Introduction: How do I start?

1. Introduction: How do I start? • Leader’s Role? • Opportunity of the teachers exchange project (3.5 months)?

2. 1 WEEK IN FOSHAN HUAYING SCHOOL LOOKING FOR / EXPECTING “CHANGE” Assessment Learning strategy Research theme Professional development, indvs panel Observation vs Effective lesson Diagnosis on Learning & Teaching

3. FINDING A WAY OUT • Observe lessons and conduct post-observation discussions • Conduct collaborative lesson planning meetings • Demonstrate lessons or co-teach with Mainland teachers • Conduct professional sharing on selected topics PUZZLES MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING & BENEFIT FOCUS

4. Learning Study In Huaying— An action research to strive for the effectiveness of a lesson 「從華英的课堂学习研究 探討有效學習的一課」

5. COLLABORATIVE PLAN Teachers involved: Yvonne Wu (1st ) 胡婉韫 Angela Chan (2nd ) 陳碧昆 English Teachers in Grade 7 in Huaying Educator: Dr. WONG Shiu Hung 黃兆雄校長

6. Confirm Object of learning • Interview Ss • Pre-test The topic for study Object of learning Another circle of the study Learning Study Different teaching cycles Teaching plan • Post- test & • Post-interview with Ss Impact of the study Reflective sharing Class observation

7. What is an effective lesson? • Teachers’ part: Preparation (pre-, during, consolidating, post-) • Students’ part: Participation (learning difficulties, suitable tasks, remedial work) • Logistic part: Support(Principal’s, Colleagues’, AV)

8. THEORY OF VARIATION(变易学习理论) V1Variation in students’ ways of experiencing as the object of learning (学生对学习内容的不同理解方面的变易) V2 Variation in teachers’ ways of dealing with the object of learning (教师对处理学习内容的不同方法方面的变易) V3 Using variation as a pedagogical tool (利用变易以帮助学生学习)

9. LESSON OBSERVATION AND GIVING FEEDBACK 观课与评课

10. PEER LESSON OBSERVATION TOOL

11. OBSERVATION NOTES:(OBSERVED TARGET:STUDENTS) 1. Imagine you were one of the students in class. • Is the lesson interesting? • Could I follow the steps / activities assigned by the teacher? • Do I understand the teacher’s instructions? • Do I enjoy this lesson? • Do I learn what the teacher wants me to learn?

12. OBSERVATION NOTES: (Observed Target: Teachers) • Are the teaching objectives clear and in line with students’ ability and interests? • Are the steps clear and appropriate according to students’ previous knowledge and experience? • Are the activities well designed / planned and interesting?

14. Seating Arrangement • Teachers focus on observed targets(S or T) T’s desk S2 S3 S1 S4 T1 G1 G2 G3 G4 T2 T3 T5 T4

15. Seating Arrangement • Teachers focus on different targets Students Teachers

16. Student feedback

17. Teacher feedback

18. Comparison of Improvementbetween the two classes(% increase)

19. Teacher’s Reflection on Learning Study in Huaying School

20. Colleagues’ feedback: Principal Wong brings us a great impact on the concepts and the methods we should adopt in the process of teaching. Teaching is not just making interesting lessons. It’s a process of transferring knowledge and strategies of learning, inspiring and arousing interest in learning. Therefore, we should show our patience & love to our students, concern about what difficulties they meet and try our best to help them! By Penny

21. Feedback from Yvonne “After this lesson study, I have a better understanding of student-centred teaching. I know a certain way to find what students need or what kind of problem they will meet. With this help, I can design my teaching better and my students can learn better. Besides, I also know how to observe the teaching and the students. All these can help me to teach in a better way.”

22. Feedback from Angela “I should say that this project makes a great difference to our school. We’ve been thinking about the break-through of our routine English teaching for years, but still could not figure out the way. But with the help of English teachers from Hong Kong, we started to think about our teaching in a totally different way. When we make our teaching plans, we don’t just make the plans according to what WE think should be taught, but what STUDENTS want to learn and what DIFFICULTIES they may have. That’s what student-centred really means.”

23. Feedback from Nancy, the subject panel “Learning study helps a lot in improving our teaching. For students, after taking the pre-test, they can know better about their study and think about what they can learn from the lesson. They can also find out the difficulties they may have so that they can pay more attention in class and they may listen to the teachers more carefully. After the post-test, they can find out what they haven’t mastered. For the teachers, they can help each other after the class observation and point out the advantages and disadvantages in teaching. They will try to pay more attention to students.”

24. General Situations in Hong Kong • MOI • Teacher’s Roles • Instructions • Interactions • Effectiveness and students’ learning outcome • School-based curriculum & syllabi • Pedagogy: teachers’ theories (orientation), teachers’ designs (intention), teachers’ practices (implementation)

25. More reflection & improvement • Clear lesson objectives: learning points & tasks • Keep lesson focused: avoid too many tasks beyond students’ ability • Time for students’ active learning • Awareness of Language used in classroom • Awareness of Language proficiency: spoken & written Learning Study may be a way out for better learning and teaching – attaining the effectiveness of a lesson!

26. Spirit of Learning Study • Collaborative activities • Sharing of experiences • Reflection on action • Improvement of Student Learning Outcomes • Peer Learning • Acquisition of professional knowledge • Continuous change • A Quality Circle (Plan-Do-Check-Action)

27. (Mr. Yip, 2011)

28. Dr. Lam, 2010

29. What is a leader?

30. What is a leader? Every English teacher is a leader!

31. How do you improve yourself and your leadership qualities?

32. The Five Discoveries of Self-Directed Learning • The 1st discovery: My ideal self - What do I want to be? •  The 2nd discovery: My real self – Who am I ? What are my strengths and gaps? •  The 3rd discovery: My learning agenda – How can I build on my strengths while reducing my gaps? •  The 4th discovery: Experimenting with and practicing new practicing new behaviors, thoughts and feelings to the point of mastery. •  The 5th discovery: Developing supporting and trusting relationships that make change possible.

33. How do teachers respond to students’ need? • Ability: role model, professionalism •  School Atmosphere: belief & value •  Middle Management: mission & skills •  Division of Labour & Cooperation: systematic and collaborative relationship •  Team spirit establishment: mutual respect and care •  Self-directed & sustainable growth

34. School Level (1) To allocate more resources to improve the quality of English learning and teaching (2) To create time and space for teachers’ collaboration, reflections and promotion of constructive cycles • Lesson planning, peer lesson observation, post- lesson discussion and sharing with other teachers • Learning Study

35. School Level (3) To explore effective methods to use co-teaching to enhance teaching and learning effectiveness Barriers to co-teaching • Grading of students • Time • Class management • Commitment and personality (K. Joy 2011)

36. School Level • Co-teaching can be successful with proper communication and planning. • Co-teaching can be an effective way to provide more attention for students who need extra help. • It provides a good opportunity for English teachers to work with an expert or another experienced colleague to help SENs such as dyslexic students • or to design, implement and evaluate the NSS curriculum collaboratively

37. Opportunities • Falling rolls (Crisis) • Parental choices (The importance of enhancing learning effectiveness) • Enhanced Measures of the Voluntary optimization of Class Structure Scheme • More flexibility regarding the arrangement for teaching duties e.g. The time for Professional Learning Community (PLC) activities could be counted as part of the teaching duties