Transcript The senior secondary curriculum – laying the essential

The new senior secondary
English Language curriculum
(Secondary 4-6)
– laying the essential groundwork for
university language education
23 January 2010
Aim:
To outline the major features of the threeyear or new senior secondary (NSS)
English Language curriculum and how
they serve to facilitate students’ access to
university language education
Design of the NSS English Language Curriculum (1)
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One of the four core subjects at senior
secondary level
(constitutes up to 15% (approximately 405 hrs)
of the total lesson time of the senior
secondary curriculum)
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Follows the general direction for curriculum
development set out in the English Language
Education Key Learning Area Curriculum
Guide (P1-S3) (2002)
Design of the NSS English Language Curriculum (2)
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Extends the prior knowledge, skills and positive
values and attitudes that students develop
through the English Language curriculum from
P1 to S3
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Builds on the old S4-5 English Language
Curriculum and Sixth Form Use of English
Curriculum
Curriculum Aims
The NSS English Language Curriculum aims to
enable learners to:
– further enhance their language proficiency
– further develop their interest and confidence
in using English
– broaden their knowledge, understanding and
experience of English-speaking cultures
– develop and prepare themselves for further
study, vocational training or work
– further develop learning how to learn skills
and positive values and attitudes
Curriculum
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consists of a Compulsory Part and an Elective Part
the Compulsory Part focusses on the learning and use of
 the four language skills
 grammar forms and communicative functions
 text-types
 vocabulary
through exploring different themes in a variety of contexts
the Elective Part, comprising eight modules (out of which
students choose at least three) adds variety to the
curriculum and caters for students’ diverse needs,
interests and abilities
Learning and Teaching
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promoting adoption and flexible application
of an extensive range of approaches and
strategies
creating a language-rich environment to
increase students’ exposure to language and
different cultures
providing students with opportunities to hone
their generic skills to facilitate lifelong
learning
Assessment
Internal assessment
 encourages diversified modes of
assessment (such as learning tasks,
projects, presentations and portfolios) and
use of constructive feedback
 enables students to understand their
strengths and weaknesses, and identify
ways of making improvements
Public assessment
Main Features
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Standards-referenced reporting
Graded approach in Reading and
Listening & Integrated Skills papers
Speaking skills assessed in two modes:
– School-based Assessment (SBA)
(for school candidates only)
– public oral examination
(for both school and private candidates )
Enhancing the interface between senior
secondary education and higher education
This is achieved through a balanced and flexible
curriculum; exposure to a variety of themes/topics,
materials and activities; as well as diversified modes of
assessment and use of constructive feedback to:
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increase students’ motivation and confidence in
language learning
raise students’ language proficiency and cultural
awareness
develop students’ capacity for independent and lifelong
learning as well as whole-person development
broaden/enrich students’ language learning experience
to equip them for the challenges of the era
Websites
English Language Curriculum
http://cd.edb.gov.hk/eng
334 Academic Structure
http://334.edb.hkedcity.net/EN/index.php
HKDSE Examination
http://www.hkeaa.edu.hk/en/HKDSE/Subject_Information/
NSS/eng_lang/
http://www.hkeaa.edu.hk/en/sba/sba_hkdse_core/
Thank you
The Structure of the NSS
English Language Curriculum
S6
115 hours
Elective
Part
S5
145 hours
S4
145 hours
(100 hours,
Compulsory
Part
( 305 hours, or 75%)
or 25%)
Language Arts
Learning English through Drama
Learning English through Short Stories
Learning English through Poems and Songs
Learning English through Popular Culture
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Non-Language Arts
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Learning English through Sports Communication
Learning English through Debating
Learning English through Social Issues
Learning English through Workplace Communication
Adopting a range of approaches and strategies
 Task-based Learning
 Self-access Language Learning
 Grammar in Context
 Language Arts
 Integrated Skills
 Cross-curricular learning
 Assessment for Learning
 …
Using a variety of learning and teaching resources
Textbooks (with appropriate selection and adaptation)
 Language arts materials (e.g. poems, songs, short
stories)
 Non-language arts materials (e.g. newspaper articles,
speeches, advertisements)
 Authentic materials (radio, TV, films, documentaries,
Internet resources)
 Teaching materials and resource packages from
different institutions, including EDB
 A resource bank developed by the teachers
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Public assessment
Standards-referenced reporting:
descriptors for Levels 1-5 spell out the standards
required for different levels of performance
(Levels 5* and 5** will be awarded to provide
finer discrimination)
enables both students and teachers to know
exactly what is required to achieve a particular
level of performance
provides parents and employers with a clear
picture of what our students can do with the use
of English
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School-based Assessment:
Compulsory Part: students read and view a
variety of texts of different genres, then present
and discuss their ideas
Elective Part: students share experiences
gained from elective modules
broadens and enriches students’ knowledge and
learning experience
promotes assessment for learning through
providing constructive feedback to students with
regard to specific aspects of their language skills
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