English Language

INTRODUCTION:

• Literacy is the ability to read and use written information and to write appropriately in a range of contexts. It also involves the integration of speaking, listening and critical thinking with reading and writing and includes the cultural knowledge that enables the speaker, writer or reader to recognize and use language appropriate to the social situation.
• With this in mind, the English department’s main objective is to ensure the optimum development of our children. We believe that all children have a right to develop, grow and learn in a society where each individual is valued and respected; where each individual in turn, values, respects and contributes positively to others and the environment which we all share.

MISSION:

• To provide an enjoyable language learning experience through suitably planned activities.
• To provide opportunities for pupils to use the English language effectively
• To develop a love for the English language

VISION:

• To evolve a school where good spoken and written English language is the way of life

As such, we offer children a meaningful language experience by:

• teaching all areas of the English primary curriculum
• planning, preparing and providing teaching resources that integrate oral language, reading and writing
• catering to the needs of the differentiated abilities
• taking responsibility for the learning and progress of our pupils in the language
• organising classroom resources to provide a positive learning environment
• motivating our pupils to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of the English language

Department Framework:

CURRICULUM:

Here at West Grove, the English department understands the importance of integration and the development of the child in all dimensions of his or her life. Bearing this in mind, it has designed an enriching curriculum supported by programmes that are central to the development of the child’s general language ability. Through such a curriculum and programmes children:

• develop their ability to communicate and use language socially
• develop cognitive skills
• develop reading and writing skills
• enrich their language experience and imaginative powers

The English curriculum comprises of:

• STELLAR curriculum by MOE
• STELLAR curriculum by MOE
• school-based curriculum (spelling and dictation, Show & Tell, Writing, Comprehension & Synthesis & Transformation Packages, NewsBuzz)
• Assessments of Learning (AoL)
• Assessments for Learning (AfL)
• ICT infusion (P1 to P3 Moo-O)

The English curriculum is currently undergoing customisation to cater to the differentiated abilities and interests of pupils so as to level up and stretch the pupils.

PROGRAMMES OVERVIEW:

Here are some of the programmes we provide for our pupils:

• P1 English Language Induction Programme
• P1 & P2 Extensive Reading Programme (ERP) initial caps in bold
• P1 & P2 Building Academic Success in English (BASE) Programme initial caps in bold & caps in bold
• P1 to P3 Speaker’s Corner
• P1 & P2 Spell Bee
• P3 & P4 Reading Remediation Programme (RRP)
• P3 & P4 School-based Dsylexia Remediation Programme (SDR)
• P4 Eco-Literacy EL Talent Development Programme
• P5 Writing Enrichment Programme (Writing with Style & using Mentor Texts)
• EL Bites recess activities

Primary 1 English Language Induction Programme

For the two-week induction programme, pupils are taught the following:

• Letter Sounds, Letter Formation
• Big Book Reading (Choral Reading, Reading for enjoyment)
• Penmanship
• Communication skills

At the end of the programme, a diagnostic reading assessment is used as a tool to guide teachers in pacing or pitching their lessons to the level most appropriate to their class pupils’ learning needs and/or progress.

BASE Programme

BASE is catered to scale up pupils’ literacy and comprehension levels by support struggling readers. This programme helps pupils achieve basic literacy and comprehension skills through phonemic awareness and thinking aloud strategies. Resources have been developed by our teachers to teach these pupils, as well as to make learning the English language fun and enjoyable.

Speaker’s Corner

The Speaker’s Corner’ serves as a platform to promote oracy, presentation skills, effective communication and confidence. This is a spin-off from pupils’ Show & Tell presentations in class. The presenters are chosen by either their friends or teachers to represent their class to speak during their recesses. The support garnered from the presenters’ classmates and friends from other classes is commendable.

Spell Bee

West Grove’s Spell Bee is modelled after the prestigious RHB Straits Times Spelling Bee Competition which is held at a national level. Through this Spelling Bee Competition, pupils would be able to improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies and develop correct English pronunciation and usage to help them strengthen their English language. The audience are engaged as well as they are also given the opportunity to participate in the Spell Bee Competition.

Eco Literacy EL Talent Development Programme

This programme integrates Environment Education, Arts and delivers through the English curriculum that focuses on productive skills - inquire, write, speak and present.

Pupils will participate in learning journeys, workshops and conversations where they will gather and communicate ideas so as to produce narratives in the form of a literary production such as a storybook as the end product as a result of the experiences and skills that they had gathered. The storybook will be written for audience at an appropriate reading level, be visually appealing and include moral and ethics that arise from environmental issues.

Termly Highlights:

Item Setting Workshop for EL Teachers (14 February)

Here at West Grove, we adopt a culture of sharing. Conducting workshops for teachers and organising sharing sessions are essential as we strongly believe in learning as a continual process. As such, the English department has conducted a Phase 2 of the item sharing workshop for teachers to aid them in setting appropriate test items. Phase 1 of the item setting workshop was conducted last year.

Total Defence Day by EL Department (13 February)

West Grove Primary School commemorated Total Defence Day 2018 on 13th February. The theme for this year’s Total Defence Day was ‘Together We Keep Singapore Strong’. Our school commemorated this day through a series of lessons and activities, where the students got a deeper understanding about Total Defence, particularly Social Defence.

As part of the Total Defence programme, West Grove Primary School also partnered with the Housing Development Board (HDB) to set up a road show (OHYay! Roadshow) and an assembly talk to spread the message of good neighbourliness as well as eco-friendly living. Students were engaged in the interesting games and activities organised by HDB and they also took photographs with their classmates as souvenirs at the photo booth.

Moo-O Competition at OGLC (9 March)

In this competition, pupils were given a reading task to complete. 3 selected P3 pupils worked in a group and chose a story from a series of stories from the Moo O software. Each group was given a task to read a story based on their chosen character. It is an interesting and engaging software as pupils are having fun in playing characters in each scene as they read. In this Moo O software, pupils are able to practise their reading in terms of accuracy and fluency. You can try this out at home too and have fun reading!

EL Bites (9 March)

Pupils participating in a series of activities during EL Bites recess activities. EL Bites offers a game based approach to learning English. Fun and interactive!

P5 Parent’s Workshop: Using News to Teach English - How you can support (12 March)

A workshop for parents was conducted to provide a platform to help them pick up more strategies on how they can use newspapers and current affairs to improve their child’s English language skills. The Straits Times or other news media was used as a learning tool to aid parents to cultivate their child’s interest in newspapers and current affairs and coach their child in English. There was hands-on too so that the experience is authentic and relevant.