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Education Seminar Series (11) by the Faculty of Education, HKU
“Good Start? Grow Smart! - The Science of Parenting during Early Childhood”

11 Feb 2015

Guests and speakers (from left):  Dr Carrie Lau, Dr Li Hui, Professor Nirmala Rao, Professor Stephen Andrews, Dr Ida Mok, Ms Diana Lee, Ms Rhoda Wang and Ms Queenie Wong

The Faculty of Education of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) held the 11th Education Seminar Series entitled “Good Start? Grow Smart! - The Science of Parenting during Early Childhood” on February 7 (Saturday). Dr Li Hui, Ms Diana Lee, Dr Carrie Lau and Ms Rhoda Wang of the Faculty were speakers at the seminar. 

Dr Li Hui told the audience said the art of parenting should be an emphasis on growing smart rather than having a good start.  He gave an in-depth analysis of the four parenting styles commonly observed in Chinese society, i.e. tiger mom, sheep mom, wolf dad and panda dad.  Dr Li remarked: ‘Who the parents are would definitely influence what the children will be.’  He invited the audience to reflect on what kind of parents they are.

In facilitating children’s learning in Chinese, Ms Diana Lee said learning should start with the home language, because the sequence in learning languages is important. She said parents’ engagement with children and provision of a language-rich environment can enhance children’s language development in their first six years. 

Dr Carrie Lau echoed the importance of parent involvement in English language learning. She said: "The quality and quantity of parent-child conversations and shared book reading are vital in facilitating children’s English vocabulary development."  Dr Lau highlighted the importance of the role played by schools.  Both schools and families need to work together to enable the teaching and learning of vocabulary in meaningful contexts.

Finally, Ms Rhoda Wang mentioned the importance of three executive functions of the brain, namely working memory, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility, which are interrelated and crucial to a child's learning and development. "However, we are not born with these skills.  Our potential in them must be built." Ms Wong said, adding: "One of the most crucial responsibilities of parents is to provide the support to let children have the most critical mental toolbox for learning prepared."

The seminar drew a full house attendance at the Grand Hall of the Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre on that day.

For media enquiries, please contact Ms Queenie Wong, Senior Manager (Development and Communications) (Tel.: 2219 4270 / Fax: 2540 6360 / E-mail: qlpwong@hku.hk).  Press release and photos can be viewed or downloaded at http://web.edu.hku.hk/press and http://web.edu.hku.hk/photo.

From left to right Dr Li Hui, Associate Professor; Ms Diana Lee, Lecturer; Dr Carrie Lau, Assistant Professor and Ms Rhoda Wang, Lecturer