Communication and Language for Teaching and Learning Math in English in Hong Kong

English in Teaching and Learning Math in Hong Kong

With the intermingling of cultures, business, and globalization in general, it is difficult to imagine that English would not be spoken or at least understood in some form in any part of the world. If nothing else, Internet communication has opened up myriad opportunities for people to learn about any amount of cultures and languages they wish. In terms of business, as mentioned, the world has also become increasingly globalized. Businesses that can expand globally tend to be stronger financially and have greater longevity than those who cannot. Often, an ability to communicate internationally is at the heart of business success. For this reason, the medium of instruction in schools, and especially non-English speaking countries, have come to the forefront of educational attention. In Hong Kong, social and political changes have given a unique dynamic to whether or not English should be used as the medium of instruction in classrooms, including Mathematics classrooms.

A 2005 report by the Education Commission (2005, p. 106) emphasizes the importance of the school environment to help students achieve all-round development, including the enhancement of his or her personal qualities and talents. This means that the medium of instruction in the Math classroom needs to be at a level and of a nature that would make the subject itself accessible to students. Although political and social changes brought some disagreement on this, it appears that the general consensus is that English would be a more suitable medium of instruction for senior high school and higher education, especially when it comes to complicated subject matter like mathematics.

The Education Commission (2005, p. 106) goes on to state that schools need to cater for the different capabilities and aptitudes of students. Hence, students with a particular aptitude for Mathematics will need to be schooled according to their ability to communicate in the language of instruction. One of the arguments raised for mother tongue instruction is indeed, that students are better able to form complex thoughts about complicated subject matter when they do not need to struggle with the language barrier as well.

For this reason, the Education Commission (2005) recommended using mother-tongue instruction for primary and junior high-school levels. At the same time, however, schools should also enhance the proficiency of students in both Chinese and English. According to the report, schools can choose to use English as medium of instruction depending on various factors, including student ability, the ability of teachers to communicate and teach in English, and the ability of the school to provide measures for supporting English medium instruction effectively and consistently.

Tsui (2008, p. 107) refers to the Education Commission report and its stance that, because Hong Kong is a leading international financial center, its high level of English proficiency needs to be retained. In terms of schools and education, this is particularly important in the Mathematics classroom, since many of the students in these classrooms will enter the financial sector in Hong Kong. Their ability to think about Mathematics and communicate about it in English will ensure the city's ability to remain at the financial forefront not only in the Asian region, but in the world in general. At the same time, as mentioned above, it is imperative that such education be based upon the initial abilities and aptitudes of students.

Zeng (2007, p. 46) explains the debate behind the medium of instructions at schools in historical terms. When Hong Kong was relinquished by the British during the 1990s, the government mandated schools to use Chinese as medium of instruction for all subjects. The rationale given for this was the international recognition that mother-tongue instruction is preferable to second-language instruction.

Regardless of these views, English has remained prominent in Hong Kong's business, mass media, and personal environments. These environments are also conducive to many young people being able to formulate complex ideas in English. Hence, many parents and students have opposed the government's mandate, along with teachers and other officials (Zeng, 2007, p. 46). Zeng notes that children with English-medium schooling have tended to find more prestigious jobs in several areas, including the business and law, where bilingualism is considered an asset. Hence, English medium instruction is considered to lead to a young person's ability to contribute better to the economy.

Poon, Lau, and Chu (2013, p. 946) mention an interesting compromise devised to address the medium of instruction question in schools, which might be regarded as furthering the Education Commission's position that English may be used as a medium of instruction on the strength of certain conditions.