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2010/SOM1/HRDWG/012

Agenda Item: EDNET 6.4

Progress Report - Study of Best Practices in Teaching and Learning Languages in APEC Economies: Lesson Study Applications

Purpose: Information

Submitted by: Chinese Taipei

/ 32nd Human Resources DevelopmentWorking Group Meeting Hiroshima, Japan
24-28 February 2010
APEC PROJECT FORMAT
Facesheet

(Tick one) Project seeking APEC funding  Project for self-funding

X Progress Report Evaluation Report

(Tick one where applicable) [ ] Operational Account[ ] TILF Special Account

Project number: HRDWG 01/2009
(To be filled in by Secretariat: ) / Date received by Secretariat:
Name of Committee/Working Group:
HRD - EDNET
Title of Project:
Study of Best Practices in Teaching and Learning Languages in APEC Economies: Lesson Study Applications
Proposing APEC Economies: Chinese Taipei
Co-sponsoring APEC Economy (ies) Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Thailand, United States
Project Overseer: Name, Title and Organization Ms. LeAnn Eyerman
Postal address:
Ms. LeAnn Eyerman
MingChuanUniversity
250 Zhong-shan N. Rd. Sec. 5 Taipei 111 / Dr. C.J. Liu
Director General
Bureau of International Cultural and Educational Relations Ministry of Education, Taipei 100 / Tel: 886-2-2882-4564 ext 2537
Fax: 886-2-2881-0521
Email:
Financial Information / Total cost of proposal (US$):
131,030 / Amount being sought from APEC funding (US$):87,140
Type of Project: Seminar/symposium  Short-term training course Survey or analysis and research
Database/website Workshop Other(please specify)
Project start date: January 2009 / Project end date: July 2010
Brief description of Project : its purpose and the principal activities (including when and where) :
This project aims to:
1) Share the concept and examples of Lesson Study, through a DVD Workshop, as a realistic and effective approach for in-service primary and secondary school teachers’ professional development in the area of language teaching in order to promote higher proficiency in shared languages for the good of economic life and development among the APEC member economies; and
2) Collaboratively apply and evaluate the Lesson Study approach for the pragmatic teaching of languages among the APEC member economies.
Principal Activities:
In order to achieve the goals of the project, activities will be implemented in three phases.
Phase I A DVD workshop on Lesson Study will be prepared for distribution among key language educators and/or primary and secondary school language teaching groups (mainly upper primary and lower secondary) in APEC member economies in order to share the concepts and means of applying this approach to language teachers’ professional development. In addition to describing the approach, a sample Lesson Study of a real-life English lesson in one of the APEC economies will be featured. (January 2009-January 2010)
Phase II Each co-sponsoring APEC member economy will engage in promoting the Lesson Study project and developing at least one language teaching Lesson Study in their economy and corresponding DVD. (January 2010-July 2010)
Phase III An APEC Symposium on Lesson Study in Language Teaching will be organized in order to share teaching approaches and lessons learned for developing effective and practical language teaching across economies. The symposium will be co-hosted by Chinese Taipei, the Lead Shepherd’s Office and SEAMEO RELC in Singapore, 19~21 April 2010.
Signature of Project Overseer:LeAnn Eyerman Date: February 11, 2010
(Separate written confirmation acceptable for email submission)
Signature of Committee Chair/WG Lead Shepherd:(Not applicable to Progress Report and Evaluation Report)
(Separate written confirmation acceptable for email submission) Date:

Progress Report on APEC Projects

Status/Progress and Problems

Current status of project: slightly behind schedule; within budget
Objectives
How do results of the project thus far (if any) compare with its expected results? Include your results thus far (if any) relative to quantitative measures you proposed in paragraph 1 (and 25) of the project design proposal.
Following last year’s HRD WG, Chinese Taipei agreed to collaborate with the Lead Shepherd’s Office to co-host an international language education seminar along with Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Language Centre (SEAMEO RELC). This 19~21 April seminar, to be held in Singapore at the RELC facility, will feature a Lesson Study Track. This was determined to be the wisest use of resources, and a means to maximize participation and further the promotion of this APEC project among a broader audience of interested professionals.
14 member economies have nominated 25 pedagogical research specialists and key teachers to participate in the project, with each participating economy presenting their lesson study experience in language education.
Website for the project is available at:
Workshop on Lesson Study for languages was held in Taipei March 21-22, 2009 (~ 6 weeks later than planned), with two specialists from US and Japan.
Chinese Taipei pedagogical specialists, key teachers and research assistants have completed the phase of lesson planning, teaching with observation, and reflection on their study lessons. There is one study lesson in English at each of primary, lower secondary and upper secondary levels.
A DVD-CD ROM packet is being readied for distribution. This will include 4 hours of edited Workshop on Lesson Study (2 DVDs), with translated captions; translation into Spanish, Korean, Malay, Indonesian, Vietnamese and Thai is nearly complete. Excerpts of Lesson Study experiences in language education from Chinese Taipei (1 DVD) and Lesson Study instructional materials, bibliography, and English transcript of the workshop (1 CD ROM) make up the remainder of the packet.
Linkages, Methodology, Budget
Describe any problems which have arisen and how they were resolved, including changes in schedule or revised dates, budget changes, changes in participation, or additions or deletions of activities.
Project start was delayed due to complications arising from local budget schedule and arrangements for suitable specialists to come for the Chinese Taipei workshop. Translation of the workshop transcript was also delayed due to slow or no response from a number of economies, despite attempts by project organizer. However, these obstacles were overcome and suitable translators were identified with the assistance of Chile and locally in Chinese Taipei.
As stated above, the original plan for a November 2009 conference in Chinese Taipei was modified to become a dedicated track for Lesson Study in a collaborative international language seminar, organized by the Lead Shepherd’s Office, SEAMEO RELC and Chinese Taipei.
Gender Considerations
Project data collection and seminar will include both men and women as respondents, participants, and research specialists.
Progress since last report: How the project fits into the four priorities recommended by Education Ministers for future EDNET work?
In relation to the Strategic Action Plan for English currently being executed within APEC, this project is one tool for equipping emerging members of the APEC workforce with 21st century skills so member economies can adapt quickly to a more open and competitive marketplace. This will be accomplished by using best practices examples of language teaching to strengthen the instruction of English and other languages, specifically Mandarin, in the Asia-Pacific region at the primary, secondary, postsecondary, and technical levels. These examples will be distributed as a resource for all 21 member economies by utilizing the APEC HRD Wiki and EDNET Knowledge Bank. It is anticipated that this body of regional knowledge will be of particular advantage to teachers and learners in developing economies, including disadvantaged girls.
For detailed progress, see Objectives section above.