Letters | Our children will only learn English properly if it’s taught differently

Readers criticise the teaching of English, the rote-learning education system and the quarantine policy, applaud Beijing’s resolve to fix Hong Kong housing, and lament the lack of progress from the city government

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Students attend an English class at a secondary school in Hong Kong in May 2017. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 6:00am, 7 Nov 2021

I refer to the recent letters on English language education in Hong Kong. Classes here are not focused on helping students reach a high level of English proficiency.

For many, learning English is a lost cause. With almost no exposure to the language outside school, their grasp of basics such as grammar and vocabulary, never mind higher-level language use, is poor. They perform poorly in tests and examinations, and look only for tactics to quickly achieve higher scores.

In response, most teachers focus on improving students’ marks, with little thought for actual language skills. For example, they may tell students to memorise a selection of formulaic phrases; this contributes nothing to increasing comprehension and expression.

The Diploma of Secondary Education curriculum could concentrate on higher-level content to help students achieve true proficiency and not only low-level fluency. After all, you cannot become Tolkien by reciting word lists.

The 12 years of compulsory education is sufficient to teach students how to use English materials for self-improvement. More time and resources need to be allocated to the English subject so teachers have what they need to shift the lesson style away from examination training.

Teachers also need to guide students in self-directed learning, as lessons do not offer enough exposure. Hong Kong children don’t learn Cantonese by having a lesson a day; the same should apply to English.