The ongoing debate on mother-tongue teaching and language training has been strong on passion and weak when it has come to imparting information.
Practically anyone who has been a student, teacher, or parent has an opinion supported by anecdotal experience, or so-called common sense.
It is disappointing, however, that even policy-makers have followed suit.
What is even more disappointing is that the debate has been going on for many years and there are few hard facts available that could enrich the debate.
For example, do we actually know that the level of language competence is declining? All we get are statements such as: 'I have been teaching for X number of years, and my experience is that it has been declining.' Where is the data to support or refute such a claim? Is mixed-mode teaching, where the textbooks are in English and lectures given in Cantonese, really so bad? Has anyone done any research to find out? And are so-called native-speakers really better at teaching English as a second language to Cantonese-speaking students? Such teachers have been in Hong Kong for many years, but has anyone done any research to gauge how effective they have been, compared to well-trained Chinese teachers? Is it really better to delay the introduction of English in the primary school curriculum? Again, where is the data? Recent research appears to show that children learn languages best when they are introduced to them while they are still very young and also that young children have little difficulty learning more than one language at the same time. The key seems to be the amount of support we are willing to give our children, not their ability.
Perhaps there is a lot of relevant research and data available that I am not aware of. If so, I would appreciate it if someone could make it readily available, so that we can have an informed debate.
