许多家长在选择国际化学校时，常常会有这样的疑问：小学英语究竟怎么学？学些什么内容？所谓的沉浸式英语教学究竟是什么？这些问题不仅关乎孩子的语言能力发展，还直接影响到他们未来的学习和竞争力。在狄邦华曜学校，我们通过一系列创新的教学方法和课程设计，致力于培养学生的英语综合能力和创造力。

When parents choose an international school, they often have pressing questions: How is English taught in elementary school? What topics are covered? What exactly does immersive English teaching look like? At Dipont Huayao School, we address these concerns by nurturing students’ comprehensive English abilities and creativity through innovative teaching methods and curriculum designs.

教室的布置不仅是美化环境的一部分，更是教育过程中的重要环节。本学年，狄邦华曜学校在“PBIS正向行为干预”理念的指导下，特别注重通过教室布置来正向引导学生。

小学部英语学科组组长Ms. Jamie向我们展示了墙壁上一些仅用三个图钉固定的作业纸。在一众精心装裱的作品中，这些右上角略微下垂的纸张显得尤为引人注目。这是Ms. Jamie的精心设计，旨在提醒那些尚未完成作品修改的小学者们，需要及时修订好才能展示给大家。这种设计避免了负面批评，通过正向引导帮助学生培养良好的学习习惯。

此外，教师还使用绿色笔批改作业，避免使用红色笔，以减少学生的负面情绪，通过正向反馈激励学生不断进步。教室的座位安排也会根据教学需要频繁变动，鼓励学生自我反思和自我鼓励，如在镜子前给自己画像，增强自信心。通过这些巧妙的设计，不仅激发了学生的积极性，还帮助他们逐步形成自律和责任感。

Classroom layout at Dipont Huayao is more than just decor—it’s an integral part of the educational process. Inspired by the "PBIS Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports" framework, the school uses classroom environments to guide students positively.

For instance, Ms. Jamie, Head of the Elementary English Department, showed us some assignment papers displayed with just three thumbtacks on the wall. Unlike the carefully framed work surrounding them, these papers were deliberately left unfinished to signal that revisions were still needed. This subtle design gently reminds students to complete their work without resorting to negative criticism, encouraging good study habits through positive reinforcement.

Similarly, green pens are used for grading instead of red ones to minimise stress and encourage constructive feedback. Seating arrangements are also regularly adjusted to meet teaching goals, fostering self-reflection and self-confidence. For example, students might sketch self-portraits in front of mirrors to enhance their self-esteem. These thoughtful approaches inspire enthusiasm and motivation while nurturing self-discipline and responsibility.

教学方法和课程设计注重培养学生的综合能力和未来竞争力。每天的英语课都会强化听说读写四个方面的技能，确保学生有充分的语言表达机会。教师会通过讨论、角色扮演和小组活动等多种形式，激发学生的口语表达能力。

学校采用了灵活学习小组（Flexible Learning Groups）的模式，根据学生的水平进行分层教学。每个小组的学习进度和内容相似，但在深度和广度上有所不同，确保每个学生都能获得适合自己的学习资源。

通过项目式学习（Project-Based Learning），学生在实际操作中学习和应用知识，增强动手能力和解决问题的能力。英语课程与其他学科（如科学、社会学、艺术）紧密结合，通过综合性的项目和活动，培养学生的跨学科综合能力。

Dipont Huayao’s teaching methods and curriculum are designed to cultivate students’ comprehensive abilities and prepare them for future competitiveness. English classes focus on the four key skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—ensuring ample opportunities for language expression. Role-playing, group discussions, and interactive activities are used to enhance oral communication.

The school employs Flexible Learning Groups, dividing students by proficiency levels to tailor the depth and breadth of material while maintaining a similar learning pace. This ensures that every child receives the resources they need to thrive.

Project-Based Learning further enriches the curriculum by combining knowledge with hands-on activities. Students work on interdisciplinary projects that integrate subjects like science, art, and social studies, fostering practical skills and a love for exploration.

为了帮助学生更好地理解和记忆文章内容，教师会教授他们如何提取核心信息，并使用图形组织器（graphic organizer）来整理思路。例如，学生会学习如何识别故事中的核心人物、场景、情节和结果，然后将这些信息整理成思维导图。此外，教师还会引导学生进行导读预测，即在阅读过程中预测接下来可能发生的情节。通过这些教学活动，学生能够更深入地理解和分析文本，从而提升整体的阅读水平。

在课后阅读方面，教师采用多样化的阅读材料，根据学生的水平选择不同难度的书籍。教师推荐使用“五指法”帮助家长选择适合孩子的书籍，即如果孩子在一页书中遇到超过五个不认识的单词，这本书可能太难；反之，则适合当前水平。

此外，学校还使用智能打卡系统和在线阅读平台，帮助学生每天进行20分钟的练习，并通过大数据分析学生的技能短板，提供针对性的练习。

To enhance reading skills, teachers focus on strategies like extracting key information and using graphic organisers. Students learn to summarise story elements—characters, settings, plot, and outcomes—and arrange them into mind maps. Guided prediction activities encourage students to anticipate future developments in texts, deepening their analytical abilities.

For at-home reading, teachers recommend books using the "Five-Finger Rule": if a child encounters more than five unfamiliar words on a page, the book may be too advanced. Conversely, fewer than five unknown words indicate a suitable challenge.

Additionally, the school leverages online reading platforms and smart check-in systems to ensure students practice reading for 20 minutes daily. These platforms use data analysis to identify skill gaps and provide targeted exercises, enabling students to refine their reading skills effectively.

写作不仅是语言技能的一部分，更是培养创造力和表达能力的重要途径。通过多种方式激发学生的写作兴趣和创造力，教师鼓励学生进行创造性写作，如描述一次愉快的经历、想象自己被缩小后的世界等，这些主题不仅激发想象力，还帮助学生从不同角度思考问题。学生可以自由表达自己的想法和感受，重点在于创意和表达，而非语法和拼写。通过这些练习，学生不仅能提高写作技巧，还能增强自我表达的能力。

此外，创意写作与技术的结合是教学的一大特色。学生不仅要写出故事，还要在平台系统中给故事配上插画，将其变成故事书。例如，有一次学生需要创建一个故事，故事中的人物收到了1万美元，但他们不知道是谁寄的。学生不仅要写这个故事，还要使用Canva软件绘制插画，并利用AI工具设计人物角色。这种教学方法不仅提升了学生的文字表达能力，还通过技术手段增强了他们的视觉创作能力和综合创造力。

Writing is a key component of language learning and a gateway to developing creativity. Teachers at Huayao Collegiate encourage students to engage in creative writing through imaginative prompts such as describing a memorable experience or imagining being shrunk down by five inches. These exercises emphasise creativity and expression over grammatical perfection, helping students articulate their thoughts freely.

Technology plays a pivotal role in creative writing classes. Students illustrate their stories using platforms like Canva and utilise AI tools to design characters, transforming their written pieces into visually appealing storybooks. For example, one assignment involved crafting a story where characters mysteriously receive $10,000, requiring students to integrate written narratives with digital designs. This innovative approach blends language skills with technological literacy, enhancing creativity.

到了小学高年龄段，中英文课程的关联教学是培养学生跨文化理解和文学比较能力的重要手段。采取中英文老师合作的方式，确保学生在中英文环境中都能接触到相同的文学内容。例如，当中文老师教授童话故事时，英文老师也会教授同样的童话故事，帮助学生在两种语言环境中进行文化比较。这种教学方法不仅增强了学生的语言技能，还培养了他们对不同文化的理解和欣赏能力。

此外，在英语教学中，老师特别注重修辞手法的教授，因为它们能够帮助学生更好地理解和表达复杂的思想。老师会在阅读材料中涉及这些修辞手法，通过具体的例子和练习，教学生如何识别和使用修辞手法。例如，教师会引导学生分析文本中的比喻，帮助他们理解作者的意图和表达方式。通过这些教学活动，学生不仅能够提高语言表达能力，还能增强文学鉴赏和批判性思维能力。

For older elementary students, integrating Chinese and English literature fosters cross-cultural understanding. In collaborative lessons, Chinese and English teachers present the same literary content, such as fairy tales, in both languages. This dual approach encourages students to compare cultural narratives and deepens their appreciation of diverse perspectives.

Additionally, English lessons emphasise rhetorical devices to help students articulate complex ideas. Teachers guide students in analysing metaphors and other devices in texts, providing exercises to enhance their ability to identify and employ these techniques. These activities not only refine language expression but also strengthen critical thinking and literary appreciation.