Curriculum Induction Training

Primary – July 2019

Welcome to the curriculum training induction!

• This training is for 5 days. Please come on time and

attend all sessions for all 5 days.
• Please check that you have your training pack.

D1.S1.1
Slides and handouts – numbering explained
The PowerPoint slides and handouts are numbered as in this
example:

D2.S3.7

Day#.Session#.number of slide
D2.S3.H2

Day#.Session#.Handout#
D1.S1.2
 Curriculum Induction Training aims
The aims of the training are that all participants will be able to…
• Understand curriculum reform purpose and schedule
• Recognise the link between the new curriculum and the CEFR
• Use new curriculum documentation in lesson planning and
teaching
• Understand the Learning Standards in the Curriculum
Framework and write learning objectives based on the Learning
Standards
• Apply effective teaching strategies in large classes following the
principles of formative assessment, giving feedback and
differentiating learning abilities
• Practise teaching an activity from the lesson plans and reflect on
teaching practice
D1.S1.3
 Day 1, Session 1
New curriculum purpose, format and content

By the end of this session participants will be able to…

• Explain reform objectives and understand their
responsibilities as English-language educators
• Develop basic understanding of, and describe, the CEFR
scales and levels
• Recognise the link between the new curriculum and the
CEFR

D1.S1.4
Icebreaker: getting to know each other!
Ten favourites
• Join a small group (4–5 people)
• Decide on the topic of your favourite thing (e.g. films, food,
holiday destinations)
• Choose a volunteer to note down the team’s favourite ten
(films / foods / …)

You have 3 minutes!

• Choose another volunteer to share with everyone the

group’s favourite things. Volunteers have 10 seconds to
share!!

D1.S1.5
Expectations for how we will work together

• You will be working collaboratively with your trainer

and your colleagues. You are expected to actively
participate in this interactive training.

• Supporting and helping each other is important. For

some tasks, you will be working in groups. In this
way, you will be able to learn from each other.

D1.S1.6
My questions

• Write on a small piece of paper one question you have

about the new curriculum.
• Stick your paper on the wall.

We will come back to your questions by the end of the

training.

D1.S1.7
Before-training questionnaire for State-level Trainers

Done!
Complete
questionnaire

Sorry, no
questionnaire

Second tier participants, i.e. State-level Trainers,

please complete the Before-training questionnaire.
D1.S1.8
Why is the English language curriculum changing?

Read these questions silently:

• Why is the English language curriculum changing?

• Why does the new curriculum adopt the CEFR?
• What are the staged targets in the curriculum
framework and what are the aspirational targets?
• What kind of Malaysian pupils are we preparing for the
future?

D1.S1.9
Why is the English language curriculum changing?

• Now watch this video.

D1.S1.10
Why is the English language curriculum changing?

Can you answer the questions now that you have

watched the video?

• Why is the English language curriculum changing?

• Why does the new curriculum adopt the CEFR?
• What are the staged targets in the Curriculum
Framework and what are the aspirational targets?
• What kind of Malaysian pupils are we preparing for the
future?

D1.S1.11
What is the CEFR?
• The Common European Framework of Reference for
Languages (CEFR) is an international standard for describing
language ability. It uses Can Do statements to describe
learners’ language ability.
• It describes progressive language development in six main
levels.
• It covers the four core skills (Reading, Writing, Speaking,
Listening) and the language elements within these (grammar,
vocabulary).
• There are global (or general) scales which describe the level
of language ability in general. They give us an overall
description of learners’ language ability at a glance.

D1.S1.12
 The CEFR Global Scales

C2 Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read […]

C1 Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit
meaning […]
B2 Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics,
including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation […]
B1 Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly
encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. […]
A2 Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most
immediate relevance […]
A1 Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed
at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type […]
There is also a pre-A1 level to describe learners’ ability below A1 level.
See Handout D1.S1.H1 for the complete global scales
D1.S1.13
New KSSM/KSSR curriculum alignment to the CEFR

• The Global scales are followed by skills-specific descriptors

(for Reading, Listening, etc.).
• The CEFR skills-specific descriptors (Can Do statements)…
– are very broad and specific. They describe the language
that learners have to learn in order to use language for
communication.
– provide many examples about real-life situations a
learner will probably face when using language (e.g. as a
tourist, for online communication).
– define levels of proficiency in detail, which allow learners’
progress to be measured at each stage of learning.
– give a basis for the design of curriculum guidelines and
content.
D1.S1.14
The CEFR skills-specific descriptors
• The new KSSM/KSSR curriculum contains the Learning
Standards for each grade covering the four core skills (Reading,
Speaking, Listening, Writing) plus language arts.
• The Learning Standards are detailed and observable skills that
pupils are expected to achieve by the end of each school grade.
• These Learning Standards are based on the skills-specific
descriptors in the CEFR.

Global scales 🠋 Skills-based descriptors

🠋
Learning Standards

See the top half of Handout D1.S1.H2

D1.S1.15
Thinking time!

• Look at a few examples from the CEFR skills-specific

descriptors in the second half of Handout D1.S1.H2.
• Answer the question: Why can’t we use the exact
wording of the CEFR descriptors in the curriculum?

• Think of at least three reasons.

Be prepared to share your answers!

D1.S1.16
Plenary

Shout out two important

words or expressions you
covered during this session!

D1.S1.17
Day 1, Session 2
Teaching and learning English as promoted in the new
curriculum

By the end of this session participants will be able to…

• Understand the purpose of various new curriculum
documentation
• Recognise the benefits of a pupil-centred teaching
approach
• Review a few formative assessment strategies
• Reflect on the session and identify key points of learning
D1.S2.1
Session starter

• Complete Handout D1.S2.H1 in groups.

• The first group to finish should shout Done! and stand
up.
• Be prepared to share your answers!

D1.S2.2
How does the curriculum work?

• Look at Handout D1.S2.H2. Take a few minutes to read

the definitions.
• In pairs, one asks the other to give a definition and the
other provides it without looking at their handout.
• No looking allowed!

D1.S2.3
Curriculum documentation

• You will use and refer to four documents during lesson

planning and teaching.
• Can you name these four documents?
– DSKP (Standards-Based Curriculum and
Assessment Document)
– Curriculum Framework
– Syllabus
– Schemes of work (SoW)
– Textbook

D1.S2.4
Curriculum documentation

The CEFR-aligned Curriculum Framework

• Year-by-year description of the themes, topics, grammar, vocabulary and
structure
Syllabus • Essential reference document, provides an overall view and is useful for planning

• Year-by-year teaching manual

• Links the Learning Standards with learning activities (e.g. from the textbook)
SoW • Essential document for all teachers for every lesson!

• International textbook aligned to the CEFR

• Comprises Student’s Book, Teacher’s Book and audio files for Listening
activities.
Textbook • Contains activities for pupils

D1.S2.5
What is inside the SoW?
• All Schemes of Work begin with an introductory part
which…
– explains how the SoW works
– explains how lessons are organised and any exceptions
or notes to pay attention to
– contains a section on differentiation strategies, generic
pre- and post-lesson activities and a glossary to explain
terms found in the SoW and Content/Learning
Standards for the grade.
• It is very, VERY important to read through the introductory
part at the beginning of the school year and refer to
sections like differentiation strategies, generic pre- and
post-lesson activities and the glossary.

D1.S2.6
What is inside the SoW?
• Where do the following come from?
– Theme
– Topic
– Language / Grammar focus
– Content and Learning Standards
• How do you know if the lesson is based on the textbook or
not?
• Where can you find out about…
– differentiation strategies?
– challenging terms/words in the Content/Learning
Standards?

Look at Handout D1.S2.H3

D1.S2.7
Benefits of a pupil-centred approach

A pupil-centred teaching approach is one in

which the learning environment has pupil
responsibility and activity at its heart.

• How is pupil-centred teaching applied in the

new KSSM/KSSR curriculum?

D1.S2.8
Pupil-centred approach in the curriculum

• The CEFR promotes a pupil-centred learning

approach.
• The CEFR levels and descriptors have been used to
define and write the Learning Standards in the new
KSSM/KSSR curriculum.
• Therefore the new KSSM/KSSR curriculum promotes a
pupil-centred learning approach.

D1.S2.9
Benefits of pupil-centred teaching approach
In groups:
Rank the benefits of a pupil-centred teaching approach using
the Diamond 9 board (Handout D1.S2.H4).

Rank the benefits as follows:

• Most Important – top of Diamond 9

• Very Important X 2 – 2nd level of Diamond 9
• Important x 3 – middle-level of Diamond 9
• Lesser Importance x 2 – 2nd-lowest level of Diamond 9
• Least Important X 1 – lowest level of Diamond 9

D1.S2.10
 Our pupils’ voice

What would your pupils say if asked to

respond to the following statements?
• ‘I feel I learnt something new today.’
• ‘My teacher knows my level of
English.’
• ‘My teacher helped me when I needed
help.’
• ‘My teacher helped me understand what
I should do to improve
my English.’
D1.S2.11
Formative assessment – key concepts

Teaching

Formative
assessment

Where are we going? Learning

Where is each pupil now?
How do we get there? D1.S2.12
Formative assessment facts!

• Formative assessment is not about:

– Giving pupils grades
– Completing school records
– Nice but not important activities
• Formative assessment is about:
– Following and tracking pupils’ progress
– Responding to pupil’s emerging learning needs
– Helping pupils become more active and engaged in
their learning

D1.S2.13
Formative assessment – key concepts

• Discuss with your group the different teaching

strategies for formative assessment on Handout
D1.S2.H5.
• Which key question for formative assessment is most
relevant to each teaching strategy? Match each
teaching strategy to the relevant key question (A, B or
C).
• Be ready to give reasons for your matches.

D1.S2.14
Teacher Handbook

D1.S2.15
Plenary: set your own homework

Discuss in groups:
What homework would you set yourself on what you have
learnt in this session?
How would this help you to build on what you have learnt?

D1.S2.16
Day 1, Session 3
Classroom management in language lessons – Part one

By the end of this session participants will be able to…

• Identify challenges with teaching large classes and
discuss possible solutions
• Discuss effective behaviour management strategies
• Explain how to manage interaction in the language
classroom effectively
• Review learning in the session
D1.S3.1
 Starter: Challenges with teaching large classes

In groups of four:
Each person takes it in turn to speak for 1 minute in
response to the questions below.
While you are listening to each other, think about the
similarities and differences in your responses.

• How would you define a ‘large class’?

• What challenges do you experience teaching
large classes?
• How do you think your pupils feel about
learning in large classes?
D1.S3.2
Identifying potential solutions to the challenges

• In groups, complete the matching activity (Handout

D1.S3.H1).
• Match the teacher challenges with potential solutions.
• Be ready to give reasons for your matches.

D1.S3.3
More tips for classroom management

• Read through the additional tips for classroom

management on Handout D1.S3.H2.

• Which tips do you find most useful for your classrooms?

• You will be able to share your thoughts with others later

in this session.

D1.S3.4
 Getting attention and giving instructions

In your groups discuss the questions below.

While you discuss them, think about ideas
from your colleagues that you would like to
try out.

• What are the challenges in large classes when

getting pupils’ attention? What tips do you have
about this to share with others?
• What are the challenges in large classes when
giving instructions? What tips do you have
about this to share with others?
D1.S3.5
Tips for getting attention

• Clap or ring a bell at the end of an activity.

• Put up your hand as a signal to stop talking. Say nothing.
Wait until all pupils have also put up their hand and are
listening to you.
• Use a count down — ‘5, 4, 3, 2, 1’.
• Be prepared to wait for full attention from all pupils before
talking.
• Set ‘ground rules’ with pupils and discuss with them the
importance of getting their attention when you need it.

D1.S3.6
Tips for giving instructions

• Speak clearly and slowly and use simple English.

• Be consistent in your instructions (e.g. ‘First read, then (OR next)
speak (OR talk) to your partner (OR friend)’)
• Give SHORT instructions verbally, repeat if you are not sure all
pupils understood.
• Ask closed questions to check pupils have understood, but don’t
ask ‘Do you understand?’
• Write short instructions on the top of a worksheet.
• Tell pupils that you will be choosing a pupil to repeat your
instructions. Give the instructions, then nominate a pupil (using
sticks with pupil names on, for example) who then repeats the
instructions for the class.
• Consider using the L1 for less able pupils, or asking a more
confident pupil to translate the instructions.

D1.S3.7
Managing interaction in the language classroom

Different interaction patterns in the classroom include:

A B
Teacher – whole class Pupil (individual work)
Teacher – small group Pupil – pupil (pair work)
Teacher – individual pupil Pupil – pupils (small group work)
Pupil – pupils (whole class)
• With your partner, discuss the potential challenges in large classes for the
interaction patterns assigned to you (either Group A or Group B). Think
about potential solutions for each challenge.
• Be ready to share your ideas with another pair.

D1.S3.8
Managing interaction in the language classroom
Teacher – whole class interaction
• Set ‘ground rules’ for getting attention and for listening in the
phases of the lesson when you need to communicate with the
whole class.
• Avoid long phases of this interaction.

Teacher – small group interaction

• Focus on giving small groups your attention, for example by
using ‘workstations’ where each group has a different task. You
can then go round and spend some time with each group.

Teacher – individual pupil interaction

• Focus on giving individual pupils your attention. Use Individual
Learning Plans (ILPs) to focus the interaction on your feedback
and on involving pupils in setting targets and actions.
D1.S3.9
Managing interaction in the language classroom
Pupil (individual work)
• Monitor carefully to check pupils all know what they need to do.
• Give pupils individual support in a quiet voice.
• Allow pupils to help each other as long as they do so quietly.
Pupil – pupil (pair interaction)
• Use information-gap activities to encourage purposeful interaction. For
example, ask pupils to read or listen to different texts, then share
information with each other.
Pupil – pupils (small group interaction)
• Put pupils into the same groups for the whole term. Each group member
takes it in turn to be the ‘group manager’, who makes sure everyone is
involved.
Pupil – pupils (whole class interaction)
• Set ‘ground rules’ for listening to one another during whole class
discussion. Discuss the importance of listening to multiple ideas and that
different viewpoints have equal status.
D1.S3.10
 Plenary: Classroom management advice clinic

Find a partner to work with.

You are going to give and receive advice about classroom
management challenges.

• Think back over the session and identify your top two classroom
management challenges. Write these down on Handout D1.S3.H3.
• Take it in turns to describe a challenge and to receive advice from
your partner. Swap roles. Use the handout to record the advice you
give and receive.
• To help give advice, think back over the session and identify the
strategies and tips that could help your partner with their challenges.
D1.S3.11
 Day 1, Session 4
Approaches to learning Listening

By the end of this session participants will…

• Identify approaches to Listening suitable for level and age
and apply them in teaching
• Identify and apply some techniques that help pupils
understand purpose and meaning conveyed in Listening
text
• Identify potential obstacles to developing Listening skills
and find support methods
• Reflect on Day 1 and identify key points of learning. D1.S4.1
Starter: Run-around!

Run-around!
• The trainer will read out a question and
then give a red answer or a blue answer.
• Listen carefully to the question and the two
answers. Run to the colour on the wall
(red or blue) which you think represents
the correct answer.
D1.S4.2
 Approaches to Listening: general dos and don’ts
Do
Keep recordings short: usually
less than 1 minute.
Play recording a sufficient
number of times.
Show Listening questions/task
before playing recording.
Use questions with a purpose.
Provide opportunity for pupils to
discuss answers with partners.
Don’t
Play excessively long recordings.
Play recording more than three
times.
Play recording then ask
comprehension questions.
Use questions that focus on
testing memory recall or
repetition only.
Expect instant answers.
D1.S4.3
 Approaches to Listening: general dos and don’ts
Do Don’t
Provide support for pupils Make Listening tasks threatening
(e.g. visuals and written words or and stressful.
phrases).
Discuss pupils’ answers. Find out Immediately confirm correct
what they think. answers with words or facial
expressions.
Check for understanding across Be led by one strong pupil.
the whole class.
Follow up Listening with another Forget to introduce or review
activity. vocabulary pupils need to
understand before they listen.
D1.S4.4
Task-based approaches to Listening

We are going to try out three Listening tasks:

1. Make notes
2. Shouting dictation
3. Argue against the proposition

D1.S4.5
Task-based approaches to Listening

1. Make notes

• The trainer will read out a text about the difference

between ‘fixed’ and ‘growth’ mindsets.
• Listen and make notes about these differences using
single words or phrases.
• Use the table in Handout D1.S4.H1 to help structure
your notes.
• The text will be read twice; after the first reading
compare your notes with a partner.
D1.S4.6
Task-based approaches to Listening

2. Shouting dictation

• Work in pairs: one of you is A, the other is B. Stand

back-to-back.
• You each have four sentences. Three are true and one
is false.
• Take it in turns to dictate (read aloud) your sentences
to each other.
• Sit down, then decide together on which six sentences
are true and which two sentences are false.
D1.S4.7
Task-based approaches to Listening

3. Argue against the proposition

• In small groups you are going to argue against the

following proposition:

Teachers should never collaborate with pupils in

making ground rules for behaviour in lessons.

Listen carefully to each other and make sure you do not

repeat someone else’s point.
D1.S4.8
Task-based approaches to Listening

Four activity types for Listening:

• Activities that require pupils to listen and take notes
(e.g. Make notes)
• Activities that require pupils to listen and to choose or
do something in response (e.g. Shouting dictation)
• Activities that require pupils to listen and answer
questions (e.g. Run-around)
• Activities that require pupils to listen in small group
discussions or sharing of ideas (Argue against the
proposition)
D1.S4.9
 Stages for task-based approaches to Listening
2. Pre-task work
1. Lead-in Go through 3. Set task
Activate prior worksheet / Check that pupils
knowledge of pre-teach understand
topic vocabulary / instructions
prediction etc.
7.
Conclude
5. Feedback Lead to
4. Pupils on task 6. Could they follow-on
do the do the task? activities /
P – P or/then reflect on
task If ‘no’ then
P–T what has
repeat Stage 4 been learned
etc.
Adapted from Jim Scrivener, Learning Teaching (Macmillan, 2005), p. 174
D1.S4.10
 Task sequence

'Big' / More Language

general detailed focus

Taken from Jim Scrivener, Learning Teaching (Macmillan, 2005), p. 175

Sequence tasks so that they move from general overview tasks (‘How
many people are speaking?’; ‘Where are the people?’), towards more
focused tasks (‘Why did they leave on Tuesday?’), finally to language
work (‘What kind of verbs did you hear in the story?’; ‘Why did the
speaker use these verbs?’)
D1.S4.11
Listening strategies

In your groups discuss the following two

questions:

• How do we listen?
• What strategies do we use?

D1.S4.12
Extensive listening (top-down strategies)

• Using prior knowledge of the topic

• Knowing the features of a particular text type
• Getting an overview of the structure of the
whole text
• Getting the gist (the general meaning)
• Predicting the likely meaning

D1.S4.13
Listening for detail (bottom-up strategies)

• Correctly hearing particular sounds

• Working out the meaning of specific words
• Understanding precise details of information

D1.S4.14
Supporting pupils in Listening

In your groups discuss the following two questions:

• What are the potential obstacles to developing

your pupils’ Listening skills?
• What support methods can you think of to help
overcome these obstacles?

D1.S4.15
Supporting pupils in Listening
Obstacle
Bad acoustics (sound)
Acoustics are okay but pupils still Make sure you speak slowly.
struggle to hear me
Pupils struggle to predict from
the text type
Potential support method
Rearrange table layout (to avoid too
many pupils at the back of the class).
Play recording in the middle of the
classroom (or stand in the middle for
reading out a text).
Listen to exemplars.
Create activities to explore text type
structure and features.
D1.S4.16
Supporting pupils in Listening
Obstacle Potential support method
Pupils struggle to gist listen for Encourage pupils to not worry about
overview small items or individual words.
Pupils struggle to take notes (if Use graphic organisers to help with
the task requires this) note taking. Don’t insist on accurate
spelling.
Pupils struggle to understand Focus on listening for detail. Replay or
specific words repeat specific words or phrases.
Pupils struggle to understand Teacher reads the transcript and then
native speaker accent in plays the recording.
recordings

D1.S4.17
Plenary: Any questions?

Are there any questions?

D1.S4.18
Learning journal

• On your own, write up your first learning journal

entry.
• Question prompts are provided on Handout
D1.S4.H4.

D1.S4.19