Collaborative Research & Development (“Seed”) Project for 2019 – 2020
Developing Literacy Skills through Promoting Reading across the Curriculum in the
English Classroom at KS2 (EE0619)
English Language Education Section Curriculum Development Institute
Education Bureau 16 Feb 2019
Project Objectives
To understand teachers’ roles in promoting Reading across the Curriculum and explore strategies for promoting Reading across the Curriculum in the English classroom at KS2
To raise students’ awareness of the connection between their learning experiences in the ELE KLA and other KLAs
To help students learn effectively by identifying reading materials with relevant themes, text types and language features in both print and non-print forms
To design appropriate learning, teaching and assessment activities to reinforce students’ ability to integrate the knowledge, skills and learning experiences gained in
different KLAs so as to deepen and broaden their learning
Project Title: Developing Literacy Skills through Promoting Reading across the Curriculum in the English Classroom at KS2
Literacy Development in the English Classroom
Lifelong learning
Challenges in the 21st century
The ability to read and write effectively Literacy Development in the English Classroom
Promoting Reading across the Curriculum
(RaC) Communicative
Functions for General Purposes
Rhetorical Functions for Academic
Purposes
Equipping Students with New Literacy Skills
Processing and creating multimodal texts Sound
effects
Images
Written texts Spoken
language Music
Multi- modal
texts
Promoting Reading across the Curriculum
‘Teachers who use cross-curricular themes create active readers by engaging students in authentic literacy tasks that emerge naturally from interesting and worthwhile topics and ideas.’
Aslan, Y. (2016). The Effect of Cross-curricular Instruction on Reading
Comprehension. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 4(8), 1797-1801.
‘Because our lives require us to integrate what we have learned in an interdisciplinary manner, teaching children through merged disciplines better prepares them for applying new knowledge and experience. In addition, when students view their learning as having personal relevance, they put more effort into their schoolwork and achievement.’
Willis, S. (1995). Refocusing the curriculum: Making interdisciplinary efforts work. ASCD Education Update, 37 (1), 1-8.
Suggestions made in the ELE KLACG
2017 on
Reading across the Curriculum
In implementing RaC, English teachers are encouraged to:
identify reading materials in both print and non-print forms with suitable entry points (e.g. themes, text types, language features and vocabulary) for connecting students’ learning experiences in different KLAs;
help students develop the reading skills and strategies necessary for understanding and analysing language use in English texts (e.g. text structures and vocabulary);
design reading activities that reinforce students’ ability to integrate the knowledge, skills and learning experiences gained in different KLAs; and
collaborate with teachers of other KLAs to develop learning activities that provide students with opportunities to consolidate the knowledge and skills acquired across KLAs.
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Current Situation
Practices at schools
Reading Workshops
Information books
Cross- curricular
learning activities e.g. life-wide
learning activities, project work
English Week/
Activity Days
e.g. talent shows, game booths Collaboration
with school librarian
Opportunities for enriching the sch00l-based English
Language curriculum
Major updates in the ongoing curriculum renewal
Promotion of
Reading Grant
(CM No.10 /2018)
PEEGS
e.g. theme-based book displays
Identify reading materials for connecting students’ learning experiences in different
KLAs
Identify a module/unit for tryout
Design learning activities that help develop students’ literacy skills and consolidate the
knowledge and skills acquired across KLAs
Promoting Reading across the Curriculum
Cross-curricular collaboration to facilitate RaC
Seeking advice from teachers of other KLAs on:
- the choice and appropriateness of reading materials - the schedule of teaching a certain topic
Working with teachers of other KLAs to conduct curriculum mapping e.g. designing cross-curricular learning tasks and activities together
Adjusting the teaching schedules of English Language and the content subject to teach the same theme/topic at around the same time
Design learning activities that provide opportunities for students to integrate and
apply the knowledge, skills and learning experiences gained in different KLAs
Involving teachers of other KLAs in the conduct of cross-curricular learning activities or project work, e.g. assessing students’ performance
Connecting students’ learning experiences in the ELE KLA and other KLAs
- reading more about the lives and cultures of people in different places
- showing respect for the cultures of
different places
- reading more about different musical instruments and the challenges in learning to play an instrument
- helping students to
appreciate music and develop perseverance
- reading more about a sport
- understanding more about team work and sportsmanship
Example 1 General Studies
Example 2 Music
Example 3
Physical Education
?
Connecting students’ learning experiences in English Language and General Studies
Reading input:
Task: Writing a section to introduce Chinese culture
Taking photos and writing captions about the special events
Recording the cultural activities in their daily lives
Introducing the history or traditions in HK Example 1
Knowledge and
skills learnt from GS Connection with English Language
Understanding the lives and
cultures of people in different places
Reading blog articles of students from different places (PLE 2nd Ed. 4A Chapter 1 Be my friend)
Reading an information book about traditions around the world
- cultural activities such as sports, eating habits, festival celebrations
3. Reading an information book and a story
Understanding the history and special
features of some musical instruments Task:
Giving an oral presentation about 1. Knowledge and skills learnt from Music
Topic
- Learning how to play a recorder in P4 - Performing a simple recorder song for
formative assessment
- Developing students’ perseverance in the process of learning a musical instrument
Reading Liam’s story and understanding the problem he encountered
Example 2 Connecting students’ learning experiences in English Language and Music
Example 3 Promoting RaC
Knowledge & skills learnt from Physical Education
A learning task that enables application of the knowledge and skills acquired across KLAs (English Language & Physical Education)
Connection with English Language
Development of reading skills &
strategies: reading a story about a persistent boy runner
discussion on the attributes of a successful athlete
Learning and teaching of
vocabulary about sports facilities and equipment
Reading an information book about football
teaching of reading skills and strategies necessary for
processing an information text
positive values and attitude:
team work, sportsmanship
• Creating a multimodal text about your favourite sport/a new sport/
favourite athlete
** Involving the PE teachers in assessing students’ work
KS2 Learning Targets
- show understanding in the basic knowledge about physical activities and their contribution to health - follow rules and regulations, and demonstrate sense of fair play
Sports-related Values and Attitudes
- understand the meaning of sports competition and develop positive values and attitudes
Connecting students’ learning experiences in English Language and Physical Education
Project Title:
Developing Literacy Skills through Promoting Reading across the Curriculum in the
English Classroom at KS2
Project Code: EE0619
Duration: September 2019 to August 2020
Planning &
Implementation of the “Seed”
Project
Implementation (1-2 weeks)
• To try out the unit, i.e. the strategies and materials, in at least one class of students
Development • To design and develop materials for one unit of work (about 8 – 10 lessons) with the CDI officers
Development
• To design and develop materials for one unit of work (about 8 – 10 lessons) with support from the CDI officers as appropriate
Implementation (1-2 weeks)
• To try out the unit, i.e. the strategies and materials, in at least one class of students
Evaluation • To participate in the end-of-the-year evaluation Phase I
Phase II
