Media

HKU's Faculty of Education to Releases Findings on a Research Studying School Students' Bilingual Reading Proficiency

06 Sep 2004

 

The research findings of "The Current State of Chinese and English Reading Literacy of Primary School Students in Hong Kong" will be released at a press conference scheduled on September 6, 2004 (Monday) at 11am, at Room 402, Runme Shaw Building, the University of Hong Kong. The press conference will be conducted mainly in Cantonese.

Researchers will report on the Chinese and English reading literacy of Hong Kong primary school students, their standard of such literacy and how they fare when compared to the international standard. These results provide valuable information to assist the Government in planning education policies and schools and parents in directing their efforts to help improving the bilingual literacy of children.

Primary four pupils, numbered to more than 4000, their parents, teachers and school headmasters have been participated in this research. The following features will be highlighted at the press conference:

- Chinese reading ability of primary 4 pupils in Hong Kong as compared to those three years ago.
- Is the English reading proficiency of those pupils up to international standard?
- The ratio of top students with outstanding Chinese and English reading proficiency.
- Teaching methods in class and activities at home that are useful to improve the Chinese and English reading ability of pupils.
- The influence of languages used at home on children's reading ability.
- Domestic helpers' impact on children's reading ability.
- The effect of private and school tuition on children's reading ability.

Results indicate that it requires different approaches to improve children's reading ability in Chinese and in English. These findings will be useful to help teachers and parents choosing appropriate means to develop the Chinese and English reading ability of children.

"The Current State of Chinese and English Reading Literacy of Primary School Students in Hong Kong" is a research project conducted by the Faculty of Education of the University of Hong Kong and is funded by the Research Grants Council. It is a follow-up research of the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, PIRLS 2001: Hong Kong Component.

For enquiries, please contact Miss Loh Ka-Yee at HKU's Faculty of Education (tel: 2857-8399, fax: 2540-6360) or Miss Polo Leung at HKU's External Relations Office (tel: 2859- 2600, fax: 2858-4986).