The pre-writing stage of a thematic writing task involves both divergent and convergent thinking. This workshop aims to equip teachers with ideas on how two carefully-selected thinking routines, that facilitate the relevant cognitive processes, can be used in their writing instruction. Teachers will also gain an insight into how the routines can be used in the diverse classroom through modifications of these strategies and their use in assessing students for further differentiated intervention, to support them through the writing process. 

Date: 11 July 2023 (Tue)

Mode of Delivery: Online via videoconferencing 

Registration: Search for the course code EL-000189 in OPAL2.0, or by clicking on the link here.

Reading fluency has been referred to as a bridge to comprehension. It is an important part of the MOE’s English (EL) syllabus with a focus on accuracy and fluency in oral communication. The common practice for fluency occurs through extensive oral reading practice.

Reading practices are vital to students developing these skills for feedback and for teachers to check on students’ progress. However, these are limited by class time and further exacerbated by full Home-Based Learning (fHBL) between 2020 and 2021. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Reading Progress (RP) Application enables pedagogical elements that are difficult to include in regular instruction and revolutionised oral practice to a student-centric practice, creating space and time in class by offering powerful formative assessment data and tools to analyse student progress. This allows teachers to design strategies for intervention as well as one-to-one coaching for weaker students without compromising valuable instructional time. These strategies are incorporated into lesson design accompanying the use of RP, guided by SLS pedagogical scaffold. 

Note: The workshop is full. You will be placed on waitlist upon application for this workshop. Thank you for your kind understanding.

Date: 27 June 2023 (Tue)

Mode of Delivery: Online via videoconferencing 

Registration: Search for the course code EL-000192 in OPAL2.0, or by clicking on the link here.

Blended Learning is becoming an integral part of the Singapore classroom. This workshop introduces the SAMR Model to support the participants in developing a deeper understanding and application of blended learning in their classrooms. Participants will also experience a Station Rotation and take away ideas on its fundamental features, afforded opportunities,  potential challenges; and have the opportunity to craft their own blended learning lessons using SAMR and Station Rotation.  

Date: 28 February 2023 (Tue)

Mode of Delivery: Face-to-face workshop

Registration: Search for the course code EL-000193 in OPAL2.0, or by clicking on the link here.

“To Write. To Inspire.” is a milestone project which our English Department (ELD) and the Mother Tongue Languages Department (MTLD) embarked on from 2020 to 2021. It stemmed from an urgent need to address student learning gaps in writing skills and to level up staff capacity in teaching writing. 

The ELD and MTLD leveraged strengths in curriculum design to re-design the writing curriculum and process for both students and staff. The departments’ curriculum re-design journey also culminated in a professional collaboration where both departments collaborated to print the literary works of our students and developed a portal to showcase the work of our bilingual talents. Some positive outcomes included improved student outcomes at the national level, and the closing of PSLE performance gaps in writing.

Date: 9 March 2023 (Thu)

Mode of Delivery: Online via videoconferencing 

Registration: Search for the course code EL-000188 in OPAL2.0, or by clicking on the link here.

We often admonish our students not to write compositions that are 'irrelevant' to the topic as they will end up doing very badly on the task. However, is that all there is with regard to relevance? The challenge we undertook was to reframe the idea of Relevance to students such that instead of looking at it as a black-or-white (relevant or irrelevant to the topic) issue, they look at Relevance as a continuum. We wanted to emphasize to them that there is a blue ocean out there for them to explore. We wanted them to understand that they should not merely be satisfied with writing a composition relevant to the given topic but think about how they can embrace the topic fully and write a story that is Fully Relevant to the given theme, which would enhance their story multi-fold. The WOW Writing Framework was conceptualized as an answer to the above challenge.

Date: 13 April 2023 (Thu)

Mode of Delivery: Online via videoconferencing 

Registration: Search for the course code EL-000186 in OPAL2.0, or by clicking on the link here.