During the last two decades of colonial rule, a wide gulf existed between policy and practice in Hong Kong's English-medium secondary schools: while English was the medium of textbooks, assignments and examinations, Cantonese and Cantonese-English mixed code were the dominant media of classroom communication. Although mixed-mode instruction was defended in some quarters, during the 1990s it was regarded in government circles as the main cause of unsatisfactory English standards. To eliminate mixed-mode instruction, and thereby ensure the consistent use of English or Chinese as teaching media, the postcolonial government introduced a controversial language policy in 1998 which permitted only 112 schools to remain English-medium, while most schools were forced to switch their medium of instruction from English to Chinese. This paper presents the findings of an investigation which aimed to gauge the extent to which the new policy has been translated into classroom practice in the 'reformed' English-medium stream. The findings indicate that teachers and students make greater use of English in the classroom than their counterparts during the era of 'mass' English-medium education, although, as might be expected, the language-learning experience provided in the 'reformed' English-medium stream generally falls short of the full immersion programme envisaged by policy makers.
[Copyright of Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01434630802147940]

背景： 教統局檢討中學教學語言政策，提出微調的方案。
目的： 本文主要是為回應中學教學語言微調政策而寫。
論點： 文中指出主要有經濟、政治和教育三個因素影響著中學使用何種教學語文，在正常情況下，經濟為主導因素，故1949年之前，學生多選讀中文中學，1950-97年間則選讀英文中學，惟政府在回歸時的強制性母語教學政策，將政治因素放在首位，引至近年中學教學語文的亂局。核心問題是：教育署(1989)將「中英混用方式來教學」和「校本分流教學語文調適」混淆，將「在雙語教學的世界中，課堂上的講解多是英語輔以粵語，書面語才是全英文」這種學習第二語時的必經過程，貿然定性為錯誤。
總結：要解救現今中學教學語文的困境，校本分流中學教學語言微調政策應是溫和的良方。
Background: The Education Bureau reviewed the on medium of instruction in secondary schools and proposed the fine-tuning of policy.
Aim: This article is in response to the fine-tuning policy of medium of instruction.
Exposition: The economic, political and educational factors were found to be the main ones influencing the choice of medium of instruction in secondary schools. In particular, the economic factor was found to be the dominant one under normal situations. Before 1949, students chose to study in Chinese middle schools. They switched to choose Anglo-Chinese secondary schools during 1950-97. The scene has been seriously distorted recently due to the Government's strong policy of imposing mother tongue education to a majority of secondary schools after 1997. Parents, students, and educators are unhappy about the Government's explicit intervention. Crucial issue: the Education Department (1989) mixed up the [mixed code teaching] and [school based mixed mode teaching according to subjects and levels]. They wrongly concluded the auxiliary use of Chinese in some English medium class were unacceptable which is against the general trend of linguistic development of students.
Conclusion: The fine-tuning policy of medium of instruction, particularly the school based mixed mode teaching according to subjects and levels, language streaming within school will be a moderate but good way to resolve the dilemma of medium of instruction in secondary schools.
[Copyright of New Horizons: The Journal of Education, Hong Kong Teachers' Associationl is the property of Hong Kong Teachers' Association at http://www.hkta1934

Background: Cantonese-English mixed code is ubiquitous in Hong Kong society, and yet using mixed code is widely perceived as improper. This paper presents evidence of mixed code being socially constructed as bad language behavior. In the education domain, an EDB guideline bans mixed code in the classroom. Teachers are encouraged to stick to Cantonese or English, depending on the school-based medium of instruction policy (i.e. EMI vs. CMI schools).
Aims or focus of discussion: This paper analyzes the major reasons why mixed code is so difficult to avoid, both inside and outside the classroom. One important factor is the 'medium-of-learning effect'. Empirical evidence will be presented to demonstrate students' cognitive dependence on English terminologies as a direct result of English medium education. The paper draws implications for classroom code-switching, which is pedagogically a valuable linguistic resource.
Arguments / comments / suggestions: The EDB guideline banning mixed code in the classroom is too rigid. Code-switching has great potential for helping the bilingual teacher to achieve context-specific teaching and learning goals like clarifying difficult concepts and reinforcing students' bilingual lexicon (e.g. melamine/三聚氰胺, financial tsunami/金融海嘯). For EMI teachers, switching to Cantonese helps maintain class discipline, build rapport and reduce social distance with students. The assumption or claim that mixed code leads to declining English or even Chinese standards is not informed by sound empirical evidence.
Conclusion: Educated Chinese Hongkongers find it difficult to resist using some English in their informal interactions with others in Cantonese, resulting in mixed code. Instead of banning mixed code indiscriminately, a more proactive and productive approach will be to conduct empirical research with a view to (a) better understanding the circumstances under which classroom code-switching is necessary, (b) identifying pedagogically

背景： 教統會在今年二月發表檢討中學教學語言及中一派位機制的諮詢文件，邀請各界回應。
目的： 本文主要是為回應上述的中學教學語言政策而寫。
論點： 文中指出主要有經濟、政治和教育三個因素影響著中學使用何種教學語文，在正常情況下，經濟為主導因素，故1949 年之前，學生多選讀中文中學，1950-97 年間則選讀英文中學，惟政府在回歸時的強制性母語教學政策，將政治因素放在首位，引至近年中學教學語文的亂局。
總結：要解救現今中學教學語文的困境，校本分流應是溫和的良方。
Background: The Education Commission is now reviewing the policy on medium of instruction and school places allocation in secondary schools of Hong Kong. They invite response from different sectors about the present policy.
Aim: This article is in response to the above invitation on the policy of medium of instruction.
Exposition: The economic, political and educational factors were found to be the main ones influencing the choice of medium of instruction in secondary schools. In particular, the economic factor was found to be the dominant one under normal situations. Before 1949, students chose to study in Chinese middle schools. They switched to choose Anglo-Chinese secondary schools during 1950-97. The scene has been seriously distorted recently due to the Government’s strong policy of imposing mother tongue education to a majority of secondary schools after 1997. Parents, students, and educators are unhappy about the Government's explicit intervention.
Conclusion: Language streaming within school will be a moderate but good way to resolve the dilemma of medium of instruction in secondary schools.
[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/]

本文透過檢視香港的教學語言政策制定及執行背後所奉行的理性依據，指出其立論的局限性。有別於語言只是傳遞訊息的工具之觀點，筆者指出學習和語言與公民參與和身份建構等教育原則的密切關係，並藉此檢視香港的教學語言政策在過去二十多年來，不論在政策的制定取向和執行方法，和其在教育及對學習的認知上，有否展示出吸收新思維的能耐。
This paper attempts to revisit the rationale underlying the formation and implementation of the language policy in Hong Kong for the past twenty years or so. It is pointed out that the policy has not been well informed manifested by its approach in policy enactment and not being aware of the close relationship between language and learning and its implications for the importance of cultivating civic participation and identity construction during the schooling process. In virtue of this, this paper argues that the language policy in Hong Kong has been weak in its capacity to learn.
[Copyright of Hong Kong Teachers' Centre Journal is the property of Hong Kong Teachers' Centre at http://www.edb.org.hk/hktc]

Hong Kong children's comprehension of Chinese and English text is of concern to parents and teachers since school leavers need to be proficient readers both of Chinese and English. Although Chinese has been officially designated the medium of instruction in most secondary schools, many parents want their children to be taught in English-medium schools for, although Hong Kong is now a Chinese region, being literate in English is still highly prized by the public. A comparison was made of the bilingual reading attainment of Hong Kong primary students, using instruments and procedures used in the 2001 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study. The average standard of reading English was below the international average, and only 70% of the average standard of reading in Chinese. Only 7% of students read English as well as age-related peers in English-speaking countries. Whereas this minority can be taught via English to no academic detriment, most students understand text much less well in English than in Chinese. The best readers were good both in English and Chinese, the poor readers being particularly weak readers of English. Being taught via English enhanced students' general English reading ability, and being taught in Cantonese enhanced their Chinese reading ability.
[Copyright of Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01434630903514212]