Abstract

The study of developmental dyslexia was briefly reviewed through tracing its historical origin, addressing the issues in definitions, summarizing well-accepted epidemiological findings, and highlighting some of the recent research on the neurological and cognitive basis of dyslexia. By introducing developmental dyslexia in different languages, including the Chinese language, it was recognized that different cognitive deficits might be differentially prominent in different language settings. The recent progress on studying the cognitive deficits of Chinese dyslexic children in Hong Kong and the development of assessment instruments for identification of dyslexia laid the foundation for further research. The need for translating research into evidence-based practice in developing interventions for dyslexic children was discussed.

Abstract

This article reports on a survey of IT use by English language panel chairs (heads of department) in Hong Kong secondary schools. An initial overview is first presented of HKSAR Government policy where it has been stated that, by 2002, 25% of all classroom teaching must be supported by IT. Participants referred to in the article were enrolled on a brief refresher course at a local university; they completed a questionnaire in which they reflected on their attitudes and beliefs about successful IT practice in the English language classroom. As the article illustrates, the first necessity in any IT policy involves access to computers; while a number of schools have good facilities, not all do. More telling, however, are participants’ views on what constitutes successful IT-based teaching. While resources exist for hardware and software, little provision has been made for curriculum development, or for coordination of IT-based teaching. Consequently, integration of IT into the English language curriculum is generally quite ad hoc. The article concludes with a warning that stipulating 25% of class time to be delivered by IT may perhaps be encouraging IT practices in the English language classroom that are less than conducive to the good teaching and learning of English.

摘要

本文作者認為自1990年代開始引進的香港史課程，應該對學校的歷史教育產生積極作用，特別可以讓教師超越純粹傳授客觀知識的困局，正視歷史知識的開放特性。本文蒐集了中小學教師認為必定與學生分享的210個香港故事，從而提出本文的兩個要旨：一、本地史是日常生活歷史的縮影，透過教師滲入個人經驗來描述私人歷史，令歷史知識變得更為吸引；二、由於故事的變化空間很大，足以打破因歷史知識範疇而產生的人為障礙。作者深信我們若能正視歷史教育的開放特性，就好像視它為一種文學創作活動一樣，歷史課便能變得更有生氣和意義。

Abstract

The author views the introduction of Hong Kong history into school curriculum since the 1990s as a significant step toward opening up a new arena for schoolteachers whereby history education can be seen more as an open-ended practice than a transmission of objective knowledge. Based on 210 “lived-in” stories carefully selected by primary and secondary schoolteachers, this article serves two purposes: First, it shows the engaging power of local history as history of everyday life, particularly when the stories involve teachers’ personal accounts of their own private life; second, it puts heightened emphasis on the power of storytelling in blurring the man-made boundaries between different categories of history, such as private versus public, local versus global. The article argues that when historical narratives are embedded with the open-ended perspective of a poetic act, history classrooms can become more alive and meaningful.

Abstract

This article reports on the first year of a two-year project intended to provide support to students in Hong Kong entering secondary school (i.e., the start of Grade 7), where the medium of instruction in all major content subjects is English. For the majority of students, this presents substantial adaptation problems, not the least of which is the fact that the medium of instruction has changed from Cantonese in primary school to English in secondary. An overview of the project’s general objectives is first presented, involving a “language-across-the-curriculum” approach and helping schools to create a “language-rich environment.” The article then moves to describing the various support measures that have been developed and provided to five selected secondary schools which are participating in the project. At the end of the first year of the project, these schools completed an attitudinal questionnaire, which is also discussed. One important finding here is that schools which were generally less than enthusiastic about the project at the outset have changed in their attitudes toward “language-across-the-curriculum.” The article concludes with a look ahead toward the second year of the project.

摘要

本研究的目的有二，除旨在證明高等教育院校的「組織績效」（organizational effectiveness）為一個含多因子的二階建構（second-order construct）外，亦進一步探討各因子對整體組織績效的相對影響。透過一項以香港七所大學的教員為對象的問卷調查，研究發現香港教員偏重學術研究多於學生的學習。這結果反映出大學教育資助委員會的研究評審機制（Research Assessment Exercise）對大學的影響。

Abstract

This study aims to validate that organizational effectiveness in higher education institutions is a second-order construct. It further examines the relative importance of various dimensions of organizational effectiveness. Based on the findings of a survey administered to university academics in seven Hong Kong universities, the second-order construct of organizational effectiveness was supported. The findings also reflected that the student-related dimensions of organizational effectiveness were not considered as important as the dimensions related to faculty employment and satisfaction, suggesting that there exists disproportionate influence of the governing body on Hong Kong higher education institutions.

Abstract

In an interview setting, 144 participants who completed two blocks of teaching practice (five and eight weeks) were invited to share their teaching experiences with respect to cultivating creativity. Specifically, they were requested to rate some adjectives (e.g., caring, creative) or short phrases (e.g., has interest in many areas) that described them, and their perception of teacher behaviors important for fostering creativity. The factor and cluster analyses showed that the majority of the student teachers wished to be seen as caring and/or assertive teachers. Significant results were found with regard to teachers’ behaviors in stimulating thinking, asking questions, and facilitating evaluation. The majority of the student teachers (80% and above) associated high achievers with teacher competence in, and dispositions for fostering creativity. Implications of the findings of the study were elicited for fostering teachers’ behaviors toward enhancing creativity within Singapore’s teacher educational context.