Enhancing students language and generic skills through a network project on TV advertising

1. Enhancing students’ language and generic skills through a network project on TV advertising Ms Bridget Ip Ms Brenda Fung Language Learning Support Section Education Bureau Govt of the Hong Kong SAR

2. The Language Learning Support Section (Education Bureau) How we work with schools

4. Local context: education reform in HK Overview of the English language curriculum

6. Generic skills collaboration communication creativity critical thinking information technology numeracy problem-solving self-management study skills

7. Local context: education reform in HK The New Senior Secondary Curriculum (NSSC) 2009

8. Purpose To raise the level of participation in senior secondary education so that all students will leave school with the capacity to: understand the world in which they live; operate effectively in that world; and manage themselves as individuals and in relation to others.

9. Important features Old curriculum 7 years of secondary education 3 year university course One third of students go into S6 NSSC 6 years of secondary education 4 year university course All students study up to S6

10. The Curriculum for English Language Two parts, the core part and the elective modules (students must study at least 3)

11. Elective modules: “Learning English through……….” Language arts poems and songs short stories drama popular culture Non-language arts social issues workplace communication debating sports communication

13. NSS Pop culture elective module Text types cartoon strips comic books websites magazine articles reviews commercials Features language style format purpose target audience use of graphics and images

14. Structure of the module

15. The TV Ads Project Preparation for teachers

16. Rationale for the project Teachers to help schools and teachers prepare for the NSSC by infusing popular culture elements into the S1-3 curriculum to help teachers develop confidence in teaching about advertising to promote professional sharing Students to learn about some of the techniques used in TV advertising to persuade viewers to buy products to learn the language features of advertising texts to develop creativity, communication and collaboration skills

17. Timeline

18. Sharing for teachers

20. Teachers had opportunities to ask questions and talk informally with the presenters afterwards They appreciated the practical advice given and the frank sharing of experience They gained a better understanding of the text type and how to deliver the material in class

21. The TV Ads Project Implementation in the original school

22. Overview

23. 1. Introduction Students….. watch a clip from “Jamie’s school dinners” in which children refuse to eat healthy food. discuss good ways to persuade children to eat more healthily. raise the idea of marketing healthy snacks

24. 2. Packaging Students….. identify features of packaging. evaluate examples of packaging of snacks (candies, chocolate bars, cookies, etc.) which they have collected work in pairs/groups to invent a name, choose ingredients and design a package for their product

25. Features of packaging The colour, design and wording should attract the target consumers of the product The name and packaging may contain special features, eg rhyme, alliteration or play on words

26. Teaching materials

27. Evaluating packaging

28. 3. Advertising strategies Students…… watch a TV commercial as an introduction to highlight the different features, slogan, jingle, advertising strategy, etc. read a passage about the techniques used in TV commercials and answer comprehension questions watch and evaluate a selection of TV advertisements

29. humour images which shock or surprise endorsement by famous people “experts” to scare/reassure ideals and aspirations (eg using images of beautiful, rich people in glamorous settings) current events, “hot topics” etc. Examples

31. 4. Slogans and jingles Students…. listen to/read some jingles. identify examples of features such as rhyme, rhythm and alliteration. work on a slogan and/or jingle for their own product

32. Teaching materials

33. 5. Storyboard Students watch an example of a student product (advertisement) look at an example of a storyboard of the same advertisement draft storyboards for their own advertisements.

35. Students present their products and advertisements in class Peer evaluation is conducted The best presentations and advertisements are chosen for the inter-class competition in English Week. From project to performance

37. Project assessment Assessment of project work by teacher using rubric Teacher’s feedback in project booklet Self and peer evaluation Competition adjudicators’ scoresheet and “audience award”

38. S3 project assessment rubric

40. The TV Ads Project Implementation in network schools

41. School backgrounds

43. Impact: Students: Knowledge about pop culture Learned features of TV ads 83% Learned features of jingles and slogans 91% Language skills Improve spoken English 73% Generic skills Work Collaboratively 91%

44. Learner characteristics of the more capable students They can learn communication and collaboration skills in the process of carrying out the project. They often prefer to learn by themselves They are aware of themselves as learners, and can ask for appropriate challenges

45. School B Level: S2 Theme: Teen Problems Students: Weak foundation and lack confidence in English Teachers: Enthusiastic, collaborative culture is formed Curriculum: GE programme + Enhancement Programme What is enhancement programme? How can it complement the GE programme? Case two is quite different from Case one in terms of school background and the expected learning outcome. The project was conducted in S2, under the theme “Teen Problems”. Students’ language ability and foundation is weak, that’s why they were not confident enough to use English. But the good thing is that teachers are really enthusiastic and devoted to their teaching; a collaborative culture is formed. They have developed a coherent, school-based curriculum, which is consist of two parts: GE + Enhancement Programme. Enhancement Programme was designed to complement the GE programme. So, LA, reading skills, and phonics are included.What is enhancement programme? How can it complement the GE programme? Case two is quite different from Case one in terms of school background and the expected learning outcome. The project was conducted in S2, under the theme “Teen Problems”. Students’ language ability and foundation is weak, that’s why they were not confident enough to use English. But the good thing is that teachers are really enthusiastic and devoted to their teaching; a collaborative culture is formed. They have developed a coherent, school-based curriculum, which is consist of two parts: GE + Enhancement Programme. Enhancement Programme was designed to complement the GE programme. So, LA, reading skills, and phonics are included.

46. Unit Plan

47. Variations in teaching procedures: What are the differences / special elements identified in Kok Kwong’s project? Why did they make these adjustments and modification?What are the differences / special elements identified in Kok Kwong’s project? Why did they make these adjustments and modification?

48. Emphasis: Scaffold to students’ ability What are the differences / special elements identified in Kok Kwong’s project? Why did they make these adjustments and modification?What are the differences / special elements identified in Kok Kwong’s project? Why did they make these adjustments and modification?

49. What happened:Comparing two advertisements How to help weak students handle these questions? What did teacher do to guide them to work out the answer? Strategies to help less-able students: 1. Close guidance Go through each question together Help students form a complete answer 2. Allow students to use mother-tongue for key words How to help weak students handle these questions? What did teacher do to guide them to work out the answer? Strategies to help less-able students: 1. Close guidance Go through each question together Help students form a complete answer 2. Allow students to use mother-tongue for key words

50. What happened:Advertising strategies Strategies used to help students: Explain each task clearly Provide an example / Demonstration Group work Let students paste answers on blackboard Ask students to finish a traditional worksheet for consolidation Make use of revisions to check their understanding before starting a new taskStrategies used to help students: Explain each task clearly Provide an example / Demonstration Group work Let students paste answers on blackboard Ask students to finish a traditional worksheet for consolidation Make use of revisions to check their understanding before starting a new task

51. What happened:Storyboard Ways to help students work out the storyboard: Show students’ video clip as a demonstration Help students analyze the storyboard i) Re-arrange the sequence of the storyboard ii) Explicitly explain elements of a storyboard – suggest a formula for writing a storyboard iii) Show another example of storyboard and ask students to find out the key elements in this storyboard iv) While students are engaged in group work, teacher offers help to the weaker groups and point out the difficult parts for students.Ways to help students work out the storyboard: Show students’ video clip as a demonstration Help students analyze the storyboard i) Re-arrange the sequence of the storyboard ii) Explicitly explain elements of a storyboard – suggest a formula for writing a storyboard iii) Show another example of storyboard and ask students to find out the key elements in this storyboard iv) While students are engaged in group work, teacher offers help to the weaker groups and point out the difficult parts for students.

52. Students’ Storyboards

53. What happened:Performance – role play How to make the role-play more meaningful to all students: Explain assessment criteria Make use of role-play in class to encourage peer assessment and more practice among group members Provide positive feedback to studentsHow to make the role-play more meaningful to all students: Explain assessment criteria Make use of role-play in class to encourage peer assessment and more practice among group members Provide positive feedback to students

54. What happened:Performance – end product From storyboard to video clip: Do the video taping at school Provide technical help Separate actor’s role and narrator’s roleFrom storyboard to video clip: Do the video taping at school Provide technical help Separate actor’s role and narrator’s role

55. Impact: Students: Knowledge about pop culture Gained sufficient input 87% Learnt from other students’ TV Ads 74% Managed to create a storyboard 67% Language skills Improve spoken English 68% Motivated to learn English 69% 3. Generic skills Creativity & critical thinking 77% Work Collaboratively 82% Students’ learning progress – ways to scaffold their language ability Students’ knowledge about language arts Students’ generic skills development Teachers’ professional development Worthwhile, though students were reluctant to get started at the beginning It is a good way to motivate learners The task is manageable with sufficient guidance After collaborative lesson planning and careful planning of each teaching step, it can foster quality teaching and effective delivery of subject knowledge Students’ learning progress – ways to scaffold their language ability Students’ knowledge about language arts Students’ generic skills development Teachers’ professional development Worthwhile, though students were reluctant to get started at the beginning It is a good way to motivate learners The task is manageable with sufficient guidance After collaborative lesson planning and careful planning of each teaching step, it can foster quality teaching and effective delivery of subject knowledge

56. School C Level: S1 Theme: Leisure Activities Students: Average ability, good behaviour Teachers: Enthusiastic, collaborative culture is formed Curriculum: school-based modules

57. Variations in teaching procedures:

58. Alignment between formal and informal curricula

59. Emphasis: Developing independent learning skills 2. Collaborative in groups to foster positive peer influence2. Collaborative in groups to foster positive peer influence

60. What happened:Inter-class competition

62. Students’ feedback

63. Observations and conclusions Implications for teaching

65. From teaching to learning:developing generic skills Teachers’ role: To enable students to learn independently Teachers’ role: To enable students to learn independently

66. Sharing of experience and resources teaching materials students’ products Teachers can make modifications according to students’ needs, thereby catering for student diversity Can foster a learning community Can promote good practice Can facilitate change, in preparation for the introduction of the NSSC Value of the network project for schools and teachers

67. Thank you! Question Time