九七年版香港小學普通話科課程綱要頒行以來， 配應的教科書陸續面世。由於課程架構和理念的翻新， 教科書編者又嘗試從不同的角度體現綱要的精神， 各種教材的編排系統、內容重點等難免有不同程度的差異。要有效運用及發揮這些教材， 是新教師面臨的一大挑戰。透過一項新入職教師專業成長的研究，我們探討了一些新教師在教材運用方面遇上的困難和限制， 並歸納出他們有待增強的知識和技能。
Since the implementation of the current Putonghua curriculum in Hong Kong in 1997, corresponding teaching materials have been developed to meet the requirements of the curriculum. Because different textbook writers interpret the curriculum differently in terms of teaching objectives, teaching contents and teaching approaches, etc., teaching materials generated vary in focal points. To use these materials effectively in teaching becomes a big challenge, especially for beginning teachers. In a study on the professional growth of beginning Putonghua teachers, their problems in adopting commercial teaching materials are investigated, and the knowledge and skills with which they need to become competent language teachers are identified.
[Copyright of New Horizons: The Journal of Education, Hong Kong Teachers' Associationl is the property of Hong Kong Teachers' Association at http://www.hkta1934.org.hk/]

此論文是有關在《普通話科課程綱要》（簡稱《綱要》）的指引下，教師在詞匯和句型教學中可以採取哪些教學策略，以期在香港這個獨特的語言環境中，達成本科的教學目標。作者提出異於《綱要》的「直接法」去教導初小學生。作者認為：在詞匯教學策略的設計上應以具體情境下有所指物出現的功能操作為主；句型教學策略的設計，教師應引導學生注意普通話與廣州話在運用近似句型表達時的意義差別；同時，教師在除了向學生解釋句子結構外，應盡量創設逼真的情境，增加學生實踐的機會。（何文勝整理）