Catering for inter-class diversity

Presenters: • Kwok Wing Ki JudySenior School Development Officer • Wu Wai Po • Leung Sai CheungCanton Road Government Primary School

Suggested Strategies

• At the Curriculum Level• At the Panel Level• At the Classroom Level• At the Individual Level

BackgroundTeaching and Learning:• Uniform teaching resources (textbook and class

readers)• Uniform assignments (Grammar Practice, Pre-

task Workbook, Reading and Writing Skill Book)• Uniform assessment tools (tests and exams)• Uniform teaching schedule

What is learning?

rambunctiousboisterous

livelynoisy

Instruction: insert these words in the box provided.

I always use this word in

my daily conversation

and/or writing.

I am sure about its

meaning but I don’t know

how to use it in my daily

conversation and/or writing.

I know what it means in

context, but I am not sure

about its meaning

in isolation.

I don’t know this word.

Comprehension Level

Production Level

At the Curriculum Level

Express Class Non-express Class• add-on strategy: introduce extra resources or extended tasks into the curriculum

• differentiation strategy: identified teaching focus into core (production level) and non core elements (comprehension level)

Express Class: add-on strategyBackground:• An Express Class in P4• Introduce readers regularly into the curriculum• Curriculum integration: Readers share the same modules/theme as that of textbook

Teaching strategy used: Teacher read aloud, followed by comprehension worksheets

Purposes: • enrich students’ vocabulary;• arouse students’ interest in the topic;• cultivate interest in reading;• practise reading skill;• increase students’ knowledge of the world

(reading to learn)

Implications of Differentiation Strategy

• Concept of core/non-core compulsory/ optional• Less teaching time will be spent on non-core

elements than core elements• Worksheets & supplementary exercise will be

adapted accordingly• Less weighting in test/exam on non-core

elements• Core elements: higher expectations in test/exam

Non-express Class: differentiation strategy

Background:• Canton Road Government Primary School • Categorize teaching focus in the scheme of work into core (production level) and non core elements (comprehension level)•This framework has been used for 5 years, on-going process of development

Principles of Differentiation• Non-core elements

Comprehension Level : Receptive Language

e.g. Wh-questions, Yes/No questions

• Core elements

Production Level :Expressive Language (Speaking

Vs Writing)

e.g. short answers, complete sentences

Non-core elements Core elements

Comprehension Level(Receptive Language)

Production Level(Expressive Language)

1. Does he play the piano? 1. Yes, he does. / No, he doesn’t. (Speaking)

2. What do you do to help the people here?

2. I clean the bedrooms.(Speaking and writing)

3. What would you like? 3. I’d like something cold. (Speaking)4. Let’s buy some flowers.(Speaking)

Examples of Differentiation: Language items

Non-core elements Core elements

Comprehension Level Production Level

• Receptive Language

• Passive Vocabulary

•Expressive Language

•Active Vocabulary

Examples of Differentiation: Vocabulary

Principles of Differentiation

Vocabulary:

• Active (refer to words that students are able to

read, spell and write)

• Passive (refer to words that students are able

to recognize)

Why should teachers concern about the number of words

taught in each unit?

Nation’s (1990) research indicates a word

takes about five to sixteen exposures or

repetitions to be learned.

How to choose active vocabulary

• Frequency of occurrence (Nation’s word list :

http://www.er.uqam.ca/nobel/r21270/cgi-bin/webfreqs/read_trial.cgi)

• Intuitive judgment• Outcome-based approach

How to choose active vocabulary?Method 1: Using intuition to choose active vocabulary•You need to choose seven words to focus on teaching.

Method 2: Using outcome-based approachto choose active vocabulary•You need to choose seven words to focus on teaching.

Reminders on using outcome-based approach to choose active vocabulary

•Design expected learning outcome (e.g. writing task) before deciding what vocabulary to focus on or introduce• Words which can help students complete the writing task are recommended to be chosen or introduced•Help students remember and use the active vocabulary by picture and word cards, accompanied by bingo games or further consolidation exercise like sentence making

At the Panel Level:

Common Lesson Preparation Time • Use the framework to work out the scheme of

work (from P1-6)Assessment policy• Assign certain % to cater for average & low

achievers• More weighing on core elements than on non-

core elements

Theoretical Approaches for Grammar Teaching

Inductive Approach/Discovery Approach

Instead of going from the rules to the examples, students see examples of language and try to work out the rules.

Deductive Approach/Direct instruction

Students are given explanations or grammar rules, and then, based on these explanations or rules, they make phrases and sentences using the new language

Curriculum Guide (2004) Inductive/Discovery Approach

“According to the age of the learners and their cognitive development, teachers may decide to introduce a small number of useful and not overly complex grammar rules and terms to help them develop a conscious understanding of the language forms they are using…”

(continued)

“…It is important from time to time that learners are given an opportunity to discover language patterns and rules for themselves.” (p. 163)

Curriculum Guide (2004) onInductive/Discovery Approach

Implication on Teaching and Learning

Teaching:• Grammar rules• Grammar terms

Learning:• Learners’ needs• Learning styles

At the Classroom Level

• P.3 Classes, teaching focus (simple past tense and time markers)

• Express & Non-express class: a mix of both approaches, a matter of emphasis

• Discovery approach Vs discovery approach• Express Class: More inductive/discovery

approach than deductive approach• Non-express Class: More deductive

approach than inductive approach

P.3 Express Class Teaching Procedures

1. Previous lessons: Students had finished a story (written in regular past tense form) in the textbook

2. Revisit the story (ask students to read aloud the first paragraph), highlight the phrase “once upon a time”

3. Remind students of the past time concept and the term “ past tense”

P.3 Express Class Teaching Procedures

4. Students are given a short text to read 5. Ask students to tell whether the tense is

“Past or Not past” 6. Ask students to underline “key words” (i.e.

time markers)7. Students work in groups of 4-5, complete

the task sheets and give own examples of “key words”

A Summary of Text

Last Sunday, it rained all day. I stayed at home and watched TV. Then I cooked dinner.

Yesterday, I walked up the hill. I watched birds. I climbed up a tree…

Long time ago, people lived with their sheep and pigs inside the house.…

Two days ago, I played football with my brother..

1

2

3

4

A Summary of Text

I get up at seven o’clock every day. Then I brush my teeth and wash my face…

Sally is my best friend. She likes music. She has the piano lesson every Monday…

My mother is a housewife. She is tall and thin. She goes shopping every Sunday.

Miss Lee is my English teacher. She is helpful and kind. She likes watching TV every day.

1

2

3

4

Text for individual group members

Text for individual group members

P.3 Non-express Class Teaching Procedures

1. Revision at word level, use word cards to recall students’ memory, students read aloud the words

2. Introduce the past tense form and invite students to match with the present form

3. Introduce the “verb” concept, use examples, miming and sentences to check students’ understanding

Teaching Procedures

4. Ask students to work in groups (4-5 students in a group), underline the verbs

5. Invite students to read aloud and check the answers

6. Explain the adverbs “last year, every year” and introduce the concept of time markers (key words),

7. Ask students to work in groups to find other key words and think of own examples

8. Check the answers

Text for Group 1

Present Tense Past Tense

The baby always smiles. The baby smiled yesterday morning.

Dad repairs the TVevery year.

Dad repaired TV last year.

Grandpa paints the wall every Chinese New Year.

Grandpa painted the wall last Chinese New Year.

Miss Chan works at school this week.

Miss Chan worked at school last week.

Modifications done to cater for different abilities

Express Class Non-express Class

Reading Text •A short paragraph(more words)•Various structures• different texts for different tenses

•A sentence(fewer words)•Simple structure• same text for different tenses

Individual accountability

• different text for each group member

• same text for each group member

Task • tell whether past or not past• underline the key words• give own examples of key words

• underline the verbs• underline the key words

At the Individual Level• target at individuals who are highly motivated,

but lack means to catch up• self-learning booklets are designed to teach or

revise certain items• step-by-step learning (facilitate short attention

span and immediate feedback)• incorporate concept of reinforcement and self

testing

References:English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1 – 6), 2004.New Ways in Teaching Vocabulary by Paul Nation, Alexandria, VA:TESOL, 1994.Promoting assessment for learning in English Language Education at Primary Level, Facilitator Guide, 2004.Vocabulary in Language Teaching by Jack C. Richards (Ed.), Cambridge University press, 2004.