Tack Ching Girls’ Secondary School
To exchange ideas on English language teaching and learning at Tack Ching Girls' Secondary School, the SMILE Project held a meeting with the principal and teaching staff of the school at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in August 2006.
To further understand the English language education at the school, a school visit was conducted in October, 2006. During the school visit, the SMILE Project carried out class observation and subsequent debriefing with the school. After the school visit and a follow-up meeting, an agreement was made between the SMILE Project and the school on the collaboration in the professional development of the English teachers of the school.
According to the agreement, the SMILE Project provided professional consultancy on delivering a series of professional development workshops for the English teachers from the school in the period of December 2006-May 2007. The consultancy work covered an open forum for discussion and exchange of ideas, and four workshops, namely
Workshop 1: Overview on the Recent Trends in ESL Learning and Teaching
Date: 8 December, 2006
Facilitator: Professor Barley Mak
The participants found the following areas valuable and beneficial:
Workshop 2: Materials Design for Professional Development
(In the Context of Task-based Learning)
Date: 20 January, 2007
Facilitator: Professor Barley Mak
The participants found the following areas valuable and beneficial:
Detailed information and concrete ideas of Task-based Learning (TBL)
Workshop 3: Peer Observation for Professional Development
Date:16 April, 2007
Facilitator: Professor Barley Mak
The participants found the following areas valuable and beneficial:
Workshop 4: Classroom Effectiveness (Language of Interaction and Instruction)Date: 30 May, 2007
Facilitator: Professor Barley Mak
The participants found the following areas valuable and beneficial:
To exchange ideas on English language teaching and learning at Tack Ching Girls' Secondary School, the SMILE Project held a meeting with the principal and teaching staff of the school at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in August 2006.
To further understand the English language education at the school, a school visit was conducted in October, 2006. During the school visit, the SMILE Project carried out class observation and subsequent debriefing with the school. After the school visit and a follow-up meeting, an agreement was made between the SMILE Project and the school on the collaboration in the professional development of the English teachers of the school.
According to the agreement, the SMILE Project provided professional consultancy on delivering a series of professional development workshops for the English teachers from the school in the period of December 2006-May 2007. The consultancy work covered an open forum for discussion and exchange of ideas, and four workshops, namely
Workshop 1: Overview on the Recent Trends in ESL Learning and Teaching
Date: 8 December, 2006
Facilitator: Professor Barley Mak
The participants found the following areas valuable and beneficial:
- A revision on teaching methods
- Different new approaches and trends in language
- Reinforcement of the latest ESL trends
- The theories / methodology of ELT
- Ways in designing the lesson plans and improving students' motivation
Workshop 2: Materials Design for Professional Development
(In the Context of Task-based Learning)
Date: 20 January, 2007
Facilitator: Professor Barley Mak
The participants found the following areas valuable and beneficial:
Detailed information and concrete ideas of Task-based Learning (TBL)
- TBL features and how teacher could make the most out of it in teaching
- Concepts and strategies of TBL and materials design
- New ideas on Communicative Language Teaching and TBL
- Practical review of theories
- Ways in designing materials suitable for students
- Implementation and consolidation of TBL
- A better insight into TBL
Workshop 3: Peer Observation for Professional Development
Date:16 April, 2007
Facilitator: Professor Barley Mak
The participants found the following areas valuable and beneficial:
- Ways of doing peer observation effectively
- Time allocation of class activities; observation of students' attentiveness and participation
- A clear picture and better understanding of peer observation
- New teaching ideas and various teaching skills
- Strategies and skills for conducting a good lesson; how students can benefit from a more structural and interactive lesson
- Using authentic materials in lessons
- Ways of preparing lessons and improving the way of teaching
Workshop 4: Classroom Effectiveness (Language of Interaction and Instruction)Date: 30 May, 2007
Facilitator: Professor Barley Mak
The participants found the following areas valuable and beneficial:
- Revision on elements of language of interaction and instruction (LOI), student-centred classroom
- Ideas about how to make teaching English more effective
- Questioning techniques
- Some new insights in conducting effective lesson
- The trend of the Classroom Language Assessment - The LOI. The importance of reformulation and the technique of questioning
- Effective teaching strategies
- A chance to reflect on my own teaching; rethink how my own practices can be improved