SSCG

Other Learning Experiences is one of the three major components of the Senior Secondary curriculum that complements the core and elective subjects (including Applied Learning courses and other languages) for the whole-person development of students. These experiences include Moral and Civic education, Community Service, Career-related Experiences, Aesthetic Development and Physical Development.

HKDSE is the qualification to be awarded to students after completing the three-year senior secondary curriculum (to be implemented in 2009) and subsequently taking the public assessment.

Its purpose is to provide supplementary information on the secondary school leavers’ participation and specialties during senior secondary years, in addition to their academic performance as reported in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education, including the assessment results for Applied Learning courses, thus giving a fuller picture of students’ whole-person development.

Individuals who are different from each other in terms of maturity, motivation, ability, learning styles, aspirations, interests, aptitudes and socio-economic background.

Subjects recommended for all students to take at the senior secondary level: Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics and Liberal Studies.

The central curriculum recommended by the Curriculum Development Council for schools includes the aims and goals of the school curriculum, the three components in the senior secondary curriculum, namely Core subjects, Elective Subjects (including Applied Learning courses and other languages) and Other Learning Experiences. Other requirements include the alignment of curriculum and assessment, lesson time allocated to each component and their specific needs.

Introduction and Navigation Guide

List of Abbreviations

AE	Arts Education
ApL	Applied Learning
APPI	Academic Programme Preference Inventory
BECG	Basic Education Curriculum Guide
C&A	Curriculum and Assessment
CDC	Curriculum Development Council
CDI	Curriculum Development Institute
CLE	Chinese Language Education
CRE	Career-related Experiences
EC	Education Commission
EDB	Education Bureau
EMB	Education and Manpower Bureau
ELE	English Language Education
HI	Hearing Impairment
HKAGE	Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education
HKDSE	Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education
HKEAA	Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority
HKEdCity	Hong Kong Education City
ICT	Information and Communication Technology
ID	Intellectual Disability
IEP	Individualised Education Programme
IES	Independent Enquiry Study
IMC	Incorporated Management Committee
IT	Information Technology
IVE	Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education
KLA	Key Learning Area
LS	Liberal Studies
LWL	Life-wide Learning
MCE	Moral and Civic Education
ME	Mathematics Education
MI	Multiple Intelligence
NGO	Non-government Organisation
NSS	New Senior Secondary
OLE	Other Learning Experiences
PD	Physical Disability
PE	Physical Education
PSHE	Personal, Social and Humanities Education
REO	Regional Education Offices
S1/2/3/4/5/6/7	Secondary 1/2/3/4/5/6/7
SBA	School-based Assessment
SBSS	School-based Support Services
SEN	Special Educational Needs
SE	Science Education
SLP	Student Learning Profile
SMC	School Management Committee
SOP	Student Option Programme
SpLD	Specific Learning Difficulties
SRR	Standards-referenced Reporting
SS	Senior Secondary
SSB	School Sponsoring Body
UGC	University Grants Committee
TE	Technology Education
VI	Visual Impairment
VTC	Vocational Training Council
WebSAMS	Web School Administration & Management System

Purpose of the Senior Secondary Curriculum Guide

The Senior Secondary Curriculum Guide - The Future is Now: from Vision to Realisation is prepared by the Curriculum Development Council (CDC) to advise school supervisors, principals, teachers, parents and other parties concerned on how to realise the aims of education stated in the report on Learning for Life Learning through Life – Reform Proposals for the Education System in Hong Kong (EC, 2000), the recommendations made in the report on Learning to Learn – The Way Forward in Curriculum Development (CDC, 2001) and the report on The New Academic Structure for Senior Secondary Education and Higher Education – Action Plan for Investing in the Future of Hong Kong (EMB, 2005) for life-long learning and the whole-person development of students. This Curriculum Guide also replaces the Guide to the Sixth Form Curriculum (CDC, 1992) and the part on the senior secondary level of the Guide to the Secondary 1 to 5 Curriculum (CDC, 1993). It aims to provide:

a central curriculum framework and suggestions on time allocation of different components for all schools to implement at the senior secondary (SS) level with effect from September 2009;

guidance for schools to prepare for the migration to the new SS curriculum in 2009 and develop a whole-school curriculum suited to the learning of their students with examples developed through the School Leaders Workshops held in the 2005/06 school year, the Middle Managers’ Workshops held in the 2006/07 school year and those collected from frontline practitioners showing how the suggestions could be applied or adapted;

practical guidance for effective delivery of the whole-school curriculum through a range of supporting strategies; and

opportunities for reflection by principals, teachers and related parties on how to build on their strengths and experiences in curriculum and assessment change.

The SS curriculum, to be implemented in 2009, is built upon the curriculum reform in basic education introduced since 2001. It is supported by a flexible, coherent and diversified curriculum aimed at catering for students’ varied interests, needs, aptitudes and abilities. The curriculum recommends that every student should have the opportunities to study four core subjects and two to three electives, and acquire Other Learning Experiences. This Curriculum Guide is designed to help all professional staff in a school in preparing and implementing the new SS curriculum. Every teacher in a school should take a holistic view in the midst of change irrespective of their roles, responsibilities and rank. In this sense, this Curriculum Guide is written for principals and vice-principals, as well as all curriculum leaders, middle managers and teachers. It should be read in conjunction with the 24 Curriculum and Assessment (C&A) Guides which were jointly prepared by the CDC and the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority in 2007 as well as the Basic Education Curriculum Guide - Building on Strengths (CDC, 2002). Under the concept of ‘distributed leadership’, every teacher should have the right and responsibility to know, and have a role to play in leading change under the SS curriculum reform.

Structure of the Senior Secondary Curriculum Guide

This Curriculum Guide is made up of a series of 12 booklets in four parts supported by a navigation guide. The navigation guide helps readers to use the Curriculum Guide and its various parts according to their specific needs. Part I outlines the student programme which aims to promote whole-person development and enhance students’ life-long learning capability. Part II focuses on curriculum planning, effective learning and teaching, assessment practices, catering for learner diversity, learning and teaching resources, Other Learning Experiences and Student Learning Profile. In Part III, the interface with junior secondary and articulation to post-secondary studies are described. Part IV covers the strategies that help to realise the vision and curriculum plan including capacity building in schools, strategic planning and self evaluation. It also outlines how change is managed, and how schools need to work between certainties and uncertainties.

This Curriculum Guide suggests a number of areas for action in schools. Though they can be read separately, it is recommended that teachers should read all booklets in the Curriculum Guide.

While we encourage teachers to read all booklets of the Curriculum Guide, the Curriculum Guide is also designed to be flexible enough for teachers to refer to individual booklets on specific topics (e.g. Other Learning Experiences in Booklet 5A). Alternatively, teachers with responsibilities for different areas in a school may start with a number of booklets to acquire the basic ‘big picture’ of the SS student programme. For example, a principal or vice-principal, who is concerned with the formulation of a future school development plan under the SS reform, may focus on a few booklets in conjunction with the selected C&A Guides first as an entry point.

The following examples are to illustrate suggested ‘entry points’ applied to specific groups of professional staff in a school:

Example 1: Suggested Entry Point for Principals, Vice-principals, New SS Co-ordinators and Members of the Senior Management who are responsible for formulating future school development plans for the SS level and shaping a favourable culture towards SS and leading change.

Suggested ‘entry point’:	Booklets 1, 2, 5A, 5B, 8, 10 and 11, possibly in conjunction with C&A Guide of core subjects
Further reading:	Booklets 4, 7, 9

Suggested Entry Point for Principals, Vice-principals, New SS Co-ordinators and Members of the Senior Management

Example 2: Suggested Entry Point for KLA Heads and Teacher-librarians who are responsible for planning subject/ KLA curriculum implementation.

Suggested ‘entry point’:	Booklets 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 10, in conjunction with C&A Guide of relevant subjects
Further reading:	Booklets 8, 9

Suggested Entry Point for KLA Heads and Teacher-librarians

Example 3: Suggested Entry Point for Curriculum Leaders/ Planners on Non-subject Areas, who are responsible for planning whole-school curriculum policies and promoting whole-person development (e.g. Other Learning Experiences co-ordinator, Moral and Civic Education co-ordinator, Career & Guidance teachers).

Suggested ‘entry point’:	Booklets 1, 2, 5A, 5B, 8, 9 and 10
Further reading:	Booklets 7, 11

Suggested Entry Point for Curriculum Leaders/ Planners on Non-subject Areas

Example 4: Suggested Entry Point for Teachers who are responsible for conducting frontline learning and teaching and providing suitable guidance to students as class teachers.

Suggested ‘entry point’:	Booklets 1, 3, 4, 5A, 5B, 6 and 7, in conjunction with C&A Guide of relevant subjects
Further reading:	Booklets 8, 9, 10

Suggested Entry Point for Teachers

Supportive Information

The following supportive information is provided in the Curriculum Guide:

Questions for reflection

Examples

A Glossary

Cross references

Suggested references (including websites) at the end of each booklet

Appendices for detailed information on specific matters.

The “334” Web Bulletin (http://www.edb.gov.hk/334/) and the Curriculum Development Institute (CDI) website (http://www.edb.gov.hk/cd/) will be updated regularly to provide the latest information on curriculum development.

Each booklet will also be updated as and when required and new areas will be added to enrich the Curriculum Guide whenever necessary.

Professional development opportunities related to the suggestions would be continuously provided through various strategies to support schools and teachers, and update information would be provided in the “334” Web Bulletin (http://www.edb.gov.hk/334/).

Feedback including good practices, constraints and questions are always welcome and may be sent to:

Curriculum Development Council Secretariat
Education Bureau
13/F, Wu Chung House
213 Queen’s Road East
Wanchai, Hong Kong
(E-mail address: cdchk@edb.gov.hk)
Fax: (852) 2753 5299

Glossary

This glossary aims at facilitating readers’ understanding of the meanings of some special terms used in this Curriculum Guide.

Applied Learning (ApL)

ApL¹ is an integral part of the three-year senior secondary curriculum. It takes broad professional and vocational fields as the learning platform to develop students’ foundation skills, thinking skills, people skills, positive values and attitudes and career-related competencies, in order to prepare them for further study/ work as well as life-long learning. ApL courses complement the senior secondary subjects, adding variety to the senior secondary curriculum.

¹ApL was formerly known as “Career-oriented Studies”. Readers may refer to the report “Action for the Future – Career-oriented Studies and the New Senior Secondary Academic Structure for Special Schools” (EMB, 2006) for details.

Assessment objectives

They are the curriculum outcomes to be assessed in public assessment.

Biliterate

Capable of reading and writing effectively in Standard Written Chinese and English.

Central curriculum

Co-construction

Unlike direct instruction and construction approaches to learning and teaching, the co-construction approach emphasises the class as a community of learners who contribute collectively to the creation of knowledge and the building of criteria for judging such knowledge.

Core subjects

Subjects recommended for all students to take at the senior secondary level: Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics and Liberal Studies.

Curriculum and Assessment Guide

A guide prepared by the Curriculum Development Council - Hong Kong Examination and Assessment Authority Committee. It comprises curriculum aims/objectives, learning content, learning outcomes, and assessment guidelines.

Elective subjects

A total of 20 senior secondary subjects², a wide range of Applied Learning courses and 6 other languages³ in the new system from which students may choose to develop their interests and abilities, and they open up a number of pathways into further studies and careers.

²The twenty subjects include (1) Chinese Literature, (2) Literature in English, (3) Chinese History, (4) Economics, (5) Ethics and Religious Studies, (6) Geography, (7) History, (8) Tourism and Hospitality Studies, (9) Biology, (10) Chemistry, (11) Physics, (12) Science (Integrated Science, Combined Science), (13) Business, Accounting and Financial Studies, (14) Design and Applied Technology, (15) Health Management and Social Care, (16) Technology and Living, (17) Information and Communication Technology, (18) Music, (19) Visual Arts and (20) Physical Education.

³The 6 other languages include French, German, Japanese, Spanish, Hindi and Urdu.

Generic skills

Generic skills are skills, abilities and attributes which are fundamental in helping students to acquire, construct and apply knowledge. They are developed through the learning and teaching that takes place in different subjects or Key Learning Areas, and are transferable to different learning situations. Nine types of generic skills are identified in the Hong Kong school curriculum, i.e. collaboration skills, communication skills, creativity, critical thinking skills, information technology skills, numeracy skills, problem-solving skills, self-management skills and study skills.

Gifted students

Gifted students excel, or possess the potential to excel, in one or more areas such as general intelligence, specific academic studies, visual and performing arts, leadership (and inter- and intra-personal skills) and creative thinking, as well as psychomotor movement such as physical ability in sports. Their giftedness is usually characterised by an advanced pace of learning, quality of thinking, or capability for remarkably and consistently high standards of performance as compared to their age peers.

Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE)

The HKALE is normally taken by a student at the end of his/ her two-year sixth-form courses. Advanced Supplementary Level subjects are taught in half the number of periods required for Advanced Level subjects, but they require the same level of intellectual rigour. With the implementation of the New Academic Structure for Senior Secondary Education in 2009, the last HKALE will be held in 2012, but the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority will organise one more HKALE in 2013 for some subjects for Secondary 7 repeaters as private candidates.

Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE)

The HKCEE is normally taken by a student at the end of his/her five-year secondary education. With the implementation of the New Academic Structure for Senior Secondary Education in 2009, the last HKCEE will be held in 2010, but the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority will organise one more HKCEE in 2011 for some subjects for Secondary 5 repeaters as private candidates.

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)

HKDSE is the qualification to be awarded to students after completing the three-year senior secondary curriculum (to be implemented in 2009) and subsequently taking the public assessment.

Internal assessment

This refers to the assessment activities that are conducted regularly in school to assess students’ performance in learning. Internal assessment is an inseparable part of the learning and teaching process, and it aims to make learning more effective. With the information that internal assessment provides, teachers will be able to understand students’ progress in learning, provide them with appropriate feedback and make any adjustments to the learning objectives and teaching strategies deemed necessary.

Key Learning Area (KLA)

It is a way of organising the school curriculum around fundamental concepts of major knowledge domains. It aims at providing a broad, balanced and coherent curriculum for all students through engaging them in a variety of essential learning experiences. The Hong Kong curriculum has eight KLAs, namely, Chinese Language Education, English Language Education, Mathematics Education, Personal, Social and Humanities Education, Science Education, Technology Education, Arts Education and Physical Education.

Knowledge construction

This refers to the process of learning in which learners not only acquire new knowledge, but also actively relate it to their prior knowledge and experience so as to create and form their own knowledge.

Learning community

A learning community refers to a group of people who have shared values and goals, and work closely together to generate knowledge and create new ways of learning through active participation, collaboration and reflection. Such a learning community may involve not only students and teachers, but also parents and other parties in the community.

Learner diversity

Individuals who are different from each other in terms of maturity, motivation, ability, learning styles, aspirations, interests, aptitudes and socio-economic background.

Learning goals

The senior secondary curriculum framework is designed to enable students to attain the seven learning goals for whole-person development and stretch the potential of each student (i) to be biliterate and trilingual with adequate proficiency; (ii) to acquire a broad knowledge base, and be able to understand contemporary issues that may impact on their daily life at personal, community, national and global levels; (iii) to be informed and responsible citizen with a sense of global and national identity; (iv) to respect pluralism of cultures and views, and be a critical, reflective and independent thinker; (v) to acquire information technology and other skills as necessary for being a life-long learner; (vi) to understand their own career/ academic aspirations and develop positive attitudes towards work and learning; and (vii) to lead a healthy lifestyle with active participation in aesthetic and physical activities.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes refer to what learners should be able to do by the end of a particular stage of learning. Learning outcomes are developed based on the learning targets and objectives of the curriculum for the purpose of evaluating learning effectiveness. Learning outcomes also describe the levels of performance that learners should attain after completing a particular key stage of learning and serve as a tool for promoting learning and teaching.

Learning targets and learning objectives

Learning targets set out broadly the knowledge/ concepts, skills, values and attitudes that students need to learn and develop. Learning objectives define specifically what students should know, value and be able to do in each strand of the subject in accordance with the broad subject targets at each key stage of schooling. They are to be used by teachers as a source list for curriculum, lesson and activity planning.

Level descriptors

A set of written descriptions that describe what the typical candidates performing at a certain level is able to do in public assessment.

Other languages

Other languages include French, German, Japanese, Spanish, Hindu and Urdu. Students can take these languages as electives and sit for the Cambridge International Examinations. Results will be reported in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education.

Other Learning Experiences

Public assessment

Public assessment refers to the associated assessment and examination system for the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education.

School-based Assessment

Assessments administered in schools as part of the learning and teaching process, with students being assessed by their subject teachers. Marks awarded will count towards students’ public assessment results in local examinations conducted by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority.

School-based curriculum

Schools and teachers are encouraged to adapt the central curriculum in developing their school-based curriculum to help their students to achieve the subject targets and overall aims of education. Measures may include readjusting the learning targets, varying the organisation of contents, adding optional studies and adapting learning, teaching and assessment strategies. A school-based curriculum is therefore the outcome of a balance between official recommendations and the autonomy of the schools and teachers.

Students with special educational needs (SEN)

Students with SEN include those with intellectual disability, visual impairment, hearing impairment, physical disability, Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, speech and language impairment and Specific Learning Difficulties.

Standards-referenced Reporting

Candidates’ performance in public assessment is reported in terms of levels of performance matched against a set of standards.

Student Learning Profile

Trilingual

An ability to use Cantonese, Putonghua and Spoken English effectively.

Values and attitudes

Values constitute the foundation of the attitudes and beliefs that influence one’s behaviour and way of life. They help to form the principles underlying human conduct and critical judgement, and are qualities that learners should develop. Some examples of values are rights and responsibilities, commitment, honesty and national identity. Closely associated with values are attitudes. The latter supports motivation and cognitive functioning, and affects one’s way of reacting to events or situations. Since both values and attitudes significantly affect the way a student learns, they form an important part of the school curriculum.

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