Abstract R & D Background Purpose & Design Action Plan Findings & Analysis Implications Remarks
> Purpose & Design
  1. Topic
    Learning reading and thinking skills through reading news and magazine articles
  1. Purpose
    2. The project focused on helping the students of the two weakest S2 classes to better prepare for the NSS Social Issues elective through introducing the following knowledge and skills to the students:
    1. the reading and vocabulary attack strategies essential for reading news and magazine articles through teacher’s explicit teaching
    2. the common types of texts and sections in English newspapers and magazines
    3. the text features and organisations of hard news and feature articles
    4. critical thinking skills, such as discriminating facts from opinions, evaluating information from sources and evaluating information from various perspectives
    5. the writer’s intentions common in hard news and feature articles
    6. language for responding to news and social issues
  1. The design
    1. Two extended modules, one in the first term and the other in the second, were developed based on the themes of two textbook units.
    2. The following strategies were employed in the design of the two extended modules:
      1. explicit teaching of reading and vocabulary strategies,
      2. use of authentic reading materials and thinking tools, such as graphic organisers, to help students structure information and knowledge acquired,
      3. use of collaborative learning activities, games and other learner-centred activities to enhance students’ engagement in the lessons,
      4. clear communication of the lesson objectives with the students.
  1. Assessment tools
    1. Teachers’ observations made during lessons
    2. Students’ feedback and reflections made in questionnaires
    3. Students’ work
    4. Post test on skills in inferring word meaning using contextual and linguistic clues

 

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