Embrace all Learners

Reading is the key to understanding. The department believes that all students must know how to read and have the skills to understand what they are reading. 

At the lower primary level,  students develop skills categorised in the following areas. This is done through the use of graded books and phonics-based ICT resources.

• Readiness for reading, e.g. distinguish between letters and words

• Phonemic awareness, e.g. identify common sounds in words

• Decoding through phonics, e.g. match sounds to the corresponding letters

• Recognition of words, e.g. identify rhyming words

At the middle primary levels, students develop close and critical reading and viewing skills that allow them to, among others:

• Make predictions about a text they are reading based on their prior knowledge

• Retell what has happened in the text in their own words

• Make inferences to draw conclusions.

QU for quality, E for enriching, ST for strategies - that's what it means.

The English QUEST is a unique programme designed to challenge higher readiness learners. At its core is the "Reading Circle", a book club with a twist. Here, students dive into books to explore diverse perspectives without the pressure of right or wrong answers. This programme nurtures critical thinking, empathy, and powerful communication skills. Through character-based discussions and debates, students learn to read between the lines and express their thoughts coherently. The QUEST programme equips students with skills that are beyond the primary school syllabus, fostering a love for literature and knowledge.

As part of our commitment to nurturing critical and independent thinkers, the English Department conducts Socratic Seminars for our High-Ability Learners (HAL). This structured dialogue approach invites students to engage deeply with a text through thoughtful questioning and reflective discourse. Grounded in the belief that inquiry is the foundation of meaningful learning, the seminar encourages students to pose and respond to questions that lead to further exploration and insight.

Our Socratic Seminar materials are thoughtfully designed by our team of English educators and serve as an enriching extension of the STELLAR programme. Through this initiative, students hone their analytical thinking and sharpen their oral communication skills in a collaborative and intellectually stimulating environment.