Research Question Two: To what extent and in what ways does the PNET Scheme help to enhance the English-speaking environment of the school?

Survey responses suggested that the majority of respondents (over 80% of NETs, LETs, and School Heads) believed that the PNET Scheme helped to enhance the English-Speaking environment as described in SF4.

Corroboration with survey data regarding NETs’ presence to enhance English Environment

Data from the case studies, including observation data relating to the school environment, and case study interviews corroborates the finding that the NETs’ presence enhances the English Environment as described in finding CF8 and the supporting quotes.

CF8. Participants mentioned the value of the contributions of the NET to the English-speaking environment of the school including contributions to cultural awareness, decoration of classrooms with English-related material, the operation of the English room, and whole-school activities, whole-school assemblies and ‘English Fun Days’ and more opportunities for teachers and students to speak English.

There were few explicit references to ‘culture’ from school personnel interviews although mention was made of exchanging cultural perspectives – ‘Sometimes the NET can exchange some cultural and educational views with the local teacher’ (SH Interview), and of contributing to an ‘English speaking culture’ (SH Interview) in the school. However, contributions to whole school activities on ‘festive occasions’ and school assemblies led by the NET often presented children with specifically Western ways of celebrating Easter, Halloween and Christmas. The English Room also often provided an opportunity to expose children to examples of English popular culture such as movies, songs and games. NET Section personnel pointed out that while in principle local teachers should be able to replicate these Western cultural celebrations in the schools, they rarely have the time to do so.

dedicated room for English activities. The English Room in the most effective case study schools was an exemplary model of a resource-rich English environment in which children can learn more effectively during lesson time, for example by referring to vocabulary, language structures and phonics displayed on the walls to support them in their written or spoken production. The English Room also provided a focused space for children to engage in fun-based play activities related to English before and after classes and during recess.

Some quotes from field notes taken during site visits to schools illustrate this:

Lots of photos and words. Being in the English Rooms was like being inside a picture dictionary.

(Observation Data) The English Room has a ‘Word Wall’ with sight words, sets of graded readers on shelves, a phonics corner, a platform teaching area with projector and screen. Words (colours, dates, weather words) hang from the ceiling, there are board displays of vowels and alphabet letters.

(Observation Data) What resources in a dedicated English room or English corner help create an English-rich environment? The English Room is an exemplary resource in this respect, English-richly and elaborately decorated from floor to ceiling with English material.

(Observation Data) These observations are supported by the perceptions of stakeholders as seen in the following quotes from case study interviews and focus group discussions regarding the English Room, and the outside-class activities facilitated by the NET and the PNET Scheme:

[The NET stays] in the English room and talks with the students. They come into the room, and they play games, and enjoy sharing the movie with him. Our NET... is very good at singing and playing the guitar, so sometimes he plays the guitar with the students, for example, during Christmas time, he leads the student to sing some song altogether.

(SH Interview) I consider the NET Scheme important. After all, Hong Kong students have not much interaction with foreigners. All are Chinese faces at the school. The NET is the only foreigner for them to meet with. I think, other than formal lessons, the NET will open a fun room. The NETs can spend more time in the English fun room, during recess time and lunch, and then students will have more opportunities to learn English through casual conversation with them. Learning will not be trapped inside the classroom, but also in the fun room casually. Students dare to speak English. I think this will increase the effectiveness of the Scheme further.

(LET focus group) [I]t can enhance the English-speaking culture [...] All the English meeting we conduct in English, so not just English teacher we also encourage non-English teacher who can speak English together. Because we sit in the same staff room, so close. We have only 14 teachers, 14 teachers, so the relationship is so close … the other teachers also speak in English. Then, the teacher will have the confiden[ce] to speak with their

… the most significant would be the English environment activities outside of the classroom activities where the children are very free, [and activities are] not so restricted and more enjoyable. As you know, the children perceive it as learning the game rather than an activity and they can use their English in a natural, authentic manner. They don’t feel formal, and they don’t feel that they are being assessed. … they own the language;

they can communicate with a foreigner … the students have become accustomed to using English in daily communication.

(NET interview) During the recess and lunch time, there are extra-curricular activities (hula hoop on my day of visit) in which the coach (i.e. a teacher) will give instruction to students in English.

I was told that every year there would be a mathematics competition conducted in English (to train students’ listening).

(Observation Data) We have more extracurricular activities because of the NET. [Students] seldom interact with foreigners after all, so they will be interested in talking to him. … his presence makes learning English more authentic and natur[al]. The children will be really curious about the NET because he looks so different from other teachers.”

(EPC interview)

… the NET teacher … also work[s] in areas like training the solo verse speaking the elite class, elite writing classes that he offered after school. And also, during recess, from Tuesday to Thursday every week he stays in the English room, reads the story books, plays games and shows the movies to the students so he tries to create a learning atmosphere in a fun way … lower grade students love interacting with the NET.

(EPC interview)

… lots of little things that I do to help students get involved in using English … at Easter I did an Easter Egg competition. So they drew an Easter egg and we had a competition and gave out prizes and things like that just to get them involved in maybe my culture and using the language as well.

(NET interview) A number of stakeholders described the more open attitude of the NETs compared to local teachers. While local teachers may be more aligned to the Chinese cultural concept of a teacher as an individual with whom students are expected to adopt a formal manner, NETs tend to expect less social distance and to welcome more informal relations with students. This is illustrated by the experience of some of the NETs and other stakeholders below:

I think it creates an English learning atmosphere. Because you know students, normally they speak Chinese. They will n-, they dare not speak English, right? But whenever, when there is a NET, I mean, this very excellent NET, right? When they get inside the English room, we request all the students to speak English. That’s surprisingly because of him. And all the English, all the students, whoever they are, maybe they are very weak in English, they fail in English, or even they got zero marks in English, but they will speak English in his lesson. It’s a miracle.

(EPC Interview)

… the students generally like to talk to me around school and I think that’s good. I think normally if they speak to a local teacher, even an English teacher, they’ll approach them and speak in Cantonese. They do come up and say “Oh, what are you doing?” and, they’re interested and I think that’s good for practice

[…]

So, let’s say for example, maybe in the first recess I might be around the school or try and make myself available if I’ve got time, I’m not always available but then, for example, I’ve got a P3 student that comes up to me every time he sees me and he’ll come and see me at recess and…I know he wants to talk so I’ll go and just chat to him about whatever he wants to talk about and other students … want to share, you know, I’ve been playing, reading this book about computer games and I’ll just let them talk to me and talk back

… They are quite active in this school, they’ll actually come in and talk…

(NET interview) [NET’s name] is a very outgoing and open-minded person. And so the kids like to talk to him. And in this way, they are less afraid of English.

[…]

I think it’s good for me to find that students love English more, like more, they’re not afraid of [NET’s name], because every time I saw them, when they walk through the corridor, they will shout, [NET’s name]! Morning! just like that. They love to contact him and then, when I have the lesson observation, I can find most of them can speak English, like to speak out, and like to join the lesson,

[…]

So for example, I remember last week erm, I was on the corridor and then I saw a kid in P3 called [name] and he was actually quite shy, ‘cause I taught him in P1. And at that time, he did not like to talk, even in Chinese and then they had just gone through the recess games with [NET’s name] and so I kind of chatted up with them and then I asked him, oh, so how’s the game, what did you play when you were having your recess? and they said, you know, UNO, and I said, okay, who won? And he said very naturally, [NET’s name] is the winner, and then I said, oh, and then maybe one day you can win it … And he said, never. So it just comes naturally.

(EPC Interview) The presence of a NET and the increased use of English in the school, including the regular co-planning meetings, and English Panel Meetings conducted in English, as well as the English-only medium of instruction in lessons co-taught with the NET also has an impact on LET’s, increasing their use of English. English Panel Chairs, LETs and the NET all referred to the co-planning meetings rather enthusiastically, testifying to the positive collaboration between the NET and the English panel members. To some extent, the PNET Scheme has provided some impetus for establishing a community of practice within the English panel.

These views are illustrated in the following quotes from local teachers and from Observation field notes:

No one is quiet, no one is dominant. And we have no argument, just to simply share ideas.

(EPC Interview)

(LETs Interview) So I’ve learned a lot from the local teachers and I’m sure they’ve picked up some things from me as well.

(NET Interview)

I think, maybe it somehow creates an English-speaking environment for the students.

[when teaching] with the NET, I may speak less Cantonese … So it is quite effective for the students to learn English and to hear different accents.

(LET focus group)

… in the English room with the NET … I will only speak English around the NET, especially with the students. Even when they come in, I still speak to them with English.

I think that is the NET effect, here, for us to speak more English.

(LET focus group)

English is used at the English Panel meeting “always” and in the co-planning meetings.

The NET said she would often ask LETs what they liked about the lesson after class informally, and provide an idea to improve between two more positive comments.

(Observation Data) The NET has a prominent place in the staff room, sitting next to the EPC and opposite the ELTA. According to the EPC and SH, he is outgoing and friendly and interacts well with other English teachers. This was evident in the co-teaching, and co-planning I observed. The NET claims to actively seek out contact and friendly relations with all staff. Evidence before and after meetings and co-teaching suggests good interpersonal relationships within the English team, including the NET.

(Observation Data) Local teachers hold weekly meetings, including ones like the general, sub-panel meeting observed here, as well as level meetings and less formal interactions and exchanges related to specific lessons. The NET does not speak Chinese and hence all interactions involving him are in English. However, he does not sit in the staff room, although there is a place for him there. LETs will come down to the English Room to discuss curriculum matters with him. Relations between NET and LETs are friendly and interactions between them were observed in the general school environment.

(Observation Data)

CF9. School Heads felt the NET helped to maximise the English environment of the school.

A number of School Heads noted a greater use of English in the classroom, in meetings and in the school as a whole, which they ascribed to the presence of a non-Chinese-speaking NET who was open and accessible and helped teachers and students overcome inhibitions and reluctance to use English to communicate. Some School Heads introduced a policy requiring English teachers to use English not only in English Panel meetings, but also in interactions with students outside the classroom.

[I]t can enhance the English-speaking culture [...] All the English meeting we conduct in English, so it’s not just English teachers, we also encourage non-English teachers who can, to speak English together. Because we sit in the same staff room, so close. We have only 14 teachers, 14 teachers, so the relationship is so close … the other teachers also speak in English. Then, the teachers will have the confiden[ce] to speak [in English]

with their student[s].

(SH interview) The most obvious impact is the atmosphere of English, the whole English environment has been optimised.

[…]

In the first year when I came to this school as a school head, our English Panel Meetings were conducted in Cantonese. I thought that could not create an English atmosphere or an English environment. Even LETs didn’t use English. At that time the NET was not required to attend the meetings. Then I wanted to recruit a NET to change that culture and bring some new experience to the school … I wanted all subject meetings of English to be conducted in English. The LETs had not got used to this, but they were okay afterwards.

[…]

Because of the existence of the NET, I required all English teachers, whether inside or outside the classroom, to speak English with the students. It would be better for them to be led by a NET. The LETs might feel very embarrassed … [a]shamed to speak English even though they are English teachers. They were really shy and feared grammatical mistakes. They were afraid of being laughed at.

[…]

I think the community becomes different after the NET Scheme. The LETs used to be not speaking English so often. Now when they are on duty on the school playground, children will get close to the LETs in communicating in English.

(SH interview) Most importantly, the NET builds up leadership among colleagues in the English teaching team. When they do whole-school activities, the participation of English teachers is more than they used to be. Parents also think the product is good, and children learn happily. Then colleagues are willing to be involved into these whole-school activities.

(SH interview)

CF10. Several participants mentioned the resources which the NET Scheme can make available

through their general support roles. The work of the NET in locating suitable additional resources was also mentioned and valued by school personnel.

Project development is one of the range of duties an AT could be asked to undertake. The AT job description includes the expectation that ATs involved in project development will

‘develop effective strategies/activities and resources for the project and to facilitate and monitor their application in schools’, as well as being expected to ‘prepare and conduct professional development activities for English teachers involved’. Such involvement involves proportionate reduction in School Support (from 80% to 60%) and Committee Work (from 10% to 5%).

Perceptions from school-level stakeholders indicate that these AT project development roles are appreciated, despite any reduction in school support that they may entail. The value of the PLP-R/W in terms of resource provision was widely acknowledged. Even schools that had not participated (i.e. non-programme schools) were keen to gain access to the resources packaged with the programme. They were able to learn more about them through ATs who organised inter-school visits to introduce non-programme schools to PLP-R/W resources and procedures.

The DTS project, based around authentic texts, was also a resource-rich programme for participating schools in their first one or two years, as the ATs assisted schools in locating suitable texts around which to build thematic units.

Ah, one thing I like very much about [the AT] is that she tries to share the successful experience from other schools so for example, she organised different school visits for us for example the more experienced PLP-R/W schools, and so we could really see how people run this programme and we learn quite a lot from it.

(EPC Interview)

PLP-R/W gives me the resources, so it gives me more time to prepare lessons, and not so much time making everything tailor-making [everything]

(NET Interview) I think what the PLP-R/W does, and does very well, it provides all those other things, the songs, the chants, the games, the shared reading, the shared writing, the very strong scaffolding for the children.

(NET Interview) [PLP-R/W] has the materials and the worksheets and the books. Yeah. Many

resources we can use.

(LET focus group)

One point to add is that the NET really helps in our pedagogical design, because he can see whether there is space for refinement or improvement. He will take the initiative to find materials to work out a unit himself. We are too busy to do so, but he can help…After he finds the sources, he will display them in the co-planning session and then seek our advice. Also, he won’t find one source only. He will find at least two for us to choose. He also explains how each source can be used, and then asks which one is more appropriate. This includes his own design. He will also explain why he has

(LET focus group) I believe that [the NET’s] presence leads to more resources. We LETs used to teach based on local teaching materials or our own learning experiences, but the NET is good at finding more suitable teaching materials and searching for online stuff that is appropriate for our students in the classroom. So children find learning interesting and the lesson interactive.

(LET focus group) He would give me some advice and would give me some websites and also some group work and how to play the group work or some materials so I think he is very helpful. He can search a lot…

(LET focus group) He is very good at surfing the, searching the information on the net, on the websites, that means. He can use many skills to search the many interesting themes or movies or, what to say? Ah cartoons, comics, the students … like very much.

(LET focus group)

4.4.3.3 Research Question Three: To what extent and in what ways does the PNET