Firkins Arthur, TWGHs. Mr. & Mrs. Kwong Sik Kwan College

Wong Pik Yu, TWGHs. Mr. & Mrs. Kwong Sik Kwan College

Chan Chi Wai, TWGHs. Mr. & Mrs. Kwong Sik Kwan College

Forey Gail, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

This paper presents research that aimed to develop a profile of the literacy practices engaged in by Hong Kong junior secondary students in Chinese and English at home and school. The research used an ethnographic and collaborative approach which allowed for the building up of a comprehensive picture of students literacy practices. We argue that to date there is no comprehensive study of the literacy practices of Hong Kong secondary students in the literature despite many assumptions made about the reading practices of adolescent students at home. In addition, there are assumptions made that the literacy requirements of non-language KLA subjects are similar and are supported by the Chinese and English KLAs. It is also probable that some literacy practices of Hong Kong students are unique to the context of Hong Kong. We suggest that building an ethnographic profile of students' literacy practices enable schools to firmly identify the funds of knowledge students bring from home to the school and how the school may best support literacy learning.

Thompson Laura A., University of Alberta

How do students become global citizens? Globalization and pluralism are two primary issues of interest to Canadian social studies educators and researchers. The growing interest in globalization is in large measure attributable to Canada’s increasing diversity. Rethinking globalization and pluralism within a social-educational framework has also become a priority for Canadian educators because social studies is primarily concerned with citizenship education (Richardson, 2002; Sears, 2004). But what happens when one particular province of Canada links global citizenship with complex notions of national identity?

Canadian social studies curriculum has been significantly influenced by the particular ambiguity involved in articulating a singular Canadian national identity (Clark, 2004; Clark & Case, 1999; Hodgetts, 1968; Lévesque, 2004; Richardson, 2002; Sears, 1997, 2004). In Canada, addressing issues of citizenship, identity and history is wrought with tensions and contradictions. Canadian researchers and educators have thus turned to notions of pluralism and globalization as a way to recognize Canada’s increasing diversity (Shields & Ramsay, 2004; Quell, 1998; Richardson, 2004). Rethinking how to recognize the diversity of citizens, however, challenges educators to approach pluralism in different ways. Curriculum initiatives in one particular province of Canada – Alberta – reflect the need to revise programs in order to represent plural societies and the students who inhabit these increasingly dynamic spaces (Alberta Education, 2005). Program revisions also reflect the current educational priorities of various jurisdictions in an era of globalization (Durrigan Santora, 2001; Varma-Joshi, 2004). In this session, I will explore the tensions between an officially bilingual and multicultural Canada, and suggest ways that complex constructs of citizenship and identity in the Canadian context can help educators to better understand the relationship between education and how we come to think of who we are in plural societies such as Canada.

Tan Kuo Cheang, Nanyang Girls' High School

Problem solving is an important feature in the Singapore mathematics curriculum because it is a valuable skill in everyday life. In the process of solving problems, not only do students need to consolidate and extend their learning, they are also encouraged to acquire new knowledge. This is especially true when solving real-life problems, which usually involve more than one discipline.

However, students often seem to lack the knowledge and skills required to tackle such problems due to little exposure given to solving this kind of problems. More often than not, students would approach such real life problems in a mono-disciplinary fashion. But with Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (NTCM, 2000) encouraging teachers to help students recognise and apply mathematics in contexts outside of mathematics, the need for teachers to expose students to interdisciplinary problem solving then becomes clear.

This article examines the conceptualisation of an enrichment module which integrates mathematics and music for a group of Year 7 students using Jacob’s model for developing an interdisciplinary module. The challenges and issues encountered in the process, as well as the effectiveness of such a module in stimulating student interest in mathematics, are also discussed.

Kawano Masami, The University of Tokyo

This study investigates the process of children's understanding in mathematical classroom focusing on the use of tools and inscriptions. In this study, tools mean the figurative representation, which are used to solve the problems. Inscriptions mean figurative representation written by children and the teacher to solve and explain the problem. By analyzing a classroom discourse, I found that children who tried to explain the meaning of calculation used the word problem, expressions, tools and inscription. This helped them to understand the meanings of expressions. The framework to analyze the process of learning is "scaffolding". For my study, it is important to note that not only their teacher but also the various expressions in other children's explanation and figurative representation help their learning in the classroom. In this case, the classroom activity includes the whole class sessions and group works. The teacher facilitated the classroom discourse using both activities. For the example of this case, at first, a child explained and tried to share his idea among the whole class session and other children asked some questions and discuss his/ her idea. If they could discuss no more, then he advised them to discuss in the group. After that, they have the whole classroom session again. In both activities, children referred to the handout which was printed the task and tools. I analyze the role of tools and inscriptions written by children, because they thought about and explain the problems with them. Although the teacher and children could not always share them from the start, they could gradually come to share them and deepen their understanding while using them. I focus on this process and try to interpret it as knowledge building in the classroom. At last I discuss the aspect of the classroom discourse to support knowledge building.

Chen Cheng Hui, The Hong Kong Institute of Education

Ho Chi Ming, The Hong Kong Institute of Education

Tung Lung Chu, The Hong Kong Institute of Education

Mok Mo Ching, Magdalena, The Hong Kong Institute of Education

Cheung Tsz Mei, Paisley, The Hong Kong Institute of Education

One major endeavour of the educational assessment reform in Hong Kong is to translate the idea of assessment for learning into the school teacher's everyday practice. The idea,assessment for learning, emphasizes that classroom assessment should enable the teacher to give feedback about a student's learning and to obtain feedback which inform his or her own teaching. Both groups of school teachers and teacher educators are concerned with the issue about how to make sense of assessment data and to transform them into feedback useful to learning and teaching. This research seeks to understand the kinds of protocols of assessment data school teachers perceived as practical information to become useful feedback to learning and teaching. We conducted 2 types of protocols using different analysis methods of assessment data (that is, basic item analysis and Rasch model) to represent primary and secondary students’ responses to objective test items assessing the competency of reading comprehension of Chinese literatures. We presented the protocols to primary and secondary school teachers who are currently teaching Chinese language subject in Hong Kong. After our demonstrations of the protocols, we interviewed the participant teachers to obtain their perceptions on each type of protocols. Results of the teachers’ perceptions are discussed in this paper.

Lee Yim Ping, Ministry of Education

Strategies for Active and Independent Learning (SAIL) were introduced into Singapore schools in 2004 to create a classroom culture that supports dynamic interaction among learners. The pedagogy uses an integrated approach of tasks, rubrics, explicit statements of expectation and exemplary students’ work to nurture open expression of learning expectations, learner-centred processes and emphasis on formative assessment. The study seeks to examine the impact of using SAIL on students’ mathematical beliefs and their perceptions of teachers’ behaviours in the mathematics classroom. The sample consists of a group of Grade 9 students who have been exposed to teaching and learning using the SAIL approach for 2 years. The study measures changes in students’ beliefs about mathematics and mathematics learning using the Indiana Mathematics Beliefs Scale and the Fennema-Sherman Attitudes Scales. As SAIL leverages on the dynamic interaction between learners and teacher, the teacher is a strong source of influence in shaping students’ beliefs and efforts towards mathematics. The Teacher Classroom Leadership Questionnaire is used to measure students’ perceptions of this influence as demonstrated by the teacher in the classroom. Examples of how SAIL tasks and the accompanying rubric develop students’ learning are detailed. Implications for teachers’ evolving role in helping students acquire mathematics skills and knowledge in learner-centered approaches are highlighted.

Kajornsin Boonreang, Kasetsart University

Samahito Chalatip, Kasetsart University

The objective of this study was to develop the integrated school-based curriculum for schools around Ranong Coastal Resources Research Station. Ranong Coastal Resources Research Station is an office affiliated Kasetsart University in Thailand. The main responsibilities of this research station were research and academic services on natural coastal resource conservation for university instructors, teachers, students and community members. This research center was located in Suksamran district in southern part of Thailand, which was effected by Tsunami on December 26, 2004. There were 6 elementary schools about 15 kilometers distance around the research centers. This project was the collaboration between Kasetsart University and schools under the Ranong Educational Service Area Office. All 6 elementary schools joined the project. The researchers from Kasetsart University conducted needs assessment about curriculum subjects concentrated in local natural resources of elementary students, school administrators, teachers and community members. This integrated school-based curriculum was developed by the team of Kasetsart University researchers, school administrators, teachers and community members who were school committees. The curriculum was developed under the criteria of the National Learning Standard Based, local natural resources and local needs.

The research result revealed that the integrated school-based curriculum composed of 9 learning units namely: community history, community occupation, local culture, first aids, local herbs, information technology, natural resource conservation, mangrove forestry and local tourist destinations. This curriculum was implemented in 6 schools. Each school used different way of integrated teaching that appropriated with their school environment.

Mistades Voltaire, College of Science , De La Salle University

The study looked at beliefs about teaching Physics held by three faculty members of the Physics Department, College of Science, De La Salle University - Manila (Philippines) and determined how much of these beliefs find their way into actual classroom practice. Using the Maryland Physics Expectations Survey (MPEX), teachers' predispositions, values, and assumptions were documented. Classroom observation data, using the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) form the ??classroom practice?? Component of the study. These data will be a valuable input into a possible framework in teaching collegiate-level Physics in the Philippines.

Ad Majid Dianaros, Ministry of Education

Studies have shown that knowledge and skills needed in the future may not even be known at the time a person attends school (Cropley, 1992). As a result, schools cannot limit themselves to the transmission of set contents which are presented in clearly structured forms, operating under what Glasser (1992) terms the principles of certainty. Instead schools should promote flexibility, openness for the new, the ability to adapt or see new ways of doing things (Cropley, 1991) and experiential learning in situated environments (Craft, 2000). Learners need to build their own understanding of new ideas and emphasized on the importance of individualized, hands on learning, teamwork, exploration and discovery of information ( Gardner, 1993). Feldhusen and Wood (1997) suggested that pupils, parents and teachers have to work closely and be actively involved in the recognition and development of pupils’ talent.

With this framework in mind and ‘Teach Less Learn More’ as the basis of teaching and learning in the context of Singapore education system, Haig Girls’ School has designed a 2 year integrated programme which focuses on talent management, character development, promotion of creativity and mastery of the English language. The Multiple Intelligences Developmental Assessment Scales (MIDAS) is used as a basis to assess pupils ‘talents’ and areas of strength. As such, pupils are not only assessed on ‘how smart are they’ which is reflected in their academic achievement but also on ‘how are they smart.’ Pupils of ‘different talents’ are grouped together so that they will have a chance to collaborate and harness each other’s strength. Subsequently pupils engaged themselves in reflections, brainstorming sessions and cooperative learning environment to complete an array of language-based assignments.

Lau Kit Ling, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Lee Chi Kin John, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

This study examined the relations among Hong Kong students’ perceived classroom environment, achievement goals, and strategy use. A total of 1522 Grade 5 students from six primary schools and Grade 7 students from six secondary schools in Hong Kong responded to a questionnaire that measured these three sets of variables. Consistent with previous studies on goal orientation theory, the findings of this study indicated that students’ perceived classroom environment, based on the TARGET framework, was significantly related to their personal achievement goals and strategy use. While mastery goals were found to be the strongest predictor of strategy use, performance-approach goals and perceived instrumentality also had positive relations with mastery goals and strategy use. Findings of the study suggested that mastery goal orientation and performance goal orientation were not two contrasting goal orientations as conceptualized in the normative goal orientation theory and students with high motivation on both types of goals were more advantageous in employing more learning strategies than students pursued either single goal. Moreover, the value of adding perceived instrumentality in studying Chinese students’ motivation should also be emphasized. Implications of these findings for understanding Hong Kong students’ motivation and planning effective instruction to enhance their motivation are discussed.

Madurapperuma Ajith, Moratuwa University

Macan Markar Deborah, University of Southern Queensland

Running an IT faculty in a public university in Sri Lanka can be a big challenge. Students often end up in the faculty merely because they don¡¦t get the grades for their first choice in an ultra-competitive education system which grants university places only to some 3% of the age cohort every year. These young people have been competing for university places since their early years of primary school in a learning environment which emphasises memorization of content to pass a series of life-shaping national exams. They have spent their days in schools typified by traditional teacher-centred learning environments and their free time outside school at tutories run by the private sector cramming for these same exams. They have usually studied in swabhasha or mother tongue (Sinhala or Tamil).

At the same time, software development houses locally are putting pressure on the faculty to graduate young professionals fluent in English with superior teamwork and problem-solving skills and the ability and readiness to take responsibility for their own professional development.

The IT Faculty has only three years to help students make the transformation.

The faculty is trialling the introduction of problem-based learning (PBL) to some of its courses. PBL approaches has been used successfully overseas to prepare young professionals in fields as diverse as engineering and medicine. However much of the research has been conducted in western settings and it is by no means certain how well the collaborative, constructivist learning styles of PBL will translate to the Sri Lankan context.

The faculty has embarked on a 3 year program of design-based learning research with focus groups, surveys and interviews conducted with both students and lecturers to feed back into the design of the instructional environment. This paper outlines the results of the first year of this research.

Tan Sock Li Sally, Woodlands Primary School

Neo Siew Bee, Woodlands Primary School

Ramalingam Lalitha, Woodlands Primary School

Over the last 25 years, many researches and studies have been done to find out how music influences our brain and how we can use music to help our pupils learn faster and more effectively. Our brain is most open and receptive to incoming information when it is in a special state of relaxation. Music is all around us and we agree totally that it plays an integral part in our pupils' overall development. The Singapore government recognises the importance of music and our school acknowledges each child's musical experiences as a fundamental aspect of his education journey.

However, it is disappointing to find, in the course of our research, that little studies have been done to measure the relationship between motivation and participation in a school's music programme. Does participation in music education really bring about a high level of motivation, self-discipline and self-esteem? If mere participation in the prescribed school's music programme brings about all the above mentioned positive influences, why then are we not seeing it in our pupils? Is there a need to enhance our music curriculum by introducing something unique that would cater to their needs and interest and in the process, brings about a high level of motivation, self-discipline and self-esteem?

We chanced upon the Ukulele, a four-stringed instrument, which resembles the Banjo, when it was shown to us by one of our aesthetic CCA instructors. Could the uniqueness of the Ukulele be the key to achieving the desired outcomes mentioned earlier?

This paper aims to find out if learning to play a special musical instrument will accentuate the level of motivation, self-discipline and self-esteem. 80 pupils went through a 16-hour My Musical Journey with the Ukulele programme in 2005 and another 16-hour of the same programme at the advanced level in year 2006.

Statistical data confirmed our hypothesis and showed that there is a positive relationship between the effect of the Ukulele programme and the level of motivation. These pupils appeared more confident and a subsequent qualitative analysis substantiated our findings.

Perez-de Vera Marina Kathlyne, ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.

Alegado-Cruz Darlene Dolly, ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.

Ibe Milagros Dimal, ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.

The effectiveness of video episodes on elementary school children's achievement in three school subjects was assessed through a quasi-experimental study using two elementary schools in two of the 16 geographical regions in the Philippines. One school served as the control school, the other was the experimental school. The two schools are about 100 km away from each other to offset contamination effects.

Pupils in Grades 3, 4, 5 and 6 in the experimental school were exposed to video episodes in Science, Mathematics and Social Studies at least twice a week in each subject. The video episodes were on compact discs (CDs) which are part of the TV learning packages, which come with a TV set. Counterpart classes in the four grade levels from the control school were not exposed to the TV viewing in class.

The pupils in both schools were given a test in Mathematics, Science and Values before the start of the experiment. The tests were on topics, scheduled for the period quarter in the national curriculum for the subjects under study, and which the episodes closely related were chosen. Twelve weeks after, the same tests in Science and Mathematics were administered as posttests.

Posttest scores as well as mean gain scores were compared between the two schools by grade level in Science, Mathematics and in Values. The results showed significant differences both in the posttest scores and gain scores from the pretest to the posttest in Grades 5 and 6. Numerical differences in favor of the groups exposed to the video episodes were also found among Grades 3 and 4 samples from the two schools but some of the differences failed to reach the .05 level of significance, indicating a greater impact of the use of video episodes on 5th and 6th grade pupils.

Yu Lai Wah, The Hong Kong Institute of Education

Since taking responsibility for government in 1997, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has launched a series of education reform measure. In Learning to Learn, Consultation Document (Curriculum Development Council, 2000), the policy of school based curriculum is advocated. The aim is to allow “schools to have more autonomy in choosing some contents more relevant to their students so long as they are in line with the curriculum aims, strands, principles of learning/teaching, with justifiable modifications that suit their students most” (CDC, 2000:47). This paper reports a case study of a local primary school in implementing the school based curriculum in General Studies in the past three years.

The methodology employed includes interviewing different stake-holders, i.e. the head teacher, GS panel, so as to study why they initiated this educational change in their school/classrooms, and the strategies employed in designing the curriculum, pedagogy and assessment as teaching and learning in Hong Kong is generally commented as text-book oriented. Coordinators of each level were also interviewed so as to study their perception and challenges confronted. As classroom teachers are in the best position to effect educational change directly, GS teachers were asked to write a reflection report after a unit was taught in the past three years. At the end of each school year, all GS teachers met together to evaluate their work, comments and suggestion were also documented. Fullan (2001) argued students not only are the potential beneficiaries of educational change, but also participants in the process of change. He also commented parents may initiate, reject, support or block educational changes in schools. Consequently students and parents were also invited to fill in a questionnaire to reflect on their perception on school based curriculum and learning in General Studies. It is hoped that the analysis will provide insight for teachers who want to initiate such educational change.

Seet Jun Feng, National Institute of Education

There have always been concerns for the development of the Chinese Language (CL) in Singapore, from the promotion of bilingualism to the execution of new Chinese initiatives such as “Recognize First, Write Later”. In 2004, the Chinese Language Curriculum and Pedagogy Review Committee (MOE, 2004) proposed a set of objectives for CL teaching, it includes: 1. Getting the students to develop an interest in the language and culture well after they leave school and, 2. Emphasis on the effective oral communication and reading. The Committee has also suggested new pedagogical methods to achieve the proposed objectives. However, despite new methods of teaching CL, the objectives do not addresses the need of a holistic learning education for students learning CL. For students to have a holistic understanding of the subject, teaching them the basic applications of the subject is insufficient, we need to foster them to be good thinkers as this is crucial for their life successes. Therefore, a model based on the ideology of cultivating a Holistic Learning Experience in Chinese Language (HLECL) was developed. This model consist of three levels, which are: 1) technical learning, 2) learning of Chinese culture and heritage, and 3) teaching of higher-order thinking skills in CL. HLECL aims to help students to gain a holistic experience in CL and this experience would enable them to maximize their use of CL potential in their academic and non-academic lives. To train students to engage with the HLECL, a suitable method is needed. The Philosophy for Children (P4C) method developed by Dr Matthew Lipman was chosen as the method for this study. P4C provides reasoning and logical thinking training through series of skilful questioning. This paper will thus report on an on-going study in which P4C is used to foster students’ engagement with the HLECL model.

Sreekanth Yagnamurthy, National Council of Educational Research and Training

India with its long history of more than five thousand years has produced varied patterns of evaluation procedures that are as diverse as its geographic, socio-economic and cultural conditions. Oral evaluation in the form of questions and answers was given emphasis in student evaluation until the advent of British. At present, it has been largely held by the experts in the field of educational evaluation in India that examinations have become memory based and not much emphasis is given to higher mental abilities. It is felt that undue importance is given to Public Examinations, which are considered as one-stroke solution to the myriad purposes (problems).

There are various aspects in the evaluation of students’ performance in social sciences, which needed detailed analysis. The present study of quantitative and qualitative analysis of question papers (sequencing and appropriateness of test items, assessing difficulty levels, structure and usage of action verbs etc.,) has indicated that there are wide variations and major drawbacks in the setting of question papers, their design, blue print, marking scheme and question wise analysis etc. It also shows that there are inherent weaknesses in public examination leading to varied and low students performance for which more then students the paper setters and evaluators may be held responsible. In addition to this an analysis of attitude of students towards the examinations and the stress level also does not give a bright picture of the Public Examinations.

Hence it is time to realize the importance of initiating measures for reducing stress from the minds of students by de-emphasizing on external/public examination. Some of the steps proposed but still that have not received public support such as grading, continuous and comprehensive evaluation and weightage to internal evaluation have to be given due attention in addition to making the system of examination foolproof.

Joyce Bruce R., Canada Public Schools

Calhoun Emily F., The Phoenix Alliance

Newlove Kim Elaine, Saskatoon Public Schools District

Jutras Jim, Saskatoon Public Schools District

Following an assessment of reading achievement in our 75 first grade classes using an individualized test (The Gray Oral Reading Test) and discovering that the average Grade Level Equivalent was only 1.6, the school division embarked on an intensive initiative in the primary grades and an initiative for grade three to ten struggling readers.

Both the primary and upper grade initiatives were developed around the Picture Word Inductive Model, plus extensive at-home reading and in-school writing.

All 300 teachers in the 53 schools were provided with 10 days of staff development using the Theory-Demonstration-Practice model researched by Joyce and his colleagues.

Implementation was studied intensively using reports by the teachers and other personnel. About 80 percent of the teachers used the curriculums regularly and the others to a lesser but still perceptible level.

Student learning was studied with the Gunning procedure at the Kindergarten level and the Gray Oral Reading Test. All tests were administered by a cadre of trained assessors from the school district.

Kindergarten - All but two of the students reached the Picture Word Level. Thirty-six percent are reading books containing extended text, that is, large passages where illustrations do not carry the meaning. In the Fall, just 35 percent of the first grade students had full alphabet recognition. More than 90 percent of these kindergarten students had full or nearly full recognition. Next Fall's grade one student body will be radically different than those in past years.

Read to Succeed. The average student enters Read to Succeed with an average annual gain in reading comprehension of about GLE 0.6, and loses each year compared to his/her cohorts. The average gain per section between September and June is about GLE1.4, more than twice what would have been predicted from their past history, a better gain than their cohorts would usually make.

Grade One. The mea score is GLE 2.4, compared with 1.6 previously.

Grade Two. The average score was GLE 3.8 compared to the average of 4.0 of exiting grade two students nationally.

This study is a demonstration of the magnitude of student learning gains that can be achieved when the entire teacher force "goes to school" on models of teaching that have proven to generate substantial effects.

Sharma Poonam Kumari, Victoria School

To meet the challenges posed by globalization, the Singapore government has implemented changes in the education system not only in curriculum content but more importantly in the delivery systems. Teach Less Learn More (TLLM) is an initiative that is about teaching better, to engage students and prepare them for life, rather than teaching more, for tests and examinations. It advocates various strategies to innovate the curriculum to enhance teaching and learning.

This study focuses on teachers’ receptivity in an autonomous secondary school in Singapore, to one of its school-based TLLM curriculum innovation strategies, the use of the Teaching for Understanding (TfU) framework for curriculum design which was developed through a 6-year project at Project Zero of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Receptivity to change was measured using a mixed method approach to examine teachers’ perceptions and attitude towards the use of TfU in their teaching via surveys and interviews. Rogers Innovation Decision Process Model was used as a theoretical framework for this study.

Surveys were administered to a sample of 40 teachers X and a response rate of 100% was achieved. Interviews were conducted with a sample of 10 teachers. The findings showed that the staff as a whole, appeared to have a readiness for adoption of changes, namely the TfU framework as a new curriculum innovation. Attitudes toward the use of TfU in their teaching were mostly positively skewed.

ANOVA and Multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine what variables were the best predictors. The multiple regression analysis revealed that the variablw adoption proneness (R2 0.495) proved to be a predictor for attitudes towards the use of TfU in teaching, while other selected demographic variables were not significant predictors.

Feng Yan, University of Northampton

The development and understanding of curriculum are much influenced by learners’ cognitive and intellectual development. Since breadth, balance, relevance and differentiation are the four main factors to consider in the process of planning, implementing and assessing curriculum, this essay aims to provide the educators with a critical overview of the curriculum for junior middle schools in China with a focus on the issue of balance. In so doing, the author emphasizes with the support of a range of literature in the UK context the importance of voices of pupils (Garner & Sandow, 1995, Shevlin & Rose, 2003) in their intellectual development and academic attainment in regards of curriculum (Byers and Rose 2004, Darling, 1994, Sebba et al 1995). Meanwhile, the author listens to the perspectives of pupils with special educational needs as consumers on the current curriculum in their schools which show a strong desire for a balanced curriculum (Farrell, 1997; Rayner, 1998; McLaughlin & Tilstone, 2000). The author tends to argue by analyzing the sample curricular in two key junior middle schools of two cities in a province in China that there still exists a lack of balance in the curriculum in terms of the time allocation for the core and peripheral subjects and the balance within individual subjects in teaching and learning. The author thus suggests the decision makers of the curriculum and those who are involved in the implementing of the curriculum listen and respond to the voices as an alternative route to identify the causes for the failure of meeting the expectations of the curriculum by those pupils with special needs and develop a much appropriate balance in curriculum for them.

Das Sushmita Sutradhar, State Council of Education Research and Training

Duari Bandana, State Council of Education Research and Training

Assam is the one of the north eastern state of India, situated between 90-96 degree east longitude and 24-28 degree north latitude. The state is bounded by various bordering countries likeBhutan, China,Myanmmar andBangladesh. The geographical area of the state is 78438sq.km with 27 districts. The state is of breadth taking scenic beauty, various floras and faunas,tea gardens, green hills, vast plain, forest areas.The state is a melting point from diverse tribes at different points of time were synthesied and transformed into colorful Assamese people. Such perfect fusion of culture and heritage gave birth to rich variety of assamese cultre

It is a multilingual state of 26 languages and other smaller linguistic groups. Therefore language education is rather complicated issue in Assam.State government have been trying their best to meet the linguistic aspiration of many linguistic minorities. Around 87% of the total population is rural of which 75% of them are depended upon agriculture. Another large part of it consits of tea tribes. Since last decades throughout the world emphasis had been laid for UEE, many innovative thoughts have been immersed in different states of the countries. In Assam also State Council Of Educational Research And Training had takena major challenging task of quality improvement of elementary educationo throughout the state public demand/opinion and practical needs of the local people and successfully able to reformin curriculum,pedagogy,evaluation etc during the period 1998-2003.Present paper describes how and what reforms are made in recent curriculum, pedagogy andassessment in the state education which attempts to provide child friendly elementary education suitable for all type of children of the state so that each and every child of 6-14 yrs of age can complete the elementary education with joy and able to develop themselves as a worthy human being of the society as well as the country and in the world of the 21st century.

Kung Sandra F., Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages

Action Research was selected as appropriate for classroom research, because it provides interplay between theory and practice, and the testing of actions, and adjustments to actions, based on results. The researcher therefore undertook an action research project from one of the learning activities of the music appreciation course— ‘group presentation’ as a way to review the teaching for further improvement.

Six practices were emphasized in this study to provide ways in attracting college students to learn music in a limited, sixteen weeks, one-semester period.

The results of this action research project reveal that a lively group performance with real-life applications has considerably enhanced college students’ learning outcomes. Students deserved a course with a practical approach that meets their needs.

Chang Shook Cheong Agnes, Nanyang Technological University

In 1999, a survey found that more that a third of respondents thought that schools should emphasize CHARACTER EDUCATION and CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS more than academic skills and knowledge (National Public Radio, USA, 1999).

This is especially important in the 21st century when our young people have to face an increasingly competitive global workplace. Employers are dismayed that their employees may have good IT skills and book knowledge but often lack resilience and self-reliance, the “soft skills” to compete in a sophisticated and demanding workplace.

To strengthen character development and “soft skills” among Singapore students, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is being infused into the relevant academic subjects in 2006. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is an umbrella term that refers to skills and habits that will enable students to do well in their physical and mental well-being, character, citizenship, academic achievement and employment. The five SEL competencies that are being emphasized are SELF-AWARENESS, SOCIAL AWARENESS, RESPONSIBLE DECISION MAKING, SELF-MANAGEMENT and RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT.

It has been found in a recent study that teaching students reasoning, thinking and analytical skills using the Philosophy for Children Approach serves to foster Social-Emotional Learning competencies in the participants.