CRCLE Actively Advances Chinese Language and Values Education in Hong Kong Primary Schools

The Centre for Research on Chinese Language and Education (CRCLE) at The Education University of Hong Kong has been making significant strides in one of its core research areas: promoting  Chinese language education in local schools, with a particular focus on integrating values education into curriculum development. Since June 2024, through the Quality Education Fund project titled ‘From Language Learning to Nurture of Positive Values: Learning Classical Chinese through Multiple-Text Reading’, CRCLE has implemented an innovative teaching initiative across 16 primary schools in Hong Kong. This pioneering project successfully merges Chinese language instruction with values education by revitalising school-based classical Chinese curricula, an approach that has garnered enthusiastic responses from both educators and students.

Under the leadership of Dr Liao Xian, Associate Director of CRCLE, the research project has engaged educational institutions spanning Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories, reaching more than 1,500 students and approximately 100 teachers. The programme employs a multi-text reading approach that enables students to appreciate the enduring values embedded in classical Chinese literature while developing constructive life perspectives. The research team maintains close collaboration with participating teachers through comprehensive support mechanisms including cooperative lesson planning, classroom observations, detailed feedback sessions, and specialised professional development workshops, all designed to enhance pedagogical skills and establish sustainable professional learning communities.

Educators involved in the initiative, including Chinese teachers from The Salvation Army Tin Ka Ping School, have reported substantial benefits for curriculum development, particularly noting remarkable improvements in curriculum design capabilities and assessment literacy. The project has demonstrated tangible positive impacts on both teaching quality and student learning outcomes.

This initiative exemplifies CRCLE's steadfast commitment to serving and advancing Chinese language education in Hong Kong. By effectively bridging theoretical frameworks with practical applications, the Centre has established a robust platform for professional exchange and educational innovation. Complementing these efforts, CRCLE's previously launched ‘Fun to Chinese Poetry’ mobile application has achieved remarkable success with over 250,000 downloads, receiving widespread acclaim from the educational community for its contribution to making classical Chinese literature accessible and engaging for contemporary learners.

 

 

 

 

Dr Liao Xian conducts a teacher training workshop to elaborate on his educational philosophy

 

 

 

 

Participating Chinese teachers engage in group discussions based on teaching plans

 

 

 

 

Chinese teachers from The Salvation Army Tin Ka Ping School share insights at an inter-school sharing session