Chinese Language, Putonghua, Chinese Literature
“From thorough understanding of classics to developing a sophisticated mind; from learning to applying through exploration and practice.”
School-based Teaching Materials
Through exposure and accumulation of knowledge, the passion for learning can be kindled. Therefore, we place our emphasis on the teaching of reading. Since 2000, we have joined the Seed Projects carried out by the Education Bureau. With experience and expertise, teachers set and optimize materials of school-based curricula adopted from S1 to S6. By introducing and referring to various works, we hope that students can study the traditional Chinese moral values and the spirit of scholars from the past. Moreover, we hope to guide students to observe the greatness of Chinese literature as well as the meaning of life.
Self-directed Learning Scheme of Chinese Classical Poems and Texts
Chinese learning is not confined to the classroom. Hence, we encourage students to read extensively and promote self-directed learning of classical poems and texts in order to extend their exposure and enhance their language competence. Regarding self-directed learning, S1 and S2 students are to make presentations where they report on the genres, writers, backgrounds, meanings of words and phrases, main ideas and writing techniques after their self-studying of assigned pieces. This Young Teachers Program can encourage students to take the initiative to learn independently.
Constructing School-based e-Learning Platform
With the advent of ever changing technology in the 21st century, there is a need to address the misconception that traditional Chinese literature is irrelevant to modern times. To this end, we deliberately merge advanced modern technology and sophisticated classic literature. This is how our e-learning platform is developed, where literature and cultural knowledge are learnt through interactive modes. With three years of support by the Quality Education Fund, we set up the platform of online learning in junior forms. Three objectives of the platform include: developing self-directed learning to save lesson time; motivating students to learn through interactive modes; strengthening the elements of Chinese classic writing, culture and literature so as to elevate language cultivation. We believe that technology can boost the efficiency and effectiveness of teaching and learning, which can be embodied through this self-directed learning platform.
Learning, Thinking, Showing and Evaluating
When teaching passages about Chinese culture, we select some relevant concepts and adopt the approach of “learning, thinking, showing and evaluating” so that students can apply the knowledge to everyday lives and study cultural values. For example, S2 students are encouraged to explore the concept of perseverance after learning relevant texts of the same topic. In this way, students are guided to study and appreciate some Chinese traditional values and mindsets in depth and breadth. Also, students are encouraged to express their own ideas and to reflect on themselves. This can surely help create an open-minded and interactive atmosphere among students and between students and teachers.
Alignment of Chinese Language, Putonghua, and Chinese Literature
The three subjects, namely Chinese Language, Putonghua, and Chinese Literature are under the same Key Learning Area of Chinese Language, and these three subjects are under the same administrative unit in our school. This makes the resources deployment and teachers’ collaboration more effective. Putonghua is the medium of instruction for selected groups in S1 to S3 for Chinese Language lessons, which is a strategy for the enhancement of communication skills in Putonghua. The top 50 students in Chinese Language also enjoy priority when selecting Chinese Literature as their elective in senior secondary in order for them to strengthen their cultivation in literature.
A Putonghua-rich environment
In Putonghua lessons, the “Recital Scheme of Selected Adages” encourages junior secondary students to read aloud some famous Chinese mottos. For example, those in S1 promote “scholarship”, “integrity” and “politeness”. These mottos are also instrumental in lunch-time Putonghua activities for creating a language-rich environment.
Project Learning in Junior Secondary
In junior forms, project learning activities are developed where students undergo experiential learning and explorative approaches to apply what they learn in lessons on off-campus occasions. In S1, a cross-curricular project is implemented with Liberal Studies and Chinese History where students conduct a site visit to Kowloon City and engage in creative writing. In S2, we adopt the “learning through reading” approach and organize a learning activity called “From Picture to Words”. In this activity, students learn to admire some masterpieces of Feng Zikai. In S3, a Chinese Forum is held to enhance students’ critical thinking skills.
Cultural Experiential Courses
De Xin Academy is an area on our campus which is renovated with a cultural ambience for students to explore traditional features. Five Putonghua lessons in each junior level are conducted here where students learn calligraphy, tea ceremony and Chinese chess from professional instructors. All these enable students to develop an aesthetic mind and experience Chinese culture.
Chinese Cultural Week
The biennial Chinese Cultural Week aims at creating a rich atmosphere where students can engage in various learning activities to thoroughly understand different aspects of Chinese culture. Elements of experience and practice are highlighted to sensationalize the learning experience.
Literature Experiential Activities
Various literature activities are coordinated for wider exposure, such as the viewing of drama performance “Confucius 63” and new poetry sharing. Other activities include authors’ seminars conducted at school where students read aloud excerpts and create bookmarks for selected texts. Excursions to various districts such as Kwun Tong and Lei Yue Mun are organized after students read literature works set in Hong Kong. Some creative writing activities also take place during the trips.
Literature creation and sharing
Chinese literature students are dedicated to promoting what they have learnt to others. In the study tour to Suzhou and Hangzhou, they introduced the activities in the Hong Kong literature excursions to teachers and students at Hangzhou Baochuta Experimental School Senior High School, who then got to know more about the cosmopolitan features of our city, and to understand the way writing is taught in Hong Kong. Our students also developed a publication featuring their original works.
Achievements
- We are in close relationship with some member schools of the Hong Kong Council Of The Church Of Christ in China, such as Shatin Pui Ying College, Ying Wa College and Heep Woh College.
- We are willing to share our ideas of curriculum design and learning and teaching strategies as well as conducting lesson observations. We have different exchange programs with schools such as Shatin Tsung Tsin School, Gertrude Simon Lutheran College, Pui Ching Middle School (Macau) and many more.
- Our Head Principal and Chinese teachers were speakers at the Principal Salon, sharing our school-based experience in promoting Chinese culture.
- A special publication summarizing our literature promotion experience was developed in 2018-2019, which was sent to our sister schools in mainland China for professional exchange.
- Apart from the Seed Projects, we also participate in the SCOLAR scheme. We hope to build up an atmosphere that is conducive to Putonghua learning. We have also joined a visiting teacher collaboration scheme for 5 years where learning and teaching are enhanced through lesson observation and evaluation. Moreover, we are a member of the Language Learning Support Section of EDB for enhancing the quality of teaching.