Job Discussion Forums

[gryffindor]

Hi,

I'm a newbie and puzzled by the need to import NETs into Hong Kong. I know Hong Kongers speak Cantonese most of the time, but surely the local English teachers do have a decent command of the language?

How do the local teachers really teach the language? In cantonese?

[poof]

You'd be surprised at the number of people who can't speak good English in HK.

There is also a belief in many Asian countries that only white, native-speakers will provide the ideal source model from which to learn English. At least HK does though try to draw in those with teaching qualifications, as all teachers will know that it's one thing to be able to speak English, it's another to be able to teach it.

[hkteach]

Yes, a lot (or most) of them do. They say they need to use Cantonese because the students don't understand enough English to understand the lesson otherwise.
And it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. It's disturbing to see kids at the end of primary school who still don't even have the most basic English to answer a simple question like 'where do you live?'
In many cases, Primary 1 kids have much better oral English skills than the Primary 6 kids.

The EMB recommends to us that we discourage the teachers from using Cantonese, because then the kids just wait for the translation and thus don't try to learn English. But change comes slowly and we celebrate small steps.

A lot of teachers also use microphones. Each classroom has a mcirophone jack at the front near the blackboard for just that purpose. Teachers come in and plug in their microphones as part of their routine.

When I first came here, I was astonished at the sight (and sound) of teachers standing at the front of the class with those headphone type sets (like telephonists on busy switchboards) and yelling in Cantonese.
Most of the English teachers at my school did this. When I went in to teach with them, they had an extra mike for me,, which I politely declined. Although they used quite a bit of English when I was in the room, I'd notice almost 100% Cantonese during English lessons as I moved about the school.

I think that is one of the things that I've seen change in my time here - less use of microphones.
The local teachers have varying degrees of skill in spoken English - MANY have lots of difficulty with pronunciation and intonation. Overall I'd say their spoken English is pretty poor. There's a benchmark test that they have to pass (which many native speakers would fail because of the emphasis on written explanations of grammar) !!One of the teachers I taught with last year is no longer allowed to teach English as she failed the writing component of this test. She was the best English teacher out of all that I've worked with since I came here - terrible that she can't teach it any more.

But the main reason NETs are here is to try to change the WAY that English is taught - to bring about a move away from pure textbook, drill and rote and overemphasis on dictation. We are here to assist them to use 'innovative teaching and learning strategies'.

[gryffindor]

[gryffindor]

[chi]

Hi, I agree with Poof, it's one thing being a native English speaker, it's another to able to teach English effectively to a non-native speaker. Most people where I'm from in England don't have time to think about the inner workings of their language. They speak it and that's enough.
With regard to the local level of fluency - I frequently have local teachers come to me for advice on grammar, especially coloquial phrases, to make their presentations sound authentic.
And until recently, the students didn't understand a question when I threw the word 'today' onto the end. Maybe because they've been taught rather rigid, textbook responses to rather rigid, textbook questions.

I gather that you have a vested interest in posting this topic, and want to test the waters So you shouldn't have any problem if you meet the basic criteria. Best of luck!

[Smoog]

Native Speakers have the advantage of inuitively knowing most colloquial phrases and correct way to pronounce words.
For instance, last week the Local Teacher corrected a student who answered, "I come to school by foot". To the LET, this was wrong because the textbook says, "...on foot".
I had to point out that either was acceptable English. All the LETs were surprised with this, as they only had the textbook to go by which they rely on heavily.

[anninhk]

I don't want to get into a grammatical argument here but I am a Native English Speaker and I would never say 'by foot'
I would say by bus or car but I would only ever say on foot.
I agree however that there needs to be more flexibility in the use of English and a lot of the textbooks use English that is now out of date.

[Smoog]

'on foot' might be more grammatically correct, but I would teach 'by foot' to P1/P2 class simply because it's easier for them to remember. That way, everything is 'by ...'
by car
by bus
by ferry
by bicycle
on foot (?!)

Too confusing for a 5 yr-old non-english speaker.
You can teach the intricacies later.

[gryffindor]

Well, one of the most difficult thing about learning a language is to master the irregularities. Like someone pointed out earlier about how a native speaker would know intuitively if something sounds right. English has a number of irregularities in the way certain words are spelt. It comes with a genuine context for communication which I think many children in Hong Kong simply lack.

[hkteach]

I agree that 'by foot' sounds wrong and outside of Hong Kong, I've never heard this.

To the question "How do you come to school?" how about "I walk" ??? Oooohhhh if only!!!!!!! (it'd beat the hell out of my present arrangements).

[Smoog]

[hkteach]

Well smoog, I actually come from one of the countries you mention and as I said, I've never heard it used. Nor have I heard it used in any of the 4 countries where I've taught.
Perhaps you have to play ask and answer with the locals to know exactly what they say in such situations.

[chi]

I come from the UK and I have heard 'by foot' used in the context of giving a person directions: "It's about 5 minutes away by foot".

But in terms of talking about oneself and how one gets somewhere, we tend to use "I go to work on foot".

Anyway...

BTW, nobody seems to have picked up on the fact that the thread's title, 'Quality of English by locals', doesn't sound very grammatically correct either!

[JZer]

I think it is OK to say, "I often go to work by foot".

Though I would not really use on foot. When do people say "I am going to school on foot today."? I would say, "I am walking to school today. or I walked to school today. (past tense)