English Language

Vision

The English Language (EL) department aims to cultivate a love for the English Language in our students and empower them with a strong foundation in language skills to thrive in the 21^st century confidently

English Language Curriculum Overview (Extracted from EL Syllabus 2020)

The EL Syllabus 2020 emphasises the building of a strong foundation in language skills and competencies while equipping students with 21^st century competencies to support lifelong learning. 

The EL Syllabus 2020 outlines the following Areas for Language Learning for the development of literacy:

• Listening and Viewing

• Reading and Viewing

• Speaking and Representing

• Writing and Representing

• Grammar

• Vocabulary

The EL Syllabus 2020 focuses on three desired outcomes:

1. Empathetic Communicators: Students who possess values and dispositions to listen actively to different points of view and be able to communicate confidently, effectively and sensitively, with the wider and more diverse communities both in and out of Singapore.

2. Discerning Readers: Students who can process and evaluate information with discernment and distinguish fact from falsehood and respond to information closely and critically according to purpose, audience, context and culture.

3. Creative Inquirers: Students who can gather and synthesise information from diverse print, non-print and digital networked sources, and co-create knowledge and solutions in familiar or new contexts. 

To achieve the desired outcomes, students will cover the Strategies for English Language Learning And Reading (STELLAR) 2.0 curriculum over six years. STELLAR is an interactive literacy programme that fosters confidence in learning English using children's literature.

Programmes & Initiatives

Guided Reading

The programme aims to arouse students’ interest in reading and expose them to a variety of narratives. Over a series of sessions during EL lessons, Primary 2 to 5 students will be involved in post-reading activities based on carefully selected novels they have read. These activities usually require students to share personal responses, take on different perspectives and engage in classroom discussions on main events in the story, characters’ thoughts and feelings and writer’s intentions. EL teachers will also guide students through increasingly challenging texts, with the aim of building students’ proficiency and comprehension skills.

Joy of Learning in the EL Classroom

To promote joy of learning in the EL classroom, games which promote robust learning and enhance student motivation have been introduced in EL classrooms to reinforce grammar concepts taught in class. 

Literacy Stations, featuring hands-on activities that reinforce concepts introduced in the lower primary EL classrooms, have also been introduced. These activities involve both independent and group learning and provide students with opportunities to apply their learning in authentic contexts and develop their literacy skills. 

Read @ ACS(P)

Our structured reading programme, Read @ ACS(P) is designed to nurture a love for books. A key feature of our programme is the Reading Reward Card, which motivates students to develop consistent reading habits. Each time a student completes a book followed by a book review, it will be recorded on their card and students will earn rewards as they progress. This gamified approach encourages reading for enjoyment and fosters a sense of achievement.

In addition to the Reading Reward Card, we engage students through storytelling sessions and school library visits. We also collaborate with parents and various subject departments to organise special events like our annual Library Fest. This event aims to bring language to life through a week of engaging activities such as storytelling, designing personalised book bags and badges and hands-on Science experiments.

By making reading an exciting and rewarding experience, we aim to create a vibrant reading culture in our school.

Reading Circles

Reading Circles (RC) is a collaborative reading strategy that encourages readers to discuss a piece of literature in depth. The discussion usually covers the author’s writing style, personal responses to the text or significant events and characters within the text.

This programme which takes place after school is for selected Primary 4 students with advanced oracy competencies in the English Language and are meant to meet the needs of these learners. During RC sessions, students will be provided with opportunities to engage their critical-thinking, reflection, teamwork, and communication skills as they express their perspectives and respond to what they have read.

Debate Enrichment

This programme which takes place after school is for selected verbally talented Primary 5 students with a foundation in debate.  By engaging these students in the rigour of debate, the programme aims to develop their confidence in oral communication and hone their research, analytical and critical thinking skills.