LCQ3: Teaching Putonghua in kindergartens
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Question:
It has been reported that starting from this year, the Education Bureau will offer Putonghua courses for kindergarten (KG) teachers during the summer vacation. Some KG principals have remarked that while teaching young children Putonghua in the form of interest class should not give rise to any problem, incorporating Putonghua into the formal curriculum will create pressure on teachers and students as well as parents. Moreover, it may not be an ideal arrangement for young children to learn several languages at the same time. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has any plan to revise the Guide to the Pre-primary Curriculum to incorporate Putonghua curriculum; if it has such a plan, of the justifications and the implementation timetable;
(2) whether it has conducted on its own or commissioned academics to conduct studies to compare young children learning Cantonese, English and Putonghua with those children learning only Cantonese and English in respect of their learning progress and development in other areas; if there are such studies, of the outcome; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) as some parents of ethnic minority (EM) young children have indicated that since their children are learning three completely different languages or dialect (i.e. their native languages, English and Cantonese) at present, such children may not be able to cope with the learning of an additional language (i.e. Putonghua), whether the authorities will provide more comprehensive and effective learning support for EM young children to facilitate their learning of various languages; if they will, of the details of the support measures?
Reply:
President,
The Education Bureau (EDB) all along encourages kindergarten teachers to pursue continuing professional development and to participate in professional development activities of different modes and with diversified content, such as courses, seminars and workshops. Among the numerous professional development opportunities, the “Putonghua Course for Kindergarten Teachers” aims to help individual kindergarten teachers who have personal interest to enhance the proficiency in Putonghua and sustain professional development. The course is not related to the Guide to the Pre-primary Curriculum.
My reply to the questions raised by the Hon Claudia Mo is as follows:
(1) The learning of Pre-primary education is currently organised through theme-based and integrated approaches of curriculum planning. There are no independent language subjects implemented in the curriculum. The EDB has no plan to incorporate Putonghua curriculum into the revised Guide to the Pre-primary Curriculum, or to issue a mandate for kindergartens to teach Putonghua.
(2) Since there is no plan to incorporate Putonghua curriculum into the revised Guide to the Pre-primary Curriculum, or to issue a mandate for kindergartens to teach Putonghua, the EDB has not conducted any studies to compare young children learning Cantonese, English and Putonghua with those children learning only Cantonese and English in respect of their learning progress and development in other areas.
Language learning for children should proceed step by step in light of their pace of development. Early childhood is the golden period for language learning, and language experience at the early age will have tremendous influences on the language development of children. Proper language experience will help children develop an interest in language learning and use language to think, communicate and learn. This will lay a foundation for children’s language development. Teachers are recommended, in light of children's development, to provide children at early age with pleasurable, meaningful and real-life language learning experiences through thematic and integrated learning activities in a natural way, as well as cultivate children's interest in language and their language ability through trial and interaction. In addition, most of the kindergartens in Hong Kong are currently providing different modes of English and Putonghua activities for young children to cater for their different learning needs. Such activities of language exposure should align with children’s cognitive and psychological development and life experience so that they can have joyful learning in a stress-free environment.
(3) The EDB has been providing comprehensive support for non-Chinese speaking (NCS) young children to learn different languages. To facilitate NCS children’s learning languages in an inclusive learning environment in local schools, the related support measures include:
(i) The EDB has been providing school-based support services to kindergartens admitting NCS students which include on-site professional support. Different measures have been deployed to support NCS students such as the University-School Support Programmes (USP) financed by the Education Development Fund. These programmes aim at enhancing the professional capacity of teachers in teaching Chinese as well as helping NCS students to integrate into the local learning environment and a smooth transition to primary education. Cantonese is the medium of instruction of all the participating kindergartens of the USP.
(ii) With the support of the Language Fund, the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research (SCOLAR) has collaborated with non-governmental organisations to organise district-based programmes for NCS children aged 3 to 9 for motivating them to learn Chinese through fun activities such as games and creative art. Since the 2012/13 school year, a total of 8 projects have been supported.
(iii) The Quality Education Fund (QEF) encourages innovative projects that provide support for NCS children in local schools. Learning support for NCS students has been covered in the contents under different priority themes of the QEF including “Effective Learning and Teaching of Languages”, “Support for Students with Diverse Needs”, “Catering for Learners’ Diversity”, and “Promoting Whole Child Development in Kindergarten Education” to encourage the education sector to apply for funding for relevant projects to provide support for NCS children to learn Chinese, to enhance learning effectiveness in other subjects, and to strengthen communication with the parents of NCS students and home-school cooperation to address their needs for whole person development. In the past five school years, we have supported altogether five projects in these particular areas.
We will continue to review the effectiveness of various support measures on an on-going basis and refine individual measures whenever necessary.
Ends/Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Issued at HKT 17:31
Issued at HKT 17:31
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