We teach
they learn
with great difficulties
But the effect is not good
Problems?
Let's take an example: English
Our target is too instrumental too utiliterian
never based on students' interest
Yet to learn a foreign language,
is to be an adventurer
venturing into a people's literature, culture, customs, traditions, folk culture
the learning process should be full of fun and excitement
But that's not the way of the government parents teachers see it
they link English learning to some future use
especially the prospect of the students and the future of a city
So learning is like going to a battle
always accopanied by the feeling of fear
of painfulness
the whole process is bland
That is what too much emphasis on ulterior motives will do -
Need, result, honour, prospect -
but never the interest a language can give through its
literature, stories, culture, drama, history
Take learning English for a career or a job
A learner may try his best to learn because he wants to succeed
But he will never be able to find the joy of learning a language
To a young kid
It is unimaginable if he can have any interest learning this way.
And learning/teaching method?
Most teachers adopt the traditional spoonfeeding method
So that's why students are never motivated to take the initiative to learn
Too uninteresting.
All because things to be learnt are too difficult and too dry
assessment too writing based
too many people in one class
too much individual differences
disable teachers from making effective reforms
Methods and content are very important
but assessment method will restrict that.
choose more suitable reading materials to improve learning
5 years since the 1997 report on Motivation in learning and Assessment
nothing much has changed
2003, another assessment will be made
the same old problem will be tabled again
If assessment takes the lead
students motivation will be affected
If students learn for assessment
interest in learning will be laid aside again.
determination
信報 三月二十六日 為教改前途把脈 馮文正