Pedagogical Resource Bank for Teacher-Student Oral Assessments

Department/Committee/Team: Chinese

Leader(s): ZHANG RONGHUA

Member(s): Hui Jing Hua, Henry Low Swee Kim, Li Xiaohui, Cai Yifei, Li Lin

1.  What was the current need/gap that you were addressing?

Students lack sufficient content accumulation in oral examinations, resulting in significant differences in their familiarity with various topics. For instance, they are more comfortable with everyday life topics but find societal topics relatively unfamiliar. This is primarily due to their limited exposure to Chinese reading materials, especially those addressing societal issues. Consequently, students also lack the necessary vocabulary required to articulate their views on such topics. They often struggle to use argumentative language effectively, which hinders their ability to express themselves competently in discussions.

2.  How had it been experimented and enacted?

Overview A structured oral learning resource bank will be created using Google Classroom. The resource bank will focus on societal topics relevant to oral examinations, categorized into five thematic areas: Education, Environmental Protection, Technology, Culture, Community, and Personal Development. These categories comprehensively cover topics typically included in oral assessments. Structure and Resources For each topic under the five categories, the following resources will be provided: 1. Representative Text o A carefully selected text that offers an in-depth discussion of the topic. o Key sentences and important vocabulary in the text will be highlighted by teachers to facilitate students’ reading, understanding, and knowledge accumulation. 2. Oral Presentation Practice Topics o A list of well-designed topics relevant to the theme, meeting oral examination standards. o Students can use these topics to practice delivering oral presentations. 3. Discussion Questions o A set of at least four conversation-style questions for each topic, aligned with oral examination requirements. o These questions enable students to engage in virtual or peer discussion practices. 4. Additional Reading Materials o A curated collection of written resources, including news articles, opinion pieces, and essays, to expand students’ knowledge and understanding of the theme. o These resources provide deeper insights and a broader context for students to draw from during oral exams. 5. Video Resources o Thematic video resources related to each topic to enhance listening skills and offer a more engaging, visual understanding of the content. Implementation • All the resources will be organized into easily accessible modules on Google Classroom. • Teachers can use these resources for lesson planning, group activities, and individual coaching. • Students can access the resources for self-directed learning and practice.

3.  Which group(s) had benefited?

Students (Entire Cohort), Teaching Staff (Selected Groups)

4.  What was the positive impact?

Benefits 1. Provides a comprehensive, categorized bank of resources tailored to oral examination needs. 2. Facilitates targeted learning by allowing teachers and students to focus on specific weak areas. 3. Encourages vocabulary building and the development of critical thinking through exposure to diverse perspectives. 4. Enhances engagement with multimedia resources, aiding comprehension and retention. This resource bank will be a dynamic tool to improve the quality and effectiveness of oral examination preparation for both teachers and students.

5.  What is a future need that this IdEas@work could meet?

The resource bank can be continuously updated and is not affected by teacher turnover. Successive teachers can continue to add new resources, thereby enriching the content over time.