English Language
“Learn it, use it and own it – that’s the way to be for language acquisition.”
Reading Plus
Designated articles of various text types are thoroughly analysed in terms of writing background and purpose, gist, writing techniques and idea development, etc. Language awareness is also raised through highlighting complex sentence patterns and refined word choices.
View to Views
Students engage in simulated situations such as a youth forum, radio show and focus group where each of them is assigned a stakeholder role, weighing in on selected social issues. It is a cross-curricular collaboration with the Liberal Studies Department.
Page to Stage
Every year, a classic title is selected as the class reader in S1. The story is then made into an English musical as an event of KTL’s S1 Form Association Inauguration Ceremony. All S1 students have a chance to participate in this production, which is the pinnacle of the whole year of learning.
Literary Module
Fiction texts of various themes and from different eras are picked for students to explore the joy of English literature. A “C-I-A” approach- Comprehension, Interpretation and Appreciation- is adopted.
Writing Clinic
All compositions are followed up with class-based reports, focusing on students’ performance in terms of content development, language accuracy and variety as well as coherence and organization. In Senior Secondary, the same policy also applies to Integrated Tasks (Paper 3).
Monthly Book Club
In the first week of each month, each JS student has to bring a book under a designated theme they have read to the class. They have to share what they read and highlight some ideas they find impressive from the book. Speaking activities are conducted.
Spotlight Time
Each S5 student has a chance to conduct a lesson by making a presentation on an assigned article in various creative modes or keynote speeches during class, covering content and language features.
CLIL
CLIL (Content Language Integrated Learning) is an approach for learning the content of various disciplines through English, thus both specific skills which enhance the receptive and the productive skills of English and the generic skills for learning are well catered for. It is a school-based course for S1 students.
Debating
The S3 English Debate Team has won all three rounds of debate competitions in the Hong Kong Secondary Schools Debating Competition 2018-2019. Their championship in the competition is well-deserved.
Hong Kong Secondary Schools Debating Competition 2018-2019 (EMI, Division 1, First Term) – Champion
The S4 English Debate Team won the Championship in the Hong Kong Secondary Schools Debating Competition organized by the Department of Asian and International Studies of City University of Hong Kong.
City University AIS Hong Kong Secondary Schools Debating Competition – Champion
Radio Drama
A group of our S3 students became one of the 3 winning teams of RTHK 3’s “Teen Time: Broadcasting Workshop Series 18/19”.
They developed a programme called “Off The Grid” from scratch, including the script, voice talents, and all the editing work. As a winning team, they had program hostess Ms Alyson Hau visit them at the school campus where a workshop took place. They were then invited to RTHK where they remade their recording with top-notch facilities at RTHK and received advice from Ms Hau.
Listen to their 2-part interview with Alyson Hau by visiting the following links:
Listen to their programme “Off the Grid” here:
Essay-Writing Competitions
Chow Cheuk Wing (S1) was the champion of the English Division of the 2nd Hong Kong Chinese & English Essay-Writing Competition, whose theme was “Love is all around”. Cheuk Wing wrote an article where she reflected on passion and dedication after viewing Finnish director Laura Neuvonen’s animated short film ‘The Last Knit’.
During the prize giving ceremony, she received her trophy and a cash prize. Being the champion, she also shared ideas about her work and her thoughts on the theme.
Other Life-Wide Learning Events
Curtain’s Up!
All classes take turns to stage an English drama performance in the morning assembly every Wednesday, conveying some positive messages related to the school theme. The production is usually a combination of live performance and movie production. It takes various skills including script writing, acting, IT, collaboration, as well as creativity.
Chat ‘n’ Chill
Lunchtime and after school sessions with NETs take place in the English Corner. S3 students prepare a topic or a mini-game before their visit.
Learning Cells
Before each assessment, students form study groups where a leader sets quizzes related to English knowledge such as vocabulary and grammar items for the group.
Walk with Veteran
Renowned English writers are invited to be mentors for high achievers in order that students are well-equipped for related off-campus competitions.
Snapshot Stories
S4 students present their original stories, originally written as a composition assignment, visually through still pictures and audio narration in a video clip.
English Drama
Regular training sessions are hosted by professional coaches. The team joined an annual collaboration with Ying Wa College and territory-wide competitions and drama festivals.
Editorial Team
Led by our NET, the team develops publications of high quality, such as Inspire – an annual theme-based collection of students’ writing, and Meet to Write – biographies of ten successful female role models.
Multiple Intelligences Courses
A wide range of English learning activities are provided for students, such as Disc Jockeys, Magicians, Pop Culture, Sports and Current Affairs Chit-Chat Club, etc.
Theme-Based Whole-School Activities
English Language Festival – various activities of a designated theme targeting all students. Each S5 class demonstrates their autonomy and creativity to host a game booth.
Shakespearean Festival – complementing the Literary Module of S1, introducing and promoting great works of William Shakespeare
Sherlock Holmes Fest – complementing the Literary Module of S2, introducing and promoting detective stories and books, particularly those featuring Sherlock Holmes
Pre-S1 Summer Institute
To ease the transition from primary school to an EMI secondary school, a bridging programme called Pre-S1 Summer Institute is run for all new S1 students in late August every year. The programme helps students set learning goals in S1, enhance their study skills and, most importantly, raise their confidence in using English to learn, to think and to express themselves. In February, S1 students gather again with their mentors in the Summer Institute and they evaluate what they have learnt in the summer programme and how CLIL has helped them in the first semester in terms of learning.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
- A collaboration under the Quality Education Fund 2019/20 Project, aiming at enhancing secondary students’ English writing through 3C-based (Collaboration, Creativity and Critical thinking) activities, self-regulation strategies and e-learning tools.
- Department Head Mr Cheung Pak Ki was a speaker in the OneELED Conference of the Faculty of Education. The topic was “Professional, Passionate, Proud”.
Hong Kong Baptist University
- Department Head Mr Cheung was a speaker at Confluence: an ensemble of ELT pedagogies, which was held at Hong Kong Baptist University. He talked about the concept and the implementation of Reading Plus.
Quality Education Fund
- Meet to Write, a QEF project to allow students to explore how biographies are written from a professional perspective to enhance students’ skills in writing, especially journalistic writing and to provide opportunities for students to conduct interviews with successful role models in English.
Debaters Association, Hong Kong
- An annual collaboration to organize Debate Fun Day for primary school students to showcase their debating skills
- School debate team members to mentor the guest students and exchange ideas
Kowloon True Light School (Primary Section)
- Reading Buddies for S4 students
- A chance for students to understand how effective presentation and communication skills can facilitate interaction
Vanguard College, Canada
- Canadian students to deliver lessons about cultural differences between Hong Kong and Canada
- To provide students a chance to communicate with foreigners with actual and authentic purposes
Cheung Sha Wan Catholic Secondary School
- Joint School Oral Practice