English

Cognitively Capable

Department Vision:

Every Student A Confident Speaker and Writer

Department Mission:

To promote a positive attitude towards English learning in students while strengthening both their language and reading skills

Stellar Programme

Endeavour Primary School has implemented the national English language curriculum known as STELLAR (Strategies for English Language Learning and Reading). This initiative by the Ministry of Education has been running well in the school since 2008.

STELLAR places an emphasis on reading and enjoyment of the language. Thus, in place of English textbooks, prescribed thematic story books are used to teach students the skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking.
The use of engaging stories helps to maintain the students’ interest in the language. The STELLAR Pedagogic Model is made up of a few major teaching strategies.

For each of these strategies, there will be a range of activities that will approach language both ‘holistically’ as well as in parts. This is where phonics, grammar, vocabulary, spelling and punctuation can be taught explicitly. In this model, there is a weaving between ‘whole’ and ‘parts’ in the teaching and learning
of English.

Learning Support Programme

The LSP Programme aims to help students improve their literacy skills. This is achieved by placing students into a smaller and more focused group teaching during curriculum. LSP students also attend Buddy Reading sessions conducted in the mornings. They are guided by better readers from the P3-P4 levels. These sessions are monitored by the LSP teacher and assisted by volunteers from the Parent Support Group (PSG).

School-based Dyslexia Remediation

The School-based Dyslexia Remediation (SDR) programme aims to provide support for P3 and P4 students who have been identified as at-risk of Dyslexia. This programme seeks to enable the selected students to acquire coping strategies in reading so that they will be better able to cope with their learning in school. The programme relies on a systemic set of strategies and activities which have been carefully designed by MOE.

Reading Remediation Programme

The Reading Remediation Programme (RRP) aims to provide support for P3 and P4 students who still face consistent difficulty in reading in the English Language despite having completed the Learning Support Programme in P1 and P2. The programme exposes students to a range of coping strategies for reading comprehension which will enable them to better manage their learning in the regular classroom.

Library Programme

Our Endeavour Media Resource Library has a full-time Library Assistant who sees to the day-to-day operation of the school library. English teachers take their students to the library and teach them about library etiquette and how to use the library effectively. Termly thematic activities are conducted in the library to improve readership. Every month, the top reader and the class with the highest readership from each level will be acknowledged.

Nurturing Thinkers through Thinking Routines

The English Department has incorporated Thinking Routines (TR) in various components in the teaching and learning of English. Some thinking routines such as See-Think-Wonder (STW), Think-Puzzle-Explore (TPE) and Zoom-In (ZI) enrich our students’ learning and enhances their learning processes. STW is widely used in the teaching of oral and compositions via the visual stimulus. TPE is used for grammar and vocabulary lessons and  ZI is commonly used during the Big Book reading to promote rich discussions using visual clues to trigger thoughts. We believe strongly that these thinking routines help to develop thinking dispositions, interpretation and inference skills while exploring ideas. TRs also activate prior knowledge and uncover current understandings and correct misconceptions.

Every Child A Writer (ECAW) Programme

In Endeavour Primary, we value all our students’ writing pieces. Our ECAW is a platform in which all our students’ works are recognised. Our Budding Writer’s Publication (booklet) seeks to celebrate the works of the outstanding writers in each class and level.

Harnessing Technology

We want our students to become self-directed and collaborative in their learning by harnessing technology to become confident users of the language. Our belief is that the move towards virtual learning will assist students in developing the 3Cs (Confidence, Curiosity & Cooperation). Pupils are encouraged to do podcasting, share their opinions, complete brainstorming for writing via Padlet including Sandbox, SLS Lesson packages, Mentimeter and School AI. Students are also introduced to Digital stories, grammar and vocabulary online games and quizzes. This approach allows for self-directed learning and brings about improvement in students’ language skills through peer and teacher assessment. Students are also involved in reviewing their own performance through self-checklists as well. This increases their confidence to communicate and learn from one another better.

Learning Journeys

Learning journeys to the Zoo, Bird Paradise and SEA Aquarium are organised. Students learn about animals’ unique adaptations to thrive in their habitat. The learning objectives are in line with the Stellar syllabus for our Primary 1 to Primary 3 lower primary students. They provide students with personal and meaningful experience before they work on describing factual or sensory details, applying rich vocabulary in their writing under Stellar Modified Learning Experiential Approach. They learn new knowledge in context by reflecting, gathering and selecting information presented to them during the guided tours. They will also organise the ideas learnt coherently and present using appropriate language features and structure for succinct presentations. These experiential learning journeys enhance the joy of learning the language.

Endeavour Reading Programme

Positive attitude towards reading is achieved through a range of interesting activities. Students visit the school library weekly during curriculum time and our teachers conduct reading sessions using guided readers to expand their reading diet. Thematic book displays and activities in the school are held to introduce students to books of different genres and themes. Students were highly engaged and the element of fun in these activities generated much curiosity

Our community partner, the National Library Board updates teachers and students on the current reading trends through our termly assembly sessions. To keep students informed of activities in the school library, our teachers introduce the planned reading activities and affirm students who have participated in these ongoing activities.

English Competitions

Students are given the opportunities to display their oratorical skills and creative writing skills via competitions. Our students participate in the annual Wits & Words Challenge and the Creative Writing Programme; both of which are organised by the Gifted Education Branch.

Primary School Syallbus - www.moe.gov.sg/primary/curriculum/syllabus
British Council Kids - https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/
Dolch List – www.sightwords.com/sight-words/dolch/
Starfall – www.starfall.com 
Cambridge Dictionary – www.dictionary.cambridge.org/