Subjects taught in English by NETs?

mosesdaddy

Dear CKY parents,

My wife and I have started to try to know more about the new DSS and private schools, including CKY.  

I have the impression that CKY runs a dual tutors system whereby students have both a NET and native Putonghua teacher to take them through the various subjects.  This sounds very attractive, i.e. the strong language immersion opportunities.  In order to have a fuller understanding of CKY, I have some questions:

1.  From Y1 to Y6, generally speaking, what subjects are taught by the NET and Putonghua teacher?  Will there be other subject teachers for back-up, since NETs and Putonghua teachers may only be good at languages but not other subjects such as math or science.

2.  How do you find the language proficiency of these non-NET and non-Putonghua-speaking teachers?  Do they need to teach either in English or Putonghua, depending on the subject?  Will Cantonese be used as a medium of instructions for any subjects (like music and PE)?

3.  My wife told me that she once went to City Super (Causeway Bay branch) and met a class of CKY students seemingly led by an Asian-looking teacher who was teaching math (my wife recognised the big letters "CKY" printed at the back of the students' clothes).  The teacher spoke in English, but obviously the spoken English was very much like the Hong Kong style (or even worse).  My wife felt that it would be better for the teacher to teach in the mother tongue instead.  From this case (an out-of-the-classroom teaching occasion), may I know from the experience of CKY parents that whether it is the school's instruction for its teachers to abide by the "language policy" (whether certain subjects such as math could not be taught in Cantonese)?  (or my wife mistook that the person was not a teacher, but a parent helper only?!)

Grateful for your sharing here, thanks.

(I must declare that I am not trying to challenge the school.  I just want to understand more about it from existing CKY parents.)

kyliema2006

Dear mosesdaddy

原文章由 mosesdaddy 於 08-6-16 01:58 發表
1.  From Y1 to Y6, generally speaking, what subjects are taught by the NET and Putonghua teacher?  Will there be other subject teachers for back-up, since NETs and Putonghua teachers may only be good at languages but not other subjects such as math or science.

English - English, Maths, Science, Arts, PE
PTH - Chinese, PTH, Music, Moral Education (Cantones in Yr 1)
Cantonese - Musical Instruments (most are contract tutors recruited from outside vendors)

I heard that some subjects such as Arts & PE were taught by PTH depending which teachers in charge.

原文章由 mosesdaddy 於 08-6-16 01:58 發表
2.  How do you find the language proficiency of these non-NET and non-Putonghua-speaking teachers?  Do they need to teach either in English or Putonghua, depending on the subject?  Will Cantonese be used as a medium of instructions for any subjects (like music and PE)?

Most of the teachers recruited by CKY should be good at either English or PTH.  But I also know that some subjects like PE are taught by local Chinese, but conducted in English.

原文章由 mosesdaddy 於 08-6-16 01:58 發表
The teacher spoke in English, but obviously the spoken English was very much like the Hong Kong style (or even worse).  

Maths should be conducted by NET.  The school welcome parents joined field trips especially for junior grades.  I'm not sure whether your wife spotted out the parent helpers or the teachers that time.  

Regards.

[ 本文章最後由 kyliema2006 於 08-6-16 12:33 編輯 ]

mosesdaddy

Dear kyliema,

Thank you for your kind reply.  It's good to know that NETs are responsible for quite a no. of subjects in the whole primary section.  Perhaps the one my wife saw the other day at City Super was only a parent helper.

In your reply, you mentioned "Cantonese in Yr 1" - do you refer to Moral Education only or all the subjects listed, i.e. Chinese, Music and Moral Education?  Do you know if the teacher is a native speaker of PTH?  If not, how do you find the PTH proficiency of the teachers? (well, many years ago out of interest, I took a SPACE course on "普通話教學法" and most of my classmates were primary school teachers of Chinese Language.  However, the spoken PTH ability of most of them was far from desirable.)

Btw, since CKY is a thru-train school, could you also give me an idea of the medium of instruction adopted in the secondary section for the different subjects other than English and Chinese (which I assume will be conducted in PTH)?

Thanks in advance,

mosesdaddy

原文章由 kyliema2006 於 08-6-16 12:31 發表
Dear mosesdaddy



English - English, Maths, Science, Arts, PE
PTH - Chinese, PTH, Music, Moral Education (Cantones in Yr 1)
Cantonese - Musical Instruments (most are contract tutors recruited from ou ...

Lofty

I think you are talking about the Maths field trip for Year 1 student on April.  And i guess your wife spotted out the parent helper but not their class teacher.  My son's class teacher is a NET & even not understand cantonese.

原文章由 mosesdaddy 於 08-6-16 01:58 發表
Dear CKY parents,

My wife and I have started to try to know more about the new DSS and private schools, including CKY.  

I have the impression that CKY runs a dual tutors system whereby students hav ...

kyliema2006

Dear mosesdaddy,

I mean only moral education to be conducted in Cantonese in Yr 1, then will be taught in PTH since Yr 2.

For the accent of PTH teachers, I would say that there are a number of local teachers teach PTH, but their accents would be deemed satisfactory.  Please be assured that my standard is not that low, as I have to deal with quite a lot of PTH colleagues/clients and have to speak in PTH at work.  

For the secondary school, different subjects are taught by different subject experts.  Sorry that I've no info on the langauge policy on different subjects.  But I have a general impression that CKY is inclined to English than PTH.  

原文章由 mosesdaddy 於 08-6-16 13:55 發表
Dear kyliema,

Thank you for your kind reply.  It's good to know that NETs are responsible for quite a no. of subjects in the whole primary section.  Perhaps the one my wife saw the other day at City  ...

father_ho

Dear mosesdaddy,

What I know is in their sec., the school deliberatly trim down the usage of PTH in teaching by reducing the Chinese class teacher period (that is what I heard since my son is only at Y5).

mosesdaddy

Dear lofty, kyliema and father_ho,

Thanks for your replies.

mosesdaddy

kkpapa

原文章由 father_ho 於 08-6-16 15:31 發表
Dear mosesdaddy,

What I know is in their sec., the school deliberatly trim down the usage of PTH in teaching by reducing the Chinese class teacher period (that is what I heard since my son is only at ...

father_ho,

not exactly,  there are add'l new subjects such as geography, DT (design and technology), Chinese History and English History.   Chance to meet PTH teacher become lesser.    According to the last Parents-teacher gathering, the year 6-7 student survey indicated that Chinese lesson is still one of the most favorite subjects (DT ranked no. 1).

mosesdaddy

Dear kkpapa,

I presume the additional subjects are introduced at Y.7 and beyond.  Except for Chinese History, do you mean these are conducted in English by NETs as well (while Chi History in PTH)?

A bit surprised to find that the students ranked Chinese Language as their second most favourite subject after DT.

mosesdaddy

原文章由 kkpapa 於 08-6-17 08:36 發表



father_ho,

not exactly,  there are add'l new subjects such as geography, DT (design and technology), Chinese History and English History.   Chance to meet PTH teacher become lesser.    According t ...

kkpapa

原文章由 mosesdaddy 於 08-6-17 13:18 發表
Dear kkpapa,

I presume the additional subjects are introduced at Y.7 and beyond.  Except for Chinese History, do you mean these are conducted in English by NETs as well (while Chi History in PTH)?

A ...

Mosesdaddy,

year 1 - 5,  primary class,
year 6 - 10,  secondary class,
year 11 - 12,  IB

Chinese, Chi. History in PTH,  Moral education - either PTH or Cantonese,  Music in Cantonese, rest (including Art) in English by NETS.  Anyway,  CKY has a very strong PTH teacher team.  That's not surprising due to the school Principal's early involvement and promotion of PTH Chinese teaching since year 2000.