comprehensive and balanced English learning experience in terms of resources, courses, and activities to meet the different needs of students. At the same time, we prepare high school students for their future, master good English skills, and assist students in further studies.

Integrating resources to facilitate transition to middle school and teaching in small classes according to aptitude

In terms of English teaching planning, the school will adopt a small class teaching model in the coming year, dividing students from four classes into six groups according to their ability levels, implementing the concept of teaching students in accordance with their aptitude, taking care of learning differences, and designing appropriate teaching policies. In addition, Principal Lau Wing Sze understands that Form 1 freshmen need to adapt to the school's curriculum and environment. Form 1 is an important stage for laying a solid foundation in English, so the school arranges a one-week bridging course for them. The school also cooperates with the church to implement the "Young Seedlings Project". On the one hand, the plan covers English enrichment courses to consolidate students' English skills. On the other hand, it also cares about the new students' adaptation after entering secondary school, so that students can not only increase their knowledge, but also gain spiritual insights.

Strategic school-based curriculum to cater for different learning stages

The school plans school-based courses in detail for junior high schools and high schools based on their needs at different stages. For junior high school students, the school specially arranges foreign teachers to provide "Fun English" English pinyin courses for Form 1 and Form 2 students to teach students how to read and split characters. The school also advocates the concept of "flipped classroom" so that the classroom is not limited to teacher lectures. Instead, teachers make good use of online platforms and teaching videos to assess students' understanding of the class and explain their learning difficulties to promote students' independent learning and improve teaching effectiveness.

Principal Lau Wing Sze said: "The English courses at the senior secondary level are aimed at the Hong Kong Diploma Examination and design diversified targeted training for students. In addition to regular classes, English enrichment courses have been added to the high school timetable. The courses cover four aspects: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Practice makes perfect by focusing on the areas where students are weak." This year, the school also participated in joint-school oral examination training and carried out mock test pre-training at Christmas, providing more practical opportunities for students to practice conversational skills and test-taking skills, and strive for good results in the Hong Kong Diploma Examination.

Interdisciplinary English courses to improve students’ English proficiency

The school launched an interdisciplinary reading program two years ago, with remarkable results. Students read English books on science, geography and other subjects during the holidays, and through reading reports, worksheets, etc., they learn about different areas of English terminology, vocabulary and styles, laying a solid foundation for them to choose subjects at university in the future. In addition, junior high school science, history, and geography have an English-taught unit in the first and second semesters. According to the teaching content of different subjects, students are arranged to read English materials and learn how to express knowledge of other subjects in English. In order to implement cross-subject collaborative teaching more systematically, the school has established the "Language Across the Curriculum Team", which is composed of English teachers and teachers from other subject groups. They systematically match teaching materials and courses to provide students with progressive curriculum experience and project study activities.

Starting from students’ interests, activities stimulate learning motivation

Based on students' interests, the school organizes diversified English activities, strives to create a pleasant English learning atmosphere, and encourages students to use English more in their lives. The school holds an "English Week" and arranges interesting English activities for students, such as handicraft workshops. After making handicrafts during the activities, students are required to write blessings in English to practice positive values. At the same time, the school also designated Wednesday as "English Day". Not only did it conduct morning meetings in English, students also introduced or shared on different topics to create an English atmosphere on campus.

At the same time, the school will also train potential students to participate in different competitions and activities, organize inter-class recitation competitions within the school, encourage students to participate in recitation festivals, etc., and achieve great results, thereby building their confidence in English. The English subject team will cooperate with the school-based curriculum - English poetry unit to teach students appreciation, poetry rhetoric techniques, etc. In conjunction with the recitation competition, students can apply the appreciation skills learned in class to the understanding of recitation materials and consolidate their English knowledge. In addition, the school also launched the "TV Commercial Competition" to teach secondary 3 students to promote products in the form of English short plays to make English learning more interesting.

Cooperate with career planning to prepare for the future

As a commonly used language in Hong Kong, English is crucial to further studies and employment, and is extremely important to students. The school specifically combines career planning with English learning to help students get on the road to success. English teachers will teach students to write self-report essays to prepare for university applications. The career planning team also arranges mock university interviews to prepare students before entering higher education. Principal Lau Wing Sze said: "This year's interdisciplinary course at Form 4 integrates career planning, travel and hospitality, and English elements, allowing students to apply English in their careers and learn business English, such as coffee slang, writing market research reports, etc. While applying what they have learned, students can also explore their development directions and goals."