Teaching and learning of English in Hong Kong kindergartens: Patterns and practices

Teaching and learning of English in Hong Kong kindergartens: Patterns and practices

• Ng, Mei Lee Hong Kong Institute of Education

2011

• D Curriculum
  • DC Pre-Primary Education Programmes
• G Curriculum, Teaching & Learning: Specific Disciplines
  • GB English Language
    • GBA Teaching Objectives, Curriculum & Evaluation
• M Teachers & Education for Teachers
  • MA Professional Education for Teachers

Early Childhood Education -- Hong Kong English Language -- Study and Teaching (Early Childhood) -- Hong Kong English Language -- Study and Teaching (Elementary) -- Hong Kong

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Pre-Primary Education

As in many parts of Asia, the learning of English is highly valued by parents in Hong Kong as it is regarded as a path to upward social mobility. Children in Hong Kong who speak Chinese as a first language typically begin to learn English when they start kindergarten at age 3. This study investigated the teaching and learning of English in Hong Kong kindergartens through two interrelated studies. The objective of Study 1 was to examine the patterns of English language teaching in different kindergartens. On the basis of the findings of Study 1, three kindergarten teachers were selected for a multiple case study in Study 2 to gain a deeper understanding of their English teaching practices and their students' engagement in the learning of English. About 38 % (n=256) of the kindergartens and kindergarten-cum-nurseries in Hong Kong were surveyed in Study 1. The results from the survey indicated that (i) the teaching of English to 5-year-olds was widespread and there were many cases of teaching of English to 3-year-olds; (ii) the English instruction time was relatively limited; (iii) English as a specific subject was taught by "specialist" English teachers with varying academic and professional backgrounds; (iv) in schools that allocated relatively less time for English instruction, teachers did not usually have professional qualifications to teach preschool children and/or English; (v) there were varying degrees of collaboration between "specialist" English teachers and local non-English speaking teachers; (vi) a wide variety of teaching materials and pedagogies were deployed; (vii) written homework assignments to improve children's English were common; and (viii) teachers exerted efforts to create a bilingual (Chinese – English) environment at school. Study 2 was a multiple case study in which three teachers - one with a professional qualification in early childhood education, one with professional qualifications to teach English as a Second Language, and one untrained - were purposefully sampled. Six English lessons of each of the three teachers amounting to a total of 475 minutes of teaching were videotaped. Their teaching practices and the children's engagement in learning were observed, and the classroom learning environment was assessed. Teachers were interviewed individually, parents completed questionnaires about the home language learning environment, and children's English proficiency was assessed in individual sessions. Teachers' pedagogies were found to be related to a host of contextual factors. Teachers' professional training was associated with the extent to which they implemented a child-centered pedagogy. Part-time English teachers had limited collaboration with local teachers, which in turn affected their teaching preparation and practice. A textbook-led English teaching schedule and the relatively limited instruction time induced a product-oriented pedagogy. Children's limited English proficiency coupled with the minimal language support at home formed a vicious cycle reinforcing the product-oriented pedagogy, which adversely influenced children's engagement in learning. This study contributes significant knowledge to the field by illustrating the challenges in teaching English in Hong Kong kindergartens. Implications of the findings for early childhood language policy, teacher training and classroom practices are discussed, and future research directions are suggested.

PhD

University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong

• English

Dissertation Theses

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/en/bibs/4ec9e7ae

2013-11-13