Partnering with Partnering with Parents Parents

in the Learning of in the Learning of English LanguageEnglish Language

How to support and enrich your child’s learning and cultivate the love for the language

26 April 2013

Teaching English in Teaching English in RVPS !RVPS !

A Strong Foundation for Rich A Strong Foundation for Rich Language & LifeLanguage & Life

OverviewOverview

Why change?

What we want for our children

What is changing for the better?

New ways to teach and learn

WHYWHY change? change?

The ChildThe Child

& &

The WorldThe World

What we want …What we want …

All children should enjoy learning

English, develop good language skills,

be effective communicators and

lifelong learners.

WHATWHAT is changing for the is changing for the better?better?

New Ways to New Ways to TeachTeach

& &

New Ways to New Ways to LearnLearn

EL Syllabus 2010EL Syllabus 2010Emphasis on

• Strengthening the foundation of language learning

• Enriching the EL curriculum in our schools

STELLARSTELLAR

StStrategies for rategies for EEnglish nglish LLanguage anguage LLearning earning aand nd RReadingeading

Aims to move EL learners towards independence using authentic texts and learning activities that

motivate and engage different learners

STELLAR lessonsSTELLAR lessons

Language SkillsListening & ViewingSpeaking & RepresentingReading & ViewingWriting & Representing

STELLAR lessons develop …

What is a LOWER What is a LOWER primary STELLAR lesson primary STELLAR lesson like?like?

What we are doing What we are doing in RVPSin RVPS

• Opportunities for cooperative learning

• Emphasis on independence in listening, reading and viewing as well as speaking, presenting and writing

• Shared Book Approach (SBA)

SBA an integrated and balanced

language teaching approach

Uses motivating and enjoyable “big

books” of enlarged print and

illustrations

What we are doing What we are doing in RVPSin RVPS

• The goals of the SBA :

Provide an enjoyable experience with books for all of the children.

Encourage pupils to try out the language in non-threatening situations.

Teach and reinforce word identification skills, vocabulary and language structures as specified in the MOE English syllabus.

What we are doing What we are doing in RVPSin RVPS

• The goals of the SBA :

Provide additional experiences with the text for those pupils who do not learn as quickly as the others.

Provide opportunities for those children who are ready to read the stories independently

in pairs, individually, or in small groups.

What we are doing What we are doing in RVPSin RVPS

• Modified Language Experience Approach (MLEA)

An integrated and balanced language teaching approach

Uses motivating and enjoyable experiences

Extend and expand on the language skills learned from the Big Books of SBA.

What we are doing What we are doing in RVPSin RVPS

• The goals of the MLEA :

to provide enjoyable and motivating shared experiences that can be

thought about

talked about

written about

read and reread

What we are doing What we are doing in RVPSin RVPS

• The goals of the MLEA :

Shared experiences to generate oral communication

Reinforce word identification skills, vocabulary and language structures taught in the SBA lessons

Encourage pupils in their acquisition of writing skills

Scaffolding through Class and Group writing

What we are doing What we are doing in RVPSin RVPS

Making the Making the TransitionTransitionFrom Lower to Upper Primary

P1 - 3a P3b, 4-6

Learning to Read Reading to

Learn

Shared Reading Silent Reading

Big Books Range of Text

Types

What is a UPPER primary What is a UPPER primary STELLAR lesson like?STELLAR lesson like?

• Sustained Silent Reading (SSR)

• Supported Reading (SR)

• Know - Want to know - Learnt (KWL)

• Retelling (RT)

• Language Activities and Sentence Manipulation

• Speaking

• Writing Process Cycle (WPC)

• Differentiated Instruction (DI)

What we are doing What we are doing in RVPSin RVPS

How parents can How parents can support and enrich support and enrich your child’s learningyour child’s learning•Read with your child

•Listen to what your child says •Respond to your child’s questions and ideas

•Write with your child

Reading - activitiesReading - activities•Let your child see you reading both for pleasure and for information

•Set aside a quiet place in your home for you and your child to read without distractions •Read aloud your child's (and your own) favourite stories

•Keep these reading sessions fun and do not "test" your child with too many questions

Reading - activitiesReading - activities

• Encourage your child to retell familiar stories in his/her own words

• Read aloud new stories and encourage your child to talk about the characters or what they think might happen next

• When the book becomes familiar, encourage your child to read it aloud to you

• Visit the library frequently

Listening and Listening and Speaking Speaking

- activities- activities• Listen to your child

• Your response to your child’s questions and ideas will get him thinking

• Before reading a new book, talk about the covers and the title page and ask what it might be about.

• Boost your child’s confidence in expressing himself

Writing - activitiesWriting - activities

•Model writing to your child

•Short notes, reflections, personal responses

•Encourage self-expression

"Language acquisition does "Language acquisition does not require extensive use of not require extensive use of conscious grammatical rules, conscious grammatical rules, and does not require tedious and does not require tedious drill." drill."

-- Stephen Stephen KrashenKrashen

As parents ……As parents ……

• Create a home environment that constantly offers opportunities for learning

• Play games that bring out the beauty and fun aspects of the language

• Reading together of newspapers, Little Red Dot (LRD), discuss interesting articles with your child to keep abreast of current affairs, reflect and write short personal responses

Online Learning Online Learning ResourcesResources

Iphone app to improve your English

• http://www.stellarliteracy.sg/cos/o.x?c=/wbn/pagetree&func=view&rid=1145438

• http://parents-in-education.moe.gov.sg//

1)

3)

2)

4)

STrategies for English Language Learning and Reading (STELLAR) Resources for Parents

• http://www.goodenglish.org.sg/category/workshop-resources/books

• http://www.goodenglish.org.sg/improve/features/iphone-app-to-improve-your-english

Recommended list of books and audio/visual materials for your child (NLB)

Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the learning experience together with your child……