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STUDENTS BEST EDUCATED IN MEDIUM

WHICH WILL BRING ABOUT COGNITIVE, ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT

* * *

HONG

THE EDUCATION COMMISSION FIRMLY BELIEVES THAT EACH STUDENT IN KONG'S BILINGUAL EDUCATION SYSTEM SHOULD BE EDUCATED IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE MEDIUM WHICH WILL BEST BRING ABOUT EFFECTIVE COGNITIVE AND ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT.

THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR LI YUET-TING, SAID THIS TODAY (MONDAY) WHEN OPENING THE SIXTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LANGUAGE STUDIES AND LANGUAGE TEACHER EDUCATION.

MR LI SAID THE COMMISSION WAS ALSO OF THE OPINION THAT:

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THE TEACHING OF CHINESE AND ENGLISH AS SUBJECTS SHOULD DIRECTLY SUPPORT THE USE OF CHINESE OR ENGLISH AS MEDIUMS

OF INSTRUCTION;

THE USE OF A MIXTURE OF CHINESE AND ENGLISH SHOULD BE REDUCED IN FAVOUR OF CLEAR AND CONSISTENT USE IN EACH CLASS OF CHINESE OR ENGLISH IN RESPECT OF TEACHING, TEXTBOOKS AND EXAMINATIONS; AND

STUDENTS SHOULD BE ASSISTED TO SWITCH FROM CHINESE то ENGLISH AS MEDIUMS OF INSTRUCTION, AT CERTAIN STAGES IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.

THE ASSISTANCE TO BE GIVEN WOULD INCLUDE MONITOR PROGRESS: RE-DESIGNED INITIAL AND EDUCATION PROGRAMMES ; ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES IN ENGLISH, AND BRIDGING COURSES VARIOUS STAGES IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.

REGULAR REVIEWS TO IN-SERVICE TEACHER TELEVISION AND VIDEO то HELP STUDENTS AT

"THE PLANNING THAT HAS BEEN DONE AND THE ACTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN SO FAR TO DESIGN SUCH A COURSE FOR THE FIRST SECONDARY SCHOOL YEAR WILL BE DISCUSSED IN THE CONFERENCE EXTRA SESSIONS TO BE HELD ON THURSDAY," HE EXPLAINED.

OTHER SESSIONS WILL ALSO BE HELD ON THURSDAY TO DISCUSS THE INITIAL STEPS BEING TAKEN TOWARDS THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF COURSES FOR STUDENTS EDUCATED THROUGH THE CHINESE MEDIUM WHO WILL BE LEAVING SCHOOL AFTER THE FIFTH SECONDARY YEAR AND GOING INTO THE WORKPLACE.

THERE WILL ALSO BE SOME DISCUSSION OF WAYS AND MEANS OF HELPING STUDENTS WHO HAVE STUDIED IN THE MEDIUM OF CHINESE TO IMPROVE THEIR ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS PRIOR TO THEIR ENTRY INTO ENGLISH-MEDIUM TERTIARY EDUCATION."

MR LI DESCRIBED THE LAST AS AN "INTRICATE ISSUE", BUT ADDED THAT FOLLOWING A RECENT MEETING INVOLVING THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER AND HIMSELF, AND THE HEADS OF HONG KONG'S INSTITUTIONS, A FORMULA HAS BEEN REACHED WHEREBY PART EXAMINATION WHICH TESTS THE STUDENTS' ABILITY TO USE ENGLISH TAKEN IN THE SEVENTH SECONDARY YEAR AND THE OTHER PART WILL BRIDGING COURSE OFFERED PRIOR TO TERTIARY EDUCATION BEGINS.

TERTIARY OF AN WILL BE FOLLOW A

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