1. Effective Strategies to Enhance the Implementation of the Reading Workshops of the English Language Curriculum at KS2 English Language Education Section Curriculum Development Institute Education Bureau Collaborative Research & Development (“Seed”) Project for 2009 – 2010

2. School-based English Language Curriculum

3. Objectives of the Project (I) To help pupils progress in the development of reading skills and strategies from KS1 to KS2 To enhance teachers’ skills and strategies in conducting Reading Workshops at KS2, especially supported reading and independent reading To enhance teachers’ questioning skills to help pupils develop critical thinking skills and creativity

4. Objectives of the Project (II) To widen pupils’ exposure to a variety of text types, including both narrative and information texts To develop appropriate learning, teaching and assessment tasks / materials To promote reading across the curriculum

5. Introduction Our school Positive impacts of the Seed Project Way Forward Contents

6. School background HKFYG Lee Shau Kee Primary School Established in 2000 Situated in Tin Shui Wai

7. Our English teachers Energetic, open-minded, hard-working Ready to accept new ideas and make innovative changes School background

8. Our pupils Obedient and polite Limited family support Less motivated in learning English Lack confidence in using English School background

9. Development of reading skills Pupils Struggling to progress from KS1 to KS2 in the development of reading skills Experiencing difficulty in reading information books Lacking confidence in handling less familiar text types Lacking strategies in understanding the intention of the writer

10. Development of reading skills Teachers Limited experience in conducting the Reading Workshops at KS2 Unfamiliar with the use of supported reading and independent reading Exploring effective strategies to provide support in reading (e.g. use of questioning techniques, prompts) Exploring ways to cater for learner diversity in the development of reading skills

11. What can we do? Seed Project To help pupils: approach a variety of text typesapproach a variety of text types progress in the development of reading skills and strategies from KS1 to KS2progress in the development of reading skills and strategies from KS1 to KS2 read across the curriculumread across the curriculum “Seed” Project Effective Strategies to Enhance the Implementation of the Reading Workshops of the English Language Curriculum at KS2 To enhance teachers’ skills in: conducting the Reading Workshops at KS2conducting the Reading Workshops at KS2 using questions to help pupils develop critical thinking skills and creativityusing questions to help pupils develop critical thinking skills and creativity developing appropriate learning, teaching and assessment tasks / materialsdeveloping appropriate learning, teaching and assessment tasks / materials

12. Project Information Target level: P.5 No. of classes: 5 classes No. of tryouts: 3 tryouts Tryout schedule: 1st tryout: 3 -12 November 2009 2 -11 December 2009 2nd tryout: 28 January – 9 February 2010 3rd tryout: 17 May – 1 June 2010

13. Seed Project Food labels Leaflet Approach a variety of text types RecipesExplanation of how and why Story InstructionsStory, Poem Story Expositions, Instructions Expositions Identifying the purpose, structure and grammar features of different text types Broadening pupils’ horizons through reading authentic materials The Birthday Feast I Know Why I Brush My Teeth Charlie and the Chocolate Factory How to Have a Green Day Our Fragile Environ- ment Earth Saviour Environ- mental Test Games We Play Fun and Games Rollercoaster

14. ProgressProgress in the development of reading skills and strategies from KS1 to KS2 Supported Reading Independent Reading Supported Reading Independent Reading Our Fragile Environment Earth Saviour – Environmental Test G.E. Text Acquire vocabulary and language structures Develop basic concepts about the topic Connect what is read and already known Integrate information Compare and contrast ideas Analyse and apply ideas / information Evaluate own practices Give critical response Q: How can we save the Earth at school and at home? Q: How can we save the Earth in our daily life? Q: How much have we done to save the Earth? Seed Project Q: What are the problems the Earth is facing? Q: Why do we need to save our Earth? That’s our Earth How to Have a Green Day Our Fragile Environ- ment Earth Saviour Environmental Test

15. Progress in the development of reading skills and strategies from KS1 to KS2 Seed Project Guess the meaning of unknown words by using pictorial and contextual clues Identify key words for the main idea in a sentence Make predictions Understand the information on the book cover and contents page Recognise the features of some common text types Work out the meaning of unknown words by using word association, visual clues, context & knowledge of the world Skim a text to obtain the main ideas Understand intention, attitudes and feelings conveyed in a text Understand the information provided on the book cover, index and glossary Recognise the features of a variety of text types Re-read the text to establish and confirm meaning Construct meaning from texts KS1 KS2

16. Conducting the Reading Workshops at KS2 Where do I begin? CoverBlurb Making effective use of information texts to develop reading skills and strategies Competent Stage How to Have a Green Day Everyone can help to look after the natural world. Follow the instructions in this book, and make sure you have a green day every day. You really can make a difference to help save our planet. Contents page Contents What does green mean? 3 What do you need to be green? 5 Getting up 6 Going to school 11 At school 12 After school 16 Going to bed 20 Summary 22 Glossary 23 Index 24 Seed Project How to Have a Green Day

17. Competent Stage How to Have a Green Day Everyone can help to look after the natural world. Follow the instructions in this book, and make sure you have a green day every day. You really can make a difference to help save our planet. Info Trail Conducting the Reading Workshops at KS2 Blurb Making effective use of information texts to develop reading skills and strategies Cover Contents page Contents What does green mean? 3 What do you need to be green? 5 Getting up 6 Going to school 11 At school 12 After school 16 Going to bed 20 Summary 22 Glossary 23 Index 24 Seed Project Connect different parts to understand the overall organisation of the text How to Have a Green Day

18. Introduction Instructions for readers to follow Conclusion Reading tools Conducting the Reading Workshops at KS2 Making effective use of information texts to develop reading skills and strategies Contents What does green mean? 3 What do you need to be green? 5 Getting up 6 Going to school 11 At school 12 After school 16 Going to bed 20 Summary 22 Glossary 23 Index 24 Cover Blurb Competent Stage How to Have a Green Day Everyone can help to look after the natural world. Follow the instructions in this book, and make sure you have a green day every day. You really can make a difference to help save our planet. Contents page Seed Project Familiarise pupils with the organisation cues (e.g. headings, bullets, tables) Use the introductory and concluding chapters to highlight and reinforce key concepts A green day How to Have a Green Day

19. Conducting the Reading Workshops at KS2 Read p.9-10 to find out the green instructions for washing breakfast dishes. P.10 They can be recycled. When they are clean, put them in a box……….. ……………………………. …………………………… ……………………………. P.9 Wash up your breakfast dishes by hand. It only takes a few seconds….. ………………………….. …………………………... Should I read out the whole page to answer the teacher’s question? All sentences are instructions for washing breakfast dishes. Making effective use of Supported Reading Seed Project Present manageable challenges that encourage purposeful reading Observe pupils’ response and provide feedback on their application of reading strategies Oh no! They missed the semantic clues – the verbs at the beginning of a sentence! It’s difficult for them to distinguish main ideas from supporting details. How to Have a Green Day

20. Conducting the Reading Workshops at KS2 Not every sentence is an instruction for washing breakfast dishes. Look for action words that come at the beginning of an instruction. Use the following table to help you. Green instructions for washing breakfast dishes: Instructions that tell us what to do Instructions that tell us what not to do Wash up your breakfast dishes by hand. Look for action word Look for ‘ Don ’ t ’ Making effective use of Supported Reading Seed Project Observe pupils’ response and provide feedback on their application of reading strategies Guide pupils to attend to the semantic clues How to Have a Green Day

21. Read across the curriculum G.E. Text Unit 3: What’s in our food? Concepts of food pyramid and a balanced diet Teeth structure Tooth decay Teeth changing Teeth brushing Types of teeth Germs called bacteria Bacteria in the plague feed on the sugar Food stick on your teeth AcidHoles Reading Workshop: I Know Why I Brush My teeth Concepts of growth and health Providing coherent and connected learning experiences to acquire and apply knowledgeapply knowledge Developing language skills and establishing cross-curricular linkage Seed Project I Know Why I Brush My Teeth G.E. Text Unit 3: What’s in our food?

22. Should we remove all the sugary food from our Christmas party menu? Why? Should we keep all the sugary food in our Christmas party menu? Why? Can we have snacks and drinks without getting holes in teeth? How? I think we should _____________ __________________________ _ Read across the curriculum Seed Project Sam told us sugary food would make holes in our teeth. Let us look at the menu for our Christmas party again and decide if we should remove all the sweet food. Providing coherent and connected learning experiences to acquire and apply knowledge

23. Using questions to help pupils develop critical thinking skills and creativity Seven Up P.21 Equipment: A ball and a wall Steps: 1. Bounce the ball off the wall 2. …………………………… 3. … add a trick……………............................................ Task: Redesigning a new ball game for school picnic Where are we going for school picnic? What changes will you make to the equipment or steps? What other changes can we make to the game? Why? Don’t bounce the ball. Kick the ball! More difficult! Add more tricks! Very exciting! Use a bigger ball. Easier! Change the steps! More fun! Seed Project Present the new situation Brainstorm the possibilities of changes : size of ball number of steps types of tricks Fun and Games

24. Using questions to help pupils develop critical thinking skills and creativity ThermometerFear Was Mickey a little scared of the rollercoaster ride or was he very frightened? Read Chapter 1 creatively. Let’s jump right into the scene to watch Mickey. Use your - eyes to see Mickey’s action - ears to hear Mickey’s words and his voice - hands  to feel Mickey’s heartbeat Understanding the character’s fear of going on the rollercoaster Use different senses to locate details to support understanding of the character’s feelings in narrative texts Use prompts to encourage pupils to read between the lines Seed Project Rollercoaster

25. Using questions to help pupils develop critical thinking skills and creativity Winning and Losing Vince Lombardi, a famous football coach, once said, “Winning isn’t everything – it’s the only thing.”……………………… …………...…………………. ……...................................... They say that games should teach people to work together, not against each other. P.6 How many groups of opinions are there? Understanding the writer’s intention / attitude Reading opposite views on winning and losing Draw attention to the use of emphatic words to express strong opinions Which opinion sounds the strongest? What strong words are used? Whose opinion is it? Seed Project Fun and Games Broaden perspectives by viewing a situation from different angles Develop pupils’ own questioning strategies and provide opportunities to question obvious bias Do you agree with the football coach? Why? What would you tell him if you met him today? Fun and Games

26. Developing appropriate learning, teaching and assessment tasks / materials Design questions on application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation to assess pupils’ progress in the development of reading skills, creativity and critical thinking Observe and assess pupils’ understanding and interpretation of book content Task: Make a poster to teach children how to brush their teeth Task: Charlie won the chocolate factory. What would Willy Wonka say at the award ceremony? Fill in Mr. Wonka’s speech bubble Task: If you were Mickey, would you tell people you were afraid to go on the rollercoaster? Why? Task: Write a thank you card to the tree to thank him for what he does for us Seed Project I Know Why I Brush My Teeth Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Rollercoaster Our Fragile Environ- ment

27. During the Seed Project… Challenges our pupils faced: Changes Challenges our teachers faced: Pressure Support: explain the rationale of the Seed Project teach them the reading skills explicitly give positive encouragement Support: seek administrative support allocate time for co-planning learn through peer observation and sharing of experiences arrange co-teaching

28. Impact on pupil learning More interested in reading different text types More able to apply a wider range of reading skills and strategies to handle different text types More ready to give a critical response to the book content More confident in reading English books

29. Impact on project teachers A variety of teaching skills and strategies are developed to conduct Reading Workshops Questioning techniques are explored and improved Professional development is enhanced through co-planning, sharing and peer observation A collaborative culture is fostered

30. Way Forward Sustaining the impact of the Seed Project Organise in-house workshops and sharing to enhance teachers’ professional development Deploy some of the experienced project teachers to continue with the project at P.5 Deploy the panel chair to lead some new project teachers to develop materials for the tryouts at P.6

31. Sustaining the impact of the Seed Project Review and revise the existing school-based English reading curriculum to better cater for the needs of pupils Strengthen the development of reading skills in G.E. Programme and Reading Workshops Strengthen the progressive development of reading skills to enhance the transition from KS1 to KS2 Promote a ‘Reading to Learn’ culture to facilitate the smooth transition from primary to secondary education Way Forward

32. Thank you !