Actively engage in classroom learning and build comprehensive English knowledge

Yuen Long Long Ping Estate Wai Chow School Believe that everyone can learn, everyone has their own strengths, implements the spirit of humanistic education, and is committed to working with parents and the community to create an excellent learning environment. Principal Zheng Tinghui hopes that students will be biliterate and trilingual. He will continue to improve students' English proficiency through school-based courses, information technology equipment, learning activities, etc. At the same time, the school uses brain-based teaching strategies and electronic platform tools to achieve "high participation, high interaction, and high presentation" in the classroom, so that students can be engaged in class, maintain a willingness to learn, have the courage to try, and actively move towards their dreams.

Strategic teaching policy: Forward-looking English school-based curriculum

In daily curriculum design and classroom activities, the school adopts the "13 Gifted and Talented" framework to promote the development of students' higher-order thinking. Students' analytical and organizational abilities are trained through methods such as mind mapping, attribute enumeration, and comparison of similarities. The school advocates the "From Reading to Writing" strategy in English teaching. This school year has optimized the school-based writing curriculum to give students more opportunities to apply what they have learned and consolidate and output knowledge in the form of writing. The teacher will provide students with sample essays, and first ask them to use the framework of the "13 Gifted and Talented" to analyze the essays and learn beautiful words and sentences from them for use in writing. Teacher Hong Manlong, head of the English subject, said: "We arrange situations and topics that are familiar to students so that they can connect what they learn in class with their daily lives, which will help enhance their interest in writing."

In addition, the school also arranges RWI Pinyin courses for junior primary students to teach them Pinyin skills so that they can use RWI skills to split, string and read words in the future. Story reading classes have been added to the English school-based curriculum to teach students reading skills through books and provide value education by linking the content of books with life. At the same time, the school promotes the "Powerful Learning" program to encourage students to integrate the English knowledge they have learned into their lives. For example, in the third grade, students are asked to try shopping in English on topics related to money and apply what they have learned.

Cultivate the spirit of self-learning and achieve lifelong learning

The English subject advocates independent learning and designs a self-study booklet for students in the school-based curriculum, which includes preview, classroom activities or extended learning to cover the three stages of teaching and learning before, during and after the class. Teacher Hong said: "We hope to establish children's independent learning habits so that they can preview the content they will learn in advance and expand their knowledge through extended learning, ultimately becoming lifelong learners."

Promote e-learning and highly interactive learning models

Principal Zheng is well aware that the information world is changing rapidly and technology is advancing with each passing day. Therefore, the school vigorously promotes the e-learning model in teaching and learning. Teacher Hong said: "E-learning can effectively increase students' interest in learning. The school hopes to use electronic tools to promote students to learn English as a 'second language.'" For example, using the i-Learner English learning platform allows students to learn English easily and happily, thereby consolidating their language foundation.

At the same time, the school will shoot English videos on campus TV stations to promote the platform, encouraging students to actively practice and play mini-games on the platform to strengthen their English skills. Not only that, the school continues to add and improve electronic equipment related to teaching facilities. The electronic whiteboards currently equipped in classrooms have clear images and have interactive and projection functions. E-learning can follow the learning progress of students in the classroom and provide instant feedback, improving classroom interactivity and learning and teaching effectiveness to achieve a "high participation, high interaction, high presentation" classroom.

Create an English learning atmosphere and encourage more listening and speaking

In order to create a high-quality English learning atmosphere, the school adds English elements to multiple intelligence classes to immerse children in English learning. The school’s foreign English teacher will sing English nursery rhymes with first-grade students, and play table games and hand puppet performances in English with third- and fourth-grade students respectively, creating a relaxed and enjoyable language learning experience so that they can get used to communicating in English through the activities and encourage students to listen more and speak more.

Diversified English activities to enhance learning motivation

The school encourages students to participate in different competitions, which are very diverse and cover the four major areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing, such as English recitation, calligraphy, storytelling, speech and spelling games, etc. The English Department will also continue to organize a variety of activities to make English learning more interesting. By organizing English movie viewing activities and booth games hosted by foreign teachers, students can learn English in an interesting way and enhance their learning motivation.

The school will also arrange for students to participate in activities organized by off-campus organizations to integrate English with other fields through activities. For example, SCOLAR's "Learning English through Rugby" activity integrates English elements into rugby, teaching students professional sports knowledge and helping them practice cooperation, perseverance and other spirits.

English penetrates into different subjects and consolidates knowledge points across subjects

The school infiltrates English elements into different subjects and activities, starting from interdisciplinary areas, allowing students to learn new knowledge while consolidating their English foundation. The school arranges for the library department to lead interdisciplinary learning activities and carry out interdisciplinary collaboration with different disciplines at different grades. For example, the English subject is connected with national security education to promote national security education and correct values ​​​​to students. Teacher Hong pointed out: "The head of the library department will recommend books for each subject, such as books with the theme of the twelve zodiac animals in the second grade; books with the theme of Chinese aerospace technology in the third grade. The English department will carry out learning tasks in conjunction with this theme." From books and extended learning, students will understand Chinese culture and the technological development of modern China, and at the same time learn English words and terminology in this field.

The school has always been committed to improving students' language skills, so it focuses on cultivating literacy and pinyin in primary school students. Teacher Hong said that students should lay a solid foundation from an early age and not be afraid of speaking English in order to enhance their learning opportunities. Therefore, first-year students have two classes every week taught by foreign English teachers, which mainly cultivate students' interest in English, such as reading stories, English pinyin, etc.

Flexible use of resources and systematic curriculum planning

The school has always kept pace with the times and has a solid cooperative relationship with external organizations. This year, it participated in the Quality School Improvement Program (QSIP) organized by the Chinese University of Hong Kong. It takes independent learning as the main body of research and covers teacher workshops, open classes, evaluation of topic design and improvement suggestions, so that teachers’ professional skills can be sustainably developed. In addition, the school also participates in the financial management plan for both talents and morals jointly organized by the Investment Committee and CUHK. It integrates relevant knowledge elements into different subjects for students of different grades in the school. Appropriate school-based courses are specially designed for sixth grade students to combine English subjects with financial management knowledge.

Focus on curriculum connection and lay the foundation of knowledge

In order to help kindergarten students successfully enter the first grade of school, the teaching team specially designed a booklet to allow students to have an initial understanding of the curriculum content of Primary One, and to review and consolidate the knowledge learned in kindergarten together to ensure that they have a certain foundation before starting regular courses. English teachers will also provide high school interview courses for sixth grade students to teach students English interview skills and familiarize them with English conversational vocabulary in interview situations. In addition, in the multiple intelligences course, foreign teachers provide high school interview training for sixth grade students who are about to enter high school, strengthen their English conversation skills and confidence, and lay a solid knowledge foundation for them to fully prepare for the challenges of entering high school.