Which International School has good Chinese Standard

elmostoney

leehoma001 寫道:
Don't forget CIS. Its academic achievement ranks among the few top among all HK's international schools.

The problem with CIS is that - yes, they have a relatively good Chinese standard, but many of the kids have Chinese phobia!!!  They don't read!  I have three niece and nephews who studied/studies there.  Except for the girl who reads Chinese because she liked reading 瓊瑤, the other two boys just don't like reading Chinese at tall.  The school itself seems to encourage more English reading than Chinese imho.  Academic-wise, I have no dispute.  My nephew just started his freshman year at the University of Chicago, while my niece just graduated from Chicago.  Beware though, of their "elite" mentality.  My nephew, when he was still in primary school, came home one day and told his mom that a student gave a gift to the teacher and the teacher passed around the classroom for all to see.  My nephew said it was a watch with 5 matches - a Rolex.  I am not sure I like this atmosphere...  Anyway, CIS is one of the schools which I would consider - if my daughter could get in - for the academics and the Chinese.  Heck, not for the elitism.  One of the other schools I am seriously looking into is SIS.  I think I like its humbleness more...

elmostoney

昨天跟老公說起學校問題, 大家都同意中文在現今社會非常重要.  實在是很難想像當外國學中文都大行其道時, 我們有先天的環境竟去白白浪費.  雖然我倆都打算讓囡囡進國際學校, 但該校必須有中文, 否則像我老公的外甥女兒在esf, 下課後還要補習中文, 真是又花錢又花時間, 小朋友又要多上課. 不過我最近聽說esf會在小學加強中文, 起碼在glenealy是有這樣的傳聞. 到得他們執行了可是數年後的事了.

elmostoney

不如我這樣說吧.  香港的父母不會滿足於子女只在課餘上中文課, 跟住還有上鋼琴課, 畫畫等等, 有時還要再加些其他.  結果就是下課後仍是忙著.  其實現在有些國際學校的中文課程比較強, 我個人較傾向選擇這類學校.  我根本就不打算選本地學校, 我自己在香港唸書到中一, 之後在美國唸公立中學, 跟現在香港的國際學校頗為相似.  雖然我喜歡美國的制度, 但我個人認為這個制度也不能一面倒說有利無弊.

最近我聽及一位在政府任職頗為高職的朋友提及中英文的問題, 亦有啟發.  該友人是多年前在港大的英文系畢業, 在政府已任職多年.  97前所有文件都是以英文為準, 中文可以說是 "不入流."  回歸以後突然什麼都要寫中文, 她又不是什麼公關職位, 卻也無可避免.  以她的教育背景, 要她突然改用中文, 她實在感到非常吃力.  亦因此有感而發, 結果她選擇先讓兒子諗好中文, 因為她覺得英文比較容易掌握.  所以不一定要做公關, 記者, 作家, 中文還是要寫的.  相信大家都不會否定英文寫得好, 喜歡看課外書也很重要吧.  我覺得英基不鼓勵閱讀中文, 即使課餘再不停補課, 學生卻不看書, 所以一個在英基唸書的中一學生, 連一本香港四年級程度的中文故事書都不想看 (我問我老公的外甥女兒, 她們的答案是看不懂, 而她們在班上的中文成績已是非常不錯)

elmostoney

[quote]
leehoma001 寫道:

Yes of course but I only got form 5 Chinese standard but I can handle all the office requirements in Chinese with no problems.

[quote]

If the environment does not encourage the student to read and write, it could be a problem.  I am a perfect example.  I took French for 6.5 years.  I was reading French literature from the 18th century - the structure of the writing back then was so much more difficult than modern French.  When I was in high school, I was taking French class 5 days a week and 3 times a week at university.  However, because my environment did not encourage me to do further reading and writing other than that required of the class, I was not able to truly master the language to a degree of fluency.  In other words, it was not a living language to me.  I am seeing the same thing happening to my nieces at ESF.  To them, Chinese is just part of school and homework (or private lessons).  They do not write and read the language.  To them, their living language in terms of writing and reading is English.

elmostoney

emily06 寫道:
Would you mind sharing which international schools you believe have better/stronger Chinese programs?

我有一位親友在教統局任職, 她選擇cis.  她對esf的意見都是一般, 本地學校她就更不認同.  cis的問題是太難入, 亦有點貴族化.  而且學生都是傾向英語, 但起碼不用課餘再補習中文.  我記憶所及, cis 的中六抑或是中7課程好像有唸點巴金的家春秋.  我不是要子女做大文豪, 我舉這個例子是要說明cis 的中文課程.  另外我會考慮 sis, 不過聽聞比較與傳統學校相近, 我會再向我的親戚打聽一下.

elmostoney

leehoma001 寫道:
As I had said before that it is the problem of your nieces and their parents.

In that case, I must ask you to share your technique as how I can successfuly encourage my daughter to read and write more Chinese.  I really think a generally dislike/phobia of the Chinese language is shared by most international school students.  My relative whose kids attended/attends CIS also face the same problem despite a stronger Chinese curriculum than ESF.  Imho, 佢真係好識教仔女. 我係好充心咁admire佢, 亦打算將來要多點向她取經.  但誘導子女多用中文好她也辦不到.

elmostoney

yeap, I see the point.  You chose the best school - if that is what you want me to say to end this bickering.