5.1 We RECOMMEND a review of the present curriculum and assessment system with reference to the change in medium of instruction.

It is evident from our findings that students are more motivated to learn and can achieve a higher level of learning through the use of mother tongue instruction. However, the respondents hold that the potential benefits of using CMI have not been fully realized. The curricula and modes of assessment now used in most schools are developed in an EMI context. Thus new elements should be added to the curricula and assessment to maximize the benefit of mother-tongue education.. We RECOMMEND that CDC should take into consideration the language factor when developing the curriculum for EMI & CMI schools.

Many schools are exploring more innovative teaching and learning practices to best suit the needs of their students. Students in CMI context are given more opportunities to express themselves and to engage in discussions in the classroom. Assessment is another areas that require modification to reflect the quality of learning. Content and modes of good assessment also play an important role in shaping classroom teaching and learning. The traditional modes of assessment such as multiple-choice tests are inappropriate for these changing pedagogic practices. We RECOMMEND that alternative assessment methods should be introduced and assessment of higher order thinking should be encouraged. The mode of assessment should be more varied and should not be limited to a single examination.

5.2 We RECOMMEND that in the allocation of resources to CMI schools, there should be a balance between the enhancement of English language teaching and learning on the one hand, and the improvement of mother tongue instruction on the other.

As the findings of our study suggest (see section 4.6), at school level, additional resources mostly go to the enhancement of English teaching and learning than to improving mother tongue instruction per se. While teachers perceive considerable problems in various aspects of the use of Chinese as the medium instruction, only about 10% of them have had the opportunity to receive CMI training (see Table 4.1f and Table 4.2). Moreover, 80% of the teachers involved in the MOI change are themselves graduates from EMI secondary schools, and they perceive more problems than their counterparts (see section 4.3.1). Therefore, provision of training and consultative assistance falls short of demand. We RECOMMEND that resources should be greatly increased to support teachers using CMI.

The three most common problems encountered by teachers using CMI are (see Section 4.2.2): lack of proficiency in Chinese word processing, Chinese writing skills, and lack of experience in setting questions in Chinese at an appropriate level of difficulty. These are the areas that the CMI Support Centre has tried to address since its inception.

5.3 We RECOMMEND a committee be established to improve the quality of Chinese-medium textbooks for individual school subjects, and to provide guidelines for publications.

In 1988 the Government appointed a Chinese Textbooks Committee to advise on ways to encourage the publication of high quality textbooks and teaching materials in Chinese. The committee was dissolved following the publication of some Chinese textbooks. However, comments from teachers in this survey reveal that the quality of textbook still needs to be improved (see section 4.2 of this report and section 2.68 of EC, 1994). The majority of teachers feel that the main problem is that the Chinese-medium textbooks are translated from English . The content is superficial and language and style are sub-standard. As users of textbooks, teachers are well-placed to comment on the standard and suitability of textbooks. Subject specialists and language experts can also contribute their professional knowledge to the writing of textbooks. We RECOMMEND that a new committee comprising school teachers, subject specialists and language experts be formed to give advice on how the quality of Chinese-medium textbooks can be improved. We also RECOMMEND that the committee should propose guidelines to assess the quality of textbooks for future publication.

Instructional aids and materials are vital for translating teaching ideas into practice. Teachers using CMI lack instructional aids and materials. Teachers also report that they have limited time to produce appropriate Chinese-medium materials (see section 4.2). We RECOMMEND that the Education Department or other education institutions develop high quality teaching aids and materials for CMI schools.

5.4 We RECOMMEND that language development courses for teachers should be provided to enhance their Chinese language writing skills and to help to raise their awareness of subject specific language in Chinese.

Though local teachers may have no problems in communicating verbally with students, their Chinese writing skills may not be adequate for effective teaching using CMI. Most teachers in Hong Kong were taught in EMI as students. The majority of experienced teachers, especially those who majored in science subjects, stopped their studying Chinese language after Secondary 5 and some after Secondary 7. For them, the change of MOI from English to Chinese is a substantial one. The findings of this study show that a large number of respondents feel a need to improve their Chinese language skills (see Table 4.2.2a). General fluency in mother tongue is not enough for effective teaching of academic subjects. Teachers need help with discipline-specific Chinese vocabulary and style of expression in different disciplines (see Table 4.2.2b). The findings show that about half of the teachers experience difficulties in classroom presentation (see Table 4.2). We RECOMMEND that language courses for subject teachers be introduced to help them speak and write discipline specific language fluently in Chinese.

5.5 We RECOMMEND a research program to evaluate the practice adopted by schools to tackle the change of medium of instruction.

The results of this study indicate that teachers have been using and developing their practical knowledge for solving problems in schools. It is worth encouraging collaboration among teachers, linguists and subject specialists to gain a more in-depth understanding and evaluation of the on-going practices. We RECOMMEND that the Government conduct a research program to evaluate the effectiveness of various measures adopted by schools to manage the transition from EMI to CMI. The outcome of this study will be a useful reference for the Government in formulating the medium of instruction policies in future.

Next Page          Last Page          Content Page