Good English Teaching Practices: Yuen Long Lutheran Secondary School

1. Good English Teaching Practices: Yuen Long Lutheran Secondary School EMB Consultancy Project Researchers: Gary Harfitt & Hofan Chau

2. Our focus today • Background of the school and what it has achieved. • Examining and explaining the ‘culture’ of the school. • Looking at the policies implemented in the school and how they underpin the culture. • Specific initiatives of relevance to all schools in HK.

3. Yuen Long Lutheran Secondary School (YLLSS) • Moved to Tin Shui Wai in 1998 from Yuen Long • Teaches F.1 – F.7 students • CMI status • Band one intake since 2001 • 95% of students from Tin Shui Wai public housing estates

4. HKCEE results (English language syllabus B) Student % Year

5. A’ level results (UE paper) Student % Year

6. VISION : CULTURE-POLICIES -CLASSROOM CULTURE How is such a positive attitude towards English cultivated? VISION What are the school policies that underpin the culture? What motivates all this? What strategies are teachers using in the classroom? POLICIES PEDAGOGY

7. Vision The principal • Became the Principal in 1998. • Decided to focus on improving English results as a way of providing students with greater opportunities to further their education at tertiary level • Received support from parents as results and student intake improved.

8. The principal’s rationale “ English is very important. It can help [the students] find a good job and earn a good living. You see, if they fail English, they can’t go to university. They can’t find a good job. That’s number one… because the English standard was very low, only a few students went to university. Under ten. The teachers knew, but they couldn’t help. – 27 October, 2003

9. The English panel chair • Taught in the school for more than 10 years. • Confirms active role of principal in the changes at the school since 1998. • Also attributes the reasons for change to: • Additional resources • Better teamwork in panel

10. Process SOLVE PROBLEMS TOGETHER IDENTIFY PROBLEM AREAS GOAL Increase university enrolment English results are identified as a limiting factor English becomes school priority

11. University entrance Students Year

12. School Culture How is such a positive attitude towards English in this school cultivated? • The formal aspect (The classroom) • The informal aspect (English club & activities)

13. Extra curricular activities • Crazy Halloween Party (Oct) • S2 Vocabulary competition (Dec) • S1 Storytelling Competition (April) • S2 Drama Competition (May) • S4 Oral Presentation (July) • S3-4 DJ Group Competition • English speaking days • English club parties and carnivals • Exchange trip to Singapore • English network: Lunchtime radio show

14. Allows language focus in class Student interest & exposure English Club Distinctive featuresof the English club Distinctive features of the English Club • Student leadership: • Student empowerment • Role modeling, • Peer learning,

15. GOAL • Motivate students to use more English The process of creating a culture • Students fear speaking English AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT • Begin student motivation at lower forms. • Improve English club: • Activities generate student interest • Student organisation structure provides peer learning SOLUTION? • Student enrolment in English club increases from 50 to 300 members in 3 years • Students more confident in speaking English and are motivated to use it in the classroom EFFECTS

16. What are the school policies that underpin the culture? • Structures that promote teamwork (support group, collaborative planning meetings) • Initiatives to support teaching (resources, mentoring, junior/senior form teaching) • Finding “the right person for the right job” (clearly defined roles, Mr. Lo, support group, Jeremy (NET))

17. principal Vice- principal Panel chair Kit Joe Research team Panel Structure Support group

18. Mr. Lo, the Vice-principal • “Bridge” between the Principal and the panel • Administrative and strategic support • Informs panel with research (exam results) • Not an English teacher

19. Zoe Mr Lo Vina Kit Joe Support group • Established to assist panel head • Meet to discuss school policies + new initiatives (e.g., writing school based textbook, remedial programs, etc.)

20. principal ENGLISH CLUB Kit Joe Panel Structure (continued) Chat-room TA Jeremy (NET)

21. principal ENGLISH CLUB Kit Joe Research team Panel Structure (continued) Chat-room Vice- principal Panel chair TA Jeremy (NET) MENTORING Form Collaboration meeting

22. Collective Lesson Planning • Once a cycle, teachers from the same form meet to discuss their teaching. • Discussion topics that we have observed include: • Sharing teaching ideas • Evaluating exams and tests • Delegating duties and tasks • Checking progress of different classes • Critiquing the textbook and planning units together

23. Breakdown of CLP topics(1 unit – 3 meetings)

24. CLP benefits • Provides alternative to existing forms of collaboration • Allow teachers to share ideas and evaluate the textbook • Promotes cooperation in panel • Helps to uniform the teaching approach in junior forms CLP benefits

25. The process on a policy level SOLVE PROBLEMS TOGETHER IDENTIFY PROBLEM AREAS GOAL • Research team diagnoses problem areas • Teachers discuss in Collective Lesson Planning meetings • Panel evaluation • Share solutionsinCLP meetings • Teachers adapt classes accordingly. • Cultivate confidence + interest in lower forms (e.g. activities) • Remedial support • Improve Englishexam results • Increase university enrolment • Make English school priority • Some teachers unhappy with changes • Poor English results = limiting factor • Relational solutions: • Mr. Lo acts as bridge + adviser • Support group helps panel head • Collective Lesson Planning (CLP) • English becomes school priority

26. Reflection: a crucial element in the school’s progress “As teachers, we expect our students to work hard and improve, but we often fail to do this ourselves.” - Kit Lee