Fostering Hong Kong preschoolers’ English language development

Kwok Shing Richard WONG, Chung Yi Joni HO

Research output: Contribution to conferencePapers

Abstract

There are two parts to this talk. In the first part we will highlight two types of knowledge that serve as the foundation for literacy development in English. These are vocabulary knowledge and phonological awareness. Vocabulary refers to the different types of words that make up our sentences, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, and function words. Previous research showed that children with a sizeable vocabulary are more likely to produce more complex sentences and exhibit better reading skills in comparison to children with more limited vocabulary. Phonological awareness refers to the abilities to attend to and manipulate different sound units in a word. Typical phonological awareness tasks include asking children to tell whether two spoken words share the same beginning sound or whether they rhyme or not. Intervention studies showed that programmes with an emphasis on phonological awareness are likely to improve children’s reading skills. In the second part, Ms. Joni will demonstrate what teachers of English can do in order to teach these two types of knowledge in the classroom. Specifically she will focus on how to use stories to teach vocabulary and to use extension games to enhance children’s awareness of the different sound units in English words.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2015
Event2015 Quality Childhood Conference International (QCCI): "Enhancing Quality Childhood Education: Synergizing Global Efforts" - The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong
Duration: 18 Jun 201519 Jun 2015

Conference

Conference2015 Quality Childhood Conference International (QCCI): "Enhancing Quality Childhood Education: Synergizing Global Efforts"
Country/TerritoryHong Kong
Period18/06/1519/06/15

Citation

Wong, R. K.-S., & Ho, J. (2015, June). Fostering Hong Kong preschoolers’ English language development. Paper presented at the 2015 Quality Childhood Conference International (QCCI) Enhancing Quality Childhood Education: Synergizing Global Efforts, The Hong Kong Institute of Education, China.

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