Curriculum Planning and Effective Use of Resources
3. Curriculum Resources
2.4.5 Stage 5: Review and Evaluation
At this stage, schools review and reflect on the effectiveness of their work in support of curriculum implementation. Schools make use of the data collected, e.g. assessment data and feedback from different stakeholders, to assess students’ strengths, weaknesses and needs in order to review the level of achievement such as devising the success criteria and proposing improvement and follow-up plans as appropriate. Accurate evaluation and assessment can provide data that inform the next cycle of curriculum planning and help schools to make adjustments to the strategies between cycles so as to facilitate continuous curriculum development.
Curriculum Planning and Effective Use of Resources - Exemplars for Primary Schools
Schools may refer to the following table and exemplars for some of the possible ways to attain different purposes in whole-school curriculum planning.
Purpose Current Situation Possible Way Out Examples To create time and
space for a wide range of learning activities to address individual learning needs
A fixed time allocation of 35 minutes per period, which restricts the arrangement for a range of learning experiences Individual learning needs of students are not addressed
Schools' facilities are not fully utilised
To extend the length of the lessons based on learning needs such as arranging double/triple periods, or blocking a whole day/ whole week for thematic activities To integrate independent sessions of Life Education and Moral and Civic Education or use weekly assemblies and class teacher periods to help students develop positive values and attitudes To block a particular session for remedial measures of a particular subject, especially in reading
To allocate a counseling/
homework guidance session every day To arrange weekly remedial teaching programmes for the academically less able students
To open the special rooms for students during lunch time and after school
Refer to Exemplars 1 to 4
To create space for enhancing teachers' professionalism
Insufficient time and space for teachers' professional development
To specify a time slot for teachers' professional development including collaborative lesson preparation or teacher development programmes in alternate weeks
Refer to Exemplars 1, 3 and 4
Primary School Exemplar 1
Some longer lessons are planned.
Life education, a remedial session and a teacher development programme are incorporated into the timetable.
A class period is arranged every day.
Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8:15-8:30 am Morning Assembly/Reading
8:30-9:10 am English Language Putonghua English
Language English Language
English Language
9:10-9:40 am Mathematics Physical Education
Chinese Language
Computer Studies
9:40-9:45 am Recess
9:45-10:15 am
Chinese Language English Language
Chinese
Language Music
Chinese Language
10:15-10:45 am Mathematics Physical
Education
10:45-11:10 am Recess
11:10-11:40 am Music
General Studies
Visual Arts
Chinese
Language Music
11:40-12:10 pm
General Studies
General Studies
Mathematics
12:10-12:40 pm Chinese
Language Mathematics
12:40-1:40 pm Lunch
1:40-2:10 pm Assembly/
Life Education
Chinese
Language Library Chinese
Language Remedial
2:10-2:40 pm Mathematics
Interest Groups
Putonghua
2:40- 2:45 pm Break Break Teacher
Development Programme
2:45-3:05 pm Class Period Class Period Class Period
Rationale:
Double or triple lessons ensure sufficient time for the achievement of a number of learning objectives in different subjects through diversified learning activities.
Morning reading sessions are arranged to develop students’ interests and habit in reading.
The class periods allow students to do their assignments under teachers' guidance where appropriate.
Interest groups are arranged regularly to develop students' interests. The school can invite parents to participate in the activities or to conduct some interest groups for students, e.g.
Chinese Club, Chess Club and Photography Club. When students join the interest groups, they can learn how to organise activities and co-operate with others.
Life education is incorporated as a core subject to facilitate whole-person development.
The fixed time slot for the teacher development programme allows teachers to share their views and understand students' needs. Collaborative lesson preparation enhances teachers' professional development.
The school also schedules a week for conducting theme-based learning. An example of the programme for the Integrated Week is as follows:
Programme of the Integrated Week
Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8:15-8:30 am Morning Assembly (Publicity)
8:30-9:10 am A Beginning and an End (1)
Fun with Fish
Surfing the Musical World
(Hall)
Fantasy Land (1)
Dance for a Beautiful Life
(playground) 9:10-9:40 am
Fun with Ink
Healthy Kids (Hall) 9:40-10:15 am
Appreciating the Beauty of the Victoria Harbour
(outside school) 10:15-10:45 am
10:45-11:10 am Recess Recess
11:10-11:40 am
Devoted to 'Bugs' (Hall)
A Passage to the Beauty of Life
Joy of Reading
11:40-12:10 pm Recess A Beginning and
an End (2)
12:10-12:40 pm Fantasy Land (2) Conclusion
12:40-01:40 pm Lunch
01:40-02:10 pm Making Your own Musical Instrument
Searching the Beautiful
Melody
Creating Your
Rainbow Fantasy Land (3)
Staff Development Day/Holiday for
Students 02:10-02:40 pm
02:40- 02:45 pm Class period Class period Class period Class period
The objective of the Integrated Week is to provide opportunities for students to learn in an integrated way through daily activities.
Students develop their generic skills through participating in various activities under different learning environments.
Primary School Exemplar 2
Schools can make flexible arrangements to the timetable, e.g. arranging longer periods on Friday to provide room for conducting learner-centred activities, connecting learning and teaching, and promoting learner engagement.
Lesson time is flexibly arranged as there is more time in a whole-day school.
The time on Friday afternoon is blocked for General Studies (GS) lessons for all levels or for conducting co-curricular activities.
Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Time
8:00-8:15 Morning Assembly / Class Teacher Period 8:00-8:15
8:15-8:50 Chinese Language
Chinese Language
English Language
English
Language Assembly 8:15-9:15
8:50-9:25 English Language
Chinese
Language Mathematics Chinese Language
Mathematics 9:15-10:05 9:25-10:00 English
Language
English Language
Computer
Studies Mathematics
10:00-10:15 Recess Recess 10:05-10:20
10:15-10:50 Mathematics Mathematics Chinese Language
Physical
Education English
Language 10:20-11:10 10:50-11:25 Chinese
Language Mathematics Chinese Language
Chinese Language
11:25-12:00 Physical
Education Music Music Chinese
Language
Chinese
Language 11:10-12:00
12:00-12:45 Lunch Lunch 12:00-12:45
12:45-13:20 Library Putonghua Visual Arts Putonghua
General
Studies 12:45-13:35 13:20-13:55 General
Studies
General
Studies Visual Arts RK
13:55-14:10 Recess Recess 13:35-13:45
14:10-14:45 Integrated Lesson Activities 13:45-14:45
Rationale:
Double periods on Friday facilitate the arrangement of a range of learning experiences.
Relevant whole-school activities like seminars, visits, inter-class competitions and opportunities for life-wide learning are arranged during the block periods of General Studies.
The integrated lesson, e.g. tutorial sessions, enhancement lessons for particular subjects and training for different school teams, can cater for the diverse learning needs of students.
Teachers may also make arrangements for skills-training sessions such as information technology, information search, report writing, reading, research and study, presentation, choral speaking and life skills to help students master some generic skills.
Primary School Exemplar 3
The school arranges leisure and cultural activities at lunch time from Monday to Thursday.
Staff development is conducted on alternate Friday afternoons when there is no formal class teaching for the students.
A guidance session is arranged every day to cater for students who need extra help in academic work. The Intensive Remedial Teaching Programme (IRTP) is also arranged at the same time and students with special learning needs have a chance to learn with other students. It is carried out in normal lessons through co-teaching. With two teachers teaching the same class, students' needs can be better catered for and the "labelling effect" can be avoided.
Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8:00- 8:35 am Class period
8:35- 9:15 am English Language
English Language
English Language
English Language
English Language 9:15- 9:55 am English
Language
General Studies
Physical Education
English Language
Chinese Language 9:55- 10:30 am Mathematics General
Studies Mathematics Chinese
Language Mathematics
10:30- 11:00 am Recess
11:00- 11:35 am Chinese
Language Putonghua Mathematics Mathematics Mathematics 11:35- 12:10 pm Chinese
Language Music Visual Arts Mathematics General
Studies 12:10- 12:45 pm Physical
Education Mathematics English
Language Music General
Studies
12:45- 1:15 pm Lunch
Leisure and Cultural Activities in School 1:15- 1:55 pm
1:55- 2:30 pm Visual Arts Library Chinese Language
Chinese Composition
Moral Education / Staff Development
2:30- 3:05 pm Visual Arts Chinese Language
Chinese Language
Chinese Composition
Putonghua / Staff Development
3:05- 3:40 pm Remedial (Eng)
Remedial (Chi)
Remedial (Chi)
Remedial (Eng)
English Language/ Staff
Development
Rationale
The school lays emphasis on creating a caring learning environment and enhancing students' self-esteem and self-discipline.
To develop among students a sense of belonging, the school facilities are fully utilised:
Students read in the library and also use the computers for electronic games or Internet surfing.
Different kinds of music and visual arts activities are conducted in the Visual Arts Room and the Music Room. Students also practise playing the musical instruments or finish their assignments.
Short videos of news or cartoons related to Moral and Civic Education are played in the classrooms.
Students are allowed to use different school facilities with care to develop their self-discipline.
Time is arranged for teacher development, such as collaborative lesson preparation, sharing of experiences, conducting and attending seminars.
Activities related to Moral and Civic Education or extended leisure and cultural activities are arranged for students on alternate Fridays.
Primary School Exemplar 4
The school arranges the learning time for subjects at different levels flexibly.
The school exercises flexibility in allocating learning time from Monday to Saturday.
A skill training lesson is allocated to help students to acquire generic skills such as information technology, information search, report writing, reading, research and study, presentation, choral speaking and life skills.
Interest Groups are arranged for KS2 students.
Co-curricular activities are conducted on Saturdays in long weeks.
Time Allocation for Chinese Language and English Language - Primary 1 to Primary 6
Key Learning
Area
Subject
Teaching Hours in
Key Stage 1/2 Total Teaching Hours over 6 years
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6
Chinese Language Education
Chinese
Language 169 169 169 146 146 146
1080
Putonghua 22.5 22.5 22.5 22.5 22.5 22.5
English Language Education
English
Language 146 146 146 169 169 169 945
Class Timetable
Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
8:00-8:45 am Assembly English Language
General
Studies Mathematics Chinese
Language Skills Training
8:45-9:30 am Chinese
Language Library English Language
English Language
English Language
Chinese Language
9:30-9:45 am Recess
9:45-10:30 am Physical Education
Chinese
Language Music Chinese
Language Visual Arts English Language
10:30-11:15 am English
Language Music Putonghua Skill Training Visual Arts Mathematics
11:15-11:25 am Recess
11:25-12:10 pm General Studies
Physical Education
Chinese Language
General
Studies Mathematics
Co-curricular Activities 11:30 - 12:45
or 2:00 -5:00 12:10- 12:55 pm Chinese
Language Mathematics Mathematics Chinese Language
English Language 1:40-1:45 pm Interest Groups/Intensive Remedial Teaching Programme
1:45-3:30 pm Collaborative Lesson Preparation (each teacher has to attend at least 3 sessions per week)
Rationale:
The school allocates more time to Chinese Language in KS1 and English Language in KS2. This helps students to develop reading skills in Chinese Language at an early stage of schooling and facilitates reading to learn. The KS2 students meet the Native-speaking English Teacher one period per week. They learn to communicate in English in an authentic situation to become more competent when attending interviews and make a better transition to secondary schooling.
A 45-minute period makes learning and teaching more coherent as learner-centered activities can be conducted. Students are more attentive in the lesson.
An Intensive Remedial Teaching Programme is carried out in normal lessons every day in the form of collaborative teaching. With two teachers teaching the same class, students' needs can be better catered for and the "labelling effect" can be avoided.
The KS2 students can learn to organise activities and collaborate with others when participating in interest groups such as Chinese Club, Bridge Club and Photography Club.
1 Reference for 5 Stages of whole-school curriculum planning:
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/support/Pages/guide.aspx
2 For example, tutorial classes, community service partnership programmes.
3 At the stage of curriculum implementation, the subject panels or colleagues in-charge need to regularly review the extent as to how the curriculum is implemented. Areas for review cover student learning, the use of strategies, the implementation of curriculum plans, the effectiveness of support measures, the difficulties and/or solutions, and the adjustments made. For details, please refer to section 2.4.3 of this Chapter.
4 The curriculum development committee monitors curriculum implementation and devises follow-up plans as appropriate. Evidence demonstrating enhancement of student’s learning abilities, and areas for improvement is collected. For details, please refer to section 2.4.4 of this Chapter.
5 At the review and evaluation stage, schools make good use of the data collected, which include the assessment data and comments of different stakeholders, to understand students’ needs, their strengths and weaknesses in learning. Schools can then have a better understanding about whether the success criteria are met and devise improvement plans as appropriate. For details, please refer to section 2.4.5 of this Chapter.
Remarks
Reference Notes
Students experience the transition from childhood to early adolescence when they progress from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2. They experience different developmental changes in terms of intelligence, character and social skills. Therefore, schools should ensure a smooth transition across levels and Key Stages to help students build a solid foundation for their future study and facilitate healthy growth.
Schools should follow the educational principles and avoid overloading students, regardless of parents’ request for a more packed and demanding curriculum with content far beyond students’ learning ability.
The following references are by no means exhaustive and listed for reference only.
Education Bureau of the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Inspection Annual Report 2009/10 for Quality Assurance for Schools, Education Bureau of the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Source:
<http://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/tc/sch-admin/sch-quality-assurance/reports/insp-annual-repo rts/qa_annual_report0910_c.pdf>
EDB: Guidelines on Drawing up the School Calendar
<http://www.edb.gov.hk/tc/curriculum-development/resource-support/guidelines-sch-calendar/i ndex.html>
EDB: One-stop Portal for Learning & Teaching Resources
<http://www.hkedcity.net/edbosp/>
EDB: Curriculum Development
<http://www.edb.gov.hk/tc/curriculum-development/index.html>
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Victoria.
<http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx>