Kang Chiao Spotlight Issue 20 (小學部)

　　Many Taiwanese students think the most difficult part of English is spelling. Though the spelling system looks chaotic, there are regular patterns. Understanding the "rules" of what we say and how the words are written can help children become better and more confident spellers. Ms. Wei explains how our English teachers guide students to apply phonics skills to learn new words. She also describes how Grade 1 and 2 students can review vocabulary words through various games using KCIS Weekly Word Circus.

　　Our fifth graders are working on their Directions Project. This time their role is not learning, but teaching a skill to the other grade five students. First they have to determine a useful skill, then organize the steps, and finally demonstrate them to see if they are clear. Through the process, the students develop better communication skills and become more confident to perform what they can do. We hope you will enjoy reading their work and maybe you will learn some new skills from their directions.

　　October is Kang Chiao's birthday. The school has arranged a series of celebration activities. The International Department plans Halloween activities. Let us celebrate Kang Chiao's birthday together!

　　很多人覺得學英文很難，而最困難的地方就是背單字，死記單字不只會混淆，而且容易忘記。事實上，英語系國家的小學生是利用字母拼讀法（phonics）來認字和拼字的。國際處課研組長Ms. Wei說明英文老師如何教導學生將單字劃分成音節，然後運用字母拼讀規則，學習拼字。此外，還透過造句和閱讀來學習語意和語用。國際處和資訊組合作開發的Weekly Word Circus平台，可以幫助低年級學生在家自行複習單字的正確發音、拼讀和用法，我們希望透過趣味的遊戲方式，協助英文初學者建立拼字系統的內在機制，能輕鬆有效的學習單字，有了充足的語彙，才能提高英文閱讀的效率。

　　每個人都有幾項拿手絕活，然而，如何教導別人自己擅長的事情，卻不是件容易的事。首先，要把作法依照順序整理好，使用準確的語言描述，最好加上操作示範，更重要的是，留意聽者的反應，確認沒有誤解。這就是五年級學生最近正在進行的專題Directions（指示說明），從孩子們的作品，您不僅可以了解他們擅長的事情，試著依循他們的指示，您還能學會幾個新技能喔！

　　十月份是康橋的生日，學校安排了一系列的校慶活動，國際處則規劃萬聖節闖關活動，讓我們一同慶祝康橋生日快樂！

　　Grade one and two students at Kang Chiao are introduced to new vocabulary words from the foreign and Chinese English teachers every week. How do they learn these words? Many students learn through rote memorization, which is achieved through repetition and does not allow a deeper understanding of the content. We would like to encourage our students to engage in more meaningful learning so that they can apply their knowledge in different situations.

How Vocabulary is Taught

　　Our English teachers will introduce the vocabulary words by explaining the definitions through visual aids. We break down the words into smaller components and try to sound out each letter to recognize the phonemes. This way, even if students don’t memorize the spelling they can use phonics to sound out the words. For example, second graders learn the word: twin. We break this down into the /t/, /w/, /i/, and /n/ sounds. Students are then exposed to singular and plural forms of the nouns as well as the present and past tenses of the verbs. Students will look at how the word is used in context by discussing how it is used in a sentence in the Reading Street reading. Once students understand the word, they are invited to create their own sentences in order to ensure that they know how to use it in other contexts.

　　It is not enough to just know how to spell the vocabulary words. In order to master the English language, students need to be able to apply the words in other situations. As we review in class, we ask the students to look at fill in the blank sentences and try to decipher the correct word for each sentence. We also developed an online platform called KCIS Weekly Word Circus, which allows students to review the vocabulary words through various games.

　　When students access KCIS Weekly Word Circus, they can listen to each word along with the picture and sentence. Then, they can go to Super Spell to try and choose the correct letters in the right sequence in order to spell the word. Monster Match allows students to match the word to the picture. Finally, Clever Click asks students to analyze the sentence and try to pick the correct word to fill in the blank.

　　Reviewing for the weekly vocabulary tests should not be a chore that students dread. We want to make learning fun for the students by getting them to reinforce their knowledge through enjoyable activities. Through KCIS Weekly Word Circus, students will look forward to reviewing these words independently.

　　The difference between rote learning and meaningful learning is that students are able to retain the information and then transfer that knowledge to other situations and problems. Learning vocabulary words is a foundational step to learning a new language. Not only should students understand how words are used in published texts, they should also have the ability to create and tackle new sentences. With the wide use of electronic devices that provide spell check, being able to recall the spelling of a word is no longer an essential skill. By learning and applying the vocabulary words through play, we want our students to embrace learning and be confident masters of words.