While teacher education in Hong Kong is generally delivered in a knowledge transmission mode, two teacher educators employ an alternative way in teaching. We explore the use of teacher narratives to promote teaching of child development. We view “teacher education as narrative inquiry” (Clandinin, 1993). Instead of beginning to teach the grand theories of child development, we share our family stories with students. We invite them to reflect upon the stories heard and resonate with their own family stories. By stimulating reflection (Schon, 1983) and resonance (Conle, 1996), we teach child development in an experiential and practical approach. Storytelling becomes a tool for teaching and understanding the meaning of lived experiences for construction of knowledge in teacher education programs.

While much of the current teacher training in Hong Kong adopts a knowledge transmission mode, a means allowing more active participation by story telling is introduced in our study. It aims to explore alternatives to the field of local teacher education. Our focus is on promoting learning and professional development among in-service teachers. This paper documents how we enhance the awareness of teachers’ experiential knowledge through story telling, and our reflections on the achievements and limitations in the study. The experience and implications drawn from this study helps us further develop a useful program for in-service teachers.

In most countries around the world, teachers for special education are prepared through pre-service and/or in-service programmes. In Hong Kong, the focus has been on in-service education. Currently there are no pre-service teacher preparation programmes that qualify their graduates as special education teachers. When teachers with basic education background are employed by special schools/classes, they will enroll in the in-service special education programme. This paper will present an overview of the developmental history of such a programme in Hong Kong. Since its introduction in the 1960s, the programme has undergone many changes. A critical analysis of its evolution, the changes made and their impact on the local special education scene will be discussed in light of the varying circumstances. Furthermore the paper will highlight the existing teacher preparation programme for special education as a result of the establishment of the Hong Kong Institute of Education in 1994 and the policy statement made by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 1997. Implications for future educational needs will also be emphasized.
[Copyright © 2000 The Hong Kong Institute of Education.]