TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1989
REPORT
IN
THE
TO
AFTER CONSIDERING THE FACTORS THAT LIE BEHIND THE STANDARDS
RECENT STATEMENTS BY LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TAKING INTO ACCOUNT PUBLIC AND VARIOUS BODIES. THE
MAKES 78 RECOMMENDATIONS BRING ABOUT FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO THE STANDARDS OF LANGUAGE LEARNING IN HONG KONG.
SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHICH PUBLIC VIEWS ARE BEING SOUGHT ARE AS FOLLOWS:
A. LEARNING AND USE OF CHINESE AND ENGLISH
THE REPORT NOTES THAT THERE IS A THRESHOLD LEVEL IN A LANGUAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE ATTAINED BEFORE LEARNERS ARE ABLE TO USE IT TO STUDY EFFECTIVELY. ONCE A THRESHOLD LEVEL HAS BEEN REACHED BOTH IN THE MOTHER TONGUE AND IN SECOND LANGUAGE, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR
THROUGH THE UNDERSTANDINGS AND SKILLS GAINED
MOTHER
TO TONGUE
BE
TRANSFERRED TO THE SECOND LANGUAGE.
THE THRESHOLD LEVEL BECOMES HIGHER THE FURTHER UP THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THE LEARNER GOES. THE REPORT THEREFORE PROPOSES:
*
IN WHERE ENGLISH IS TO BE USED AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION SECONDARY SCHOOLS. THE TRANSFER FROM CHINESE ΤΟ ENGLISH SHOULD BE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SECONDARY SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM IT.
TWO INTENSIVE "BRIDGING COURSES" SHOULD BE DEVELOPED ΤΟ HELP ENGLISH STREAM STUDENTS ADAPT TO ENGLISH AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION : ONE FOR SECONDARY 1. AND ANOTHER BETWEEN
TERTIARY SECONDARY AND
EDUCATION. THE COURSES WOULD BE WOULD DEVELOPED AS PILOT PROJECTS, AND EVENTUALLY MATERIALS BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL SCHOOLS OFFERING ENGLISH MEDIUM STREAMS.
SCHOOL-BASED CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE LANGUAGE CURRICULUM: AND ΤΟ TRAINING, ADVICE AND SUPPORT SHOULD ALSO BE STRENGTHENED IMPROVE THE LANGUAGE SKILLS, IN PARTICULAR THE BILINGUAL SKILLS, OF TEACHERS.
DJ.
MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION
SCHOOLS
THE REPORT STATES THAT
CURRENTLY PURPORT ING TO USE
CODE, ENGLISH AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION ARE TENDING TO USE A MIXED THAT IS WITH CANTONESE FOR MOST SPOKEN EXCHANGES AND ENGLISH RESTRICTED TO TECHNICAL VOCABULARY AND READING AND WRITING. RESEARCH
BE INDICATES THAT THIS MAY
HINDERING BOTH COGNITIVE AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT. THE REPORT THEREFORE PROPOSES :
" SCHOOLS SHOULD