Strategies

(i) Demonstration

Demonstration enables students to observe skills or procedures directly for their understanding of techniques, ways of expression and abstract concepts. For example, through playing a musical instrument or handling a tool properly by teachers, students perceive the key of grasping the relevant skills and learn to pay attention to details. Teachers can also arrange live performances and master classes, or invite artists to conduct practical art workshops so that students have authentic aesthetic experience and direct contact with professional artists. In addition, video-recorded and online demonstrations and performances may be used.

(ii) Interactive Learning

Interactive learning can take place in class or in groups, and in different forms such as dialogue, discussion, ensemble and debate. Through teacher or student-student interactions, student-students discuss and explore concepts and share views and resources for developing new ideas and broadening their scope of knowledge and experience.

Effective questioning techniques can help students recall memories, inspire imaginations and interpretations for creating, appreciating and performing the arts.

To facilitate interactive learning, an encouraging environment is important for students to express personal views with confidence.

(iii) Integrative Learning in the Arts

Integrative learning in the arts is a learning and teaching strategy, rather than a curriculum in its own right. Students’ knowledge of one art form can enhance their understanding of other art forms. This strategy helps students gain a holistic understanding of and deeper insights into the arts.

Collaboration among different Arts subjects is essential. Teachers can participate in

collaborative lesson planning, co-teaching or lesson observation for sharing strategies for the learning and teaching of relevant subject knowledge, as well as planning and evaluating the Arts Education curriculum.

There are different modes of integrative learning in the Arts Education curriculum, such as connecting similar concepts or elements of different art forms, and using a theme across different Arts subjects.

Examples of Integrative Learning in the Arts

 Identify similar concepts among art forms, such as rhythm, unity, contrast, tension, resolution, line/melody and colour/timbre of music. Teachers may guide students to understand these concepts in different art forms.

 Adopt the theme “Dragon Boat Festival” to link the studies of visual arts, music and dance to broaden students’ understanding of the theme. Students appreciate the traditional design and understand the symbolic meanings of the dragon boat to inspire their creation of a piece of artwork, appraise the energetic and uplifting rhythms of the music piece “Dragon Boat Races”

(賽龍奪錦), create a rhythmic ostinato to accompany it, and design and perform a dance related to the dragon boat using the music piece as accompaniment.

 Adopt the theme “Poor and Rich” to help students analyse the emotional expressions, ways of presentation and messages conveyed through selected paintings, music pieces and films for an in-depth enquiry into the theme.

Students can also integrate different art forms to explore alternatives for artistic presentation.

Refer to Appendix IX for an example of a teaching plan on integrative learning in the arts.

(iv) Information Technology for Interactive and Self-directed Learning IT refers to the application of computers and telecommunication hardware and software to store, retrieve, transmit and manipulate data or information. Effective use of IT for learning extends students’ experience of interacting with people and the environment, saves time for quality learning, and fosters deep learning and self-directed learning. Examples of using IT in the learning of the arts are as follows:

 researching, selecting, manipulating, analysing, organising and evaluating a wide range of information from the Internet for extending the scope of knowledge and catering for learner diversity;

 using mobile computing devices and e-platforms to enable virtual face-to-face contact and facilitate online discussion inside and outside the classroom; and

The use of IT should aim to enhance learning and teaching effectiveness, and not to replace students’ authentic arts learning experiences, e.g. playing musical instruments, handling different art materials, appreciating artworks in a museum, attending live music performance in a concert hall and having a dialogue with artists.

Teachers should address the ethical and safety issues in the use of information, in particular online information, and help students develop information literacy. For example, students should:

 acknowledge properly sources of information such as texts, images, audio and video clips;

 observe the copyright requirements in using the works of others;

 seek permission for uploading information, music or images of others to the Internet; and

 develop knowledge and skills about Internet safety.

Refer to Chapter 3D of the BECG and Booklet 6D of the SECG for more information on the use of IT for interactive and self-directed learning.

Example of Using IT for Interactive and Self-directed Learning

 Search for information online, e.g. artworks from web museums, music on the Internet, background about an art movement, and characteristics of a music genre.

 Create a chat group with a mobile computing device or on an e-platform to facilitate the sharing of latest arts events, news and views.

 Use IT to generate new sounds or develop visual images in the process of creating works of the arts.

Refer to Appendices VIII, X and XII for examples of teaching plans on using IT for interactive and self-directed learning.

(v) Project Learning

Project learning engages students in in-depth investigation and analysis of topics, and enables them to connect knowledge and skills of different areas. It provides opportunities for students to practise self-learning and enquiry skills. Owing to its interdisciplinary nature, project learning also supports the MRE of the ongoing curriculum renewal such as promoting STEM education and strengthening LaC.

Teachers take the role as facilitators at different stages of the project by giving students clear instructions, guidance and constructive feedback. Refer to Chapter 3C of the BECG and Booklet 6C of the SECG for more information on project learning.

Example of Project Learning

In exploring the theme “Environmental Protection”, students research different environmental issues and decide on the learning focus, which can be related to different topics across subjects/KLAs, e.g. energy saving, lighting, light and heat in science or technology. Students appraise several sustainable product designs. They then learn to integrate their learning in visual arts with science and technology and design an environmentally friendly product, e.g. a lamp for household use, which fulfils aesthetic and functional purposes, and shows environmental concern.

(vi) Reading to Learn: Towards Reading across the Curriculum

Reading helps students enrich knowledge and cultivate interests in the arts, broaden perspectives about an issue, enhance language and thinking skills, and develop the capabilities for self-directed learning.

Building on the experience of promoting Reading to Learn, schools should move towards Reading across the Curriculum to provide opportunities for students to tackle a variety of texts, in particular non-fiction texts, which are related to their learning in various KLAs. When reading arts-related materials, students can activate their prior knowledge acquired from personal experience and school learning to enhance understanding of the content. This also helps improve their reading skills and equip them better for the needs and challenges at the different key stages of schooling.

To promote Reading across the Curriculum, teachers can:

 recommend textual materials obtained from different sources including the Internet, e.g. books including audio books, arts magazines and journals, concert programmes and exhibition catalogues;

 introduce reading materials on a wide range of knowledge areas and guide students to connect their reading with their previous knowledge and experience;

 provide a favourable reading environment, e.g. setting up a reading corner in the Visual Arts room and Music room, for easy access to a variety of reading materials;

 collaborate with teachers of other KLAs/subjects and teacher-librarians to organise cross-curricular reading activities and promote a reading culture in the school; and

 encourage students to utilise resources related to the arts from the public libraries.

Refer to Chapter 3B of the BECG and Booklet 6B of the SECG for more suggestions on promoting Reading to Learn and Reading across the Curriculum.

(vii) Life-wide Learning

Life-wide Learning (LWL) is an effective strategy to extend students’ learning beyond the classroom. Through performing in concert halls and theatres, displaying artworks in galleries, attending performances, visiting exhibitions and participating in community arts projects, students gain authentic learning experience and broaden their horizons in the world of the arts.

Teachers should place emphasis on quality rather than quantity in organising LWL activities. Clear objectives should be set to help students connect classroom learning with LWL. Briefings and debriefings should be given before and after the activities to strengthen learning effectiveness. Moreover, teacher should provide opportunities for students to reflect on their learning and share it orally or in writing.

Refer to Appendix XI for an example of a teaching plan on LWL.

Reflection and Action

In your school’s LWL activities of the arts:

 How are the learning objectives set?

 How do you enhance the effectiveness?

 How do your students reflect on their learning?

(viii) Drama-in-education

Drama-in-education (DiE) is a learning and teaching strategy for enhancing learning motivation and effectiveness. It involves the use of dramatic elements and conventions (e.g. role-play, storytelling, narration, still image, freeze frame, thought-tracking, hot-seating and teacher-in-role) to engage students in playful drama activities. DiE is useful for developing students’ observation, imagination, communication skills, empathy and self-confidence.

DiE is used as a means to better learning and teaching, so scripts and stage performances are not emphasised. The application of DiE usually involves students working with teachers in roles in a made-up or imaginary scenario. Students may also enter a scenario of a story, play different roles and interact with characters in a real or virtual environment. They may recast themselves as “others” and learn to think beyond their own points of view.

When employing DiE in classroom teaching, teachers may:

 begin with simple tasks to help students familiarise with the use of DiE;

 spare sufficient space in classroom for actions and the use of simple props;

 develop a “drama contract” with students (e.g. with respect for others) to set clear expectations and encourage student participation;

 intervene and carry out the facilitating role whenever necessary to guide students and support learning;

 stimulate student thinking by raising thought-provoking questions;

 offer positive feedback; and

 make sure that students are helped achieve the learning objectives instead of merely having a fun time in the lessons.   

Examples of Using DiE in the Arts Subjects Music:

 In response to several excerpts selected from The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saens, some students imagine themselves to be different animals and create body movements to portray their characteristics. Other students guess which animals they are imitating and point out the relevant music characteristics from the excerpts.

 Students create and perform a story-based sound project. Freeze frames and thought-tracking are used to guide students in explaining the development of their ideas, as well as the relationship between the story and the music development.

Visual Arts:

 According to different scenarios (e.g. running on a track, struggling in the stormy sea and dancing in the rain), students work in pairs to create postures that illustrate the scene as still images. Then other students take photographs of the images for inspiring their sculpture making.

 Students are shown Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper and told the background about Jesus’ last supper with his disciples. Through using still images to mime the characters with new postures, 13 students recreate the painting and other students guess the message conveyed in this new scene.

Students can then alter the postures of the characters and create their own paintings. 

Refer to Appendix X for an example of a teaching plan on employing DiE for learning the arts.