Enhanced NET Scheme in Secondary Schools

Regional NET Coordinating Team (RNCT)

The Regional NET Coordinating Team (RNCT) is established to provide support and guidance for secondary schools taking part in the Enhanced NET Scheme. The RNCT promotes collaboration between NETs and their English panel colleagues in planning and delivering effective learning and teaching strategies. Regional NET Coordinators (RNCs) are allocated to support schools from four particular regions, namely Hong Kong, Kowloon, New Territories East and New Territories West. Within these regions, RNCs foster networks within and across schools where teachers develop school-based curricula which address student needs. RNCs also support activities and events in areas such as phonics, poetry, storytelling, drama and debating, offer professional development to all English teachers and provide them with innovative materials and strategies. Through these activities more teachers are able to develop effective strategies and stimulating materials suited to students from a range of learning styles and development levels.

Vision

The RNCT’s vision is to enable Hong Kong students to become competent users of English and to enjoy the use of English in a variety of situations and for a variety of purposes.

Mission

The RNCT’s mission is to create an enriched and effective English language learning and teaching environment in local schools through the implementation of curriculum reform, professional development of teachers and the adoption of innovative learning and teaching practices.

RNCT Working with Schools

The RNCT organises district cluster meetings, experience-sharing sessions, professional development workshops and provides school support to build the capacity of English teachers.  It also conducts events and competitions that provide a stimulating environment in which students acquire and use English for authentic communication.

A) Professional Development

• Conduct a programme of centralised professional development workshops for English teachers including NETs
• Organise cluster meetings where teachers are introduced to effective  teaching strategies and share experiences on pedagogical issues
• Support co-planning meetings in programme schools where teachers develop their capacity in curriculum implementation focuses such as literacy development, language arts and language across the curriculum.
• Observe and/or participate in lessons followed by collaborative debriefing sessions
• Offer current and relevant advice on pedagogical issues and curriculum directions when contacted by schools or teachers

B) Learning and Teaching

• Support schools in developing cross-curricular collaboration and encouraging English teachers and content subject teachers to integrate the language learning demands of both areas and help students connect their learning experiences
• Develop teachers’ capacity to apply the creative elements of language arts to students’ literacy development so as to motivate students to respond to artistic language and employ higher order thinking and collaborative skills
• Develop and introduce a variety of learning and teaching resources to support the implementation of the 3-year Senior Secondary English Language curriculum
• Plan and organise territory-wide competitions which extend and enrich the environment for students of a range of abilities to acquire and experience success in using English for authentic communication

C) Curriculum Development

• Support schools to develop their school-based English Language curriculum and resources for learning and teaching English

D) Building a supportive working relationship

• Keep close contact with teachers through cluster meetings, e-mail, phone calls or fax
• Give advice on NET deployment issues when contacted by schools or teachers