Second Language in HK Kindergartens: the missing link

1
Second Language in HK Kindergartens
the missing link

• Kwong Wing Yee

2
Overview

• Post 1997 HK education policy
• Kindergarten profile
• Educational initiatives 2007
• Way forward
• Q A

3
Post 1997 HK education policy

• Tri-lingual and bi-literate society
• Government expenditure on education

4
Tri-lingual and bi-literate society

• Cantonese
• Putonghua
• English
• Language Proficiency Assessment for Teachers
• English
• Putonghua

5
Tri-lingual and bi-literate society

• Native English Teacher (NET) Scheme
• secondary schools
  500
• primary schools
  300
• 
  ___
• total NET teachers (approx)
  800
• A NET teacher salary is US3000 - 5000
  monthly
• plus housing allowance US1650 monthly.

6
Government expenditure on education Financial
year 2006-07

• Total expenditure (million) 53,053
  
• Total government expenditure 23.3
• GDP
  3.5

7
Government expenditure on education Financial
year 2006-07

• Tertiary 28.3
• Secondary 36.5
• Primary 22.9
• Other 12.3
• 
  kindergartens
• 
  special
  education
• 
  adult
  education
• 
  vocational education

8
Kindergarten profileGovernment statutory
requirement

• Premises and facilities
• safe and hygienic
• Fees subject to approval
• for government funding
• Teacher qualifications
• QKT since 2004
• Principal qualifications
• Certificate (ECE) since 2005

9
Kindergarten profile2006-07

• 941 local 74 international 1015
• Private
• Half day mostly
• Teacher to student ratio 115

10
Kindergarten profileInternational KG

• Medium of Instruction
• Total immersion education model
• English and Putonghua taught 50/50
• Curriculum
• UN Living Values Education Program
• Cambridge Letterland
• Glenn Doman right brain learning program

11
Kindergarten profileInternational KG

• 2007 - 08 Annual School Fees
• half day session
• pre-nursery to K3
• 40700
• eleven equal installments of 3700

12
Kindergarten profileNon Profit Making KG

• 2007- 08
• Chinese medium
• Run by special interest groups, eg Christian
• Mostly in public housing estates
• Government reimbursement of rent and rates
• Fees around 1000 monthly

13
Educational initiatives2007

• Kindergartens
• Education structural reform 3-3-4

14
Educational initiativesKindergartens Academic
year 2007- 08

• Pre-primary Education Voucher Scheme
• Teacher Development Subsidy
• Quality Review Framework

15
Pre-primary Education Voucher Scheme2007- 08

• Government expenditure on kindergartens
• Additional 2 billion
• Total up to 3.1 billion

16
Pre-primary Education Voucher Scheme2007- 08

• Direct subsidy to parents
• Voucher value of 13000 per annum
• Increase to 16000 by 2011 - 12

17
Pre-primary Education Voucher Scheme2007-08 to
2011-12

• Eligible KG school fee limits
• 24000 / half day
• 48000 / full day
• Quality review framework

18
Teacher Development Subsidy 2007 - 08 to
2010 -11

• Voucher 13000 per pupil per annum
• 10000 for school fees
• 3000 for staff PD in approved programmes,
• supply teachers, school based projects

19
Teacher Development Subsidy 2011 - 12

• Principals / teachers complete
• 
  certification / degree
• Only accredited KGs may redeem
• the voucher

20
Approved programmesfour tertiary providers

• Full-time / Part time (top up)
• Focus on Early Childhood pedagogy
• Limited English language requirement

21
In-service teachers English proficiency

• Generally not communicative
• Not trained to teach (through) English

22
KG Teachers Survey set up of English lessons in
their KG

• 120 KG teachers interviewed
• Full time / Part time English teacher
• Nationality
• Frequency of lessons
• Length of lessons

23
Quality Review Framework

• Transparency
• KG profile to be published
• School report
• Annual school strategic plan
• Quality assurance full inspection

24
KG as private enterprise

• Race to become officially qualified
• Teaching staff cost
• Parents expectations
• Advertised for English and PTH native speakers
  
• no certification required

25
Government Feb 2007 announcement

• 55 billion surplus

26
RECAP

• Good language skills very important
• KG teachers English not proficient for teaching
• Professional development not include ESL
• Pressure to acquire qualifications
• Parental expectations
• HK Government has a lot of money

27
Way Forward

• to integrate KG education officially into
  mainstream education
• to acknowledge the necessity of professional
  language teachers for KGs

28
End of presentation

• Q A

29
References

• www.edb.gov.hk
• HK Institute of Education, ECE programmes
• Kindergarten teachers survey

30
Extra info
31
Statistics Enrolment public and private
sectors

• 2005-06
  2006-07
• Secondary 478440 480775
• from China 2570
  5507
• Primary 425864
  410416
• from China 6125
  10545
• Kindergarten 149141 140783

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Approved programmeslanguage requirement

• HKBU 2 year PG Diploma
• No language requirement
• CUniv 3 year BED
• Language for Academic Purposes
• HKIED 3 year BED and Certification
• One English module
• Three Chinese modules

33
JC Kindergarten school based project

• Assist 5 KG teachers to teach in English
• Issues
• Classroom language
• Teaching language

34
Education structural reform 3-3-4

• From 3-2-2-3 two exams
• To 3-3-4 one exam
• 2011 transition year tertiary entrance
• old system Form 7 students
• new system Form 6 students