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Under Secretary for Education, Mr Kenneth Chen, today (July 3) emphasised that students' interests and the language environment were of pivotal importance to learning languages. He appealed to parents to join hands with schools in creating an English-rich environment and set themselves as role models to arouse their children's interests in learning languages.
At the first parents' talk co-organised by the Education Bureau (EDB) and the Committee on Home-School Co-operation on fine-tuning the medium of instruction (MOI) for secondary schools, Mr Chen shared his experience in coaching his children to learn English. He said that children's confidence could be built up when their interest in learning English was naturally and gradually aroused.
The parents' talk series on "Diversified arrangements at schools, deliberated choices by parents" aimed at enhancing parents' understanding of the fine-tuning of the MOI so that they could make appropriate choices of teaching strategies, including MOI arrangements, for their children.
In late May, the EDB announced that secondary schools would implement the fine-tuned MOI arrangements for their S1 students starting from September 2010. The arrangements allowed schools with more room for development so that they could make professional judgment to decide on diversified MOI arrangements for their students with regard to their learning abilities, interests and needs as well as the school circumstances. Students would have more opportunities to get exposed to and use English so as to enhance their confidence and motivation in learning English.
This evening's talk, held at Education Bureau Kowloon Tong Education Services Centre, was the first of the parents' talk series. Guest speakers were Chairperson of the Committee on Home-School Co-operation, Prof Wong Po-choi and Development Director of Family Heartware, Ms Shirley Marie Therese Loo.
Prof Wong shared with parents the common principles adopted by schools in devising diversified school-based MOI arrangements. He also talked about how parents could make appropriate choices based on students' abilities and inclinations and how to maintain students' interests in learning English to get prepared for further studies and career development. Ms Loo shared with parents on ways to develop children's potentials with regard to children's talents and personality.
A discussion session was also held during the talk for parents and teachers to share their experience in promoting joyful learning for students.
Ends/Friday, July 3, 2009
Issued at HKT 20:43
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