Curriculum Structure

Curriculum

We offer various subjects which include Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics, Citizenship and Social Development, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Integrated Science, Life and Society, Computer and Information Technology, Chinese History, History, Geography, Economics, Business, Accounting and Financial Studies (BAFS), Health Management and Social Care, Computer Literacy, Home Economics, Music, Visual Arts, Physical Education, Values Education, Religious Education, and so on.  Senior secondary students can select various subjects which are compatible with their interests and abilities.  Students will be sitting for Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination upon completion of their S6 studies.

Subjects for S1:

Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics, Integrated Science, Computer Literacy, Chinese History, History, Geography, Life and Society, Putonghua, Home Economics, Visual Arts, Music, Religious Education, Values Education and Physical Education.

Levels and Classes

In 2023-2024, there are 27 classes altogether: 4 classes at each level from S1 to S3 and 5 classes in S4 to S6.

Subjects for S1-S3

 

EMI teaching

CMI teaching

Adopting English as the Medium of Instruction

English Language
Mathematics
Integrated Science (S1,S2)
Computer Literacy (S.1,S.2)
History (S.1,S.2)
Geography (S.1,S.2)
Life & Society (S.1,S.2)
Science & Technology (S3)
Music
Home Economics
Visual Art
Econ & PA(S.3)

English Language
Integrated Science (S1,S2)
Life & Society (S.1,S.2)
Science & Technology (S3)
Econ & PA(S3)

 

Adopting Cantonese as Medium of Instruction

Chinese Language
Chinese History
Geography (S.3)
History (S.3)
Religious Education
Physical Education
Values Education

Chinese Language
Chinese History
Geography (S.3)
History (S.3)
Mathematics
Computer Literacy (S.1,S.2)
Home Economics
Visual Art
Religious Education
Physical Education
Values Education

Adopting Mandarin as Medium of Instruction

Putonghua

Putonghua

Language Across Curriculum (LAC)

1. Overview

With a view to coordinating all strategies and pedagogies in promoting English language learning across the junior form curriculum, the school has established a dedicated group to review the language education practices across the curriculum. Led by the Deputy Head of English Department and Assistant Deputy of Academics, the LAC group comprises members from all subject teachers and English teachers who are involved in using English as medium of instruction (MOI) in S1 to S3. The commission of the group has been the strategic initiative to enhancing professional development on language education among teachers so as to provide subject-specific language support to all students.

The objectives of the LAC group include:

- To oversee and coordinate the strategies in promoting English language learning across the junior form curriculum;
- To provide subject-specific support, guidance and advice to different subjects on language teaching;
- To review the language education practices across the curriculum and evaluate their effectiveness; and
- To enhance professional development on language education among teachers.

In line with the school’s 3-year development plan, the LAC group is committed to working on the following target goals in 2020-21:
(i) To promote the use of English across curriculum as a communicative tool for developing students’ self-directed learning and life-long learning skills; 
(ii) To improve students’ English learning experience in daily teaching and assessment; and
(iii) To enhance teachers’ professional development in language education.

2. LAC Implementation in 2020-21

Thanks to the supportive and determined school administration taking a strong executive lead in promoting language education, the LAC group has the liberty to deploy the generous resources offered by the school and the school sponsoring body in support of promoting English learning, including the extra human resources in hiring an English Consultant and an extra NET, and the additional common preparation periods in LAC support and curriculum planning for various subject and English teachers. In particular, the following section summarizes the current LAC implementation that has been in practice to promote language education.

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i. Cross-curricular LAC implementation in curriculum design (MOI model)
At present, all S1-S2 classes have been introduced two subjects in different KLAs, namely Integrated Science (IS) and Life and Society (L&S), being entirely taught in English as MOI. To provide the best language support to these two subjects, English teachers have been deployed to the curriculum planning and teaching of the subjects (with one lesson English in Science / L&S per cycle). The introduction of these subjects has provided a comprehensive coverage on authentic use of English for all S1-S2 students. In S1 and S2, for two selected classes, English has also been adopted as MOI for six content subjects, including Mathematics, Integrated Science, History, Geography, Life and Society, and Computer Literacy. All teachers are experienced teachers using English as MOI. 

For S3, all students use English as MOI for all S4 DSE elective subjects to be taken in English, including Physics, Chemistry, Economics and BAFS. In addition, two classes use English as MOI for Mathematics. 

ii. Students’ daily learning in classroom and in assignments/ assessments
To improve students’ confidence and proficiency in English reading, writing, listening and speaking, emphasis on writing in complete sentences has been placed across different subjects in their daily assignments and/or assessments, with subject teachers providing continuous language feedbacks on students’ use of English, followed up by English teachers for further consolidation. To further enhance students’ confidence in speaking, subject-specific presentations and projects (e.g. science) are supported by the English department as part of their speaking training. 

To enhance effective subject-specific academic English use, tailor-made LAC teaching worksheets for different subjects (L&S, IS, Math, Geography, History and Physics) have been developed, used and shared by both English teachers and subject teachers to maximize the consolidation of proper academic English across all subjects.

Apart from LAC teaching worksheets, a collection of common academic vocabulary and sentence patterns across different subjects is compiled by students for better grasp of academic language in a form of the LAC booklet, which is collaboratively implemented by subject teachers and English teachers. 

To award students’ proper use of academic English, an Effective Communication (EC) component with a language-specific marking scheme has been incorporated in the design of assessment in four different subjects, including L&S, IS, Physics and Economics. Assessments in eight different subjects (L&S, IS, Chemistry, Physics, Economics, Computer Literacy, History and Geography) have been designed to be followed up by English teachers to reinforce students’ proper use of academic English. Corresponding follow-up corrections and feedback worksheets have been designed by English teachers. 

iii. English learning in Extended Learning Activities across the curriculum
In addition to daily classroom learning, various cross-curricular initiatives are conducted in different forms and across a range of subjects with a view to enhancing students’ use of English as a communicative tool for developing their self-directed learning and life-long learning skills, such as the making of water purifiers and water rocket competition in S1 and S2 IS, the Smart Parking Presentation and i-Pad Story Presentation competition in S1 and S2 CPT, and the Inter-class Debating Contest on Social issues in S3. Students and even parents have enjoyed witnessing the fruits of success when students showcasing their learning. 

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iv. Cultivating an English-friendly campus outside classroom
Fostering an English-friendly campus is conducive to language learning as well. To promote the use of English outside classroom, the English department has been committed to organizing whole-school English activities outside classroom by the NETs on every Monday and Thursday, and students are awarded for their active participation in these activities in the department’s English Award Scheme. There have also been regular English assemblies for gospel, morning bulletins, morning prayers and book sharing sessions in English by different the NETs and the English teachers. Besides, the English week is the annual festival of a series of interactive whole-school lunch-time activities. Students have actively participated in all these activities and are motivated to use English outside classroom.

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v. Teachers’ professional development in language education
Enhancing teachers’ professional development (PD) in language education improves LAC implementation effectiveness. There have been regular co-prep meetings conducted for IS and L&S curriculum, lesson and assessment planning to establish effective communication channels between subject and English teachers. Through such collaboration, cross-curricular language support in curriculum planning and development of teaching materials, such as LAC teaching worksheets for different subjects, has been in place for both English teachers and subject teachers to use. An effective sharing platform of teaching materials has also been in place. Besides, in-house professional development workshops and seminars have been conducted for Sciences, Technology and PSHE teachers using EMI in classes.

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On top of professional exchange among colleagues, it is essential to promote professional dialogue with the wider teaching community. As of 2020, a total of 12 teachers have participated in various LAC-related PD training, including all PSHE teachers through the participation in the school-based support programme by PolyU (10-hour). Other science and English teachers have received LAC training through different PD courses in the University of Hong Kong. Besides, LAC resource persons have received 30-hour training on LAC implementation through the school-based support programme of HKU INSTEP. 

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To keep abreast of the latest development in LAC, the LAC group has been working closely together with other schools and tertiary institutions. Currently, two school-based LAC support programmes by external institutions, including PolyU and HKU INSTEP, have been in place providing professional subject-specific LAC consultancy and advice on PSHE and IS respectively. Lesson observations on LAC implementation have been conducted (IS and L&S) by subject experts from external organizations and the English consultant. In 2020, our LAC group has also been invited as invited speakers to share their experience and practical implementation of language promotion across curriculum on different occasions at universities to stay connected with other education practitioners.

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3. Conclusion

Overall, LAC cross-curricular support in curriculum planning and developing teaching materials has been implemented in various areas, in particular in the design of teaching materials, assignments and assessments to encourage and award students’ proper use of academic English. Consolidation and follow-up work have been initiated and carried out by the English department. Teachers’ professional development in language education has been promoted through the promotion of professional dialogue among teachers and the participation in various school-based projects on LAC. Gaining better understanding of expectations and LAC practice, teachers in all departments have been embracing the idea of LAC implementation in their classroom teaching and curriculum design, with a view to benefiting students’ holistic growth by means of mastering English as a language for effective communication.

Education Support for Non-Chinese Speaking (NCS) Students

Our school provides additional support for NCS students to facilitate their learning of Chinese: providing after-school support programmes in learning Chinese;appointing additional teacher(s)/teaching assistant(s) to support NCS students’ learning of Chinese; arranging intensive Chinese learning and teaching mode(s), e.g. pull-out learning if necessary, split-class/group learning, etc.; developing school-based Chinese Language curriculum and/or adapting learning and teaching materials; organising cultural integration activities; and hiring additional manpower and/or translation/interpretation services to facilitate the communication with parents.