Learning Domains

LITERACY

Objectives of Programme

Make available sufficient opportunities for students to increase the skills and knowledge of the four core components of language: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Enable our students to attain an appropriate level of competency score in Workplace Literacy (WPL) in order to be eligible for the application to schools for specialized skills training.

Main Content Areas

Level	Programme
Primary (7 – 12 years old)	Junior Functional English (JFE)
Secondary (13 – 18 years old)	Senior Functional English (SFE)

Approaches Used

JFE

The JFE programme adopts the Shared Book Approach to cultivate in students a love for reading and, to provide them with a strong foundation in the English Language. A variety of children’s literature is introduced to:

a) Provide an enjoyable experience with books

b) Encourage students to talk

c) Provide oral English models for both book and spoken language context for learning

SFE

The SFE programme aims to prepare students for Workplace Literacy competency skills. Students also engage in real-world content and are provided with opportunities to strengthen their language skills through communicative activities. ICT skills and topics such as using Google Apps are integrated in English lessons to prepare students for the digital world.

NUMERACY

Objective of Programme

The Mathematics structured and progressive programme equips students with the essential Mathematical knowledge, skills and attitudes towards academic achievement for higher educational institutions.

Main Content Areas

The Mathematics syllabus includes number, measurement, geometry and data analysis.

Age Group	Programme
7 to 12 years old	Junior Functional Math
13 to 18 years old	Senior Functional Math

Approaches Used

The school adopts the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract (CPA) approach for Mathematics teaching and learning based on individual learners. Concrete materials introduce students to mathematical concepts through real-world experiences. These real experiences enable students to visualise objects which are then transferred to Pictorial examples illustrated with photographs and pictures. Abstract examples provide students with the use of mathematical symbols related to the concrete and pictorials examples previously learnt.

SCIENCE

Objectives of Programme

The Science programme aims to stimulate students’ innate curiosity and develop their process thinking, observation, classification and prediction skills through hands-on experimentation.

Science is offered to students from 11 to 16 years old.

The Senior Science curriculum is customized to help students achieve the following Young Scientist Badge each year.

Senior Science 1: Young Food Scientist Badge
Senior Science 2: Young Physicist Badge
Senior Science 3: Young Botanist Badge
Senior Science 4: Young Chemist Badge

Objectives of Programme

The daily living skills training in Grace Orchard School focuses not only on skills necessary for fundamental functioning such as dressing, feeding, personal health and hygiene; but also on skills to enable an individual to live independently in a community. The aim is to enable students to participate more fully at home, at the workplace and in the community. Some examples of the skills include: performing simple housework, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, managing money, shopping for groceries, and taking public transport within the community.

Main Content Areas

Self Management	Home Living	Community Participation & Mobility
School/work readiness	Household maintenance	Getting around in the community
Personal health and grooming	Garment care	Use of community ammenities
Personal safety	Food preparation and storage
Managing finance

Objectives of Programme

The aim of Physical Education (PE) is to provide learning opportunities for students to acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to lead and enjoy an active and healthy life.

The objectives of the programme are to develop in each student the ability to:

Perform and enjoy a variety of physical activities at the individual’s maximum capacity
Develop and maintain physical health and fitness through regular participation in physical activities
Demonstrate positive self-esteem through body awareness and control
Demonstrate the spirit of fair play, teamwork and sportsmanship
Acquire safe practices during physical activities
Build character and independence through a variety of outdoor experiences

Main Content Area

Primary level (7-12 years old):
The PE Curriculum in the Primary level focuses on fitness and fundamental movement skills (stability, locomotor and manipulative) to prepare students for sports and physical activites.

Secondary and High School level (13-18 years old):

The PE/OE Curriculum in the Secondary and High School level focuses on fitness, fundamental movement skills, application of fundamental movement skills in a variety of contexts including game play and character building through outdoor education. The goal is to enable students to lead an independent, active and healthy life.

Students from the Mild Intellectual Disability programme will be placed in the Vocational Education Programme at age 13 till they graduate at either 16, 17 or 18 years old.

The Vocational Education Programme comprises the following:

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

Vocational Assessment	Vocational Guidance	Work Exposure & Work Experience	Basic Vocational Training	Soft Skill Training

Vocational Assessment

Ongoing process
Gather information about students’ Skills, Knowledge, Interest & Preferences (SKIP) to determine Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and decide on Vocational Pathways
Involves both formal (e.g. OT assessments, Aptitude tests) and informal methods of assessment (e.g. interviews with parents and students, work samples, curriculum-based assessments, observations)

Vocational Guidance

Learn about the world of work – curriculum-based weekly lesson and activities

Students will be guided to discover their own interests, preferences and strengths to make decisions on vocational pathways
Students reflect and discuss learning points at briefing/consultation sessions, either in groups or one-to-one basis, before, during and after work experience/site visits

Work Exposure & Work Experience

The Work Experience programme is a formal, structured programme whereby the school makes plans for students to experience a job or part of a job in an authentic work setting.

Students placed on the Work Experience programme will be assigned a Job Coach each, who will provide them support and guidance on the job.

Basic Vocational Skills Training

Students are offered basic vocational skills training as follows:

Format	Age	Year	Training Programmes
Specialization	18	6	(Specialisation in ONE of the following tracks) Food & Beverage (Food Prep &/ Baking) Housekeeping (Environmental &/ Guestroom)
	17	5
	16	4
Rotation	15	3	Housekeeping, Retail, Vocational Guidance

Our very own training café run by students, staff and volunteers!

The school cafe (Gopi-O!) is an authentic platform for students to be exposed to cafe operations aligned to industrial standards. Students can also be trained in work habits at the cafe. Besides providing work experience and exposure for students, it also serves as a transition point for students who may require more on-the-job training by our instructors before being placed in the actual workplace.

Objectives of Programme

The aims of the Arts curriculum are to enable our students to develop in the areas of communication and socialization.

Through generating (understanding of basic skills), expressing (using of basic skills) and responding (appreciating) in the various arts domains, our students will be able to express their ideas in meaningful ways and develop empathy with multiple viewpoints.

The curriculum also facilitates for socialization through an emphasis on interaction and/or communication with others.

Main Content Area

In our curriculum, the Arts is a learning domain that draws together related but distinctive art forms. While these art forms have commonalities, they are distinctive in their practices and in their approaches.

Our curriculum focuses on these 4 art forms:

Dance
Drama
Music
Visual Arts

Approaches Used

Skills Building

This section focuses primarily on the process in making art rather than on the product itself. All students aged 7-12 will be rotated in each of the 4 art forms.

Expression Building

This section focuses primarily on creating a product. Students aged 13-14 will experience 2 different art forms each year, while students aged 15-16 will experience 1 art form each year. Students will be placed in the art form based on ability assessed through the skills building section.

Assessment Mode

Students will be assessed termly on their competency level in each arts domain through classroom observation.

For Social Emotional Learning domain, there are 3 aspects that we focus on for every GOS student in the areas of Character & Citizenship, Social & Emotional Learning linked to the school values, and Healthy & Safe Relationships.

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