考EDB的AI/AEO的溫習題目3: special education

What has the government done to promote special education?

First, in 1999 the government began a programme to provide air-conditioning in 17 schools for physically and severely mentally handicapped children regardless of whether these schools are affected by noise or other environmental nuisance. By so doing, the government hopes to reduce the discomfort that these children bear due to their physical condition, and thus to improve their learning interest. The government has indeed been improving premises and facilities by providing a one-off grant for aided special schools to procure assistive technology devices to help students with severe or multiple disabilities learn more effectively.





Secondly, since the government started to systematically promote gifted education in 2001, a growing number of exceptionally gifted local teenagers rise to fame by winning top awards in international competitions. In 2006, to nurture students with exceptional potential and talent, the government supported the establishment of The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education, enhancing the performance of high achievers.

The Academy targets students aged 10 to 18 who are either excellent academic achievers or distinguished performers in specific areas. The curriculum is tailor-made to bring out the full potential of students. The Academy also provides training for parents and teachers to promote the concepts and practices of gifted education. In the long run, the Academy is being developed into a platform for international exchanges as well as research and development.

Thirdly, since 2011, the Education Bureau (EDB) has extended the School-based Educational Psychology Service, giving secondary and primary schools greater support to help students with dyslexia and other special educational needs. The service, now covering 55% of schools, will be extended progressively to cover all public sector secondary and primary schools by the 2016-17 school year. The EDB has also commenced many rounds of professional development programmes for teachers in ordinary schools. Starting from the 2013-14 school year, the EDB has raised the ceiling of the annual Learning Support Grant from $1 million to $1.5 million per school to strengthen support for students with special educational needs. Besides, the EDB has developed diversified teaching resources through cross-sectoral collaboration to help enhance the learning effectiveness of students with special educational needs. It has also stepped up publicity and information dissemination to promote inclusion in the community.

考EDB的AI/AEO的溫習題目2 : national education

What did the government do to promote national education? 

Suggested framework:

Background: It is the HKSAR Government’s established policy to promote national education. The government has adopted a three-pronged approach in this regard.

Action1: The government has been helping students better understand the history and development of our country through curriculum planning. The EDB has organised lectures and training programmes for teachers and students, and produced web-based teaching materials on the opportunities and challenges in our country’s development. Topics included the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the staging of the Olympic Equestrian Events in Hong Kong, China’s first spacewalk by astronauts in its space mission of Shenzhou-7, the 30th anniversary of China’s opening up and reform, and disaster relief and reconstruction efforts for the Sichuan earthquake


Action 2: The government has been providing students with opportunities to join study and exchange programmes to heighten their sense of national identity, and enhance professional training and exchange programmes for teachers. In this way, both teachers and students will see for themselves the rapid development of our country. The EDB has subsidised students to participate in such trips and programmes each year, including junior secondary and upper primary students. To promote national education in a more strategic and systematic manner, the EDB has created a national education platform known as “Passing on the Torch” by co-ordinating the work of various voluntary groups. The government has also allocated additional resources to launch a National Education Funding Scheme for Young People to subsidise and support large-scale national education activities targeting mainly youngsters. This is to give young people a chance to see for themselves the development of our country and to grow to love our motherland and Hong Kong. 



Action 3: Other than providing a subsidy for students to join at least one Mainland exchange programme each in the primary and secondary stages, the government has also launched a pilot scheme to provide financial and professional support for local public sector schools and Direct Subsidy Scheme schools in a bid to progressively double the number of primary and secondary sister schools in Hong Kong and the Mainland to about 600 pairs within the three years from the 2015/16 school year. This will help further promote experience sharing between sister schools, enhance teaching and learning effectiveness, and relieve teachers from some of the administrative work. At the same time, the EDB explores with Mainland provinces and cities to expand and enhance such exchange and co-operation. Young people can broaden their horizons through two-way visits, life experience activities, cultural and service collaboration as well as job-seeking experience sharing.

考EDB的AI/AEO的溫習題目1: e-learning

What are the advantages of developing e-textbooks in the schools? What did the government do to promote e-learning?

Suggested framework:

Background: The use of e-learning resources has become a major trend in education. 

Advantage 1: E-leaning provides students with an interactive mode of learning, 

Advantage 2: Electronic textbooks and learning resources allow more flexibility in textbook compilation.

Advantage 3: Electronic textbooks and learning resources lower production costs and help achieve reasonable pricing. 

Advantage 4: Electronic textbooks and learning resources reduce wastage. 

Action 1: The Government is committed to developing e-learning
resources. An EDB task force set up in mid-2011 will review
teaching and learning materials and explore ways to better
utilise the advantages of e-learning and improve the provision
of textbooks.

Conclusion: 
E-learning is a desirable alternative to printed textbooks, which is currently the only option available on the market.