XN000022-1989-10-31 — Page 4

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1989

MEASURES TO FURTHER IMPROVE STANDARDS OF LANGUAGE LEARNING

THE STANDARDS OF ENGLISH APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN GENERALLY MAINTAINED IN HONG KONG, BUT THE FAST INCREASING DEMAND FOR COMPETENT ENGLISH USERS HAS LED TO A MISCONCEPTION THAT THEY ARE FALLING.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE IS LESS CONCERN OVER THE STANDARDS CHINESE. ALTHOUGH WRITING SKILLS MAY BE DECLINING SLIGHTLY,

OF

THESE ARE SOME OF THE FINDINGS OF A WORKING GROUP FORMED IN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR TO REVIEW THE EXISTING LANGUAGE IMPROVEMENT MEASURES IN ORDER TO EVALUATE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS AND TO IDENTIFY WHERE MORE MIGHT BE DONE.

IN THE "REPORT OF THE WORKING GROUP SET UP TO REVIEW LANGUAGE IMPROVEMENT MEASURES" WHICH WAS PUBLISHED FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION TODAY TUESDAY), IT WAS NOTED THAT HONG ITS CITIZENS TO ATTAIN EFFECTIVE SKILLS IN CHINESE.

KONG

SOCIETY

REQUIRIES

ALL

A RAPIDLY INCREASING PROPORTION OF ITS CITIZENS ALSO

ONLY EFFECTIVE SKILLS IN ENGLISH, WHILE OTHERS MAY ATTAIN SURVIVAL LEVEL.

NEEDS TO REQUIRE A

IN

AN ANALYSIS OF THE EVIDENCE COLLECTED ON STANDARDS REVEALS

THE SUPPLY OF THAT WHILE THERE HAS BEEN A MODEST INCREASE IN

THOSE WITH EFFECTIVE BILINGUAL SKILLS. THERE HAS BEEN A MASSIVE INCREASE THE DEMAND FOR SUCH PEOPLE. THE REPORT SAID.

"THIS HAS LED TO THE FALSE IMPRESSION THAT STANDARDS HAVE FALLING FOR WHICH THERE IS NO EVIDENCE."

BEEN

OF SCHOOL AGE

TO LEARN

EXTEND THEIR ACADEMIC, VOCATIONAL AND CULTURAL

THE REPORT ALSO POINTS OUT THAT WHILE STUDENTS USE CHINESE ALL THE TIME, THEY STILL HAVE TO USE OF CHINESE TO WIDER PURPOSES.

SOCIAL.

OF

THE

STUDENTS. "THESE SAME

HOWEVER, MAKE LITTLE OR NO USE

IMMEDIATE MOTIVATION ENGLISH WITHIN THEIR PEER GROUP AND FEEL LITTLE

ITS OBVIOUS IMPORTANCE TO LEARN IT. DESPITE

AMONG ADULTS IN ACADEMIC, GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS FIELDS.

ΤΟ RESTRICTED INSTRUCTION HAVE ENGLISH THAN THOSE WHO

EXPOSURE TO ENGLISH AMONG THIS AGE GROUP IS SCHOOL. WHERE THOSE WHO USE ENGLISH AS A MEDIUM OF POTENTIALLY A VERY MUCH GREATER EXPOSURE TO MERELY LEARN IT AS A SUBJECT.

'EXPECTATIONS IN STANDARDS SHOULD REFLECT THESE

THE REPORT SAID.

REALITIES,

:

AS

TEACHERS LANGUAGE

THE 88-PAGE REPORT EXAMINES THE LANGUAGE STANDARDS ISSUE

AND THE LEARNING AND USE OF CHINESE

ENGLISH FOUR MAJOR TOPICS

THE

OF QUALITY

THE TEACHING HONG KONG, MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION, LEARNING OF CHINESE AND ENGLISH

SUBJECTS, AND THE PROFESSIONAL

COMPETENCE OF

AND THE LANGUAGE COMPETENCE

UNDER IN AND

OF

TEACHERS OF OTHER SUBJECTS.

/AFTER CONSIDERING