XN000022-1994-07-11 — Page 5

MONDAY, JULY 11, 1994

"THE WORKING GROUP WOULD LIKE PUTONGHUA TO BE INCORPORATED INTO REGULAR CHINESE LANGUAGE LESSONS, MRS CHEUNG EXPLAINED

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"WE REAL ISE THAT' FEW CHINESE LANGUAGE TEACHERS WOULD FEEL CONFIDENT IN DOING SO AT PRESENT, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT IN FUTURE, THIS APPROACH WILL BE SEEN AS NATURAL AND DESIRABLE. WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE TEACHERS TO DEVELOP THEIR PUTONGHUA SKILLS.'

MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION

THE REPORT NOTES THAT MEASURES TO IMPLEMENT THE EDUCATION COMMISSION REPORT FOUR POLICY ON MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION HAVE LED To WIDESPREAD PUBLIC INTEREST AND A GROWING AWARENESS OF THE EDUCATIONAL ISSURS INVOLVED.

"TO KEEP UP THE IMPETUS FOR POSITIVE CHANGE, THE WORKING GROUP WOULD LIKE THE PUBLIC TO HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION

AS POSSIBLE ABOUT SCHOOL LANGUAGE POLICIES, AND ABOUT THE PROPORTIONS OF STUDENTS WHO CAN PIND A PLACE WHICH MATCHES THEIR LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY, MRS CHEUNG SAID.

"THIS WILL GIVE PARENTS AND STUDENTS A BETTER BASIS FOR 'HOOSING THE RIGHT SCHOOL.

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SHOULD

MRS CHEUNG ADDED THAT ACTUAL LANGUAGE USE IN CLASS BE MONITORED, TO ENSURE THAT MIXED CODE IS REDUCED IN FAVOUR OF EITHER CHINESE OR ENGLISH AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION.

SUPPORT SERVICES

THE REPORT RECOMMENDS SETTING UP A CENTRAL LANGUAGE RESOURCE CENTRE FOR CHINESE TEACHERS, AND ANOTHER FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS.

LANGUAGE

"THESE CENTRES SHOULD PROVIDE BOTH PHYSICAL ACCESS TO LIBRARIES AND RESOURCE MATERIALS, AND COMPUTER ACCESS TO PROFESSIONAL ADVICE AND ON-LINE DATABASES, MRS CHEUNG SAID.

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AND

WE ALSO RECOMMEND A REVIEW OF AUDIO-VISUAL TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES IN SCHOOLS, ΤΟ TAKE ACCOUNT TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES," MRS CHEUNG SAID.

INFORMATION

OF KAPID

"TO PROMOTE INNOVATIVE USES OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT THE LEARNING OF LANGUAGES AND OTHER SUBJECTS, WE RECOMMEND THE CREATION OF A COMPUTERS IN THE CLASSROOM FUND, ON THE SAME LINES AS THE LANGUAGE FUND."

SCHOOL STAFFING

TO ENSURE THAT SCHOOLS STAFFING ARRANGEMENTS CAN PROVIDE ADEQUATELY FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING, THE REPORT RECOMMENDS THAT FUNCTIONAL SENIOR TEACHER POSTS FOR PANEL CHAIRS IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE SHOULD BE PROVIDED IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS.

IT ALSO RECOMMENDS A REVIEW OF THE WORKLOAD OF LANGUAGE TEACHERS TO ENSURE THAT, OVERALL, IT IS GENERALLY NO GREATER THAN THAT OF OTHER TEACHERS.

/TEACHER EDUCATION