Impact
Curriculum development

• Better coherence in the curriculum has been achieved with links made among different components in the NSS English language curriculum, namely the Core and Elective Parts, task-based learning, school-based and external assessments.
• The coherence-making experience has paved the way for future planning and implementation of other elective modules that the school offers. For example, this positive impact is to be sustained in the curriculum design of the Social Issues elective, which will be linked to the Core Part using the infusion mode.

Teachers’ development

• Teachers have become more aware of the need of coherence making in the curriculum and how learning and teaching effectiveness is enhanced in this way.
• Teachers’ professional growth is significant. They now have a more holistic picture of the curriculum and this in turn helps them identify the gaps and overlaps in coursebook materials. They are more ready to develop school-based materials to fill such a gap, i.e. to support students with better scaffolding and motivating materials, making learning and teaching less textbook bound.

Students’ performance

• Students can apply their core language skills in reading short stories, writing story endings and letters of advice, listening to storytelling clips and speaking in individual story-telling sessions.
• Students are able to demonstrate their elective-related knowledge and reflect on their own learning in various assessment tasks.

Conclusions and suggestions

• There are many possible ways in implementing the Core and Elective Parts in the NSSC. School contexts should be considered when teachers design the curriculum and making coherence among various components in the curriculum is recommended. For example, after considering their readiness and students’ learning needs, teachers from TWGHs Wong Fung Ling College opted for the extension mode because this allows their students to learn from basic and gradually extend and apply their knowledge in the elective. This progression is more beneficial for student learning and manageable for teachers in curriculum planning as well.
• Teachers may also consider creating synergy through linking the Core Part with the Elective Part because the electives provide contexts for students to learn, apply and reinforce core knowledge and skills, and it also helps create variety in lessons.
• It is important to conduct curriculum mapping and identify gaps and overlaps in course book materials. Teachers should exercise their professional judgement and make selective use of textbook materials according to school-based needs.