SUNDAY, JUNE 27, 1982
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NEW AID TO ENGLISH TEACHING INTRODUCED
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THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WILL SPEND $11.4 MILLION DURING THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR TO INSTALL A NEW AUDIO-AID TO ENGLISH TEACHING IN SCHOOLS.
CALLED THE WIRE-FREE INDUCTION LOOP SYSTEM, THE NEW EQUIPMENT IS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT'S $320-MILLION PACKAGÉ AIMED AT IMPROVING THE STANDARDS OF ENGLISH AND CHINESE AT SCHOOL AND IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE SYSTEM WILL ENABLE PUPILS WEARING INDIVIDUAL HEADPHONES NOT CONNECTED TO ANY POWER SOURCE, TO PICK UP PRE-RECORDED MATERIALS TRANSMITTED FROM A TAPE-RECORDER OR OTHER BROADCAST SOURCES BY MEANS OF A WIRE LOOP FITTED ON CLASSROOM WALLS.
IT HAS BEEN TRIED OUT IN TWO SECONDARY AND THREE PRIMARY SCHOOLS DURING THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR FOR THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH, AND HAS GIVEN SATISFACTORY RESULTS, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S ADVISORY INSPECTORATE SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).
A CIRCULAR EXPLAINING THE SYSTEM HAS RECENTLY BEEN ISSUED TO HEADS OF SCHOOLS. IT IS HOPED THAT THE SYSTEM WILL BE INSTALLED IN ALL GOVERNMENT, AIDED AND NON-PROFIT-MAKING SCHOOLS BY THE END OF FEBRUARY 1983, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
INITIALLY, EACH OF THESE SCHOOLS WILL HAVE ONE LOOPED+
CLASSROOM.
NOTING THAT THE SYSTEM IS A BRAND NEW CONCEPT TO MOST TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT IT WOULD PROVIDE EVERY STUDENT WITH AN EXCELLENT MODEL OF SPOKEN ENGLISH WHICH HE OR SHE COULD LISTEN TO WITHOUT INTERFERENCE FROM OUTSIDE NOISE.
WITH THE SYSTEM, TEACHERS CAN DIVIDE THEIR CLASSES INTO GROUPS SO THAT THEY CAN CONCENTRATE ON DIFFERENT LEARNING ACTIVITIES WITHOUT INTERRUPTING EACH OTHER. THIS FACILITY MAKES THE LOOP SYSTEM PARTICULARLY VALUABLE FOR REMEDIAL TEACHING.
THE SYSTEM CAN ALSO BE USED FOR TEACHING OTHER LANGUAGES, SUCH AS PUTONGHUA AND COMMERCIAL SUBJECTS.
THE DEPARTMENT'S ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING CENTRE HAS A VARIETY OF TAPES SUITABLE FOR USE AT ALL PRIMARY AND SECONDARY LEVELS.
IN ADDITION, SCHOOLS WILL BE GIVEN SUBVENTIONS TO PURCHASE COMMERCIALLY-PRODUCED TAPES WHICH THEY CONSIDER SUITABLE FOR THEIR OWN CLASSES.
TO ENSURE THAT TEACHERS CAN MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE SYSTEM, THE DEPARTMENT WILL CONDUCT A SERIES OF SEMINARS FOR THEM STARTING FROM SEPTEMBER.
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