A Preliminary Review on the Implementation of NSS Curriculum:

Diversified Learning and Stretching Potentials

History Parallel Session24.9.2010

(History/PSHE/CDI/EDB)

2

A Preliminary Review on the Implementation of NSS Curriculum

A harmonious supportive community

History teachers HKEAA History manager CDI History officers

Other information

Ardent & supportiveLocal historians

3

• Share your ideas with the teacher sitting on your right / left.

• 2 minutes

Does ‘teaching to the middle’really save troubles and

reduce workload?

4

Just teaching to the middle?

Both fast learners & slow learners may lose interest in class. They may create discipline problems.

The needs & interests of fast learners & slow learners are not catered. It is unfair.

5

There are pull-out classes for fast &

slow learners.

But they learn little in normal lessons. It is wasteful.

How many pull-out classes can teachers afford to give?

How many pull-out classes can students afford to take?

6

Change your mindset favourable for LD.New mindsetNew attitudeNew teaching performance

Experiences in catering for LD is where teachers may shine as an expert in the education sector.

7

Trust ourselves, we have tried many ways to cater for LD in classrooms.

1.What pedagogies did you adopt?2.How effective were they?3.Share your experiences with 2-3

teachers around you?

5 minutes

8

Excellence?

Improvement?

Which is more realistic?

What is your goal in catering for LD??

9

1km

3km

7km

10km

?

10

Excellence or none?

Striving for Improvement?

11

• DI is an approach.

• It is an agglomeration of a variety of pedagogies & activities.

• It allows equal opportunity to all learners.

• It provides concreteevidence of effective learning & teaching.

• The mastery grows with experiences.

Differentiated Instruction(DI) (適異性課程)

Carol Tomlinson

12

Thinking styles and Forms of Assessment

• Tasks that match learner’s style– Stretch strengths – Sense of achievement & self-confidence

13

Diverse Needs of StudentsIndividual attention

Encouraging feedback

Short-term targets

Varied learning options

Motivating materials

Challenging activities

Manageable tasks

Clear instructions

14

DI: What to differentiate?

DifferentiatedInstruction

Content Process Product

15

Differentiate the content School-based curriculum planning

• Hold a macro view– Take S1-6 History curriculum as one;

• Formulate a smooth & structured progression of study (a continuity of concepts, topics and skills);

16

junior secondary

ConceptsHistorical concepts

SkillsHigh order thinking skills

DBQ techniquesWriting skills

Enquiry study skills Attitude

Heritage conservationHistorical empathy

Lessons learnt

Global picture of the past

Interest:Cultural heritageHistorical figures

Foundationfor further study:

Making of themodern world

Global picture of the

20th century

Background knowledge:

Making of themodern world

Curriculum interface

senior secondary

17

A global picture of the past is a foundation of a global picture of the present.

Develop depth and insight

18

Core• All topics should be taught.• Intensity may vary (LD)• Sequence may vary (LD)

– Theme A or Theme B first?– “HK” or “China” first?– HK: “institutional changes” or “socio-

economic development” first?– Taking 1945 as a dividing line? (e.g. pre-

WWII Europe, pre-WWII Asia...etc)

Differentiate the content senior secondary

19

• Electives (LD)Be liberal – allow students to choose an

approach & area of study in SBA taskMonitoring – give strong & timely supervision

on the titling exercise

• Extensive reading (LD)– Library books in Children’s Section – School-based tailor-made reading

materials

Differentiate the content senior secondary

20

Differentiate the process

KnowingUnderstanding

ApplyingAnalysingEvaluatingCreating

Anderson (1990)

KnowledgeComprehension

ApplicationAnalysis

SynthesisEvaluation

Bloom (1956)

Level of difficulty

Start from where they are

21

Differentiate the process(pedagogies)

Using graphic organizers Watching video clips Discussing sourcesPair/group work (teenagers love to learn with / from peers)Role playReading aloudShort presentation to group /class …etc

• Increase the variety in learning & teaching,

• formative assessmentactivities to reach out to more students

22

Graphic organizers

Social

economic

political

Solutions Problems Aspects

Cause & effect

23

Pair/group workFlexible grouping

Mixed abilities

Knowledge Skills Temperament

Thinking skillsCommunication

Leadership

DominantFragileLiberal

Conservative

CommonSubjectTopic

Similarabilities

Student-directed

Teacher-directed

24

Watching video clips

Examples:

HKRTHK

Discovery Channel

「八九點鐘太陽」(morningsun)

25

Differentiate the process

Direct supervision to the individual/group/classAllow room for exploration (i.e. leave them alone)Maintain classroom disciplineTime management…etc

Varying teacher support

26

Differentiate the process

TimelySpecificPositiveClear & concise

Giving timely feedback

27

Giving timely, specific feedbackExample – a conversation among 3 persons

This elaboration excited the boy’s nerves.

Adult B: Boy’s question is not answered. I just said that he made a good question because his question reflects his understanding of the fact that different jobs need different personal qualities.

The boy repeated:What is the job?

Adult A (believed that the boy did not understand):The 2nd interviewee’s academic qualifications & professional capacity are OK. What is your choice?

The boy smiled.Adult B said: Good question.

The boy asked:

What is the job?

Adult A asked an S2 boy:If you were a boss, who would you employ? One has high academic qualification but very quiet. The other is good at bluffing but able to persuade others.

Response Input

28

Step 1: Question analysistopic word(s), time-indicator(s), task word(s)

Step 2: Format of writing – topic sentence & main idea(i) topic sentence; (ii)1 paragraph on 1 main pointLD – change the headline of a relevant paragraph a bit

to make a topic sentence, or re-write the headline in one’s own words

– complete the paragraph by copying direct from the textbook, or write the same main point in one’s own words

Differentiate the process & product (AfL)Essay-writing skills

LD: individual / group work

29

Differentiate the process & product (AfL)Essay-writing skills

Step 3: Writing a paragraph with topic sentence, evidence & elaboration

LD – construct one or more than one paragraphs

Step 4: Writing Introduction & Conclusion (give examples of frequently used phrases)

LD – Writing Introduction & Conclusion only, or alsothe Body, using paragraph(s) prepared previously

Step 5: Constructing an outline (a new question)LD – construct an outline on the previous question

to demonstrate the idea

Step 6: Writing a full essay on the second question with an outline

30

Analytical essays, CE past paper

S52nd term

Some AL past paper (the easier ones)

S6

more analytical essays on topics taught in S4-5;

S51st term

Lightly analytical essays on topics taught in 1st & 2nd terms

S4 2nd term

narrative essays on whatever topics taught

S4 1st term

Differentiate the process & productessay-writing practice - sequence

31

• Share your ideas with 2-3 teachers around you.

• 5 minutes

How do you prepare students to answer

D.B.Q?

32

• Focuse.g. 1st cycle – identify clues

2nd cycle – opinion3rd cycle – attitudemaps, then graphs, and then…

• Step by stepe.g. – agree, then disagree, and then …

– ‘usefulness’ first, then ‘limitations’

Differentiate the process & productD.B.Q

33

Differentiate the process & productCross curricula collaboration

Geography PE

Study change of landscapesince 1960s

The Ma OnShan Iron Mine

Study land use nowadays

Solar energy & wind power

Town planningof Ma On Shan

Walk

Day camp at Wu Kai Sha Youth College

History

Suggestion: Ma On Shan PromenadeTheme: urbanization (1960s – present)– a great variety of land use along the coast of the Shatin Sea &

Tolo Harbour (more interesting if equipped with a telescope)

34

Differentiate the product(tiered assignment分層課業)

Learning contract and menu

CONTRACT

Format of assignment

Precise instructionRubricsDue date

Must do allMENU

Main dish

Side dish

Dessert

Choose to do some

optional

35

Differentiate the product(tiered assignment分層課業)

Must do allMENU

Main dish

Side dish

Dessert

Choose to do some

optional

Do all DBQsgiven

Choose one of the essay questions

Search samurai stories that reflect

main features of Japanese militarism

E.g. Japan before WWII

36

Differentiate the product(tiered assignment分層課業)

Marking– Give simple rubrics to support

teachers & students– Use the same ‘ruler’ to measure

37

Knowledge:Show elementary

knowledge, by (i) identifying familiar and (ii) simple viewpoints and perspective

Knowledge:Show comprehensive

knowledge, by (i) differentiating fact from opinion, (ii) identifying different viewpoints and perspectives, and (iii) coming up with sound and independent points of view

Level 1Level 5

Constructing the ruler

Level Descriptor, HKEAAhttp://www.hkeaa.edu.hk/en/hkdse/hkdse_subj.html?A2&2&15_4

38

Differentiated InstructionSome big ideas/words

• Advanced learners, struggling learners• Teacher’s mindset ready for DI

– the major concern• Different sets of materials to different

types of learners– the last major concern

• At least 2 tasks on the same topic/sub-topic;

• 2 or more choices of products on the same task;

39

• Learning menu– Give students choices

• Flexible grouping– Learn from different types of learners, and

learn to play different roles• Respectful tasks; equal opportunities

– E.g. longer & more complicated passages, shorter & easier passages

• Differentiating all lessons is unnecessary.

Differentiated InstructionSome big ideas/words

40

Conclusion • Catering for learner

diversity is necessary because there are always individual differences and every student should have equal opportunity to learn at school.

• Differentiated Instruction is an approach to cater for LD.

• Start small.• It is not necessary to

spend the whole lesson to cater for LD.

• It will make a difference to an individual student’s special needs is catered for a few time a year.

41

Whole school approach

LD & DI will be more successful it is conducted in a whole school approach.

42http://resources.edb.gov.hk/gifted/ge_resource_bank/files/TeachingLearning/C/SunYatSen.htm

43

Differentiated InstructionReference:

1. Carol Ann Tomlinson, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.http://www.ascd.org

2. Differentiation Central http://www.diffcentral.com/

44

Part 2: Experience Sharing

• Mr. Tai Tze-lok (Pooi To Middle School)

– Ways to identify student learning difficulties and follow up work

• Ms To Pui Fung (Pooi To Middle School)

– Pre-lesson study in progression