Impact of the Fine-tuning Medium-of-Instruction Policy on Learning: Some Preliminary Findings

Abstract

After twelve years’ implementation in junior secondary schools in Hong Kong, the compulsory Chinese medium instruction policy was replaced by the fine-tuning medium of instruction policy in September 2010. The greatest criticism of the compulsory Chinese medium instruction policy is its adverse effect on students’ English standards, which have been declining. The fine-tuning medium of instruction policy is an innovative idea that provides a break-through from the traditional mode of English-medium schools vs Chinese-medium schools and thus brings a close to the age-long debate on the heated topic of medium of instruction in Hong Kong. The new policy permits schools to have flexibility to offer English-medium classes, partial-Englishmedium classes and/or Chinese-medium classes provided that certain criteria are met. The present study investigates the fine-tuning medium of instruction policy in its initial stage of implementation and finds out the impact of this new language policy on learning. A quantitative research method – survey – is employed to collect data pertaining to the views of students on the impact of the fine-tuning medium-of-instruction policy on learning.