INFO - PROGRAM SEEDS

Schoolwide English Enrichment & Development Strategies (SEEDS) What is SEEDS? SEEDS stands for Schoolwide E nglish E nrichment & Development S trategies. It was designed in response to the need to overcome the declining standard of English among MRSM (MARA Junior Science Colleges). It is modeled on the principles of Schoolwide Enrichment Model by Joseph Renzulli and IRP (Intensive Revision Programme) by Matias Francisco de Menezes while the programme content is the work of the English Language staff of the SEEDS team. SEEDS is a comprehensive programme that takes into account every facet of language learning and the unique problems faced by these students. Since learning English should not be confined only to the classroom, SEEDS involves the whole school population, that is, administrators, academic and non-academic staff and, of course, the students. The three major principles underlying SEEDS are: # Vocabulary forms the basis of all language learning. Therefore, the first task of language teachers is to build a stable foundation of words, thus enabling students to communicate in the target language. # Language learning involves the major components of acquisition, retention, practice and reinforcement. Therefore, the language learning environment should provide maximum opportunities for students to acquire and practise/use the target language. # Maximum commitment and support from the entire school community is important in order to provide the most conducive climate for learning the target language.

SALIENT FEATURES OF SEEDS Simple and easy to implement Resources used are cheap and easily available Duration of the programme is short Specific behavioural targets are easily quantifiable

TARGET OF SEEDS Accumulate a minimum of 1500 words Listen to and understand spoken English Communicate meaningfully in local and international contexts Read and understand prose and poetry Write effectively for different purposes

COMPONENTS OF SEEDS SEEDS consists of three components: Plan for Improving English in Schools (PIES) Formal English Classes (FEC) English Immersion Activities (EIA)

PIES (Plan for Improving English in Schools) Introduction PIES is a 20-week programme that serves as the foundation upon which SEEDS is built. As vocabulary forms the basis of language acquisition, PIES concentrates on vocabulary building activities. Special strategies involving simultaneous practice and reinforcement exercises are implemented through listening, speaking, reading and writing activities. Texts used in the activities are specially selected to cater for different levels of students. It is estimated that at the end of the programme, students would have accumulated 1,500 words. Implementation 1. A team of staff is selected to be responsible for PIES. 2. Each member of the team is given a specific role to play. 3. A pre-test is conducted to gauge the participants' standard of English. 4. Upon the implementation of the PIES programme, a list of 15 words with their approximate meanings in Bahasa Melayu (Malay) is given out to all members of the school community. 5. At a prescribed time, a broadcast activity is conducted to teach and practise the 15 words for the day. 6. Reinforcement exercises using special techniques start in the second week of the programme. 7. Monitoring of the programme is done at 2 levels: - at school level by the Principal - externally by the programme designers 8. A final evaluation is done at the end of the 20-week period through a post-test.

FEC (Formal English Classes) Introduction FEC is a 2-year programme that takes into account the present classroom situation and attempts to realign the focus of our attention from the syllabus and examination to

English proficiency. The belief underlying this strategy is that if a student is proficient in the language he or she would perform well in the required examination. Another concern that FEC addresses is the level of motivation of students learning a foreign language. FEC attempts to overcome this problem through student-centred learning and activity-oriented classes. Implementation 1. A pre-test is conducted to gauge the level of English among students. 2. Teacher training sessions are carried out in stages to expose teachers to innovative teaching methods. 3. Workshops are conducted to prepare lesson plans for the classroom. 4. A compilation of selected lesson plans is sent to the participating schools to be used as models in their effort to prepare lesson plans for the year. 5. Monitoring is done through visits to the participating schools by programme designers. 6. A final evaluation is carried out at the end of the 2 year period by conducting a posttest.

EIA (English Immersion Activities) Introduction EIA is a 2-year programme that concentrates on activities outside the formal classroom. Its objective is to restructure the school environment, making it conducive for acquiring the target language. Opportunities in the form of daily, weekly and annual activities are generated that require students to use and be exposed to English constantly. Eventually, English becomes part of the school culture, thus making it bilingual. Implementation 1. A pre-test is conducted to gauge the level of English proficiency among students. 2. A list of possible daily, weekly and annual activities is sent to the participating schools. 3. The participating schools choose the required number of activities and implement them for a 2-year period. 4. Monitoring of these activities is done by the Principal at school level and by the programme designers through visits to the participating schools. 5. A final evaluation is done at the end of the 2-year period through a post-test.

PROPOSED SCHEDULE FOR SEEDS

PROGRAMME PIES

TIME

January (Plan for ImprovingMay > English in Schools)

PARTICIPANTS 1. Forms 2 & 3 2. Form 5 3. Principal, Asst. Principal, teachers, admin. staff & support staff

FEC

January of the 1st year (Formal English - November Class) of the third year OR January of the 1st year - November of the second year

Forms 1, 2 & 3 Forms 4 & 5

EIA January (of 1.Forms 1, 2 & 3 English Immersion the 1st 2. Forms 4 & 5 Activities) year) November ( of the 3rd year) OR January (of the 1st year) November (of the 2nd year)

ACTIVITIES 15 new words a day Broadcasts Reading articles Reinforcement exercises Assemblies Role Calls Announcements

EVALUATION Pre-Test (January ) Post-Test (May )

Regular English Pre-test (January ) classes - structural Post-Test (Sept of the approach 1st, 2nd & 3rd years) - activity-oriented Pre-Test (EPT) - student-centred (February ) - Teacher as Post-Test (EPT) facilitator (September of the 1st - Concentrate on & 2nd years) language proficiency - Not too rigid with syllabus Structuring the school environment (Daily, College, National Activities) Daily/Weekly Activities - Notices - Newspapers on boards Message board/ tree Graffiti sheet Riddles - Broadcast Newsletters Court Buzz English Day English Night Journal Writing/ scrapbook - Reading Corner/ Programme - Language Games -

Conclusion It is envisaged that SEEDS works on the premise that successful acquisition of English involves the assimilation of the language into the learners' world. In this manner, retention of what is learnt is enhanced.

SEEDS TEAM 1. Matias Francisco de Menezes

- Principal, MARA College, Banting

2. Stephen Ambrose 3. Loh Mei Lin 4. Noor Aziah Bt A. Karim 5. Haniza Bt Husain 6. Lee Chai Poe 7. Rodina Bt Kamaruddin

- Master Teacher, MARA College, Banting - Head Of Language Department, MARA College, Banting - English Language Officer, MARA Secondary Education Division, Kuala Lumpur - English Language Officer, MARA Secondary Education Division, Kuala Lumpur - English Teacher, MARA College, Seremban - English Teacher, MARA College, Seremban