This example illustrates how values education and entrepreneurial spirit can be promoted in the English classroom.
Level: Junior Secondary Learning Task:
Students participate in the charity project “Charities and Helping Others”. The learning activities begin in the English classroom and extend to the school, home and community level to support the underprivileged children in the Mainland.
The project activities are designed to provide authentic contexts for the integrative and meaningful use of language. They also facilitate the development of generic skills (e.g. communication, collaboration, critical thinking and problem-solving), as well as positive values and attitudes (e.g. humanistic qualities, commitment, respect for others, responsibility, national identity and care for others). The essential qualities associated with entrepreneurial spirit, such as flexibility, willingness to take the initiative and well-calculated risks and innovativeness, will also be nurtured.
Learning Activities:
Learners are engaged in:
viewing videos about disadvantaged people in the world;
reflecting on their own experience, making use of their knowledge of the world and suggesting what they could do to help with some world problems and contribute to the common good; and
learning about the effort of a volunteer worker in supporting children in Qian Feng, China, who are deprived of the chance of education because of poverty.
They discuss with their classmates:
what to include in a charity sale to raise funds for the children in Qian Feng;
the potential problems that may occur and the contingency plan;
innovative ways to promote the sale; and
how they could maintain correspondence with the children in Qian Feng.
With the support from the Principal, teachers and parents, they visit the children in Qian Feng on a voluntary basis to hand over the funds and donated items.
As homework, they write a “personal response” on their learning experience gained through the project.
Impact on Learning:
Learners practise various language skills in an integrated manner. They experience using English for communicative purposes in an authentic context both inside and outside the classroom.
They develop empathy for those who are less fortunate when they reflect on their own experience.
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They develop qualities related to entrepreneurial spirit, e.g. willingness to take well-calculated risks, flexibility and innovativeness in the charity sale.
They develop humanistic qualities, e.g. care for others, contributing to the common good, when they understand that with good will and concerted effort, there are solutions to many of the world's problems, and everyone can contribute to making the world a better place.
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Example 5 It’s a Small World
This example illustrates how values education can be integrated into the English classroom.
Level: Upper Primary Background:
A school with Chinese-speaking learners (School A) initiates a visit to a school with non-Chinese speaking learners (School B) with the following objectives:
To provide learners with opportunities to extend their language learning experiences beyond the classroom and use English in natural, authentic and realistic settings.
To promote intercultural awareness in young learners, as well as awareness of the use of English as an international language for communication.
To nurture learners’ positive values and attitudes, including respect for others and care for others from the seven priority values and attitudes, as well as love, equality, appreciation and cultural inclusion.
Learning Activities:
Learners from School A
(with Chinese-speaking learners)
Learners from School B
(with non-Chinese speaking learners) Before the visit:
read books on ethnic and cultural harmony in English lessons to learn the importance of respect for different people and cultures based on a scenario from the book
discuss what they would do if they met a new friend from another culture
learn the appropriate vocabulary, grammar items and
communicative functions (e.g.
asking “wh” and “how”
questions) that help them introduce themselves and make acquaintance with a new friend
role-play a scene between two children of different cultures meeting each other for the first time
prepare some instructions for making paper firecrackers to introduce Chinese culture to learners from School B
Before the visit:
read a book on ethnic and cultural harmony in English lessons to learn the importance of respect for different people and cultures
learn the background of learners from School A
be prepared to introduce themselves to learners from School A and respond freely and naturally when communicating with them
prepare a variety show with different short performances about their own cultures (e.g.
singing songs, performing a short play and folk dance, storytelling and reciting poems )
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During the visit:
watch different short performances on School B learners’ cultures
pair up with learners from school B and apply the language learnt in the reading lessons and
role-play to introduce themselves to them
initiate a conversation by asking learners from School B questions about their daily life
give instructions and teach
learners in School B how to make paper firecrackers
During the visit:
put on different short
performances to present their home cultures in creative ways
introduce themselves to learners from School A and sustain the conversation by responding to their questions about their daily life
follow the instructions to make paper firecrackers and seek clarifications through questioning
After the visit:
give a short presentation on a new friend made in School B with the use of three photos taken that day
write a thank-you card to a friend in School B to express gratitude and appreciation
After the visit:
write a diary entry to reflect on the learning experience,
describing which activity was the most enjoyable and what lessons have been learnt
Impact on Learning:
Learners in both schools:
understand how to use appropriate language and interaction strategies to make acquaintance and maintain social conversation with new friends;
become motivated and keen to use language in authentic situations;
develop intercultural awareness, as well as positive values and attitudes such as respect for others, other cultures and different ways of life, care for others, love, equality, open-mindedness, appreciation and cultural inclusion; and
develop their collaboration and communication skills in the role play, short performances and firecracker production activities.
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