The Action Research of the The Action Research of the Teaching Effectiveness of Teaching Effectiveness of Native English Teacher in Native English Teacher in
BSTWLMCBSTWLMC
BackgroundBackground NET Scheme was first put up by the NET Scheme was first put up by the
Education Department in 1987Education Department in 1987
A similar scheme for primary schools in A similar scheme for primary schools in 20022002
Two primary schools share a native English-Two primary schools share a native English-speaking teacherspeaking teacher
Our school recruits two NETs through Our school recruits two NETs through Caritas Adult and Higher Education ServicesCaritas Adult and Higher Education Services
General assumptionGeneral assumption
There is a general consensus that teaching There is a general consensus that teaching English by NETs is more effective in the English by NETs is more effective in the perspectives of:perspectives of:
• Their direct understanding of the syntax, the Their direct understanding of the syntax, the cultural background and usage of the English cultural background and usage of the English languagelanguage
• Their proper pronunciation and articulation Their proper pronunciation and articulation of Englishof English
• Their thorough understanding of the norms Their thorough understanding of the norms and appropriate usage of English in different and appropriate usage of English in different situationssituations
Objectives of the NET SchemeObjectives of the NET Scheme
Improvement of the English standards of Improvement of the English standards of Hong Kong studentsHong Kong students
More opportunities for students to use More opportunities for students to use English inside the classroomEnglish inside the classroom
Arousing students’ interest to use English in Arousing students’ interest to use English in their daily lifetheir daily life
Support the setting up of teaching Support the setting up of teaching curriculum and materialscurriculum and materials
Co-planning and organization of extra-Co-planning and organization of extra-curricular activitiescurricular activities
Act as a language advisor for the principalAct as a language advisor for the principal
Research QuestionsResearch Questions
Are the current lesson arrangements for NETs Are the current lesson arrangements for NETs adequate?adequate?
What are the feelings of the students?What are the feelings of the students?
Is the programme effective in upgrading the Is the programme effective in upgrading the English standard of the students and the English standard of the students and the professional standard of the teachers?professional standard of the teachers?
What are the suggestions from the students, What are the suggestions from the students, the local teachers, the school principal and the the local teachers, the school principal and the NETs?NETs?
DesignDesign
Quantitative techniquesQuantitative techniques Qualitative techniquesQualitative techniques
Quantitative techniqueQuantitative technique
• Performance of the Lessons taught by NET
and Local Teacherfrom live lesson recorded in video
• Statistics of the answers from the questionnaires returned from students
Qualitative techniquesQualitative techniques
In-depth interview with 9 studentsIn-depth interview with 9 students
In-depth interview with 5 local teachersIn-depth interview with 5 local teachers
In-depth interview with the school principalIn-depth interview with the school principal
In-depth interview with 2 NETsIn-depth interview with 2 NETs
Enquires on studentsEnquires on students
Basically focus on:Basically focus on: Whether they enjoy or do not enjoy the class Whether they enjoy or do not enjoy the class
taught by NETstaught by NETs
The areas (such as pronunciation, speaking, The areas (such as pronunciation, speaking, grammar, writing) they feel have changed or grammar, writing) they feel have changed or not changed after taking the lessonsnot changed after taking the lessons
Their confidence and willingness to use English Their confidence and willingness to use English outside classroomoutside classroom
Their feelings about the difference between the Their feelings about the difference between the lessons taught by NETs and local teacherslessons taught by NETs and local teachers
Their opinions if the number of lessons taught Their opinions if the number of lessons taught by NETs is adequateby NETs is adequate
Their suggestions for improvementTheir suggestions for improvement
Enquires on local teachersEnquires on local teachers
Basically focus on:Basically focus on: Whether NETs can assist them in the teaching of Whether NETs can assist them in the teaching of
EnglishEnglish
Whether the current arrangements are Whether the current arrangements are adequateadequate
Their feelings about the improvements of Their feelings about the improvements of studentsstudents
Their opinions on the NETs’ influenceTheir opinions on the NETs’ influence
Their feelings about the difference taught by Their feelings about the difference taught by NETs and themselvesNETs and themselves
Their feelings on the changes in the teaching Their feelings on the changes in the teaching practice of the schoolpractice of the school
Their suggestions for improvementTheir suggestions for improvement
Enquiries on school principalEnquiries on school principalBasically focus on:Basically focus on: Her choice to employ NETs to teach EnglishHer choice to employ NETs to teach English Her opinion on the current arrangementsHer opinion on the current arrangements Her feelings whether the NETs can assist the LETsHer feelings whether the NETs can assist the LETs Her feelings about the changes in the students’ Her feelings about the changes in the students’
performanceperformance Her feelings and opinions on the performance of Her feelings and opinions on the performance of
NETsNETs Her feelings about the difference between NETs and Her feelings about the difference between NETs and
LETsLETs Her feelings on the programme from the feedbacks Her feelings on the programme from the feedbacks
from students and parentsfrom students and parents Her opinions on the roles of NETsHer opinions on the roles of NETs Her visions on the programmeHer visions on the programme Her suggestions for improvementHer suggestions for improvement
Enquires on NETsEnquires on NETs
Basically focus on:Basically focus on: Opinions on the current collaborations between Opinions on the current collaborations between
NETs and LETsNETs and LETs
Their feelings about the adequacy of the Their feelings about the adequacy of the arrangementsarrangements
Their feelings about the responses and Their feelings about the responses and performance of the studentsperformance of the students
Their feelings about the difference between the Their feelings about the difference between the lessons taught by NETs and LETslessons taught by NETs and LETs
Their feelings on the programmeTheir feelings on the programme
Their suggestions for improvementTheir suggestions for improvement
Research FindingsResearch Findings
Results from the video recordingResults from the video recording
Generalized and averaged percentages of the performance of the students in the class
in terms of:
•CA - % of students participating in Classroom Activities
•AQ - % of students participating in Answering Questions
•DC - % of students participating in Discussions among Classmates
Class : Primary 4C
No. of Students : 37
NET : Miss Julie Constant (JC)
Local Teacher : Miss Wai Ka Yi, Jenny (WKY)
Duration of Lesson : 40 minutes
0102030405060708090
100
CA AQ DC
JC
WKY
The percentages demonstrate big variation in the responses of the students in those two different lessons.
Participation of the students in the classroom activities and answering questions (including raising hands to get selected)
WKY’s class - about 90% (on average)
JC’s class - about 13% (on average)
Students’ discussions among themselves
WKY’s class - about 75% (on average)
JC’s class - about 25% (on average)
Big variation in the responses of the students in the two different lessons.
Basic reasons for the big difference:
Different lesson structure of the two classes
JC’s class focused on activities on each individual group
WKY’s class focused on whole class participation
Different nature of the activities
JC’s class requested a student within a group to answer question
WKY’s class requested the whole class to participate in answering questions
Different focus of the teaching contents
JC’s class focused on practice of the contents the students had learnt in the previous lessons
WKY’s class focused on teaching and drilling of new vocabulary items, proper pronunciation and expressions
Other reasons for the big difference:Other reasons for the big difference:
Materials taught and practiced in JC’s class was a bit difficult than WKY’s class
More precise explanations in WKY’s class than in JC’s class
WKY’s class focused on teaching the students how to say and express correctly, whilst JC’s class requested students to give the correct answers
Different training background of the two teachers
JC was trained outside Hong Kong, targeted to teach foreign students
WKY was locally trained, targeted to teach local students, thus knowing better the local teaching/learning environment
Difference in the students’ discussions among themselves, indicated the features that
Students of JC’s class tended to seek for correct answers among themselves
Students of WKY’s class tended to show their interest to participate
Results of the in-depth interviews Results of the in-depth interviews with local teacherswith local teachers
Limited assistance from NETsLimited assistance from NETs
Current arrangements basically adequateCurrent arrangements basically adequate
Students attain improvements in oral Students attain improvements in oral EnglishEnglish
Few areas to be changed to accommodate Few areas to be changed to accommodate the innovations in English teaching methodsthe innovations in English teaching methods
Set up formal guidelinesSet up formal guidelines
Results of the in-depth interview Results of the in-depth interview with the school principalwith the school principal
More opportunities for students and More opportunities for students and teachers to use Englishteachers to use English
Limitations to the NETs serving two schools Limitations to the NETs serving two schools in one timein one time
A liberal and encouraging teaching A liberal and encouraging teaching approach in classapproach in class
Local teachers cannot enjoy the flexibilityLocal teachers cannot enjoy the flexibility
Support from parentsSupport from parents
Results of the in-depth interviews Results of the in-depth interviews with the NETswith the NETs
Limited collaborationLimited collaboration
Current arrangements basically adequateCurrent arrangements basically adequate
Cannot speak ChineseCannot speak Chinese
ConclusionConclusion
Overall evaluation on the Overall evaluation on the programmeprogramme
Certain degree of achievement in:Certain degree of achievement in:
Provision of more opportunities to learn and Provision of more opportunities to learn and use Englishuse English
Improvement in oral EnglishImprovement in oral English
Learning English outside classLearning English outside class
Non-conventional approach in teachingNon-conventional approach in teaching
Limitations of the researchLimitations of the research
Only students of P.4, 5, 6 were enquiredOnly students of P.4, 5, 6 were enquired
No quantitative test to measure the No quantitative test to measure the degree of improvementdegree of improvement
Judgement could be biasedJudgement could be biased
Insights from the research on the Insights from the research on the NET English Teaching ProgrammeNET English Teaching Programme
Limited knowledge of the students in Limited knowledge of the students in vocabulariesvocabularies
Limited mastery of students in Limited mastery of students in pronunciationpronunciation
Too much weighting on oral EnglishToo much weighting on oral English
No time for co-planningNo time for co-planning
Heavy workloads of local teachersHeavy workloads of local teachers
Suggestions for improvementsSuggestions for improvements
More extra-curricular activities such as More extra-curricular activities such as Games Day and English CampGames Day and English Camp
More formal guidelines on More formal guidelines on
co-planningco-planning
Set down long-term planSet down long-term plan
More encouragements and suggestion on More encouragements and suggestion on readingreading
Thank Thank you!you!