English Language
English Curriculum
The English Department adopts the STELLAR (STrategies for English Language Learning And Reading) 2.0 approach in the teaching and learning of English language. STELLAR 2.0 aims to strengthen students’ foundation in both receptive and productive skills and knowledge of the language through:
• explicit teaching of grammar
• explicit teaching of oracy skills
• explicit teaching of critical and close reading skills
• strengthening the reading-writing connection, taking into account the purpose of texts
• ringfencing one period for Extensive Reading
For lower primary, each unit is structured across 2 weeks and taught in 3 stages:
• Shared Book Approach (SBA) 1: where children read a storybook (big book) with the teacher and engage in oral discussions with teacher and peers
• SBA 2: where students are taught explicitly grammar, oracy skills, critical and close reading skills, and engage in class writing, group writing and individual writing through the Modified Learning Experience Approach (MLEA)
• Differentiated Focused Lessons (DFL): which include word study lessons to strengthen word recognition skills, one reading period set aside each week to promote extensive reading and other extension activities
Active Reading Programme
The Active Reading Programme is a joint initiative between the Mother Tongue Languages (MTL) and English Language (EL) Departments, and is implemented by the Active Reading Committee. It aims to instill the love for reading and promote the appreciation of languages. It is also our aim to provide our students with greater access to books, and motivate them to read widely. Some of the key events include:
a) Reading Under The Stars
Reading Under The Stars seeksst to promote the importance and joy of reading to our P1 students through activities which encourage parents to read with their children and foster parent-child bonding. In 2023, besides having a guest speaker promoting the infusion of drawing activities with storytelling to our parents, there were also activities like P1 Poetry Recitation Showcase, MTL storytelling sessions by our committee members and borrowing of library books for family reading time in our school hall.
a) Book Character Dress-up Day
Book Character Dress-up Day was a new initiative in 2023 aimed at raising students’ interest in and awareness of books from various authors by getting students to dress up as their favourite characters, and share with each other why they liked a particular character or story. The response and participation were very encouraging by both students and teachers alike.
Voices of Northoaks
Voices of Northoaks is English Department’s signature programme which aims to deepen and extend our students’ learning while stretching their potential by:
1. Teaching oracy and communication skills progressively from P1 to P6 so as to build students’ foundational skills, knowledge and confidence in speaking
2. Providing platforms for students to express themselves through stretch programmes such as P1 Poetry Recitation Showcase, P2 Reader’s Theatre Showcase, P3 & P4 Storytelling Showcase and P5 & P6 Speaker’s Corner
Reading Support Programmes
The English Department also looks into programmes aimed at raising the reading proficiency of students who require learning support in this area of language learning.
Besides Learning Support Programme (LSP) for P1 and P2 students, Reading Remediation Programme (RRP) and School-based Dyslexia Remediation (SDR) Programme for P3 and P4 students, we also conduct kidsREAD Programme (organised by National Library Board) for P1 and P2 students, where we partner with Canberra Secondary School students who will conduct storytelling sessions for our students and be their buddy readers.
Buddy Reading Programme is also an initiative by our LSP teachers where selected P4 and P5 students are paired with our P1 and P2 students to do buddy reading on a weekly basis.
