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1、English Language Proficiency Assessment for English Language Teachers in Hong Kong: Development and DilemmasAngel M. Y. Lin, PhD (Toronto)Professor, Faculty of EducationChinese University of Hong Kong1. Background: HK Government Responding to Business ConcernsIn December 1995, The Hong Kong Educatio
2、n Commission published Report No. 6 (ECR6). In the Report, the Education Commission addressed the concerns expressed to the Hong Kong Government by business corporations about the “declining standards of language skills” among school graduates in Hong Kong. The Education Commission acknowledged the
3、need for high level language skills among the workforce in Hong Kong as it moves away from a manufacturing to a service and high-tech industries and highlighted a number of areas for action. On the issue of standards of language ability of teachers about which there were concerns, two recommendation
4、s were made:ECR6 C1: The concept of “benchmark” qualifications for all teachers should be explored by the Advisory Committee on Teacher Education and Qualifications (ACTEQ) with a view to making proposals to the Government as early as possible in 1996.ECR6 C2: Minimum language proficiency standards
5、should be specified, which all teachers (not just teachers of language subjects) should meet before they obtain their initial professional qualification. The standards should be designed to ensure that new teachers are competent to teach through the chosen medium of instruction.This is an ambitious
6、attempt to step up the language requirements of all teachers, not just language teachers. However, work has progressed in the past decade (since 1996) mainly on developing and implementing the language benchmarks for language teachers. This paper focuses on the development of the English benchmark s
7、tandards for English language teachers in Hong Kong. Some dilemmas in implementation will be discussed and future directions for research will also be proposed.2. Early Developments: 1996-2006In response to the tasks assigned by ECR No. 6, ACTEQ appointed a team of English assessment consultants hea
8、ded by Peter Falvey and David Coniam to develop the English benchmark tests for English language teachers. The team started work in 1996 and developed and piloted the first English benchmark test in Hong Kong (Falvey and Coniam, 1999; Coniam and Falvey, 2000). The discussion the following sections a
9、re mainly based on the two internal research reports by Peter Falvey and David Coniam (ibid.).In July 1996, the consultants (Coniam and Falvey, 2000, p. 8) recommended to ACTEQ that a benchmark test of the English language ability of teachers should consist of:1. Formal tests:l assessed by means of
10、criterion-referenced scales Writing, Speakingl assessed by means of an analytic marking scheme Reading Listening2. Direct Classroom Language Assessment (CLA) assessed by lesson observation, using criterion-referenced scalesMethodological principles and designThe preferred mode for language benchmark
11、s is one which allows for the same set of generic descriptors to be used across all grade levels for English teachers even though task types may need to be altered fro primary and secondary school teachers (e.g., the poem used in the Speaking Test and the expository writing task in the Writing Test
12、would be different for Primary and Secondary teachers) (Coniam and Falvey, 2000). Assessment instruments were developed and piloted with samples from the target teacher populations. The fist official syllabus document on the English benchmark test for English language teachers was released in Novemb
13、er 2000, and consists of 5 papers (more details below).3. Stepping Up Language Teacher Credential Requirements In the official document released by EMB in 2004, it was announced that starting from the 2004/05 school year, all new English teachers in primary and secondary should have the following cr
14、edentials to be qualified to teach English in Hong Kong: (1) Relevant Degree at least a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree majoring in the relevant language subject, or both a first/ higher degree majoring in the relevant language subject(2) Relevant teacher training - a recognized teacher training
15、qualification majoring in the relevant language subject.(3) Language Proficiency Requirement (LPR)Figure 1 shows the different ways a person can get credentialed to teach English language in schools in Hong Kong.Fig. 1 Credential Flowchart Constructed Based On EMB (2004)The credentialing process can
16、 be summarized as follows:(a) New language teachers holding a first degree in the relevant language subject should complete a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) or Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PCEd) programme majoring in that language subject within three years of taking up the employment; (b) New language teachers holding a first degree in a subject not relevant to the langu
