Enhancing English Vocabulary Learning and Teaching at Secondary Level

 

HOME PREFACE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3 APPENDIX 1 APPENDIX 2 APPENDIX 3 REFERENCES THE ENTIRE HANDBOOK

PREFACE

 

Enhancing English Vocabulary Learning and Teaching at Secondary Level is a resource package produced by the English Language Education Section, Curriculum Development Institute, the Education Bureau, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, in support of the implementation of the English Language Education Key Learning Area Curriculum Guide (Primary 1 – Secondary 3) (2002) and the English Language Curriculum and Assessment Guide (Secondary 4 – 6) (2007). Part of the materials in this resource package was adapted from those developed in the Collaborative Research and Development (‘Seed’) Project on ‘Working with Words: Enhancing Effectiveness of English Vocabulary Learning and Teaching at Secondary Level’ in the 2007/08 school year while others were developed through collaboration with teachers from two secondary schools. This package provides materials and ideas for the learning and teaching of vocabulary and the development of vocabulary building strategies at both junior and senior secondary levels.

Aims

The resource package aims to:

• shed light on the major principles and practice in vocabulary instruction with a focus on the development of vocabulary building strategies;
• develop students’ vocabulary knowledge and understanding of how vocabulary is used in different contexts;
• enable students to make meaningful and lasting connection with words related to a theme or a content unit;
• provide opportunities for students to explore, organise, discuss and use the vocabulary items they have learnt; and
• provide answers to some common problems and queries about vocabulary learning and teaching.

How was the vocabulary for the resource package selected?

The vocabulary focused on in this resource package was primarily selected from the Wordlists for the English Language Curriculum developed by the Education Bureau. Relevant categories in the wordlists were indicated in the Learning Objectives of each unit of tasks. However, words other than those in the wordlists were also chosen based on the following criteria:

• words used in specific contexts or content areas, e.g. IT-related words, food-related words; and
• words used to illustrate the different dimensions of vocabulary knowledge and vocabulary building strategies, e.g. abbreviations.

When selecting words to teach in the English lessons, teachers may like to make reference to the wordlists developed by the EDB, or introduce words beyond the lists which they deem appropriate. Instead of following the wordlists strictly, they should take their students’ needs into consideration and use their discretion to decide what and how many words to cover in the lessons. Teachers may also like to consider how they can integrate vocabulary learning into the English lessons with reference to the teaching ideas and suggestions in the resource package.

How can the resource package be used?

The printed version of this resource package comprises a handbook and a CD-ROM, covering both the theories and practice in vocabulary learning and teaching.

The handbook consists of the following:

• theoretical underpinnings of vocabulary learning and teaching;
• teaching plans which provide learning objectives and procedures for three units of tasks;
• learning and teaching materials (coded as ‘LT’ in the package) for three units of tasks on different themes with increasing level of difficulty, with the first unit being the easiest;
• vocabulary games and activities (coded as ‘GA’ in the package) for providing handy materials and teaching ideas on how vocabulary can be revisited and consolidated in a fun way;
• frequently asked questions which aim to address some concerns and queries on vocabulary learning and teaching;
• a preamble to the development of the Wordlists for the English Language Curriculum, including the categories (coded as ‘C’ in the package) and suggested topics for the wordlists;
• the Learning Targets for Key Stage 3 and Senior Secondary Level; and
• useful references on vocabulary learning and teaching.

The CD-ROM consists of the following:

• an electronic version of the handbook;
• an electronic version of the Wordlists for the English Language Curriculum;
• the PowerPoint slides that support the learning and teaching activities; and
• the recordings for the listening activities in the resource package.

The text files in the CD-ROM are available in both PDF and MS WORD formats for ease of use and adaptation. Teachers might like to select and use the learning materials and teaching ideas in this resource package or adapt them to suit their students’ needs, interests and abilities.