Introduction: How do I start?

Leader’s Role?Opportunity of the teachers

exchange project (3.5 months)?

1 WEEK IN FOSHAN HUAYING SCHOOL

LOOKING FOR / EXPECTING “CHANGE”

Assessment

Learning strategy

Research theme

Professional development, ind vs panel

Observation vs Effective lesson

Diagnosis on Learning & Teaching

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

FOCUS

MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING & BENEFIT

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」

Learning Study In Huaying—

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

The topic for study

Object of learning

•Interview Ss

• Pre-test

ConfirmObject of learning

Teaching plan

Class observation

• Post- test &Post-interview

with Ss

Learning Study

Impact of the study

Reflective sharing

Anot

her c

ircle

of

the

stud

y

Different

teaching cycles

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)

THEORY OF VARIATION (变易学习理论 )

V1 Variation 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 )

LESSON OBSERVATION AND

GIVING FEEDBACK 观课与评课

PEER LESSON OBSERVATION TOOL

Stage and Time Steps Observation

Notes

Other Observations and Comments:

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?

•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? 

OBSERVATION NOTES: (Observed Target: Teachers)

Seating Arrangement• Teachers focus on observed targets(S or T)

S2

S1

T1

T2

T3

S3

S4

T4T5

T’s desk

G1 G2 G3 G4

Seating Arrangement

• Teachers focus on different targets

Teachers

Students

Student feedback

Teacher feedback

Comparison of Improvementbetween the two classes

(% increase)

Part 1Prepositions

Part 2Interrogatives

Part 3Cloze passage

Class 1 36% 12.30% 23.14%

Class 2 34% 32% 26.80%

Teacher’s Reflection on Learning Study in Huaying School

Questions Strongly Agree

Agree Dis-agree

Strongly Disagree

1) Do you think your teaching is effective? 2 3 2) Do you think Learning study is helpful for me to

strive for effective English Language Teaching? 5

3) The cycle/process of Learning study helps me to grasp the elements for an effective lesson.

3 2

4) I have strong subject disciplinary knowledge. 2 3 5) I am able to handle the classroom well. 1 4 6) Do you think your teaching can be described as

“student-centred” before the trial of learning study?2 1 2

7) Do you think “student-centred” will be a key concern to you after the trial of learning study?

4 1

8) Do you think “learner diversities” is a key concern in your teaching?

4 1

9) Do you think you are a reflective teacher? 1 2 2

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

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.”

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.”

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.”

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)

More reflection & improvement

Clear lesson objectives: learning points & tasksKeep lesson focused: avoid too many tasks beyond

students’ abilityTime for students’ active learning Awareness of Language used in classroomAwareness of Language proficiency: spoken & written

Learning Study may be a way out for better learning and teaching – attaining the effectiveness of a lesson!

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)

(Mr. Yip, 2011)

Dr. Lam, 2010

What is a leader?

What is a leader?

Every English teacher is a leader!

How do you improve yourself and your leadership qualities?

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.

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

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 cyclesLesson planning, peer lesson observation, post-

lesson discussion and sharing with other teachers

Learning Study

School Level

(3) To explore effective methods to use co-teaching to enhance teaching and learning effectiveness

Barriers to co-teaching(i) Grading of students(ii) Time(iii) Class management(iv) Commitment and personality (K. Joy 2011)

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

Opportunities

Falling rolls (Crisis) Parental choices (The importance of

enhancing learning effectiveness)Enhanced Measures of the Voluntary

optimization of Class Structure SchemeMore 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