NET Scheme News 2023 Spring issue 43

Inculcating Positive Values through Culture It was our pleasure to join this MLA “Seed” project. We all agree that learning English is not confined to learning the four language skills, vocabulary and grammar. As an international city, our students are bound to encounter people from all over the globe. They will come across various cultures and may need to adapt to them.Therefore, raising students’ intercultural competence is important in the English language classroom so that they can communicate effectively with different people in the future. As teachers, our main aim is to see how our students have changed after our teaching. We successfully let them experience authentic learning in the classroom. They are more aware of their surroundings, be it the local or the global community. In addition, they use the four language skills to inquire and research in this project.They take an active role in learning. They become more respectful and more understanding towards other cultures and their intercultural competence has been enhanced. In English language learning, we always emphasise learning in context and the use of authentic materials. All these elements are included in this MLA “Seed” project.This is the reason why we joined this programme in the first place. In the preparation process, some thinking routines were introduced, such as SCAMPER and the Empathy Chart.We can use these thinking skills and the thinking tools in other school-based units too.The MLA “Seed” project enhances teachers’professional development as well.We are more confident and ready to prepare our students to be global citizens of the world. Rachel Chan, English Panel Chair, QES Old Students’Association Branch Primary School What are the Secrets of Happiness? P6 students from S.K.H. St. Peter’s Primary School explored the true definitions of happiness and discovered various ways to achieve life satisfaction from the MLA “Seed” project last year. Students understood that ‘pleasure’ is not equivalent to ‘happiness’ but merely a fraction of it.True happiness stems from engagement, passion and life purpose. Students came across and examined the direct relationship between a country’s GDP and its citizens’ happiness index and, at the same time evaluated the background implications and impacts.Culture also plays a major role in affecting people’s perception of happiness. Students were exposed to different childhood games around the world and realised that the fundamental essence of ‘games’ is the fun and bonding shared between playmates. Life stories of people who are challenged by disabilities, such as Nick Vujicic and So Wa Wai, were introduced for students to understand the importance of gratitude and appreciation. Last but not the least, as the old saying goes, “It’s more blessed to give than to receive,” students read authentic examples of children helping out in their community and thus realised their own power and capability of doing the same. Dennis Tam, English Panel Chair, S.H.K St Peter’s Primary School Festivals around the World The MLA “Seed” project was implemented to develop students’ language and intercultural competence in P6. From the unit on Festivals around the World, students were curious about the culture of different countries, including the traditions and customs of festivals, and they took the initiative to do their inquiry-based learning with the use of technology to further expand their knowledge of the countries. Teachers were glad to see that students have gained a better intercultural understanding of different countries through a range of activities. With the use of thinking tools, their thinking skills were also enhanced. Teachers also agreed that this project broadened students’ horizons and helped to enrich their writing. Through collaborative lesson planning, classroom support and post-lesson reflections, teachers were encouraged to share, disseminate and explore effective learning and teaching practices. Sanda Yeung, Project Coordinator, HHCKLA Buddhist Ching Kok Lin Association School 15 NET Scheme News Issue 43