!-
? Activities should be of a cross-curricular nature, promoting the integrated development of students’ thinking and imagination, aesthetic and artistic sense, cooperative and creative spirit.
? Activities should make students gather, process and use information, using English to communicate with others in order to develop their ability to use English to solve real problems.
? Activities should not purely be limited to the classroom but also extend to out of school learning. N.B. In July 2005 VSO’s curriculum advisor, Professor Zhang Lianzhong, mentioned that this section of the curriculum will be revised such that “we will take the TBL (Task-Based Learning) approach as one of the useful tools within the big box of Communicative Language Learning.” 1.4. Provide increased guidance about learning strategies
Helping students to adopt good study habits and effective learning strategies is one of the important tasks of the new curriculum. Teachers should consciously give students guidance about learning strategies so that, through learning and using English, they are learning how to learn. To this end the teacher should observe the following:
? Give students chances to establish their own study targets and the means of fulfilling these. ? Help students to use inference, research and inquiry style methods to carry out their learning. ? Develop students’ practical abilities and creative thinking by designing inquiry based activities.
? Encourage students to use observation, discovery and induction to acquire language knowledge and grasp language functions.
? Help students to carry out self-assessment during the learning process and adjust their own learning objectives and strategies appropriately according to the results.
1.4 Develop students’ awareness of and ability in cross-cultural communication
Language and culture are closely related, language being the main transmitter and carrier of culture. Teachers should work hard to help students achieve the following during the English learning process: ? Understand foreign cultures, especially those of English speaking countries ? Use English appropriately
? Constantly broaden their cultural horizons
? Deepen their understanding of their own culture
? Develop an awareness of and ability in cross-cultural communication
1.5 Use modern teaching technology and expand learning opportunities
In order to increase the effectiveness of teaching and learning, teachers should make good use of modern technology, expand the range resources and opportunities through which students can learn, thereby modernizing learning ways. Conditions permitting, teachers should try to:
? Use audiovisual material and the Internet to enrich the learning content and form and improve outcomes.
? Use computer and multi-media software to explore new teaching and learning methods and promote more individualized study.
? Create conditions for students to study more independently through sensible use of a variety of learning resources, such as broadcasts, print media, libraries and the Internet.
!-
1.6 Organize lively and active extracurricular activities to promote students’ English learning
Teachers should arrange a variety of extracurricular activities according to the students’ age and interests to help them expand their knowledge, broaden their horizons, strengthen their intellect and individuality and use their talents. The content and form of these carefully planned activities should be rich and varied. Suggestions include: ? Recitals ? Songs
? Story telling ? Speeches ? Performances ? English corner
? English wall displays ? Cclass discussions ? Exhibitions
The teacher should be good at leading these activities to maintain students’ interest and foster their creativity and initiative.
1.7 Continue to develop professionally
Teachers should aim to:
? Familiarize themselves with the principles, objectives, content, teaching and learning methods, psychological theories and language learning research findings of this curriculum
? Select and adjust English teaching and learning strategies according to their students’ psychological characteristics
? Develop their ability to organize and monitor activities ? Use a variety of teaching skills and methods flexibly
? Master the use of modern educational technology, using it increasingly in their own continuing study and real classroom practice
? Consciously deepen their knowledge of Chinese and foreign cultures
? Actively and creatively explore which teaching and learning methods best suit their students’ needs, local conditions and the objectives
? Continuously reflect on their own practice, endeavouring to become a creative and research driven teacher
1.8 Follow high frequency principles to ensure effective teaching and learning
In Grades 3-6 there should be a minimum of four teaching and learning periods per week, with shorter periods for the younger years. For Grades 5 and 6 classes should not exceed two periods in length. In order to ensure the effectiveness of teaching and learning, class sizes should not exceed 40 at primary level. Grades 7 –9 and senior school students should have a minimum of four lessons a week. N.B. The original provides five sample learning activities here that have not been translated.
!-
2. Suggestions for Assessment and Evaluation
Assessment and evaluation is an important component of the new curriculum. Assessment should be carried out according to the requirements of the curriculum standards, focusing not only on the results but also the process of learning. The primary purposes of assessment are to:
? Let students continuously experience progress and success during the learning process ? Let students know their own progress and build confidence
? Promote all aspects of students’ comprehensive language competence ? Provide the teacher with feedback on the teaching and learning process
? Help the teacher reflect on their own teaching practice and adjust it accordingly ? Help the teacher continuously improve the quality of their teaching
? Provide the school with prompt feedback on the implementation of the curriculum ? Help improve educational management
? Inform the ongoing development and perfection of the new English curriculum
The assessment system should diversify both the subjects and forms of assessment. Assessment should focus on students’ comprehensive language competence, combining both formative assessment (concentrating on the study process) and summative assessment (concentrating on the learning outcomes).
Ensure that students are the subjects (not objects) of assessment
Students are at the centre of learning. The development of their comprehensive language competence should be the starting point for both teaching and learning and assessment.
? Assessment should help students know their own progress, develop self-confidence, reflect on and adjust their own study process, thereby ensuring the continuous development of their language ability. ? Teachers should help students carry out self-assessment.
? Students should be active participants and collaborators in a variety of assessment activities. ? Assessment should be an organic part of teaching and learning activities.
? Assessment should help students to analyse their own successes and shortcomings, clarifying the direction in which they need to work.
Make sure formative assessment plays a role in student development
Formative assessment is an important component and driving element of teaching and learning. Formative assessment should check the students’ learning outcomes, attitudes and strategies during the everyday learning process. The purpose of formative assessment is to encourage students, help students adjust the learning process effectively, help students gain a sense of achievement, strengthen their self-confidence, and improve their cooperative spirit. Formative assessment helps students develop from passive objects of assessment to active participants in the assessment process. In order to let formative assessment become an organic part of the study process its important to: ? Establish an open and relaxed atmosphere for assessment ? Use both tests and other methods
? Use a combination of individual and small group assessment
? Encourage students, classmates, teachers and parents to collectively participate in assessment, thereby diversifying the subjects of assessment
Formative assessment can take many forms, such as:
? Comparison and assessment of classroom learning activities ? Self assessment of learning outcomes
!-
? A learning portfolio ? Questionnaires ? Interviews
? Feedback from parents ? Everyday quizzes and tests
Formative assessment can be recorded in the form of descriptions, levels or marks. No matter what method is used, the role of assessment in encouraging learners must not be forgotten. According to the assessment results, teachers should give students individual feedback, ensuring their steady progress and encouraging them to reflect on and better themselves.
Make sure assessment methods are varied and flexible
Teachers must select assessment methods suitable for the age of the students and the learning conditions. During formal assessment teachers should permit students to select assessment methods that suit their characteristics or strengths. If students get unsatisfactory results during a certain test they should be allowed to negotiate with the teacher to retake the test after sufficient preparation.
Make sure assessment feedback is used to increase the effectiveness of teaching and learning
The teacher should ask themselves the following questions:
? Does the assessment help promote autonomous learning and self-confidence? ? Does the assessment reflect the students’ achievements?
? Does the assessment reflect the teachers’ strengths and weaknesses? ? Does the assessment reflect problems in the students’ learning process?
Teachers should promptly adjust their teaching methods and plans according to assessment feedback.
Summative assessment should focus on checking students’ comprehensive language competence
Summative assessment (such as end of term exams and graduation exams) is the main means of measuring the level of students’ comprehensive language competence. It also reflects the effectiveness of the teaching and learning process and is a major indicator of the schools’ quality in managing teaching and learning. Summative assessment must have the target of assessing students’ comprehensive language competence, striving to scientifically and comprehensively check students’ language level at the end of a particular stage of learning. The following should be observed:
? Exams should include oral, listening and writing amongst other components in assessing students’ comprehensive language competence.
? Listening tests must account for a minimum of twenty percent of termly, yearly and graduation exams. ? Listening tests should check students’ understanding and ability to gain information rather than asking them to distinguish between different pronunciations.
? Writing exams should avoid testing knowledge of phonetics or grammar in isolation.
? There should be an increase in questions that require students to use English in a specific language context.
? Objective questions with a single correct answer should be reduced in favour of more subjective questions with several correct answers.
? Exam results should not be publicly displayed nor students ranked in order of their results.
!-
Recognize the special characteristics of assessment for Grades 3 – 6
The main purpose of assessment at primary level should be to encourage students’ interest and active participation in learning English. Assessment methods should be varied and choice should be offered. Formative assessment should be the main type, focusing mainly on students’ performance and ability to cooperate during a variety of everyday teaching and learning activities.
? In Grades 3 and 4 end of term or end of year assessment should use assessment activities similar to normal teaching and learning activities. Through observing students’ behaviour and discussing with them teachers should assess their ability to use English to do things.
? For end of term or year assessment in Grades 5 and 6 a combination of oral and written tests can be used. Oral tests should check students’ ability to use language to communicate about content close to their real lives. Written tests should focus on checking their listening and reading skills, using methods that are as active and lively as possible.
Pay attention to the relationship between assessment and teaching and learning
Pay attention to the proportion of teaching and learning time spent on assessment. Only carry out assessment that has useful results. Avoid over-elaborate and time-consuming assessment processes. Don’t let assessment become the sole end of teaching and learning.
The assessment of each level should be founded on the general objectives
The general objectives should be the basis for all assessment. Since the assessment of Level 2 will be organized by individual places and schools, formative assessment should be the main means. The same applies to all other levels apart from Levels 5 and 8, whose assessment is organized by national and provincial education bodies. Selection exams should unite the requirements of this curriculum with those of local conditions to establish suitable levels and test demands. N.B. Six examples of assessment documents are provide in the original. They are just listed here. Example 1: Self assessment questionnaire for Grade 7-9 students about learning strategies Includes statements such as: ? I can concentrate during study.
? During communication I use gestures and facial expressions to help express myself. ? I often use associations to help study and remember new words
Students choose between ‘never’, ‘rarely’, ‘sometimes’, ‘often’ and ‘always’.
Example 2: Assessment reference sheet for Grade 3-6 for English ‘playing, performing, watching, speaking and listening’
Example 3: Formative assessment scheme for Grade 3-6 listening at Level 2
Example 4: Guidelines for using student portfolios Portfolios might include:
? Some kind of baseline assessment
? A record of the students’ classroom performance – e.g. participation in role-plays, volunteering to read something aloud, etc.
英语新课标(英文版)
