Learning and teaching

Curriculum and Learning & Teaching

Academy Kindergarten (Tin Shui Wai) implements a school-based and integrated curriculum that is designed to meet children’s developmental needs. The school mission is developed based upon the preschool education references, guidelines and manuals of the Education Bureau. The curriculum incorporates theme-based learning content expanded upon picture books to develop children’s knowledge, skills and attitudes that connect to the six learning areas, namely “Physical Fitness and Health”, “Language”, “Early Childhood Mathematics”, “Nature and Living”, “Self and Society” and “Arts and Creativity”.

Our school adopts the HighScope teaching approach, which is characterised by its plan-do-review process that provides children with an opportunity to make their own choices following their interests in different learning corners and to engage in self-directed activities and inquiry-based explorations. Throughout the process, continuous observation, documentation and assessment are carried out by the teacher to gain a better understanding of children’s learning performance and effectiveness. In terms of curriculum planning and implementation, we have established a comprehensive mechanism for our written curriculum, teaching curriculum and assessment curriculum in order to keep our school-based integrated curriculum up-to-date and sustainable.

The integrated curriculum incorporates indoor and outdoor activities; gross and fine motor activities; “quiet” and “active” activities; individual, group or whole-class activities at free-choice corners; physical, music and art activities. Children will gain knowledge and attain a balanced development in different learning areas through engaging in self-directed learning, interactive learning, inquiry-based activities and real-life experiences. We also give children fun assignments or homework that requires the parent’s involvement to extend and consolidate students’ learning, cultivate good habits, develop a sense of responsibility and strengthen the parent-child bond. Examples include reading picture books, collecting objects, observation and interviews, sending messages, simple worksheets, arts and crafts. To prepare children for primary school and facilitate their adaptation to the new environment where they will meet new teachers, classmates and study a new curriculum, kindergarten-primary bridging elements are embedded into our curriculum.

We also take into account our students’ needs when designing our school-based curriculum. It caters for learner diversity and children with diverse characteristics (e.g. gifted students or non-Chinese speaking students and their families) to promote an inclusive learning environment that fosters proper development in children, and offers them a happy, effective learning experience. For example, we use drama activities that engage children’s senses to bring picture book stories to life. This enables children with different abilities to be fully engaged and confident in their learning.