Adopting a case study approach with multiple data sources, this paper explores the ways in which rapport is built, and its impact on the learning process based on five successive writing support consultations between a native English-speaking (NES) tutor and her second language (L2) tutee in a Hong Kong university. With reference to the prepared coding categories, six strategies that realize the four key elements of rapport management were identified, namely greetings, small talk, the use of qualifiers and mitigation devices, first-person plural pronouns, praises and expressions of empathy, and open-ended questions. These strategies symbolized association, addressed face work and emotional reactions, and encouraged equity in the directive and tutor dominance writing consultations. Motivated by the harmonious relationship, the tutee gradually took a more active role in learning in different ways by asking questions, expressing an opposite view, admitting inadequate knowledge, reflecting on cognitive processes, and initiating small talk. The implicit impact was further reflected in her improved self-rating and the completion of the five consultations. Pedagogical recommendations for tutor training are made.
[Copyright of Language and Education is the property of Taylor & Francis. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09500782.2015.1038275]

In this paper, an excerpt of teacher–student interaction in an EFL junior secondary science classroom in Hong Kong is analysed using the conversation analytic method of sequential analysis. The fine-grained analysis reveals that in the teacher's effort to engage her students in the co-construction of a scientific proof, the students' familiar everyday discourses (e.g. students' examples and experiences as expressed in their familiar language) need to be allowed to play a significant role. It also shows how translanguaging can be well-coordinated with multimodal practices (using blackboard drawings, gestures) to facilitate students' meaning-making in the inquiry-based teacher–student dialogue.
[Copyright of International Journal of Bilingual Education & Bilingualism is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2014.988113]

Hong Kong's Liberal Studies curriculum (implemented in 2009) aims in part to teach young people about diversity in society, including cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity. This essay considers how religions and religious diversity are represented in Liberal Studies, analyzing how minority forms of religion are visible and invisible in the four most popular Liberal Studies textbook sets. The analysis will answer the questions of (1) how Hong Kong's religious diversity is expressed in the textbooks and (2) how different religions are depicted in relation to the society overall. Textbooks are the primary source material teachers use, particularly in new subjects, as reflections of prevalent attitudes, beliefs, and norms, and as formal sources of curriculum content. This essay therefore provides a glimpse of the latent knowledge about religious diversity in the educational publishing and decision-making community of Hong Kong, relating gaps in text coverage to the subject's aim of developing student understanding and appreciation of diversity.
[Copyright of Asian Anthropology is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1683478X.2015.1025595]

The objective of the study is to investigate various factors affecting the effectiveness of a music program at secondary school in Hong Kong. Two secondary schools are involved in the investigation. The principals, the music teachers, and the students are being interviewed separately with different sets of questions. In-depth questions concerning the rationale are being considered. The data collected are analyzed and findings of the key factors affecting the effectiveness of a music program include the leadership of the principal, the vision and involvement of the music teacher, as well as the management skill of both the principal and music teacher involved in complicated situations. It is, therefore, concluded that education of the principal and music teacher, which forms the two key factors effecting the effectiveness of a music program, should include also studies in management and leadership courses in addition to their own professional training. Furthermore, team work, availability of extra facilities, collaboration among colleagues of different subject areas, and many other interrelated elements are also essential factors for a successful music program.

Empirical Research Background: In constructing a reading ability scale for English, it was necessary to take the constituent testlets, items grouped within a single reading passage, seriously. That posed interesting and challenging problems for the calibration process. Empirical Research Aims: This paper attempts to show how to use the testlets as the main units for the construction of the reading ability scale. The exercise highlighted issues relating to item level and testlet level invariance, which would be interesting and informative for Rasch model applications. Empirical Research Sample: The sample in the study is around 5000 primary and secondary students in Hong Kong. Empirical Research Method: The scale calibration uses a series of linked reading comprehension tests acorss the full spectrum of the Hong Kong primary and secondary education. A three-facet Rasch model was used with testlets as an intermediate levels between items and students. The main issue to be considered is the selection of linking items across levels, giving due consideration to possible variance between levels and to the need to maintain invariance across the scale. The achievement of the latter will be the use of the anchoring of the testlets, while allowing some linking items to vary within the context of the testlet. Empirical Research RASCH: Multi-faceted Rasch models were used in the scale calibration. The exercise raises interesting issues on the definition of what constitutes a facet versus item grouping. Empirical Research Results: The exercise enabled the construction of a reading ability scale for English in Hong Kong. Empirical Research Conclusions: The reading ability scale provides the basis for tracking student reading ability in English across the full spectrum of education in Hong Kong. It has already been used in Macau and will be used in Taiwan.

Empirical Research Background: Traditional approaches to physical fitness assessment have two major deficiencies: the first, the high dependence on raw scores limits the validity and accuracy of the interpretation of assessment results because raw scores are not valid ―measures‖ with inferential value; the second, students have to attempt all of the separate fitness indicators in order to get the whole picture about their abilities on the different components of physical fitness. Empirical Research Aims: This study aimed to explore a new approach to physical fitness measurement by developing a Rasch Measurement Physical Fitness Scale (RMPFS) consisting of the physical fitness indicators routinely used in Hong Kong primary schools. Empirical Research Sample: Data used in this study were retrieved from the database of a Hong Kong primary school covering primary students‘ physical fitness data over academic years 2002-03 to 2006-07. Empirical Research Method: Students‘ performances on 9 physical fitness indicators, i.e, BMI, 6-minute Run, 9-minute Run, 1-minute Sit-ups, Standard Push-ups, Modified Push-ups, Sit-and-Reach, Right Handgrip, and Left Handgrip, were analyzed with WINSTEPS 3.0. The partial credit model was specified for the analysis. The fitness indicators were investigated one by one from a Rasch measurement perspective. Empirical Research RASCH: The scale development was guided by Rasch measurement principles. The fitness indicators that violated Rasch measurement requirements would be excluded from the scale. Empirical Research Results: 1) A RMPFS which integrates three components of physical fitness including cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular endurance, and muscular strengthen was successfully developed; 2) The RMPFS and its scale indicators showed fit to the Rasch model sufficient for the intended purposes of measuring overall fitness of children. Empirical Research Conclusions: The findings of this study will be informative to physical education

The Teachers’ Conceptions of Assessment inventory has been used in studies with primary and secondary school teachers in New Zealand and Queensland. It has been translated and used in two studies in Chinese contexts (i.e., Hong Kong and China). The Western studies consistently support the existence of four inter-correlated conceptions (i.e., assessment makes schools accountable, assessment makes students accountable, assessment improves teaching and learning, assessment is irrelevant). While similar factors have been found in the two Chinese studies, it was apparent that the factor inter-correlations were quite different. This was especially noted around the relationship of improvement and student accountability factors which were highly correlated in Chinese studies but weakly correlated in Western studies. This suggests that while the British assessment for learning policy is being advocated around the world, there may significant factors in how assessment is understood and used in Chinese contexts that require an alternative policy development. To that end, two studies have been conducted to extend our understanding of what assessment means to teachers in Chinese contexts.

In Hong Kong, the educational reform launched by the Education Bureau since year 2000 encouraged primary schools to use the inquiry approach in the teaching of science and technology related topics in General Studies. It is believed that this approach is a student-centred approach which helps students to integrate generic skills, knowledge and values in the learning of General Studies. However, primary school teachers in Hong Kong do not commonly practice the inquiry approach in the teaching of General Studies because they found this approach time consuming and difficult to manage with the limited time of each lesson. Students hence have few opportunities of trying out experiments and science concepts are usually learned by rote without real understanding. This paper illustrates how a group of teachers in a primary school, collaborated with the researchers from The Hong Kong Institute of Education, used the Learning Study approach in planning and teaching a Primary 4 General Studies topic about "Light and shadow". During the study, the team found that one of the problems of students was that they were only able to repeat the statement "Light travels in a straight line" but could not apply the concept to explain daily life phenomena, such as the formation of a shadow. In this study, the research team identified an important object of learning which was omitted in the textbook. In the lessons, the inquiry approach was used, which provided opportunities for students to investigate the concept of "Light travels in a straight line". By improving the design and the enactment of the Variation pattern in different teaching cycles, a more effective lesson design was achieved, resulting in better student learning outcomes as shown by the pre and post student interviews and test results of the Learning Study.

Music curriculum reform in Hong Kong has been formally implemented since September 2006. Under such circumstances music teachers are to develop their school-based music curricula with regard to their specific teaching contexts. Generic skills are positive attitude and value should be developed by all Key Learning Areas including Arts and Music. This study expands on recent case study research which found four attributes of teacher quality in music teaching at a secondary school in Hong Kong (Leung & Wong, 2005). It aims to examine how music teachers in different types of Hong Kong schools implemented curriculum reform from September 2006. It focuses on the attributes of good practice in music teaching and learning in secondary schools, particularly the relationships between contextual factors, teacher quality, teaching strategies and learning outcomes. Three samples of different kinds of schools, namely, government schools, aided schools and direct-subsidy schools were invited to participate in this multiple-case study in which classroom observation and semi-structured interviews with teachers and students were conducted. Different contexts, teacher and student characteristics and their interrelationship are to be analyzed. The findings of this study will contribute to the quality of music education by revealing successful approaches to the design and implementation of school-based music curriculum, the attributes of teacher quality and student responses to learning under the reform changes.