1. The Action Research of the Teaching Effectiveness of Native English Teacher in BSTWLMC

2. Background NET Scheme was first put up by the Education Department in 1987 NET Scheme was first put up by the Education Department in 1987 A similar scheme for primary schools in 2002 A similar scheme for primary schools in 2002 Two primary schools share a native English- speaking teacher Two primary schools share a native English- speaking teacher Our school recruits two NETs through Caritas Adult and Higher Education Services Our school recruits two NETs through Caritas Adult and Higher Education Services

3. General assumption There is a general consensus that teaching English by NETs is more effective in the perspectives of: There is a general consensus that teaching English by NETs is more effective in the perspectives of: Their direct understanding of the syntax, the cultural background and usage of the English languageTheir direct understanding of the syntax, the cultural background and usage of the English language Their proper pronunciation and articulation of EnglishTheir proper pronunciation and articulation of English Their thorough understanding of the norms and appropriate usage of English in different situationsTheir thorough understanding of the norms and appropriate usage of English in different situations

4. Objectives of the NET Scheme Improvement of the English standards of Hong Kong students Improvement of the English standards of Hong Kong students More opportunities for students to use English inside the classroom More opportunities for students to use English inside the classroom Arousing students’ interest to use English in their daily life Arousing students’ interest to use English in their daily life Support the setting up of teaching curriculum and materials Support the setting up of teaching curriculum and materials Co-planning and organization of extra- curricular activities Co-planning and organization of extra- curricular activities Act as a language advisor for the principal Act as a language advisor for the principal

5. Research Questions Are the current lesson arrangements for NETs adequate? Are the current lesson arrangements for NETs adequate? What are the feelings of the students? What are the feelings of the students? Is the programme effective in upgrading the English standard of the students and the professional standard of the teachers? Is the programme effective in upgrading the English standard of the students and the professional standard of the teachers? What are the suggestions from the students, the local teachers, the school principal and the NETs? What are the suggestions from the students, the local teachers, the school principal and the NETs?

6. Design Quantitative techniques Quantitative techniques Qualitative techniques Qualitative techniques

7. Quantitative technique Performance of the Lessons taught by NET and Local Teacher from live lesson recorded in video Statistics of the answers from the questionnaires returned from students

8. Qualitative techniques In-depth interview with 9 students In-depth interview with 9 students In-depth interview with 5 local teachers In-depth interview with 5 local teachers In-depth interview with the school principal In-depth interview with the school principal In-depth interview with 2 NETs In-depth interview with 2 NETs

9. Enquires on students Basically focus on: Whether they enjoy or do not enjoy the class taught by NETs Whether they enjoy or do not enjoy the class taught by NETs The areas (such as pronunciation, speaking, grammar, writing) they feel have changed or not changed after taking the lessons The areas (such as pronunciation, speaking, grammar, writing) they feel have changed or not changed after taking the lessons Their confidence and willingness to use English outside classroom Their confidence and willingness to use English outside classroom Their feelings about the difference between the lessons taught by NETs and local teachers Their feelings about the difference between the lessons taught by NETs and local teachers Their opinions if the number of lessons taught by NETs is adequate Their opinions if the number of lessons taught by NETs is adequate Their suggestions for improvement Their suggestions for improvement

10. Enquires on local teachers Basically focus on: Whether NETs can assist them in the teaching of English Whether NETs can assist them in the teaching of English Whether the current arrangements are adequate Whether the current arrangements are adequate Their feelings about the improvements of students Their feelings about the improvements of students Their opinions on the NETs’ influence Their opinions on the NETs’ influence Their feelings about the difference taught by NETs and themselves Their feelings about the difference taught by NETs and themselves Their feelings on the changes in the teaching practice of the school Their feelings on the changes in the teaching practice of the school Their suggestions for improvement Their suggestions for improvement

11. Enquiries on school principal Basically focus on: Her choice to employ NETs to teach English Her choice to employ NETs to teach English Her opinion on the current arrangements Her opinion on the current arrangements Her feelings whether the NETs can assist the LETs Her feelings whether the NETs can assist the LETs Her feelings about the changes in the students’ performance Her feelings about the changes in the students’ performance Her feelings and opinions on the performance of NETs Her feelings and opinions on the performance of NETs Her feelings about the difference between NETs and LETs Her feelings about the difference between NETs and LETs Her feelings on the programme from the feedbacks from students and parents Her feelings on the programme from the feedbacks from students and parents Her opinions on the roles of NETs Her opinions on the roles of NETs Her visions on the programme Her visions on the programme Her suggestions for improvement Her suggestions for improvement

12. Enquires on NETs Basically focus on: Opinions on the current collaborations between NETs and LETs Opinions on the current collaborations between NETs and LETs Their feelings about the adequacy of the arrangements Their feelings about the adequacy of the arrangements Their feelings about the responses and performance of the students Their feelings about the responses and performance of the students Their feelings about the difference between the lessons taught by NETs and LETs Their feelings about the difference between the lessons taught by NETs and LETs Their feelings on the programme Their feelings on the programme Their suggestions for improvement Their suggestions for improvement

13. Research Findings

14. Results from the video recording

15. 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

16. 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)

17. 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

18. 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

19. Results of the in-depth interviews with local teachers Limited assistance from NETs Limited assistance from NETs Current arrangements basically adequate Current arrangements basically adequate Students attain improvements in oral English Students attain improvements in oral English Few areas to be changed to accommodate the innovations in English teaching methods Few areas to be changed to accommodate the innovations in English teaching methods Set up formal guidelines Set up formal guidelines

20. Results of the in-depth interview with the school principal More opportunities for students and teachers to use English More opportunities for students and teachers to use English Limitations to the NETs serving two schools in one time Limitations to the NETs serving two schools in one time A liberal and encouraging teaching approach in class A liberal and encouraging teaching approach in class Local teachers cannot enjoy the flexibility Local teachers cannot enjoy the flexibility Support from parents Support from parents

21. Results of the in-depth interviews with the NETs Limited collaboration Limited collaboration Current arrangements basically adequate Current arrangements basically adequate Cannot speak Chinese Cannot speak Chinese

22. Conclusion

23. Overall evaluation on the programme Certain degree of achievement in: Provision of more opportunities to learn and use English Provision of more opportunities to learn and use English Improvement in oral English Improvement in oral English Learning English outside class Learning English outside class Non-conventional approach in teaching Non-conventional approach in teaching

24. Limitations of the research Only students of P.4, 5, 6 were enquired Only students of P.4, 5, 6 were enquired No quantitative test to measure the degree of improvement No quantitative test to measure the degree of improvement Judgement could be biased Judgement could be biased

25. Insights from the research on the NET English Teaching Programme Limited knowledge of the students in vocabularies Limited knowledge of the students in vocabularies Limited mastery of students in pronunciation Limited mastery of students in pronunciation Too much weighting on oral English Too much weighting on oral English No time for co-planning No time for co-planning Heavy workloads of local teachers Heavy workloads of local teachers

26. Suggestions for improvements More extra-curricular activities such as Games Day and English Camp More extra-curricular activities such as Games Day and English Camp More formal guidelines on More formal guidelines on co-planning co-planning Set down long-term plan Set down long-term plan More encouragements and suggestion on reading More encouragements and suggestion on reading

27. Thank you!