It is grossly unfair to attribute Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education candidates’ unsatisfactory performance in the speaking exam to the use of inauthentic language in textbooks (“Hong Kong textbook writers should use examples from everyday English instead of stock phrases”, 17 March). While textbooks are a convenient scapegoat, the reality is that not many local secondary schools make use of textbooks in senior-form English lessons. Instead, they use skill books, which contain text written in authentic English. It is more of a rarity to find the use of textbooks in speaking lessons. Most textbooks are authored by experienced educators making reference to the curriculum and assessment guide prepared by the Curriculum Development Council and the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority. They are also benchmarked by education officials, who have reviewed the content, and teachers of the subject, who have gone through a strict selection procedure. The learning tasks constitute a comprehensive curriculum, whose inclusiveness is not what the arbitrary selection of a few readers can achieve. There is a discernible difference between teaching English as a first language and teaching English as a second language. The former emphasises the use of the language whereas the latter suggests the need for a solid foundation. The second language approach is more relevant to the Hong Kong context, as English is not the first language of the vast majority. Even for advanced users, the lack of the language-rich environment mandates explicit grammar and vocabulary teaching. A systematic approach to language learning in textbooks can serve this purpose. How English testing is failing Chinese students That said, I do not subscribe to a textbook-bound approach. Students should be exposed to natural language use through the introduction of authentic English to the communicative classroom. This should never be the objective of textbook English, which only provides the basis for second language education. An ideal model is that textbooks are employed to equip students with fundamental language knowledge and interactivities are fostered to enrich the classroom with daily-life English, resulting in a blend of theory and applications. John Ng, Lai Chi Kok
