Beyond Classroom

The department’s role…

The department has etched a niche in the school’s and students lives year in year out. We have our own solemn promise: to enrich the students’ life, keep the students vibrant and active in extra-curricular activities as can be attested by the numerous undertakings under the auspices of the English Department. Some of these activities involve the entire students’ fraternity while others are so competitive and we enter only the crème de la crème in some number-entry limited competitions.

For the department to excel in its various endevours, it plays as a team. This team of teachers include:

THE PLACE OF PROJECT WORK IN THE DEPARTMENT

This projects, if you please, take the place of mini-coursework, if we could use the term looselymeant for  for year 7, 8 and 9 only, the tasks are meant to create a self drive in learning matters. A student is empowered to go all out and discover the world for himself, no limits. Then synthesise the information into presentable academic papers that fits into determined parameters.

This years projects  are:

THE DEPARTMENT TAKES LEARNING OUTSIDE THE FOUR WALLS OF CLASSROOMS with…Educational trips

The department recognizes the importance of appealing to learners’ sensory faculties. Every class is taken on an educational outing- an exciting, out of class experience.

Working with the Weaker Students- model plan in place  

The English/Literature department appreciates the fact that all classes are mixed ability to one extent or another.   We are guided by the principle that all students will get something out of the class, but not necessarily the same things, and not necessarily what you aim to teach them! For example, the beginners may begin to get a grasp of your classroom language whilst the stronger students may begin to be able to put a new tense into use or point out deeper craft use of language.

Thus we have agreed that that individual teachers must be cognizant of the disparity that exists in his/her class and tailor or fashion suitable teaching material that reflect the different levels of the class in the learning domain.

The materials for mixed ability classes for the English Department will take different forms. We adapt materials / reading texts and grade the language accordingly for different levels.

In an ideal world where a teacher has all the time in the world to prepare their classes, this may be the perfect solution. However, the reality is that this sort of adaptation is extremely time consuming and not many teachers can actually go to this length to adapt materials for mixed level groups. Another problem that can arises with this sort of adaptation is that it can be awkward to give out different texts to different students but with proper explanation and positive attitude, it’s sort of working but we are still trying it out. There’s a danger that they will instantly realise that they have been labeled as a weak or strong student and, in the case of the weaker students, this will no doubt affect their motivation.

The teacher will need to make the student understand that we all learn at different levels and pace.

To avoid the above feeling, the department resolves that the teacher  will support weaker students and offer extension activities for your stronger students whilst using the same materials as the starting point for the class. This way the preparation time involved for the teacher isn’t drastically higher, and the group can still work together for most of the class, including peer  teaching as in group work… talk of the tortoise and the hare fable’s moral ( together, they could make it than when each tried to outdo the other.