Issues of language in education are a particular focus of
research at the Institute, in view of the centrality of language
to all areas of the curriculum and current debate over educational
policies aiming at trilingualism and biliteracy. Research on
the use of literature in language teaching is also of particular
importance in view of the recent emphasis on language arts
both internationally and in Hong Kong. Projects in the area
of Language Education and Literature cover a range of contexts
in kindergarten, primary and secondary education. Topics of
recently funded projects include:
- Classroom teaching approaches
- Early experiences of language and literacy
- Textbook design and content
- Uses of children’s literature
- Attention to language knowledge and language use in the
curriculum
- English in Chinese-medium schools
- The use of Putonghua in the teaching of Chinese
- Language proficiency of student teachers
Language Education and Literature research lies at the heart
of work in the Departments of Chinese and English, where they
feed directly into the practice of teacher education. Important
funded research projects have also been carried out in the
Departments of Early Childhood Education, Curriculum and Instruction,
and Educational Psychology, Counselling and Learning Needs.
The aim of the Language Education and Literature KRA is to
bring researchers from these disciplines together through an
active programme of lectures, seminars and workshops and seed
funding for large-scale projects. |
