English Language & Literature

The EL and Literature Department aims to develop every Kent Ridgean as a life-long inquirer, an empathetic communicator and a passionate learner of Language and Literature.

Customised Curriculum and Holistic Assessment
We seek to provide platforms for students to demonstrate skills and attributes beyond pen and paper assessment. Our alternative assessment is planned for students to develop a range of skills over the course of three years:

Secondary 1: Video production

Secondary 2: Drama

Secondary 3: Current Affairs Presentation

Student-centric Pedagogy
Students learn through Writing as a Process to develop metacognitive awareness in their writing. They learn collaboratively using their Personal Learning Devices (PLDs), tapping on ICT tools including SLS, Google Classroom, Kami and Padlet.

Programmes

Reading Programme
To improve our students’ language proficiency, we seek to cultivate the habit of reading through collaborating with the National Library Board and by having our students subscribe to educational magazines such as Beyond and ITHINK. The subscription is planned according to their level of needs and the magazines are also closely aligned to the English Language syllabus to equip our students with essential reading and writing skills.

To further enthuse our students in reading, we also organised events such as Blind Date with a Book and invited popular local authors to give talks to our students.

Talent Development Programme
In order to further cultivate interest and appreciation for language and literature, we started a Talent Development Programme to develop students with the potential to excel in English Language and Literature. These students are given opportunities to further pursue their interest in and participate in external competitions to hone their language skills. Students have participated in public speaking competitions such as the YMCA Plain English Speaking Awards (PESA), the ACJC Speech Arts Festival, as well as the Orator’s Trophy. A group of aspiring writers also took part in creative writing competitions such as the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition and the Essay Writing Competition for the Live On Festival.

KR Monthly Show
A collaboration with the CCE and Humanities department, the KR Monthly Show is another platform for students to develop their global awareness and oral communication skills. Through the monthly videos put up by a team of dedicated teachers and students, Kent Ridgeans are able to engage in a discussion of contemporary and social issues that they are interested in.

Literature

Upper Secondary Literature Showcase
The first GCE ‘O’ Level Pure Literature class was set up in 2010, and since then, it has been an annual tradition for the ‘O’ Level class to perform a dramatisation of one of their texts. This showcase allows students to gain deeper insights into their texts and to better appreciate the performance aspect of the play they are studying. Students have always enjoyed their experience in this showcase where they are given the platform to build confidence and presentation skills, nurture creativity, lead their peers and work in a team.

Read, Annotate, Debate! (RAD) Interschool Literature Debate
The Read, Annotate, Debate! (RAD) Interschool Literature Debate competition was co-organised by KRSS and a total of 6 participating schools. Students enjoyed the experience of debating with their peers from different schools which gave them fresh insights into the texts they were studying.