Catering for learner diversity  (Janet)

Observations in Hong Kong

Catering for learner diversity is a challenging topic for a lot of teachers in Hong Kong. 

Inquiry points derived

s   How are learners’ diverse needs catered for?

Observations

s  To cater for diverse abilities

•        System level

To allow schools to flexibly offer student-centred courses that can help the weaker students and SEN students to narrow the gaps between their attainment and the expectations in the proficient levels by focusing on confidence building and motivation and targeted lifeskills

Extract of course description for learning strategies course

at secondary level

Source : The Ontario Curriculum

•        School board level

Certain strategies for catering for learner diversity are highlighted by the school board for schools’ reference, e.g. #1, 3 and 10

Source : Lester B. Pearson High School

•        School practice

Learning strategies courses are run for weak and SEN students with the use of ICT to give them extra help to meet expectations in the learning strategies courses

Students are required in the alternative curriculum to master basic literacy skills, e.g. to give more details to support writing.  The teacher in this learning strategy course used the interactive whiteboard and effective questioning to guide students to pick up details in the photo and verbally construct a description of the photo.  This was done to equip them with the skills to produce a descriptive writing which was a requirement in level 10 literacy assessment.

        Source : Lester B. Pearson High School

s  To cater for diverse interests

•    Students’ choices are well-respected in the learning process

Example ONE

Students are given a choice to work at their favourite work stations

in a reading lesson

Source : Chris Hadfield Public School

Example TWO

Students are encouraged to choose their favourite Word Work Activities

to build their vocabulary bank

Example 1 – Word Art

Source : Chris Hadfield Public School

Example 2 – Coded Fun

Source : Chris Hadfield Public School

Example THREE

Differentiation strategies from the school board that focus on

catering for different learning styles

Source : Lester B. Pearson High School

s  To cater for both diverse interests and abilities

Example ONE

Choice for students in a reading task in a reading lesson

Source : Chris Hadfield Public School

Example TWO

Students are encouraged to enroll in courses that suit

both their interests and abilities during grades 9 and 10

Source : Lester B. Pearson High School

s  To make teaching and learning student-centred

Suggestions on next steps which are based on students’ attainment, strengths and weaknesses are provided for students in the diploma certificate.

Source : Education Quality and Accountability Office

Co-construction and/or co-creation   (Janet)

Observations in Hong Kong

s   Hong Kong teachers’ assessment literacy has been heightened in the past years.  Yet, more needs to be done to help them set better assessment tasks so that students’ learning can be appropriately assessed.

Inquiry points derived

What professional and/or on-job training is provided to teachers to enhance their assessment literacy?  Are there any measures in place to ensure sustainable development of teachers’ assessment literacy, e.g. forming teacher network for continuous professional sharing?

Learning points

s   It was noticed that co-construction and/or co-creation is a fundamental values in the education system in the province of Ontario.

System level

s   The curriculum in Ontario is not a top-down initiative which solely serves the policy instrument function.  Rather, it was the product of co-construction between political party and schools.

Functions of Curriculum Guidelines

Source : OSIE

School and teacher level

s   Before becoming superintendents and principals, they usually have background as frontline teachers.  This allowed them to have deeper understanding of the industry and hence be able to exercise their professional judgments in driving school improvements more effectively.  After being such senior personnels in the school system, they do not isolate themselves from the frontline teachers.  Instead, they learn with teachers together.

s   It is also a merit to have APs to conduct professional exchanges with TPs in the system so they worked jointly to generate new knowledge about effective teaching :

A cycle of learning – collaboration between Aps and TPs

Source : Ministry of Education of Ontario

Student learning

s   Ample examples of teachers co-constructing success criteria with students were observed during our school visits:

The P2 class English teacher co-constructed success criteria

of letter writing task using probing questions at Clinton Street Public School

Example in English learning at Orchard Park Primary School

 

Example in Science and Art learning at Chris Hadfield Primary School

Example of whole-school approach in co-constructing criteria with students
at Lester B. Pearson High School

 

Facilitating factors for the co-construction of success criteria

A strong emphasis on development of students’ thinking abilities, e.g. planning skills, processing skills and critical / creative thinking processes, is seen as an important step to equip students with better readiness for intellectual processing and metacognition which in turn enables them to co-construct success criteria with teachers and peers.

System level

Thinking has been made one of the four key aspects of reporting in the Achievement Chart for Arts (Grades 1-8), Science and Technology (Grades 1-8) and English (Grades 9-12).  The Achievement Chart outlines the indicators for different standards of performance in different key areas.

The Achievement Chart for English : Grades 9-12

Source : Growing Success

Teacher level

To equip teachers with the ability to guide their students to think and reflect in greater depth and a more efficient manner, measures are adopted to help teachers build their capacity in questioning and feedback, effective coaching, etc.

(a) 5-day professional training programmes for Assessment Partners (APs)

Source : OMoE

(b) Online video library for teachers’ access on various topics, including:

- Planning Assessment with Instruction

- Learning Goals and Success Criteria

- Questioning

- Descriptive Feedback

- Self-Assessment 

Video library on questioning

Source : http://www.edugains.ca/newsite/aer2/index.html

Video library on descriptive feedback

Source : http://www.edugains.ca/newsite/aer2/index.html

Classroom level

1.  Thought-provoking questions are used to guide students’ thinking process

-  Example ONE

The Five Finger Method to guide students to choose an appropriate book

Source : Orchard Park Public School

-  Example TWO

The Question Generator that develops 36 types of critical and creative thinking

Source : Chris Hadfield Public School

    -  Example THREE

Use of questions to guide thinking

Source : Orchard Park Public School

2.  Abstract ideas are translated into student-friendly observable behavioural indicators

-  Example ONE

Observable success criteria co-constructed in class

Source : Clinton Street Public School

-          Example TWO

Listing of student behaviour that demonstrate the desirable qualities

for specific task

Source: Orchard Park Public School

-          Example THREE

(a)   Defining what descriptive feedback looks like and how it can be given

(b) Teacher’s modeling of how to give descriptive feedback

(c) Student application and use of descriptive feedback in a P2 class (gifted class)

Source : Chris Hadfield Public School

-  Example FOUR

A unit template that outlines observable indicators of students’ behaviour that demonstrate learning of certain thinking skills

Source : Lester B. Pearson High School

3.             Teachers’ firm belief that student learning can be tracked using an evidence-based approach

Justification of effective learning and teaching strategy

using an evidence-based approach

Source : Orchard Park Public School

How to grow success ?  From principles to implementation   (Janet)

Observations in Hong Kong

s   Not many HK schools focus much attention on fostering independent learning among students.  Yet, learner independence is part of the essence of the local education reform.

Inquiry points derived

s   What are the measures in fostering independent learning in the overseas experience?

s   How is assessment as learning promoted?  What measures are in place to nurture reflective learners?

s   How are higher-order thinking skills emphasized in the teaching process?  How are the basic expectations on thinking skills realized?  How are they measured / reported?

Learning points

System level

s   Introduction of the document “Growing success”

p.1  Growing Success, Ministry of Education of Ontario

p.7  Growing Success, Ministry of Education of Ontario

s   Policy in Growing Success : 6 Learning skills and work habits

p.10  Growing Success, Ministry of Education of Ontario

p.11  Growing Success, Ministry of Education of Ontario

s   When students’ learning progress is reported in report cards in Ontario, requirements are set for all schools to follow suit:

p.50  Growing Success, Ministry of Education of Ontario

s   Sample of student report card with the assessment of progress in learning skills and work habits reported with next steps identified for students’ reference provided below:

s   Performance standards – the achievement chart

p.16, Growing Success, Ministry of Education of Ontario

s   Thinking, i.e. the use of critical and creative thinking skills and/or processes, is made one of the four key categories in the achievement chart for

n   The Art, Grades 1-8

n   Science and Technology, Grades 1-8

n   English, Grades 9-12

Extract of the achievement chart for English, Grades 9-12

Source : Growing Success, Ministry of Education of Ontario

School practices

s   Samples of behavior that demonstrate possession of the learning skills and work habits are provided in the document, Growing Success.  When implementing the big ideas, schools translated the abstract ideas into more concrete and observable behavioural indicators based on their school-based context.  The indicators are then posted in the learning environment to reinforce desirable learning behaviours.

Samples of behavioural indicators of the learning skills and work habits in a classroom at Orchard Park Primary School

Samples of behavioural indicators of the learning skills and work habits in a classroom
at Chris Hadfield Primary School

 

Samples of behavioural indicators of the learning skills and work habits in a classroom
at Lester B. Pearson High School

s   At Chris Hadfield Primary School, it was observed that learners at primary 2 level were able to do critical analysis of peers’ writing and give feedback with reference to teachers’ prior input of what made descriptive feedback.

Teacher’s input of what descriptive feedback means    

Teacher’s modeling of how descriptive feedback can be given

Student attempted to give descriptive feedback to peers

s   At Lester B. Pearson High School, students are taught explicitly the Question Generator which guides them to develop 36 types of critical and creative thinking.  The Question Generator is also posted in the classroom to reinforce student learning.

Question Generator displayed in a classroom in a secondary school

 

s   It is also noticed that thinking skills are given much attention in the secondary school curriculum, which prepares students not only for college, but also for careers.

Ontario Skills Passport Essential Skills for the Workforce

Source : Lester B. Pearson High School