A critical analysis of English language teaching in Hong Kong mainstream primary schools: the interplay between curriculum development, assessment and classroom practices.

In Hong Kong, many primary teachers of English have to prepare students for examinations which are mainly written assessment. Both teachers and students focus their attention on exam-based literacy such as reading and writing skills. Consequently, oral skills are overlooked. Indeed, public examinations sideline speaking assessment because of its subjective nature; thus English teachers do not provide students with many conversational activities. Without sufficient speaking practice, many students tend to learn English by rote. Conversely, English syllabuses always suggest that students should be given more opportunities to practice speaking. It seems there are inconsistencies between syllabuses and public assessment, but the latter certainly impacts upon classroom practices. In this paper, it is suggested that an Oral Recording System should be used for speaking assessment in public examinations; this system could reduce biases and subjectivity because the recorded data could serve as evidence to justify the grading. If the technical problems associated with oral examinations could be solved, oral English could then be accorded equal status with other language skills in public examinations; once oral English occupies a higher weighting, teachers and students will spend more time on interaction which could be a better way to learn English. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]