FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1983
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LANGUAGE LESSONS NOW MORE MEANINGFUL
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HONG KONG'S LANGUAGE TEACHERS ARE NOW TURNING LESSONS INTO A MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCE INSTEAD OF A DRY SYSTEM OF RULES AND VOCABULARY UNRELATED TO PUPILS' LIVES, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR COLVYN HAYE, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
THEY ARE LEARNING TO SHOW PUPILS HOW TO COMMUNICATE REAL IDEAS AND FEELINGS ABOUT REAL LIFE TO EACH OTHER SO AS TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES MORE EFFECTIVELY, HE SAID.
MR HAYE WAS SPEAKING AT THE GRADUATION CEREMONY OF THE FIRST RETRAINING COURSE FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL LANGUAGE TEACHERS ORGANISED BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S NEW INSTITUTE OF LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION (ILE).
HE SAID EDUCATORS HAD TO BE VERY CONCERNED WITH DEVELOPING THE YOUNGER GENERATION'S ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE EFFICIENTLY, WHETHER IT BE IN CHINESE OR ENGLISH.
+AS WE ALL KNOW A YOUNG PERSON'S FUTURE OFTEN DEPENDS ON HIS PROFICIENCY IN ONE OR OTHER OR BOTH OF THESE LANGUAGES, THIS MEANS THE ROLE OF LANGUAGE TEACHERS IS VITAL INDEED, HE SAID.
MR HAYE SAID FOR THIS REASON THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WAS PLACING GREAT EMPHASIS ON DEVELOPING AND IMPROVING THE TEACHING FORCE, AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF WHICH WAS THE RETRAINING OF LANGUAGE TEACHERS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR TEACHERS TO ATTEND THE ILE'S RETRAINING COURSES, MR HAYE SAID, SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS HAD BEEN HIRED TO TAKE OVER THEIR SCHOOL DUTIES.
IN ADDITION TO ORGANISING RETRAINING COURSES, WHICH WAS THE ILE'S FIRST PRIORITY, CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS AND RESEARCH PROJECTS WERE ALSO PLANNED IN THE FUTURE.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT FUNCTION OF ILE WAS TO DEVELOP TEACHING MATERIALS AND RESOURCES FOR AN +IDEAS-BANK+.
IN FACT, PARTICIPANTS OF THE FIRST RETRAINING COURSE HAD PRODUCED A LARGE VARIETY OF ORIGINAL AND ADAPTED TEACHING MATERIALS AND AIDS DURING THE FOUR-MONTH-LONG COURSE.
THESE MATERIALS WILL BE DISPLAYED AT THE ILE FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TOMORROW AND ON JANUARY 17 AND 18 DURING OFFICE HOURS.
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