Parents must look past own preferences and consider what is best for children

Adjustments made to the medium-of-instruction policy have confused parents. As a parent of two children studying in a government subsidised secondary school and university, I care a lot about the fine-tuning policy. The decision to let Chinese-medium schools set aside 25 per cent of their lesson time for more English learning activities is praiseworthy as it gives students more exposure to English.

How the schools allot the 25 per cent of lesson time has been left to their discretion. We are worried this might lead to chaos. Some schools might devote all to a single subject and some might opt to intersperse all non-language lessons with extra sessions for English activities. We are at a loss over how to choose schools as we do not have much information about how they will arrange things.

The government said the fine-tuning policy's aim was to create an environment conducive to English-learning. By widening exposure to English beyond language subjects, the government thinks that students will have more opportunities to use English. That's wrong. If you want to enhance English proficiency, you should do it through English lessons instead of non-language subjects such as geography or mathematics.

I am a supporter of mother-tongue teaching. Students, especially those who are weaker, learn best in their mother tongue. If they are forced to learn in English, their understanding will be sacrificed. Mother-tongue teaching also allows for happy learning. Students ask more questions and are more eager to answer questions in Chinese. If they have to speak in English, they might lose the motivation to ask questions.

The government should set aside more resources for local schools to strengthen their English-teaching regime instead of allowing non-language subjects to be taught in English at Chinese-medium schools. Many parents are worried that schools, in order to boost enrolment for survival, will tout the number of English classes they offer as a student recruitment tool and neglect students' real needs.

The fine-tuning policy will also lead to a labelling effect within a school. The labelling effect referred to the stigma attached to most Chinese-medium schools which were not allowed to teach in English after the handover.

After the fine-tuning policy takes effect in September, there might no longer be strict segregation into English- or Chinese-medium streams, the segregation will be merely moved inside a particular school. If a school offers an English class and retains Chinese teaching for the remaining classes in the form, students who get assigned to the remaining classes will feel they are at a disadvantage. Their confidence in learning English will be dampened.

The debate about the medium of instruction has dogged parents and educators alike. Parents tend to have a strong preference for English-medium schools. They think schools teaching in English are the best without considering what is best for their children. They fail to take into account that their children learn best in their mother tongue. Parents have to consider education in this respect. Otherwise the problems can never be solved.

Lee Chung-kuen is a consultant with the Federation of Parent-Teacher Associations of Yuen Long District. Mr Lee was talking to Elaine Yau.

Source:
South China Morning Post 8 May 2009 (Friday)

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Questions:
1.What is/are your viewpoint(s) towards the Fine Tuning of Medium of Instruction Policy?
2.Do you prefer English or Mother-Tongue teaching? Why?
3.Do you think the time for implementing such policy appropriate?