Paper presented at International Symposium “Preparing Students for Communicating in East Asia” held on  March 8, 2016, at Hokkaido University

Abstract

Hong Kong education system is very challenging in that it attempts to implement an innovative approach to language learning called “late immersion programs.” This study attempts to investigate how Hong Kong education system and its reforms reflect growing need for English education in a multilingual society. In Hong Kong, there are significant reforms made in 1990 and in 2000, which shifted their system to the late immersion programs and banding system. Content-based instruction, in which learners learn a second language simultaneously, as they study subject matter contents, has been practiced in a great variety of approaches. Among them, French immersion programs in Canada have been implemented since 1960s in Canada (Lambert & Tucker, 1972) and well-known for its longevity for nearly half century. A bulk of research has shown that French immersion programs have succeeded in developing good listening skills, fluency, and confidence in production of second language. Hong Kong immersion programs differs from French immersion in Canada in that it starts in secondary schools, and it does not necessarily presuppose that language proficiency, unlike early immersion, follows cognitive development. It is also unique in that it comes with the band system. The interviews conducted for this study shows some aspects of the Hong Kong programs. There are some “band 1” schools whose medium of instruction is exclusively English. But language instruction in many of Hong Kong middle schools varies with band systems and grades. More details about “band 1” schools and immersion programs will be discussed in the presentation.

本発表では，これまでのインタビューの結果を表にまとめ，また，観察した歴史の授業をCOLTpartAで記述し，その概要を発表した。

研究を進めていく中で，香港における教育は，

（１）多様性があること

（２）そして，それを引き起こしているものは，多言語社会を反映する言語教育であること

が見えてきた。今回の発表では，イマージョン教育においても，さらにその中に多様性みられることを指摘した。それは，佐野先生の発表にもあるように，教育の多様性が，親や子供の選択肢を豊富にしていることにつながる。しかしながら，その反面として，教育制度，学校種，プログラムに応じて様々な指導法を適用していかなければいけないという課題が課せられていることになる。今後は指導法の工夫ということに関して調査をしていきたいと考えている。

Johnson(1994)では，core to immersion という言語教育プログラムの変化に対応した指導法の枠組においては，content/language, familiar/unfamiliarという区分を設け，それによって作られる４つのカテゴリーにおいて，それぞれどのように指導法などで対応するのかを設計していくことが肝要であると述べられている。本研究の方向性を考えると，immersion to CLIL（Content and Language Integrated Learning)として変化すべき方向を示し，そこで求められる指導法について考察してみたい。

今回三名のインタビューを行ったが，その観点を以下に記録として残しておきます。

Interview for Hong Kong late immersions or banding system
Name
Date of Birth
Primary School:
Secondary School:
Band 1, 2
Public, Government-subsided, Private

A. Junior Secondary Levels

1. Subjects taught in English as medium of instruction
Mathematics, Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology), Integrated Humanities, Geography, History, Computer Literacy, Home Economics, Design and Technology, Music, Visual Arts, Religious Education, Civic Education, Social Education, Life Education, Physical Education

2. Participation organization
Teacher-centered: The teacher talks, while the students exclusively listen. During activities, students work alone, and collaboration is discouraged
Student-centered: students and instructors share the focus. Students and teachers interact equally. Group work is encouraged, and students learn to collaborate and communicate with one another.

3.1 Pair /group work: work on the same task, or different tasks
3.2 Individual work: work on the same task, or different tasks

4. Content/language: work on the content of the subject, but is some language instruction, lexical, grammatical, or textual organization, provided?

5. Code-switching/ Mix: All in English, some in Chinese; When is Cantonese provided?, Is it when some difficult or technical terms are used in the textbooks? Does the instructor give supplementary materials with Chinese annotations?

6. Modality/language preference: Cantonese is used when the instructor speaks, reads? Do you speak English, write in English in the class? When you interact with other students, do you sometimes use English?
7. Material/Language (annotation): Textbook for L2 or NS; Teacher-made material with Chinese annotations?

B. Senior Secondary Levels
2. Participation organization
Teacher-centered: The teacher talks, while the students exclusively listen. During activities, students work alone, and collaboration is discouraged
Student-centered: students and instructors share the focus. Students and teachers interact equally. Group work is encouraged, and students learn to collaborate and communicate with one another.

3.1 Pair /group work: work on the same task, or different tasks
3.2 Individual work: work on the same task, or different tasks

4. Content/language: work on the content of the subject, but is some language instruction, lexical, grammatical, or textual organization, provided?

5. Code-switching/ Mix: All in English, some in Chinese; When is Cantonese provided?, Is it when some difficult or technical terms are used in the textbooks? Does the instructor give supplementary materials with Chinese annotations?

6. Modality/language preference: Cantonese is used when the instructor speaks, reads? Do you speak English, write in English in the class? When you interact with other students, do you sometimes use English?
7. Material/Language (annotation): Textbook for L2 or NS; Teacher-made material with Chinese annotations?