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Written by: Hou Cailin, Huang Yongyu
2020-02-03 08:00
Last updated: 2020-02-03 08:00Minority students face many difficulties in learning Chinese in Hong Kong. Some kindergarten principals stated that non-Chinese speaking students were weak in Chinese at the early stage of enrollment, and it was more difficult for them to understand the teacher's speech. In addition, some parents were not familiar with Chinese or English, which made it difficult for the school to communicate with parents. Some kindergartens have participated in the Education Bureau's Non-Chinese Language School-based Support Scheme and believe that teachers can learn a variety of teaching skills, which will make students "happy to learn Chinese."
Li Ailan, the school-based professional support team of the Chief School Development Officer, pointed out that the school-based plan has always been good in participating. In the latest year, 146 schools have participated. Staff from the Education Bureau and colleges and universities will guide teachers' teaching skills.
Zhou Yiying (right), the principal of Shanyitang Yidong Kindergarten, pointed out that the school's Pakistani teacher (left) can help teachers communicate with their parents. (Photo by Hou Cailin)
Non-Chinese speaking students studying in Hong Kong often need to learn Chinese to integrate into mainstream campus life. According to Zhou Huiying, principal of Yiyitang Yidong Kindergarten, there are currently 300 students in kindergartens, of which 78 are non-Chinese speaking students, including Pakistan, India, Nepal, Thailand, Canada, and the United States. Only about 20% of non-Chinese speaking parents can Chinese communication.
Zhou Huiying said frankly, non-Chinese speaking students had weak Chinese proficiency in the early stages of enrollment. When teachers spoke Cantonese, they might not understand. Therefore, the teacher will try to cooperate with body language when speaking to help students understand. Starting from the 17-18 school year, Shan Yi Tong Yidong Kindergarten participated in the Education Bureau's non-Chinese language school-based support program. The Curriculum Development Officer of the University of Hong Kong visited the kindergarten at least once a month to guide the teaching skills of teachers and teach a variety of teaching strategies for kindergarten teachers. This includes Chinese teaching games with pictures and text.
Non-Chinese speaking students of Shanyitang Yidong Kindergarten participated in the lion dance performance in the Lunar New Year. (Photo by Hou Cailin)
Zhou Huiying pointed out that under the guidance of teachers' diversified teaching methods, non-Chinese speaking students "have become happy in learning Chinese", and have also become more active in learning Chinese, "will take the initiative to learn Chinese storybooks", and are willing to speak Cantonese with teachers, Classmate exchange.
In the 2018-19 school year, after the Education Bureau allocated additional resources, Shanyitang Yidong Kindergarten also hired two Pakistani teachers who can speak Cantonese and English to assist school teachers in teaching Chinese, assist teachers and parents to communicate, and in the school Acting as a translator when hosting parent lectures, serving as a bridge between minority parents and schools.
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Li Ailan, the school-based professional support team of the Chief School Development Officer, pointed out that from 15/16 to 18/19, a total of 232 schools participated in the school-based plan, and 146 schools participated in the latest year. She explained that under the plan, staff of the Education Bureau and colleges and universities would come to the school to use some strategies and also focus on parental participation. For example, a kindergarten has recently organized a parent-child writing spring competition. Li Xu pointed out that many teachers participating in the school will continue to use school-based teaching methods, such as psychological vocabulary strategies.
However, the curriculum has repeatedly been questioned for being too difficult and lacking a specific framework. Senior Curriculum Development Officer (Chinese Language Education) He Yanping described the current structure as "building a bridge". Teachers need to think about strategies to "build a road" in response to the school. School-based adjustment. The Chief Assistant Secretary (Quality Assurance and School-based Support) of the Education Bureau, Wu Jiasheng, also added that if non-Chinese students intend to set up a home in Hong Kong, they must learn Chinese well. "The policy goal is to provide advanced support with different studies, and the better you learn the better."
The Chief Assistant Secretary (Quality Assurance and School-based Support) of the Education Bureau, Wu Jiasheng (right), added that the policy goal is to provide advanced support with different learning, "the more you learn the better".
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