Content-based education programmes, in which a second/foreign language (L2) is used as the medium of instruction when teaching non-language content subjects, aim at both content and L2 learning. With such dual goal in mind, and with the rapid expansion of the programmes to contexts where students might have only basic L2 proficiency, there have been consistent calls for reconsidering the roles of first language (L1) in the teaching and learning process. The functions of L1 in content-based classrooms have been well documented, but it is necessary to have a more systematic approach to planning and using L1. This paper seeks to address this gap by applying the notions of 'curriculum genres' and 'task structure' when analysing patterns of teachers' use of L1 and L2 in a collection of content subject lessons observed in English-medium secondary schools in Hong Kong. With illustrative episodes presented in this paper, we would argue that 'curriculum genres' and 'task structure' can serve as useful tools for both researchers and teachers to analyse and critically reflect on patterns of pedagogic practices and language use in content-based classrooms. These will have significant implications for future research on using L1 and illuminate effective pedagogy in content-based education.
[Copyright of International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism is the property of Routledge.]

在當今經濟全球化背景之下,培養學生的文化意識和跨文化交際能力不僅僅是高中英語課程標準的要求,更是時代發展的要求。語言和文化密不可分,因此英語教學中不可將兩者分割。教材在英語教學中起著至關重要的作用,它不僅是學生主要的學習資料,也是教師主要的教學工具。教材所承載的文化內容及其編排、呈現形式影響著學生文化知識學習的效果和文化意識的培養。香港地區作為國際金融中心,其英語教育程度略高於內地,其教材的編寫對於我國內地教材的編寫有一定參考價值。本研究選取內地人教版New Senior English for China(NSEFC)和香港朗文版Longman Activate New Senior Secondary(LANSS)兩套高中英語教材作為比較的對象,以跨文化交際理論和文化圖式理論為理論基礎,運用文獻法、比較分析法、文本分析法,系統地比較了兩地高中英語教材中的文化內容。本研究主要包括以下內容:(1)從宏觀層面來比較兩地教材中文化內容的整體編排及呈現方式。(2)從微觀層面來比較兩地教材文化內容在地域來源、文化類型及文化時代性等方面的異同。研究發現:(1)整體編排及呈現方式方面,人教版缺乏整體聯繫性,且真實語料不足,呈現方式相對單一。朗文版具有一定的整體聯繫性,大部分文章取自真實語料,課文呈現方式豐富多變。(2)地域來源方面,人教版涉及世界諸多國家,但目的語文化內容佔比較大,本土文化內容不足,不利於培養學生平等的文化意識。朗文版文化內容以香港本土文化和目的語為主,缺乏其他國家地區的文化內容。(3)文化類型方面,兩地教材都存在涵蓋方面不夠全面的問題,缺乏對觀念文化更為深層次的解釋,僅僅停留在表面上的認知和鑒賞。(4)文化的時代性方面,人教版與朗文版相比缺乏當代文化內容,不利於學生文化知識結構的更新。最後,根據以上研究結論,筆者對教材編寫者和教師提出了相關建議,冀望能為高中英語教材文化內容的選擇和編排提供參考。

隨著國際交往的日益密切,英語成為重要的交流工具,各地也越來越關注英語教育。小學階段作為基礎教育的重要階段,是學生語言學習的黃金期。小學英語教材作為小學英語教育的重要媒介,不僅是學生獲取知識的主要來源,也是教師進行教育教學的重要依據。香港的英語教學一直走在亞洲前列,其特殊的歷史背景使香港教材在立足於本民族特點的基礎上吸收了西方許多成功的經驗。教材中的詞匯是構成英語語言的基礎,也是學習者語言學習的前提,對學生的英語學習具有重要意義。本文以詞匯選編為切入點,對香港朗文版小學英語教材進行研究,以期能夠發現該套教材的特色,為內地小學英語教材的編寫和使用提供借鑒,為小學英語教師進行詞匯教學提供參考,從而進一步提高內地的英語教學。本研究基於教育學、語言學、心理學等相關理論,運用文獻法、文本分析法等研究方法,從詞匯的數量與分佈、詞匯的選編分析兩個方面著手,對香港朗文小學英語教材的詞匯選編進行深入分析。研究發現,在詞匯的數量及分佈方面,該套教材的總詞匯量和重點詞匯量均多於內地《課程標準》的規定,其分佈總體上呈遞增趨勢。在詞匯的選編方面,筆者主要就該套教材的重點詞匯在類型、復現率、呈現方式、與語篇的相關性、拼讀設計、詞法等方面展開探討。在類型方面,該套教材的詞匯設置遵從學生的發展、類型廣泛、注重分類,並通過一系列的編排和活動合理轉化消極詞匯。在復現率方面,該套教材高復現率的詞匯絕大多數分佈較為合理,與日常生活緊密相關。在呈現方式方面,該套教材的附錄部分裝幀精致、紙質較好、頁面清爽、排版合理,主要通過圖片字典的方式呈現詞匯;課文主要通過圖片、立體圖片、海報、圖表、真實照片和物品、語篇、游戲等六大方式呈現詞匯,其呈現方式可視化、多樣化、立體化,並注重真實情境的創設。在與語篇的相關性方面,該套教材通過詞匯的重復、詞匯的關聯、詞匯的搭配等詞匯銜接手段以及語境促進語篇的連貫。在拼讀設計方面,該套教材加入Phonics元素,其拼讀詞匯與章節主題相互關聯,並根據學生的語言學習順序進行編排。在詞法方面,該套教材涉及名詞、代詞、數詞、介詞、形容詞、副詞、動詞等豐富的詞性及其用法,主要運用合成法和派生法構成新詞匯。該套教材的優勢與不足,對內地小學英語教材的編寫和教學有諸多啟示。對教材編寫者來說,應提高詞匯的復現率,科學分布詞匯;注重詞匯的分類,合理編排詞匯;多樣化呈現詞匯,促進可視化學習;合理標注注解,提高自學能力;展現更多貼近現實生活、體現時代性的詞匯;創設真實的情境,增強教材的可學性;重視自然拼讀,提升語音意識。同時,小學英語教師可以設計多樣化的教學活動,定期復習鞏固;渲染真實的語境,觸發學生主動投入;從“單詞”教學到“詞群”教學轉變;恰當地運用直觀教學法;建立適合學生實際情況的詞匯手冊等,提高詞匯教學能力,促進學生的詞匯學習。

The English language curricula in Hong Kong and mainland China place emphasis on ‘culture learning’. This study seeks to examine cultural depictions in two series of primary English language textbooks published in mainland China and Hong Kong. The study adopted Kachru’s three-circle model and Moran’s 4P framework (referring to products, practices, perspectives and persons) to investigate the breadth and depth of cultural presentation. The findings indicate that both series encompass content on the local culture as well as on foreign cultures. While the mainland textbooks focus on British culture in the inner circle through the cultural aspects of products and persons, insufficient attention is paid to other foreign cultures and the cultural aspect of perspectives. In contrast, Hong Kong textbooks include a wider range of foreign cultures and a more balanced presentation of various cultural aspects. However, both series contain mainly static and congratulatory cultural topics, and neglect the underlying value orientations. Copyright © 2019 Pedagogy, Culture & Society.

In this paper, we proposed a productive failure instructional design (Kapur, 2008) to enhance Hong Kong secondary students’ English grammar learning and collaborative problem-solving skills in a MCSCL environment. It is believed that the pedagogical implications of this study will make contributions to the technology-enhanced language learning field. In addition, insight gained from this study will hopefully extend to investigating the impact of productive failure pedagogical design on listening, speaking, writing, and reading skills in the L2 acquisition. Copyright © 2019 Asia-Pacific Society for Computers in Education.

This paper investigates the representation of social values and their ontogenetic development in English as a foreign language textbooks in Hong Kong. Adopting a social semiotic approach, it considers social values in textbooks as semantic categories which are constructed by complex semiotic discursive resources, and develops an explicit framework to model what values are selected and how the values are constructed. Analysis of 19 textbooks from Primary 1 to Secondary 4–6 shows that the social values change from the personal domain (e.g. good hygiene and healthy lifestyle), through the interpersonal domain (e.g. politeness and respect), to the altruistic concern for all mankind. The result also suggests that the textbooks are more concerned with the didactic education of good citizens than with cultivating children's critical thinking. The analytical framework and the findings can be used for the explicit instruction and critical analysis of social values in English language teaching.
[Copyright of Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education is the property of Routledge.]

This study investigated the influences of the use of self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies on students' self-efficacy in English writing. A total of 155 fourth graders from 1 government-funded primary school in Hong Kong completed a questionnaire on SRL strategy use and a questionnaire on self-efficacy in English writing. The students used planning strategies more frequently than the other strategy types (e.g., text generating). They had a higher level of self-efficacy in content than in the other aspects (e.g., language and grammar). The students with more SRL strategy use reported a higher level of self-efficacy. The use of SRL strategies had significant and positive relationships with the students' self-efficacy. In particular, the use of planning and self-monitoring strategies had the strongest correlations with self-efficacy. This study opens a new window to understanding how students' self-efficacy in English writing develops as a result of their SRL strategy use. We discuss practical implications for English as a second language/English as a foreign language classroom instruction.
[Copyright of Reading & Writing Quarterly is the property of Taylor & Francis Inc.]

English as a second/foreign language education (ESL/EFL) in the supplementary setting is under-researched despite its prevalence worldwide. This quantitative study investigated the effects of supplementary and mainstream ESL/EFL education on eleven facets from learners' secondary-level and tertiary-level perspectives. In addition, we examined learners' perception of the usefulness of supplementary and mainstream classes in equipping them for the use of English for different purposes in the tertiary setting. 203 participants studying at two tertiary institutions in Hong Kong completed a 72-item questionnaire. The MANOVAs conducted revealed significant main effects of education settings (i.e. supplementary/mainstream) and education levels (i.e. secondary-level/tertiary-level) as well as interaction effects of these variables on learners' perception. There were also significant differences in learners' views of the usefulness of the two education settings in preparing them for the use of English for specific purposes at tertiary level. This article culminates with a discussion of these findings and implications.
[Copyright of Studies in Educational Evaluation is the property of Elsevier Ltd.]

The present article lies at the intersection of research on teacher cognitions and the rising importance of literary texts in second language learning. It is a qualitative analysis of teacher reports on integrating Language Arts (LA) in the context of New Senior Secondary (NSS) English Language Curriculum in Hong Kong. In particular, this study explores three English teachers’ conceptions of teaching literary texts. Juxtaposing teachers’ views of LA integration and their personal experience of English language learning offers teacher educators a useful lens through which to view the personal practical nature of teacher cognition. It also unveils the factors influencing their conceptions of the place of literary texts in the English Language Curriculum. The results portray teachers as individuals with unique personal characteristics and backgrounds. It is hoped that the study will offer insights into the development of teachers’ personal practical knowledge (PPK) by highlighting their personal learning experience. The study suggests a reconsideration of the relationship between teacher knowledge and belief from various perspectives. Copyright © 2019 Editorial Board TESL - EJ. All rights reserved.

This experimental study examined the effectiveness of adopting the VARK (visual, aural, read/write and kinesthetic) sensory approach to teach EEL primary students English vocabulary and compared the relative effectiveness of each sensory approach. Forty primary students in Hong Kong participated in this study. They were divided into four random groups. Each group received one type of vocabulary instruction favoring one sensory preference. All students received a pretest two weeks before receiving the instruction, a posttest right after the teaching and a delayed posttest conducted two weeks later. Test scores were analyzed both within and between groups. The study found that the aural modality group showed better performance on vocabulary pronunciation while the visual and the kinesthetic modality groups demonstrated better understanding of vocabulary meaning. Findings of the study indicated that multiple modalities should be adopted in classroom and teaching strategies should be adjusted based on students' preferences and abilities. Copyright © 2016 GSTF.