LP PAG Mandarin Parent Information Session

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LP PAG Mandarin - Parent Information
Session Summary of Feedback and Ideas from Parents
Vision for Mandarin at HKIS
Curriculum big picture
Communications to parents
Provision of resources
Enhancing parent competence
Exploring outside the classroom

• What is the long-term vision for Mandarin at
  HKIS?
• Should the school revisit its decision not to be
  a bilingual school, given changes in Hong Kong?
• Many comments reflect a desire for more teachers,
  more time in Chinese Studies, more frequent
  classes, Mandarin-speaking TAs, more
  incorporation of Mandarin into the school day

• Need a big picture view of the curriculum, like
  the reading continuum (reviewed by
  second-language teaching experts for best
  practice methods)
• This would manage parent expectations, provide a
  notion of progress, give a realistic view of the
  extent to which children will master Mandarin

• More communications from Chinese Studies teachers
  to parents
• internal newsletter about class topics,
  homework, relevant materials
• external general information about
  child-friendly events where Mandarin will be
  spoken (eg, theatre)

• Conduct session at beginning of year to explain
  expectations of parents and showing materials
  used in class (and those available on Dragonnet)
  develop parent self-help kit
• Offer session for parents who are not Mandarin
  speakers on the basics (pinyin pronunciation,
  tones, radicals)
• Advise on courses for parents or offer course
  through Family Centre designed to match
  childrens curriculum

• Making it fun for our children, with
• family trips to China (camping, night zoo, etc)
• field trips incorporated into school program
• watching age-appropriate videos as a family
• a sister school program to provide pen-pals,
  visitors, somewhere to visit and someone with
  whom to play (in Mandarin)

• Library resources to be improved (books to
  include English, pinyin and Chinese characters,
  videos, more books for advanced readers,
  suggested reading lists)
• Upgrade look and feel of materials and include
  flash cards
• Mandarin buddy program with older native speaking
  children
• Offer optional homework for R2 and encourage book
  reports for advanced levels

April 2004