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(b) the half-time seconding for a part of the year of a certain number of Government Masters or Mistresses as lecturers or Masters of Method for these classes,
(c) suitable arrangements for class-room accommodation for lectures, and (d) granting to lecturers the "right of entry" to schools in order to permit of the supervision of students while at work in their classes. GRADUATES. The product of Hong Kong University varies as does that of any other Training Centre; but I think it is generally agreed that many local Graduates in Arts (Teaching) have proved themselves capable of teaching their own subjects in Needless to say, a all classes of Hong Kong Primary and Secondary Schools. young Hong Kong Graduate Teacher requires assistance and advice; in the same way so does the young graduate in any other country and in any other profession. The charge has been levelled, and in some cases I think justifiably, that the standard of colloquial English of the University Trained Teacher is not as high as it should be. If this is so, and in a few cases I have found it to be so, then the fault lies with the University authorities who either accept immature material or allow the English of suitable matriculants to deteriorate.
The
I suggest that some distinction should be drawn between the training given to teachers who will be employed in Primary Schools and that given to those in training for posts in Secondary Schools. A degree should be insisted on for both; but the Primary Teacher should follow a course such as in British Universities would lead to an Ordinary Degree, and an Honours type of Degree should be required of those granted certification for teaching in Secondary Schools. ordinary degree would embrace a greater variety of subjects; and the Honours or Secondary Teachers' Course require a lesser number but more intensive study in each. Alternatively or additionally there might be a differentiation in the Pro- fessional Training, .e., in the selection of subjects in which instruction is given regarding "Methods of Teaching".
I now wish to return to the subject of Vernacular Teachers.
Some years ago, a small committee of inquiry sat under Sir Wm. Brunyute, and, as a result, one or two Government Scholars were definitely ear-marked as prospective teachers of Chinese, though I think, not necessarily solely of Chinese. I suggest that this scheme be again considered by the Director of Education and the University, and that an Arts course for "Teachers of Chinese should be instituted. Thus, and I think only thus, will a satisfactory type of Vernacular Teacher be produced. In this connexion I should point out that, in Government service, the maximum salaries are the same for University Trained Masters, Anglo-Chinese Masters and Vernacular Masters.
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1. The standard of admission, previously the Hong Kong University School Certificate Examination should be altered to the Hong Kong School Certificate Examination.
2. The Method Lecturer should be required and empowered to visit all students in their respective schools, observe them at work before classes, and render advice and help. Any Student Teacher in the First Year who evinced no signs of ever developing into a useful member of the profession should be advised to seek other occupation, and, in any case, refused permission to attend further E.I. Classes.
The co-operation of Heads of Schools should be solicited in this matter, and attention invited to the necessity of supervising Record Books and Notes of Lessons. All or most of the lectures of these classes ought to be held in School Hours. To avoid undue depletion of Student Teacher Staff from schools, it would be advisable to hold lectures for only one Year" at any one time.
3.
4. The Course of Lectures in Method and Class Management should be revised with a view to emphasizing the instruction in the Teaching of English as a foreign language. In this connexion the study of English Literature could be much reduced and the resultant available lecture time devoted to Speech Training, which would include the elementary principles of Phonetics.
5.
The discussion in class of the General Principles underlying Educational Practice should follow, and not precede, instruction in the Methods of teaching various ordinary school subjects, viz., English, Arithmetic, Geography and History. The curriculum should be altered accordingly.
6. Model and Criticism Lessons should be held occasionally in all years, and more especially in the 3rd year. The annual examination in the latter should continue to embrace a test in Practical Teaching.
7. An Oral Test in English should be an essential part of the Annual Examina- tion in each year.
8. A revision of the Syllabus on the above lines should be drawn up by the Director on the basis of suggestions from the lecturers and brought into use next term, i.e., Autumn 1938.
J. RALSTON, Director, Evening Institute. 11th March, 1938.
J. RALSTON, Inspector of English Schools, 7th April, 1938.
"B"
"A"
After the Results of the Annual Examination of the Evening Institute Teachers' Class (English) had been received by me from the examiner, Mr. Rowell, I con- vened an informal meeting for the consideration of these results and the Curriculum and Course of Study generally. This meeting was held on February 17th, 1938.
Messrs. Sollis, Ralston, Rowell, Wilson, Rees and Dyer were present, and the following recommendations were agreed upon unanimously :
TEACHERS' CLASSES (ENGLISH).
These Classes are for both men and women Teachers. The Certificate granted
at the end of the course is recognized by the Government, and the holder classified as "Passed Student Teacher". Instruction is given in Oral English, English Language and Literature, Psychology, School Method and Hygiene.
Students may be admitted to these classes although not actually engaged in the Teaching Profession; but all entrants must have passed the Hong Kong School Certificate Examination, or an equivalent examination. No student may proceed to a Second or a Third Year Class until the previous examination has been passed, with the following exceptions:-
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