FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1974.
6
MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN LOWER SECONDARY FORMS
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THE USE OF CHINESE OR ENGLISH AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN THE LOWER SECONDARY FORMS MUST VARY WITH THE ABILITY OF THE PUPILS, THE SUBJECT TAUGHT AND THE CLASS LEVEL, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (ADMINISTRATION), MR. CHARLES LOWE, SAID TODAY.
+1 WOULD EXPECT MORE CHINESE TO BE USED IN FORM AND POSSIBLY LESS IN FORM 111. THERE ARE OTHER PROBLEMS - TEXTBOOKS, WRITTEN WORK, EXAMINATIONS, AND EVEN THE ABILITY OF TEACHERS TO TEACH IN CHINESE.
+THIS INCIDENTALLY DOES NOT MEAN THAT I ADVOCATE THE FULL TRANSLATION METHOD FOR THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH ONLY FOR THE EXPLANATION OF MORE DIFFICULT WORDS, THAT IS THE KEY AS ANY PRACTISING TEACHER WILL KNOW. BASICALLY THE FUNCTION OF A TEACHER IN A CLASSROOM IS TO EXPLAIN SO THAT THE LESSON CAN BE UNDERSTOOD, HE SAID.
MR. LOWE FELT THAT IN JUNIOR CLASSES THE EXPLANATION MUST BE GIVEN IN CHINESE.
+IT WILL ALSO BRING THE ADVANTAGE OF SOME SPONTANEITY. I AM SURE THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF SCHOOLS, HE ADDED.
SPEAKING AT THE SPEECH DAY OF THE VICTORIA TECHNICAL SCHOOL, MR. LOWE SAID THE CULTIVATION OF SPONTANEITY IN THE CLASSROOM, OR EVEN AN OCCASIONAL CHANGE IN THE PLAN OF A LESSON, WAS AN ASPECT OF TEACHING IN HONG KONG WHICH HAD NOT BEEN USED TO THE FULL.
THE WHITE PAPER, HE SAID, WOULD CERTAINLY COMPLICATE THE WORK OF THE TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS IN SCHOOLS BECAUSE IT WAS LIKELY THAT SCHOOLS WOULD HAVE A MUCH WIDER ABILITY RANGE AMONG PUPILS. BUT HE STRESSED THAT THE FUNCTION OF A SECONDARY SCHOOL WAS TO EDUCATE THE BRIGHT, THE AVERAGE AND THE DULL.
+THERE WILL ALSO BE CONSIDERABLE SELECTION PROBLEMS FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS AFTER THE ABOLITION OF THE S.S.E.E. - WHO IS TO BE GIVEN A THREE-YEAR PLACE AND WHO IS TO BE SELECTED FOR A FIVE-YEAR PLACE.
+1 WOULD, HOWEVER, LIKE TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IN A 24-CLASS- ROOM SCHOOL THE PULLTHROUGH SHOULD BE MUCH BETTER THAN OVERALL 100 PER CENT PLACES IN FORM ILI TO 40 PER CENT PLACES IN FORM IV THERE WILL BE 240 PLACES IN FORM III (160 OLD PLUS 80 NEW) GOING INTO 160 FORM IV PLACES - A PULLTHROUGH OF OVER 66 PER CENT.
+FOR THE REMAINING 34 PER CENT THERE WILL BE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND THE PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE A MOST IMPORTANT PART TO PLAY IN THE WHITE PAPER EXPANSION POLICY, + MR. LOWE SAID,
HE POINTED OUT THAT SECONDARY TECHNICAL SCHOOLS AND GRAMMAR SCHOOLS WERE PART AND PARCEL OF THE SAME INDIVISIBLE PROCESS OF SECONDARY EDUCATION.
+ IT WOULD BE DISASTROUS IF SECONDARY TECHNICAL SCHOOLS WERE TO BE SEPARATED OR HIVED OFF FROM THE GRAMMAR SCHOOLS,+ HE SAID.