XN000022-1975-01-22 — Page 23

22

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1975.

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION VISITS SPECIAL CLASSES

******

MR. KENNETH TOPLEY, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, SPENT THREE HOURS THIS (WEDNESDAY) MORNING VISITING TWO SCHOOLS WHICH PROVIDE SPECIAL TRAINING FOR PARTIALLY HEARING, SLOW LEARNING AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED CHILDREN.

HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY MISS ELIZABETH ROVE, PRINCIPAL EDUCATION OFFICER (SPECIAL EDUCATION).

AT THE PERTH STREET GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOL MR. TOPLEY SAW CHILDREN WITH HEARING AIDS BEING TAUGHT TO MAKE USE OF THEIR RESIDUAL HEARING AND TO SPEECH READ IN ORDER TO ACQUIRE BETTER SPEECH AND LANGUAGE.

LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST TIME CHILDREN FROM PARTIALLY HEARING CLASSES PARTICIPATED IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS ENTRANCE EXAMINATION. TWO OUT OF A CLASS OF EIGHT WERE GIVEN AIDED SECONDARY PLACES AND THREE OTHERS WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE THEIR SECONDARY EDUCATION IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

AT PRESENT THERE ARE 160 PLACES FOR PARTIALLY HEARING CHILDREN AND UNDER THE SECOND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IT IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE 440 PLACES BY 1977 IN GOVERNMENT AND AIDED SCHOOLS.

DURING HIS TOUR OF CLASSES FOR SLOW LEARNERS, MR. TOPLEY SAW GRADED SUPPLEMENTARY AND REMEDIAL TEACHING MATERIALS BEING USED TO TEACH THESE CHILDREN.

AS NO REMEDIAL TEACHING MATERIALS IN THE MEDIUM OF CHINESE ARE AVAILABLE IN HONG KONG, THESE ARE PREPARED BY SPECIAL EDUCATION INSPECTORS, INDIVIDUAL TEACHERS AND BY GROUPS OF TEACHERS.

AFTER A TRIAL PERIOD TEACHING MATERIALS FOUND USEFUL TO ALL SPECIAL TEACHERS ARE PRINTED WITH THE HELP OF THE GOVERNMENT PRINTER.

THERE ARE 3,140 PLACES FOR SLOW LEARNING CHILDREN AND IT IS THE INTENTION UNDER THE SECOND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME TO PROVIDE 9,400 PLACES IN GOVERNMENT AND AIDED SCHOOLS.

AT THE SAN PO KONG GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOL, THE DIRECTOR SAW PUPILS DEING ENCOURAGED TO MAKE FULL USE OF THEIR RESIDUAL VISION BY USING MAGNIFIERS AND DOOK STANDS. THE PUPILS USE EXERCISE DOOKS SPECIALLY DESIGNED BY THE SPECIAL EDUCATION SECTION.

FLASH CARDS IN LARGE PRINT ARE PREPARED BY THE TEACHERS AND THEY ARE PRINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT PRINTER,

!

/AT PRESENT THERE