XN000022-1994-12-19 — Page 9

Speaking after the Commission meeting today (Monday), the Chairman, Professor Rosie Young, said: "The working group report as a whole received wide support, and ECR6 will confirm most of the working group's proposals.

"In particular, ECR6 will need to set out a clear strategy for implementing two of the most important recommendations: C1, on a more co-ordinated approach to the language development of young children; and C2, on encouraging various approaches to the development of bilingual proficiency at pre-primary and primary levels.

"The working group's suggestions relating to these two recommendations attracted most public comments, especially the suggestion that some schools might start teaching English only at Primary 4.

"In reviewing the public response, we feel that four key issues must be set out clearly in ECR6 -

firstly, how do we ensure that no child in compulsory education experiences a sense of failure due to language difficulties? This means finding ways to help every child leave primary school proficient in at least one language (Chinese, for most children), so they can pursue secondary studies with little or no difficulty;

⚫ secondly, how can we integrate language learning more effectively into the curriculum, having full regard to the bilingual or even trilingual situation our children are in? We must try to ensure a better match between the time and effort our children spend on language learning, and the outcome in terms of language proficiency;

thirdly, we need to keep up a sustained public debate on language issues, so that parents, educators, employers and the public generally can achieve a better understanding of language development in a bilingual or trilingual situation.

⚫ fourthly, we need to ensure that all professional educators are able to contribute their expertise and efforts to strengthen language development and overcome any hindrances we identify."

Professor Young said the controversial proposal about starting English in Primary 4 would remain as one possible approach for Standing Committee on Language Education and Research (SCOLAR) to explore along with other possible strategies for tackling these four key issues.