2018 - 2019

I.   Measures taken to facilitate students to adopt English as the medium for learning Integrated Science

A.     Summer Bridging Course :Students from P.6 who are promoted to English medium classes will be required to enroll in a Bridging Course. On the other hand, learning materials like DVD will be provided for students who originally use Chinese to learn IS in S1 so as to facilitate their continuous learning at home during the summer vocation.

B.     Learning basic scientific terms : Proper pronunciation of basic scientific terms should be stressed and frequent dictations supplemented with scientific diagrams are required to help build the confidence of students to use English medium in learning Integrated Science. In addition, students can access the school internet platform to learn the key glossary from each chapter.

C.     Teaching medium strategy : Using at least 80% and 50% English at the beginning in S1E and S1D classes respectively according to their abilities. However, flexibility in using Chinese explanation is allowed for weak classes like S1D and S2D. S2E needs moderate adjustment in the first term since some students are reshuffled from non-English classes in their previous year. In fact, 100% medium instruction is expected in both S1E and S2E classes in the second term. The teaching medium in Physics, Chemistry and Biology in S3 D and S3 E will be mainly conducted in English.

D.    Students’ response in English : Answers are required in English though group discussion among students would allow Chinese language. Group presentation, however, should adopt English as the main medium to enhance confidence in spoken language.

E.      Use of workbook and notebook : Intermittent  marking of workbooks by teachers are required to monitor their progress. More in-depth explanation of the answering techniques will be needed to ensure their understanding of the questions asked.  Jotting down proper notes during lessons can train students to grasp the main concepts by writing precise and concise English sentences.  

F.      Use of reflection : Students are required to write reflection in English of what they have learnt at the end of each chapter. Positive feedback from teachers will be given to arouse their interest to elaborate what they have learnt.

G.    Stimulation of science interest : Use of laboratory work and group presentation at the end of each laboratory are necessary so that students can develop analytic skills and draw conclusion from each experiment. Students are required to submit at least twice the laboratory reports to teachers for assessment purpose.

H.    Assessment : Quizzes are conducted to ensure the basic concepts in each chapter can be mastered by students. S1E and S2E students need High Order exercise like reading relevant comprehensive exercises to widen their knowledge in related topics and vocabulary power. Moreover, both uniform test and examination paper are strictly forbidden to translate terms into Chinese so as to ensure students’ training to comprehend all questions in English and respond their answers in English as well.

I.       Other non-English classes : Dictation will be replaced by learning glossary through pronouncing the key terms and spelling them correctly. Matching exercise is used to encourage non-English classes to recognize key scientific terms. Filling in blanks in terms of context form can be used to improve  spelling ability.

J.       Learning Across Curriculum : Collaboration between teachers teaching IS in English and their corresponding English class teachers will work out a whole year schedule to assist students in overcoming the language barrier in learning science concepts. Professional comments are provided by the NET teacher who would concentrate on advising science teachers to adopt proper English jargon in teaching. Mutual lesson observations are expected among English and science teachers in S2 so as to improve the oral presentation of students.

K.     Remedial class for S1 and S2 : Students who have difficulties in learning IS in English will be required to attend the Enhancement Class once every week. The main focus of the enhancement lessons would concentrate on explaining the difficult concepts accompanied by supplementary exercises which will be completed by students at the end of the lessons.

L.      Early Bridging Lesson for S1A, S1B and S1C non-English classes

Students who have attained high academic performance in the First Term Examination and are likely to be streamed to English classes in the following year will be invited to attend the Bridging Lesson every week. The objective of such Bridging Lesson is aimed at enhancing their adjustment to adopt English as the learning medium.

II. Health talks

  Regular health talks are conducted in English supplemented with Chinese so as to widen the knowledge of students in some interesting health related topics like pathogenic transmission and its prevention measures. S1, S2 and S3 students are encouraged to attend such talks.

Students will be invited to attend public lecture series related to health talks in universities. S4 students will attend the talk of  “The Challenges in Public Health : the emerging threats of chronic diseases” which is in English medium by the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In addition, students are required to present the materials that they have learnt in the health talk to other classmates.

III. Intensive Reading

Reading of science articles like book series related to human body and life sciences are required in both terms. Students are required to submit a brief summary and reflection of what they have read. In addition, key scientific terms can be learnt to increase their vocabulary in different science arena. Feedback from teachers are required for students’ reflections so as to encourage students to write more of their opinions and feelings.