Hong Kong Tertiary Students' Attitudes and Proficiency in Spoken English

Abstract

As a basis for making pedagogical decisions within a learner-based framework, teachers need information about the experiences and perceptions which learners bring to the classroom. This article reports and discusses some of the information gathered by the LEAP Project at the University of Hong Kong about the English learning experiences, proficiency and perceptions of students entering tertiary education in Hong Kong. The article focuses on students' oral English. The investigation reveals that students who enter tertiary education in Hong Kong have grown accustomed to passive speech roles in class and had limited experience of speaking. Lack of practice often leads to low confidence in their own ability and a sense of unease, especially when engaging in unplanned speech. Nonetheless students express strong preferences for active speaking roles in class. A two-folded strategy is needed. In their English classes, students need many more opportunities to activate their language and gain experience in using it for spontaneous communication. At the same time, in all classes, students need to gain experience of active methods of learning, so that they can adopt the active, questioning role which is appropriate for tertiary level learning and required for success in the modem world.

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