King George V School
英皇佐治五世學校
MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM
Parents’ Handbook June 2016 - June 2018
Contents 1
Vision and Rationale
4
Structure of the Curriculum
5
Skill Profiles - Explanation
6
Generic Skills Matrix
15
Skill Profiles - Explanation (Continued)
17
Summary of Skills Profiles for all subjects
19
Pedagogies for Supporting a Skills-based Curriculum
21
Inter-Disciplinary Learning
22 Assessment 23
Assessment Principles
25 Reporting 27 Supporting students through the Middle School Curriculum 35
Joint Home Learning Agreement
36 Conclusion 37 Glossary
Vision and Rationale “A coherent, skills-based Middle School Curriculum”
work more effectively with others, or manage herself and her studies in a more organised way. When teachers talk about students’ needs for their future, they find themselves naturally referring to skills: transferable capabilities that students will need to employ in a variety of contexts in order to be successful. Content, or ‘disciplinary knowledge’, is vital and without it there is no context or application to the skills that students develop; but it is these skills that should be at the heart of our curriculum, and therefore of our planning, and the content we teach should be honoured as a vehicle for the development of these skills.
Teaching is one of society’s most future-oriented professions. Our product development process normally spans seven years; when our products enter the market they have an expected life cycle of around sixty years; and the quality of our handiwork might often be unclear until, after a number of those years have elapsed, we hear news – or receive a visit – from one of our products and see what they are making of their lives and the education they received. This future-oriented aspect of our work is what makes it exciting and rewarding, and to an extent it also turns us all into educational clairvoyants; when Student X enters Year 7, it isn’t long before her skilled and experienced team of teachers build up a picture of her strengths and weaknesses, what her likely areas of challenge will be in the future and what she will therefore need in order to progress. And you would put good money on their judgments being right! This ability to judge what students need for their futures is a vital part of the teacher’s skillset, and sadly it is something which is often overlooked in the development of curriculum frameworks for schools in state systems. The input of politicians, policy-makers and academics is frequently adhered to in preference to the professional voice; the issue of how to deliver a curriculum is seen as the preserve of teachers, but the question of what should be in the curriculum is – for some reason – more often than not taken out of the hands of teachers and schools, despite the fact that they frequently have the closest and most accurate understanding of what students’ needs really are. One of the privileges of our situation is that this is not the case for us. Our curriculum for Years 7-9 started as a blank piece of paper, and we had – and have - the opportunity to determine the aims of our curriculum provision around the needs of our students, based on our knowledge of what they will need to participate in the future world that awaits them. The fact that it is a Middle School Curriculum also gives further import to that future orientation; it is not an end in itself, but rather its role is to prepare students for their future learning and life, and it should therefore a. pick up on where students are at when they arrive in Year 7, and b. lay the foundations for what students will need to be able to do in Years 10-13 and subsequently at university and as adults.
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But how to articulate those needs? Something we realised very early is that, when teachers have conversations about what students need for their future, they do not speak about course content per se. No-one says that Student X really needs to know more about glacial landforms or have a better command of the verb ‘to be’ in French, important though these content aims are. Instead, we might talk about Student X needing to learn to communicate, or be better at finding things out or asking the right questions, or needing to learn to
This realisation leads naturally to the question of which skills should be seen as important. What should the ‘diet’ of skills in Years 7-9 consist of? For KGV’s students, the best answer to this question lies in the form of the IB’s Approaches to Learning (ATLs). The IB’s typology of skills which consists of Thinking, Social Skills, Communication, Self-Management and Research offers us coverage of everything we hold as important, and gives us a common language with our partner primaries and with our Senior School Curriculum so that we can honour where students have come from and also prepare them for what comes next. The ATLs have a major emphasis in the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP) and our choice of the ATLs as a framework for the skills in our Middle School therefore allows us to tap into that; and it gives us the opportunity to talk about skills as a continuum. From the day a student starts at their primary school to the day they graduate from Year 13, we can be focused on developing them as a Thinker, a Collaborator, a Communicator, a Self-Manager and a Researcher, and we can share a common approach to doing so through our curriculum planning and delivery at all levels. This is hugely exciting but it is also very challenging in a secondary environment, where our curriculum planning is not a single venture but occurs across a range of different disciplines. It has required us to build up a very detailed picture of the contribution that each subject can make to the skills development of students, and to ensure that these contributions fit together to form a coherent whole. KGV’s Middle School Curriculum does this through a process called ‘Skills Profiling’, where each subject team starts with the matrix of generic skills identified through the IB’s Approaches to Learning, and asks themselves what their discipline can contribute to the ‘big picture’ of a student’s skill development in Years 7-9. For each generic skill to which they feel able to contribute, there is a subject-specific outcome which represents how their subject might interpret that particular skill. This outcome is therefore one of the
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Structure of the Curriculum aims for the curriculum in that subject, around which the subject team will plan schemes of work, lessons and resources. It is a pledge to take the lead in explicitly teaching that skill, using some of their disciplinary content as a vehicle. Clearly, no coherence would be achieved unless we regularly sit down and see where these various outcomes overlap / differ / provide coverage of the diet of skills that are mandated by the Approaches to Learning. Doing this is not easy – it requires subject teams to work together, negotiate and compromise so that, taken as a whole, the skills profiles for all subjects add up to the diet of skills that we would want for our students in Years 7-9, to prepare them for their future learning and life. It has been, and remains, an exercise in change leadership for colleagues throughout the school, requiring that people venture into new areas of curriculum provision, adjust their practices and develop new links with other areas and new understandings of the rationale for what their subject is there to achieve. The willingness that teachers across the school show to doing this, and to addressing the needs of students in this way, is impressive and edifying and demonstrates as ever the committed and student-centered nature of KGV’s teaching staff.
Students in Years 7-9 study a broad range of subjects as part of their Middle School Curriculum Experience. The table below shows how time is divided between subjects within the classroom-based elements of the curriculum. It is important to note that the table is only a broad summary – the exact list of subjects and hours for the individual student will depend on their individual circumstances. Curriculum Allocation for Subjects in Years 7-9
Learning Area Creativity and Performance
English Language and Culture
Individuals and Societies
Art Drama
Lessons* (per fortnight) Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 2 2 2 2 2 2
Music
2
2
2
Physical Education (PE)
4
4
4
English Chinese Double Chinese (Year 9)**
6 4
6 4
6 4 8
European Language (French, German, Spanish)
4
4
4
Geography History
3 3
3 3
8
2
2
Philosophy and Religious Studies Global Perspectives (Year 9)
4
++
So the result is a curriculum which is built around these two essential concepts: our Middle School Curriculum is a coherent, skills-based curriculum in which all colleagues, and all subjects, work together to form an experience which prepares our students for their future learning, and their future lives.
Maths and Information Communication & Technology
In this publication you will find information that will help you to understand KGV’s Middle School Curriculum, and to know what to do to support your child as they use it to develop their skills for the future. We hope that you enjoy learning about the experiences that your child will have throughout Years 7, 8 and 9, and if this publication doesn’t quite answer your questions or you would like to know more, we always value the opportunity to discuss things with our parent community and we will do our best to answer your questions. Please contact the school and you will be directed accordingly.
Science and Technology
We look forward to the opportunities we will have to work in partnership with parents to ensure that KGV’s Middle School Curriculum is a rich, enjoyable and engaging experience for every child.
Subject
Maths
5
5
6
Information Communication Technology (ICT)
2
2
2
Science Design Technology
5 4
5 4
5 3
Liberal and Personal Studies (LPS)
2
2
2
Total
50
50
50
*Lessons at KGV are 60 minutes long **Student may choose to drop their European Language and double up in Chinese, but only in Year 9 +Individuals and Societies – In Year 9 subjects are taught in a rotation with 3 lesson per fortnight for two thirds of the year and 2 lessons per fortnight for one third of the year ++Student may choose to drop a language and pick up Global Perspectives, but only in Year 9
Learning Support Centre (LSC) – Curriculum Allocation Students in the LSC access their learning in two ways; through subjects taught in the LSC, as well as accessing the mainstream curriculum at an appropriate level. The level of access to mainstream learning is determined on a case by case basis, but all LSC students will study LPS with their peers in their year group. The subjects on offer through the LSC are as follows: •English •Maths •Science •Humanities •ASDAN New Horizons •Social Skills •Food •Art •Music •Horticulture •Drama •PE •ICT •Chinese •Design Technology
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Skill Profiles - Explanation A Skills Profile is, in its simplest form, a list of Learning Outcomes. Each subject has a Skills Profile, and it forms a comprehensive list of the learning outcomes that are pursued in that subject from the start of Year 7 until the end of Year 9. It is used to plan whole topics within the curriculum, and also to plan individual lessons. Each Skills Profile is derived from the Generic Skills Matrix. As you will see, the Generic Skills Matrix is split into 5 sections, each representing one aspect of the IB’s ‘Approaches to Learning’.
Generic Skills Matrix Area and Skills
Thinking
1. Acquisition of Knowledge
Each section breaks the main heading down into a series of sub-skills. Across all 5 aspects there are a total of 28 skills within the Generic Skills Matrix.
Descriptors The capacity to understand information and adapt how it is presented dependant on the task, with the ability to use the knowledge gained across subject areas This skill includes: • Asking and responding to appropriate questions • Reading, retaining and recalling information • Summarising key points
IB Learner Profile
Inquirers Knowledgeable Open-minded Thinkers
Skill Thinking Skills
Description The capacity to understand information and how it is presented dependent on the task, with the ability to use the knowledge gained across subject areas
2. Comprehension
This skill includes: • Interpreting the meaning of a range of information from a variety of formats • Connecting arguments • Synthesising ideas
Inquirers Reflective Knowledgeable Thinkers
Social Skills
The capacity to work with others in a collaborative manner towards a shared goal
3. Application of Knowledge
Knowledgeable Thinkers Communicators Reflective Open-minded
Communication Skills
The capacity to communicate effectively with others using a range of spoken, written, visual and other non-verbal means of expression
This skill includes: • Adapting ideas as circumstances change • Finding inventive ways to link knowledge to one’s own life and the lives of other people • Questioning the nature of knowledge • Using existing knowledge to create new knowledge
4. Problem Solving
This skill includes: • Trying out alternatives • Understanding the views of others • Working with others to find solutions
Knowledgeable Risk-takers Principled Thinkers Inquirers Communicators
5. Evaluation and Reflection
This skill includes: • Identifying opportunities and achievements • Reviewing progress, acting on outcomes • Setting effective and focused targets with success criteria
Reflective Balanced Thinkers Communicators
Self-Management Skills
Research Skills
The capacity to plan and organise one’s own work activities, including making good use of time and resources, sorting out priorities and monitoring one’s own performance
The capacity to search for, review and evaluate both the information and the sources and methods used to obtain it in response to a wellformulated research question
Adapted from the ‘Personal Learning and Thinking Skills Framework’ (UK Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, 2010)
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6
Area and Skills
Descriptors
Social Skills
The capacity to work with others in a collaborative manner towards a shared goal
Accepting Responsibility
This skill includes: • Stepping up to a challenge and being prepared to take risks • Being able to give, listen to and act on constructive feedback • Understanding the consequences of their actions to oneself and to other people
Open-minded Reflective
Respecting Others
This skill includes: • Understanding that we are all different • Valuing the differences between us • Supporting others who are different to us.
Caring Principled
Promoting Internationalism and Citizenship
This skill includes: • Recognising other views and experiences • Understanding global issues • Accepting personal responsibility to make a difference.
Principled Reflective
Working Effectively in Groups
This skill includes: • Finding a common goal • Working responsibly and sensitively with others with a willingness to compromise • Recognising the strength of collaboration
Communicators Open-minded Caring
Leading Groups
This skill includes: • Shaping and building the ideas of others • Motivating and supporting • Facilitating the group’s outcomes • Bringing together the group’s ideas
Communicators Caring Reflective
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IB Learner Profile
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Area and Skills
Descriptors
Communication
The capacity to communicate effectively with others using a range of spoken, written, visual and other non-verbal means of expression This skill includes: • Listening to a presentation, monologue or performance • Listening and identifying key points • Listening and responding critically • Listening and interpreting meaning and tone • Listening and interacting • Listening to instructions and reacting • Listening as part of a group and responding • Listening and interacting in a conversation
Listening
IB Learner Profile
Thinkers Communicators Open-minded Caring Communicating NonVerbally
Speaking
This skill includes: Communicators • Using an appropriate register, style and format Risk-takers for the audience • Identifying, and using the features of, an appropriate genre • Giving a prepared speech, presentation or performance • Speaking spontaneously
Reading
This skill includes: • Reading and interpreting graphic symbols • Reading instructions • Reading for specific information • Reading and identifying key points • Reading and responding critically • Reading and interpreting meaning and tone • Reading for pleasure
Writing
This skill includes: Thinkers Communicators • Writing sentence Knowledgeable • Writing a paragraph • Writing extensively in a range of academic genres • Using process writing to plan, outline, draft, edit, revise and proofread to produce a formal piece of work • Understanding and using body language, gesture and facial expression • Using an appropriate register for the audience
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Viewing
This skill includes: • Extracting information tables • Extracting information illustrations • Extracting information • Extracting information
Thinkers from graphs, charts and Communicators from diagrams and from moving images from aesthetic images
This skill includes: • Understanding and using body language, gesture and facial expression • Understanding and using voice tones • Understanding and using movement • Conveying information through graphs, charts and tables • Conveying information through diagrams and illustrations • Conveying meanings/emotions through moving images • Conveying meanings/emotions through aesthetic images
Thinkers Communicators Knowledgeable
Thinkers Communicators Reflective
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Area and Skills
Descriptors
Self-Management
The capacity to plan and organise one’s own work activities, including making good use of time and resources, sorting out priorities and monitoring one’s own performance
1. Organisation
This skill includes: • Demonstrating awareness of organisational expectations e.g. homework, equipment • Having the correct equipment for a particular learning context • Establishing one’s own routine
Thinkers Reflective Principled
2. Time Management
This skill includes: • Planning and prioritising • Demonstrating awareness of time constraints • Balance (inside and outside of school) • Meeting deadlines • Punctuality
Inquirers Balanced Reflective Thinkers Principled
3. Health and Wellbeing
This skill includes: • Demonstrating understanding of the holistic nature of health and wellbeing (physical activity, healthy eating, emotional and social wellbeing) • Achieving balance between work and study • Managing inter- and intra-personal relationships • Being able to ask for help This skill includes: • Seeking guidance and feedback • Accepting constructive criticism • Being aware of strengths and weaknesses • Identifying areas for development • Learing from mistakes and appreciating that it’s OK to fail • Understanding the importance of practice This skill includes: • Taking personal responsibility • Taking initiative • Self-motivation • Self-confidence • Making own decisions • Self-reflection • Self-challenge
Balanced Caring Reflective Open-minded Communicators
4. Persistence and Resilience
5. Independence
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IB Learner Profile
6. Skills for Life
This skill includes: • Hygiene • Personal safety and first aid • Domestic skills • Accessing transport networks • Personal finance • Seeking employment
7. Physical & Manipulative
This skill includes: • Coordination, Control and Dexterity • Technical Proficiency in reproducing / replicating correct physical technique • Spatial Awareness • Speed and Power • Endurance
Skills
Inquirers Thinkers Communicators Knowledgeable Principled Balanced Open-minded Reflective Inquirers Risk-takers Balanced
Inquirers Thinkers Risk-takers Open-minded Reflective
Inquirers Communicators Principled Risk-takers Reflective Thinkers
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Area and Skills
Descriptors The capacity to search for, review and evaluate both the information and the sources and methods used to obtain it in response to a well-formulated research question. This skill includes: • Adopting an appropriate structure for the task • Giving relevant focus to research • Defining clearly • Avoiding bias to inform answers
IB Learner Profile
2. Collecting and Recording
This skill includes: • Using appropriate and varied sources • Demonstrating clear organisation • Gathering reliable and relevant information • Making information ready for analysis
Inquirers Reflective Knowledgeable Thinkers
3. Interpreting and Analysing
This skill includes: • Avoiding bias • Linking back to question • Accurate analysis • Balanced analysis • Clear synthesis
Knowledgeable Thinkers
4. Referencing
This skill includes: • Using consistent and appropriate referencing systems • Acknowledging sources • Accurate use of quotations and paraphrasing • Tracing quoted works back to source
Knowledgeable
5. Demonstrating Academic
This skill includes: • Understanding what plagiarism is • Acknowledging sources • Protecting one’s own work • Understanding and acknowledging copyright • Taking responsibility
Principled
Research
1. Formulating Questions
Honesty
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Inquirers Knowledgeable Open-minded Thinkers
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Skills Profiles - Explanation (Continued) It is important to note that the Generic Skills Matrix shown on the preceding pages describes the diet of skills across all subject for Years 7-9. It is not the case that students learn every single one of these skills in each of their subjects. Often, it will be the case that some subjects are better suited to a particular skill than others, meaning that each of the 28 skills will be taught by some subjects, but not normally by all. Across all subject Skills Profiles, however, the aim is for each skill to be adequately covered. The language of the Skills Profile is designed to be positive, and very clearly focused on the building of skills rather than any particular piece of content. Each outcome on a subject Skills Profile begins with the words: “Students will learn how to…” When a particular outcome is present on a Skills Profile, that means the subject in question takes responsibility for teaching that skill explicitly within its curriculum between the start of Year 7 and the end of Year 9. There is no requirement that each skill be revisited on an annual basis – some skills will be taught very frequently throughout Years 7-9, whereas others will be taught on only one or two occasions. The final point to note about Skills Profiles is about designation. On each subject’s Skills
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Profile you will see a designation after each outcome which reads ‘RO1’, ‘NROiv’, etc.: RO = ‘Reported Outcome’ NRO = ‘Non-Reported Outcome’ A Reported Outcome is one for which, at certain points in the curriculum, we will derive information from formal assessments which will be reported to students and parents via the Middle School Curriculum Reporting System (see the section on Reporting) . As the name implies, a Non-Reported Outcome is one where the skill in question will be explicitly taught within the curriculum but for which no formal reporting will occur. The following page presents a visualisation of all the subject’s Skills Profiles, showing which subjects teach which generic skills. To see each subject’s Skills Profile in full and to view the Curriculum for the subjects your child is studying, you can log in to LIONeL and visit the ‘Curriculum Analysis Tool’ where you can view a dynamic map of all the topics studied across all of your child’s subjects. You can also see information about the formal assessments your child has done / will do in the future, via the ‘Middle School Curriculum Reports’ interface, also hosted in LIONeL. Visit our website at www.kgvmsc.com and download the “KGV Parent Guide to Middle School Curriculum Systems” to see how you can view this important information about your child’s studies.
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IN
Thinking Skills
Social Skills
Communication Skills
Self-Management Skills
Research Skills
Demonstrating Academic Honesty
Referencing
Interpreting and analysing
Collecting and recording
Formulating questions
Physical & Manipulative Skills
Skills for life
Independence
Promoting Internationalism and Citizenship
Communicating Non-Verbally
Demonstrating Academic Honesty
Referencing
Interpreting and analysing
Collecting and recording
Formulating questions
Physical & Manipulative Skills
Skills for life
Independence
Persistence and resilience
Health and well-being
Time management
Organisation
Viewing
Reading
Speaking
Listening
Leading Groups
Working effectively in groups
Respecting Others
Accepting Responsibility
Evaluation and Reflection
Problem Solving
Application of Knowledge
Comprehension
Acquisition of Knowledge
Writing
Persistence and resilience
Health and well-being
Time management
PRS
Organisation
Communicating Non-Verbally
Viewing
Writing
Reading
Research Skills
D&T
SCIENCE
Sci & Tech
Speaking
Listening
Leading Groups
Working effectively in groups
LPS
Promoting Internationalism and Citizenship
SCIENCE
Respecting Others
D&T ICT
Accepting Responsibility
MATHEMATICS HISTORY
Evaluation and Reflection
PE
Problem Solving
FIRST LANGUAGE
Application of Knowledge
Creativity and Performance
MUSIC
Comprehension
Language and Culture FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Self-Management Skills Reported Outcome Non-reported Outcome
DRAMA MUSIC
FIRST LANGUAGE
SECOND LANGUAGE
FOREIGN LANGUAGE GEOGRAPHY HISTORY PRS
MATHEMATICS ICT
Maths & ICT
Acquisition of Knowledge
Ind & Societies SECOND LANGUAGE
Communication Skills
Ind & Societies
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Social Skills
Language and Culture
Maths & ICT
ART
Thinking Skills
Creativity and Performance
GEOGRAPHY
Sci & Tech
Summary of Skills profiles for all subjects Key
ART
PE
LPS IN
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Pedagogies for Supporting a Skills-Based Curriculum As we develop our skills-based curriculum, one of the key challenges is: How do we further develop our teaching strategies so as to ensure all of our students have an excellent skills-based learning experience? Many of the answers to this question will be based on tried and tested strategies such as: Learning objectives – making sure each student knows what they are learning, can identify the reasons for this learning and the skills that they are developing through this learning. Personalised learning – ensuring that the level of learning is appropriate for each individual student and has sufficient challenge to enable progress within and across lessons. Structure – developing a range of activities within a lesson that build student learning and enable them to identify the context of their learning, in terms of both skills and content. This includes starter and plenary activities that allow students to reflect on and link their learning. Asking powerful questions – the use of open-ended questions to enable students to reflect and think about their learning. However, the development of our skills focus does create new challenges in terms of teaching strategies. For example: How do we best develop thinking skills? How do we teach social skills? There is not a ‘one size fits all’ answer to these important questions but the expertise does exist within our teaching community to develop appropriate strategies.
The key is the way in which we work collaboratively to ensure that this expertise is shared and every teacher is involved in an ongoing process of discussing, sharing and reflecting on their teaching practice. Over the last two years we have developed a range of methods to ensure that such collaboration is at the forefront of our thinking: Rapid Prototyping – all teachers are being encouraged to identify something they would like to develop in their teaching, try it, reflect and refine the approach. Teachers are then given the opportunity to share this experience by giving presentations during staff briefings. Learning and Teaching Journal – a publication written by KGV staff and students that aims to share ideas, reflections and thoughts. Collaboration Time – the curriculum is planned collaboratively to allow teachers to work within and across Learning areas. Student Consultants – led by one of our Head Prefects, this initiative provides a mechanism for a range of students to give their perspective on proposed curriculum developments and what they believe to be effective learning strategies. Reflection for Development – led by our Learning Directors, every teacher is involved in a variety of lesson observations that enable discussions around effective learning and teaching strategies so as to provide the best experience for all of our students. Access – led by the Learning Director for Access, this is a working group that provides expertise and advice to help create an inclusive learning environment that supports the needs of all of our students. Learning and Teaching Innovation Group – this group meets on a regular basis with the aim of developing a KGV Teacher’s Toolkit. This resource will provide a range of suggested activities that will support skills-based learning. It is also vital that our use of learning technologies supports the skills-based curriculum. The development of coursepages in LIONeL, our Virtual Learning Environment, is integral to our planning and each topic in the Middle School Curriculum is accopanied by a LIONeL coursepage which has a variety of interactive learning activities that students can use to support the development of the skills learned in that topic. Parents and students can access these coursepages directly by logging into LIONeL and visiting the “Curriculum Analysis Tool”. Visit our website at www.kgvmsc.com and download the “KGV Parent Guide to Middle School Curriculum Systems” to see how to access and use the Curriculum Analysis Tool. As shown by this brief overview, a huge amount of work has occurred to enable effective implementation of the Middle School Curriculum. This is an ongoing collaborative approach, ensuring that every teacher is continuing to look to further develop their approaches to learning and teaching so as to provide the best possible experience for all of our students.
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INTER-Discplinary Learning
Assessment
The focus on skills in the Middle School Curriculum gives a variety of opportunities to enhance students’ learning, from being able to solve problems and think critically, to improving subject content knowledge and becoming more active global citizens. The educational beauty of a skillsbased approach is that these opportunities are available across all subject areas and so become less tied to a particular academic area. In turn, students can develop these explicit skills through regular practice in a variety of lessons. The subjects therefore provide a different lens through which a skill can be approached.
At KGV we aim to support student learning by using a variety of forms of assessment. Assessment is not only used to measure student progress, but to inform students about where they are in their learning, what can be improved and what they need to do to improve. The variety is needed to cater for the various learning styles of the students. Each assessment will suit some students more than others, so using a variety of forms over the Middle School experience ensures that we cater for all needs. The variety also ensures that students are motivated and engaged in the process. Assessment is not just about testing a student to see what knowledge they have acquired; we are assessing development of skills. This could be in the form of a project, a piece of research, a presentation, a poster, a discussion and sometimes a test.
Much like in real life where we as adults may need to solve problems or think critically in different areas, we develop a strategy and process by which to tackle them. For example, when dealing with a lot of tasks within a work situation we might develop a process of prioritisation, a process we then replicate when dealing with issues within our home life. This is also true when thinking about how we might apply knowledge we have gained in one area, to another area of our life. For example, knowing how to calculate percentages can be essential when shopping, calculating a healthy nutritional diet or working with spreadsheets. Our Middle School Curriculum aims to reflect the realities of learning and its application, whilst retaining our strong traditions of academic achievement and success. Within KGV we use the terms ‘multi-disciplinary’ and ‘inter-disciplinary’ to reflect this approach to learning. ‘Inter-disciplinary’ refers to a common project or unit of work of which a variety of subjects may feed into. ‘Multi-disciplinary’ is a softer approach which focuses on the reinforcement of skills and knowledge as transferable commodities between subject areas, but ultimately looked at through a specific subject ‘lens’. Within our Middle School Curriculum we have been very conscious of building such opportunities to enable students to transfer their skills and knowledge between subject areas and those more holistic experiences through tutor times, Challenge Week and extra-curricular activities. Exciting inter-disciplinary projects will gather momentum throughout each academic year. Some projects will culminate in an exhibition, for which we will be delighted to invite parents, primary schools and other community members to come and enjoy.
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Assessment will inform how lessons are planned. Skills will be explicitly taught in lessons, whether the outcome is reported or not. Students will know what skills are being assessed at the beginning of the topic and what the criteria are for the different skill levels (the rubrics). Teachers will then be able to use the outcomes of the assessment to support students in future lessons as they will know where the strengths and possible gaps are in the class. Assessment takes place in every lesson we teach through the questions we ask the students and the feedback we give to them. Feedback should be continuous and constructive, supporting the student in moving forward. The feedback might be verbal, written or self- or peer-assessed, and will be recorded whenever possible. We want students to become better learners and more confident and reflective thinkers. The most effective feedback shows students not just what they need to do to improve, but how to improve. The specific strategies will give students the tools they need to develop their skills and be better prepared for the world after KGV. Assessment is an essential part of good learning and teaching. We have developed a set of Assessment Principles (see over page) which guide teachers when developing assessments and planning Schemes of Work. The Assessment Principles will ensure that we have consistency across the school when we are creating new assessments. We have summarised our Assessment Principles in four key areas which take place from the planning, to the classroom and in the systems we use to report. These Assessment Principles show what we value as a school and how assessment can be used to move student learning forward.
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Assessment Principles Principle #1:
Principle #2:
Principle #3:
Principle #4:
Assessment should take various forms (Planning)
Teaching and Learning should align with Assessment and Assessment should inform teaching practices (Classroom, Planning)
Positive, constructive, continuous feedback should always be given and recorded when possible with the chance to act on the feedback (Classroom)
Feedback should revolve around student achievement (knowledge and skills) rather than solely a level (Classroom, Planning, System) ACHIEVEMENT
VARIETY
ALIGNMENT
FEEDBACK
Expansion: Assessments can take many forms - verbal responses, written responses, written examinations, designs and graphics, live performance, portfolios… Each mode offers something slightly different and draws out a different aspect of the student’s performance, and the variety we offer also conditions the engagement of the student and their enjoyment of, and motivation for, their learning. Teaching and Learning should cover Non-Reported Outcomes (NROs) even where assessments don’t.
Expansion: Teaching and Learning should address the skills students will need to succeed in assessment, and this should happen prior to, and at the same time as, the conducting of assessment. The teacher should then use what they learn from their students’ assessment to inform what happens next within the curriculum, responding to needs.
Expansion: Feedback has a powerful influence on student progress. Whenever we talk about assessment we must therefore talk about feedback, looking to use regular opportunities, in a variety of ways, to give students an opportunity to receive feedback. Feedback should be recorded when possible and student learning managed so that records of assessment and feedback are kept.
Expansion: The giving of quantitative information alongside feedback comments can cancel out the potentially beneficial impact of the comments, meaning that it may be a waste of time to deliver narrative feedback if the context of doing so involves the issuing of a level as well
This means encouraging: - The use of diverse forms of assessment that will help students to understand their learning through different lenses in addition to the types of assessment which might be used later for external examinations The construction of assessment structures that offer opportunities for different types of learner to show what they can do The valuing of teacher judgement as a way of collecting information about student progress
This means encouraging: - Planning that keeps as its focus the reported and non-reported outcomes assigned to a particular unit
This means encouraging:
This means encouraging:
- Teacher feedback and student reflections which include personalised comments on strengths and areas for development
- The issuing of feedback at a different point in time or in a different context to the issuing of summative, quantitative assessment information Feedback using the language of achievement at different levels, rather than simply referring to the level itself. Feedback that is broad and addresses the student’s performance in a given task but also relates this to what it means about them as a learner Feedback that both describes what happens and evaluates it constructively for the future
- The regular use of the assessment criteria within teaching and learning, especially as part of ‘Assessment for Learning’ classroom activities such as modelling, peer- and selfreview, student target-setting etc. - Drawing lesson objectives from the assessment criteria so that students are always building the skills they will need in order to succeed - Annotating or exemplifying the assessment criteria to show what they mean for a particular task - Assessment criteria which referenced at an early point
are
explicitly
- Regular information given to students about their learning, including the regular marking of work which is returned in a timely way, ideally within 2 school weeks - Leaving time within a unit or scheme of work for students to act on feedback and have the opportunity to show further learning Written feedback given where possible, or notes made from oral feedback Managing student learning so that written feedback is kept
- Teachers learning from the outcomes of assessment processes (including those conducted by other/previous teachers) and responding to student data on individual, class and cohort wide level by providing personalised support, altering their planning around student needs and providing different learning experiences to different students based on data judgements.
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Reporting The Middle School Curriculum Reporting System will give you access to information about your child’s learning that is skills-based, timely and detailed. The information you receive about the skills your child is developing will be visible as they are completed, not at the end of a term or a year. The need for an end of year report will no longer exist as you will receive the information as it occurs, making it more relevant and up to date. You will have access to view the information in LIONeL as it becomes available. Each subject teacher will be inputting skill levels to show how they are developing in each subject area for the various assessments taking place through the year. You will not only see the levels and the descriptor for the levels, but also how feedback was given and also self and peer assessment if relevant to the assessment completed. On some assessments there will be the option to click a link to an eportfolio to show you the work your child has completed.
At the top of your child’s Reports Page you will see a summary of the skills across all subjects. The aim is to give students an accessible view of their relative strengths and weaknesses across the same skills but a variety of subjects. It is envisaged that this screen will be used in target setting and conversations with tutors. Specific information at various points,
about how electronically
to use these systems will be given and at occasions such as Parents’
to you Evenings.
In the ways described above, the Middle School Reporting System will present timely, detailed information about student skills. As a parent, we would hope that you will use the available information to have conversations with your children about their learning and strategies to help them to make further progress.
The strengths and targets outlined on the assessment will be brought together on the Student Target Page. On this page you will be able to view the strengths and targets written by the subject teacher and also by the tutor. The tutor will be looking across subjects for common themes so that they can support their tutees in the best way possible. The tutor may add additional targets that are more holistic such as routines and co-curricular activities, for example. Teachers and tutors will update the strengths and targets when they are achieved or no longer relevant. Parents and students will be able to access the outcomes of all assessments on the ‘subject’ tab for each subject. You will be able to scroll between current, previous and future assessments. By hovering over the level awarded, you will be able to see the description of that level. You have access to all the rubrics which show you what students need to do to move up to the next level. The Reporting system also shows you the expected attainment range in that year group so you can see whether your child is in the expected bracket. However, there is no limit to what can be achieved!
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Supporting students through the Middle School Curriculum As your child moves through their time at KGV we work to establish a support network through which they will be challenged, motivated and guided through their learning. Working in tandem with each other to provide this support are the Curriculum and Student Development Learning Areas of the School, though it is important to remember the part that you as parents play in your child’s learning at KGV.
Induction Making the change to KGV from primary school is a big step for students, as well as their parents. It is often in these early stages that crucial friendships are formed, some of which will last for a lifetime. With this in mind we see our Induction Programme as a vital piece to the settling in and establishment of a student at KGV. It provides opportunities to get to know the school, to get to know other students from all year groups, to understand the curriculum and for a student to become familiar with their laptop and the opportunities, and responsibilities, of working in a 1:1 laptop school environment.
The Role of the Tutor Throughout a student’s experience of the Middle School Curriculum, one of the constants in the student’s life will be their tutor, who will form the heart of a student’s support network. A student will remain with the same tutor throughout their time in the Middle School (Year 7 to 10) and Senior School (Year 11 to 13), allowing for strong ties to be built up in this time. Guiding the work that the tutor does with their tutor group are our KGV Student Development Values.
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Through these we value and aim to develop: 1. Strong, supportive relationships between tutors and tutees based on knowledge of every student’s individual character and capabilities. 2. Strong, supportive relationships between tutees and their peers, articulated vertically and horizontally throughout the school. 3. International Mindedness in students to consider and address their responsibilities as local, regional and global citizens. In pursuing these values a tutor will take on the role of a mentor, a friend, and a counsellor for their tutees, while seeking to support the wellbeing, motivation and social welfare of the individuals in their tutor group and for the group as a whole. The tutor plays an important role in liaising with you about your child’s progress. With a “live” reporting model in our Middle School Curriculum that gives up to date feedback on a student’s progress there needs to be a hub through which this feedback is pulled together. The centre of this hub is the tutor who will bring together the academic and non-academic threads of their tutees’ lives at KGV. We aspire for tutors to be “experts” in their tutees. This is very different from being an expert in all of the curriculum areas, which is a role played by the individual teachers of a student. Instead, a tutor will use their knowledge of their tutees, along with data derived from a number of sources including the live reporting system, to engage in one to one conversations that enhance their tutees’ learning experience at KGV. Together with their tutor, a student will review targets set through curriculum avenues, working to prioritise, refine and even establish other pertinent targets of their own. Each step in this process will help to establish the foundations of successful learning.
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Student Support Systems We are very aware that successful learning requires different levels of support depending on the needs of each individual. Support for students at KGV begins before they arrive at the school with an extensive transition programme used to build up a clear picture of a student’s needs. Once a student is a member of the KGV community support for each and every one of them is a holistic affair; when considering the needs and welfare of students at KGV, it is not just about their academic progress and extra-curricular involvement, but also about their overall wellbeing too. Student Support Services provide access to counselling support as well as other outside agencies where it is appropriate. Support within the curriculum, beyond that which is provided by teachers on an individual basis within their classrooms, can be divided up into the following main areas and falls under the remit of the Access Department. Literacy Target Group (LTG) - Support for students whose literacy acquisition skills are weak and who would benefit from extra English support.
Individual Needs (IN) – Support for students who because of their special educational needs will struggle to access an unmodified curriculum without support. English for Academic Purposes (EAP) – Support for students whose English language proficiency limits their ability to perform to their full potential. Gifted and Talented (GT) - Students who perform exceptionally well and/or are nominated by staff as having outstanding ability in a particular subject area. Students who are part of the LTG and NTG programmes will follow the same KGV curriculum as with all other students, although some of aspects of it may be modified to suit their needs. In addition to this they are taught in a smaller class with two teachers. Students who are part of the IN or EAP programmes create time in their curriculum by only studying one language instead of two. This will be one of Mandarin, French, German or Spanish. GT students will have access to aspects of accelerated learning as well as extension activities and co-curricular opportunities to enhance their learning experience.
Numeracy Target Group (NTG) – Support for students whose numeracy acquisition skills are weak and who would benefit from extra Maths support.
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Student Led Conferences and Curriculum Information Evenings As has already been mentioned feedback on a student’s progress will come through the reporting system with each piece of work and their Reported Outcomes (ROs) building a picture of how a student’s skills are developing. Contact with the School to discuss this skills development will be through the tutor who will host Student Led Conferences (SLC) and an insight into the learning environment will be provided through Curriculum Information Evenings (CIE). Both of these key events will take place at pertinent times throughout a student’s time in the Middle School. Specific details about the arrangement of SLCs and CIEs will be shared through the School Calendar. Through SLCs students will be able to share with their parents their learning experiences, including how and what they have determined it is they need to do to build on these experiences and take their learning to the next level. Initially this will focus on settling into KGV, but as more Reported Outcomes become available, opportunities to talk about successes as well as hurdles will be presented. It is these conversations, through the three way dynamic of student, parent and tutor, that will draw all aspects of a student’s school life together. CIEs will provide an opportunity for parents to find out what is happening in the classroom and how we are working with students to move their learning forward. Central to this will be an opportunity to hear from members of curriculum teaching teams who will be on hand to provide a window into the different curriculum areas of the school. We understand that parents want to put a face to a teacher’s name, however it is important to note that the purpose of CIEs is to provide information and answer questions, rather than give feedback on individual students.
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How to support your child By inviting you to take part in SLCs and CIEs and making information about our Middle School Curriculum readily available through LIONeL we aim to support parents in having informed conversations about learning at home. We want to work in partnership with parents and students to ensure that everyone gets the best out of their school experience. As we are sure you will agree, the best investment that can be made by a parent is to give their child time. Here are a few strategies that you may want to use to get the best return on this investment: Be a life-long learner As we are role models for our children, it is extremely powerful for them to see that we never stop learning. If you are learning something new, whether it be for work or pleasure, share your learning with your child and be honest about the challenges. This shows your child that we all have strengths and areas for development and that learning is part of life and not just school. Read for pleasure This may be easier said than done, but if you can show your love of reading then your child is more likely to read and therefore improve his/her vocabulary, spelling, and writing skills amongst others. This reading doesn’t have to be books; even reading magazines and newspapers or even the football scores will encourage your child to do the same. Talk about learning Rather than asking your child how school was, try asking them about their learning. Try to be explicit when talking about the skills they have developed. If they were working on research skills, ask them what good research skills look like. The more we can be explicit when talking about skills, the better prepared students will be for a future of careers which probably don’t yet exist!
Discuss the information available in LIONeL The systems available in LIONeL will support conversations about skills and encourage you to talk about learning at home. You can talk about subject areas, the skills across subjects and the Student Target Page. If your child is focusing on working effectively in groups, then ask them what it would look like if they worked effectively in groups and what are the steps they could take to get there. As the system is live, it is important that these conversations happen regularly at school and at home so that we are dealing with information that is current and relevant. Ask good questions The way we ask questions to students can really make a difference in the way they respond. Try to use open ended questions to encourage a more in-depth conversation. So, rather than ‘Did you have a good Drama lesson today?’ and the response being ‘yes’, try a more open ended approach such as ‘Tell me about your Drama lesson today’. A slight change in the way we ask questions can really encourage students to reflect more and give more detail. Encourage independence As parents, we are all trying to get the right balance in supporting our children yet trying to prepare them for the day they leave home. The development of independence is vital in preparation for this day. Please encourage your child to get themselves organized by getting their uniform ready, bag packed, homework completed etc. Try to build trust in letting them do these things for themselves whilst still being there to support when it doesn’t quite happen. Eat well, drink plenty, do exercise and sleep! This may sound obvious but you would be surprised how many students get headaches due to dehydration, or who send emails at 2am. Please encourage your child to look after their health as this will result in them feeling more positive and being generally more effective. At KGV, we want students to succeed in life and this is much more likely to happen if they have some perspective and get a good balance between study, exercise, relaxation, family time etc. Attend a course on coaching skills for parents KGV is committed to developing expertise amongst the staff in Performance Coaching. Coaching has positive applications to all aspects of school life. Performance Coaching is a method of using active and attentive listening skills and carefully chosen questions to support the coachees in thinking for themselves and finding solutions to whatever they want to achieve. The whole picture of a student’s time at KGV covers a myriad of different avenues and experiences, systems and people all with one thing in mind. This is to help a student to grow as a person and prepare themselves for what lies ahead. At the heart of this are the skills of the Middle School Curriculum, but this will only work if everyone is pulling in the same direction, maintaining clear and open dialogue at all times. Home Learning Help your child develop good habits in completing their home learning. Further information can be found in the home learning agreement.
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Joint Home Learning Agreement
Conclusion KGV’s Middle School Curriculum aims to lay the foundations for students’ future learning, and future lives, through the pursuit of a simple but profound vision:
Purpose
“A coherent, skills-based Middle School Curriculum”
The purpose of this agreement is to develop a consistent and purposeful approach to home learning between KGV, BHS, KJS, CWBS and JCSR based upon the shared language and values.
The Middle School Curriculum is at the heart of the school’s philosophy of learning and teaching, and we invest heavily in the infrastructure, planning and pedagogical practices which ensure this period in our students’ school careers is a rich, enjoyable and engaging experience. The first few pages of this publication make the point that a school’s ‘product development cycle’ occurs over many years and often we do not see the fruits of our labours until many years after our work with students has taken place, and the investment of time, energy and care we have made allows them to flourish. Our Middle School Curriculum is our attempt to provide the best possible foundations for our students’ futures, so that, after seven years of product development at KGV, our products can enter the world with the skills they need to make the most of the opportunities that life gives them. It is our hope that our alumni of the future will feel they were well-served by the education we planned for them when they were at KGV.
Philosophy Home learning should be a shared responsibility between the student, teacher and family. It is designed to develop self - directed, responsible and independent and lifelong learners. Home learning should form part of a balanced and healthy student lifestyle. Principles Home learning... - Develops the learner profile, attitudes and approaches to learning. - Enriches, enhances and develops learning through appropriate challenge. - Provides choice and voice, enabling student ownership. - Encourages a partnership with families and develops understanding through mother tongue. - Provides opportunities for students to take action based on their learning. Responsibilities Teachers ● Support students in developing healthy learning practices. ● Home learning is explained to students (and/or families) in a clear and concise manner ● Home learning is developed as a team, aligns with concepts being taught and enhances learning in the classroom. ● Timely feedback is to be given to students ● Home learning is planned and organised in accordance with the shared Kowloon Learning Campus values.
Students ● Develop healthy, effective learning practices. ● Balance time between home learning, activities and family ● Clarify what is expected from home learning tasks with teachers. ● Complete and return home learning in a timely manner ● Complete home learning with an appropriate level of support and collaboration ● Aim to complete tasks to a standard they can be proud of.
Families ● Support their child in developing effective learning practices with an appropriate level of independence ● Help their child to balance time between home learning, activities and family to support wellbeing. ● Offer support and collaboration when appropriate.
School Contact King George V School Address: 2 Tin Kwong Road, Homantin, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2711 3029 Fax: (852) 2762 9806 Email:
[email protected]
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Glossary 1:1 Laptop School – a school where there is a 1:1 ratio of laptops or equivalent digital devices to students. KGV is a 1:1 laptop school.
Plenary Activity – an activity used at the end of a lesson to draw together and reinforce the learning outcomes from that lesson.
Approaches to Learning – a typology of skills developed by the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) consisting of Thinking, Social Skills, Communication, Self-Management and Research.
Primary Years Programme (PYP) – the IBO’s programme for students of primary school age. All of KGV’s partner primary schools use the PYP as the basis of student learning.
Assessment Principles – a list of 4 key principles which govern how assessment works in the Middle School Curriculum. You can view the Assessment Principles on pages 23-24 of this publication.
Reported Outcome – a learning outcome which is explicitly taught in the classroom, assessed, and then reported on by the provision, via LIONeL, of a level and feedback to the student. See also – Non-Reported Outcome.
Curriculum Analysis Tool – a part of LIONeL which allows students and parents to view the curriculum for each subject the student is studying, including the Skills Profile, Topics, Assessments, Rubrics and LIONeL coursepages. Curriculum Information Evening (CIE) – an evening at which information will be given about what is happening in the classroom and how you can support your child in their learning. Diploma Programme (DP) – the IBO’s post-16 programme. Most KGV students study the IB Diploma in Years 12-13.
Reports Page – a part of LIONeL which allows students and parents to view progress across all skills and subjects. Rubric – the assessment criteria for a particular skill, articulated across levels 1 – 9. Scheme of Work – a document which shows how student learning will unfold during the course of a topic, and how particular resources or learning activities will fit into this. Each topic in the Middle School Curriculum is supported by a Scheme of Work which can be viewed at the top of the LIONeL coursepage pertaining to that topic.
Generic Skills Matrix – the list of 28 generic, transferable skills which is based on the IBO’s ‘Approaches to Learning’ and which describes the ‘diet’ of skills that students learn in the Middle School Curriculum. Every subject Skills Profile is derived from the Generic Skills Matrix.
Skills Profile – a list of learning outcomes for a particular subject, derived from the Generic Skills Matrix, which shows which skills will be learned in that subject during the course of Years 7 – 9.
Inter-Disciplinary Learning – Learning in which skills and knowledge from one subject are reinforced in another. See also – Multi-Disciplinary Learning.
Starter Activity – an activity used at the start of a lesson to introduce the learning outcomes and engage students with what they will be doing during the course of the lesson.
Level – the numerical representation of how well a student performs a particular skill. Students will be awarded levels from 1 – 9 as they complete assessments in the Middle School Curriculum.
Student-led Conference (SLC) – an evening at which students, parents and the tutor will discuss the student’s learning experiences and progress so far, and work together to identify how the student can move forward with their learning.
LIONeL – KGV’s Virtual Learning Environment which allows you to access information about your child’s curriculum and progress. LIONeL coursepage – a specific page in LIONeL which contains interactive resources your child can use to support their learning in a particular topic.
Student Target Page – a part of LIONeL which allows students and parents to view the targets set for the student by the tutor and by each of the student’s subject teachers.
Middle Years Programme (MYP) – the IBO’s programme for students aged 11-16. KGV does not offer the MYP but there are a number of similarities between the MYP and KGV’s Middle School Curriculum.
Topic – a series of Learning Experiences within the curriculum that all relate to a particular topic. The Middle School Curriculum is divided into topics within each of a student’s subjects and these topics can be viewed within the Curriculum Analysis Tool, which shows when each topic is likely to be encountered. Each topic is also supported by a Scheme of Work document and a LIONeL coursepage.
Multi-Disciplinary Learning – Learning in which students use skills and knowledge from more than one subject to build towards a particular project or goal. See also – Inter-Disciplinary Learning.
Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) – an online learning system used by schools to share information and provide students with online interactive learning opportunities. KGV’s VLE is called LIONeL.
Non-Reported Outcome – a learning outcome which is taught explicitly in the classroom but for which formal reporting does not take place. See also – Reported Outcome. Pedagogies – the strategies a teacher uses to help students learn.
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KING GEORGE V SCHOOL 2 Tin Kwong Road, Homantin, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2711 3029 | Fax: (852) 2762 9806 | Email:
[email protected] WWW.KGV.EDU.HK
KING GEORGE V SCHOOL HONG KONG
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