TDC 2022 Paper Presenter 10

STARING AT WORDS: ADDRESSING STUDENTS’ LACK OF STRATEGIES WHEN FACING AN UNFAMILIAR TEXT – A LITERACY ACROSS THE CURRICULUM APPROACH

Strand: The implementation of innovative pedagogies

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Paper 10 Presentation Slide

Abstract

In late 2018, 1038 Year 7 to Pre-University level students from Maktab Sains Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan were surveyed to determine students’ perceptions regarding their reading comprehension confidence levels. The final question of the survey asked students to share three strategies when faced with an unfamiliar text or vocabulary. Responses were collected, which included ‘translate’ (1%), ‘imagine’ (4%), ‘ask’ (11%), ‘language cues’ (5%) ‘research’ (13%) and no response (3%). ‘Read’ made up the majority (63%), denoting that these students expect to understand an unfamiliar text simply by reading it over and over. Thus, in 2019 the Literacy across The Curriculum (LATC) programme was conceived. There is an emphasis on this programme being cross-curricular as literacy is traditionally a burden of language teachers when it should be a shared responsibility of all subjects. Carefully selected to maximise implementation, nine strategies have been shared between 2019-2021. In terms of implications, these strategies have been credited as a way to ensure at least a Grade 3 in terms of lesson planning, lesson design and assessment on the BTS-TPAv2.0. This paper explores the implementation of these strategies, the challenges, what was successful, what needs improvement, as well as the future of LATC.

KEYWORDS
Lesson Planning, Task Design, Literacy, Curriculum Innovation

Cg. Farah Karim has been teaching at Maktab Sains Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan since 2011, teaching English Language at both SPE and ‘O’ Level as well as ‘O’ Level Literature in English. She is also an accredited Literacy Coach as well as a Certified Moderator.