This study employed a mixed-method approach from multiple source of informants, including NCS students, parents, principals, teachers, multicultural teaching assistants (MTAs), and voluntary agencies to validate the effectiveness of using the Home-School-Community (H-S-C) framework in teaching Chinese to non-Chinese-speaking (NCS) children. Results revealed that NCS students receiving the H-S-C-based interventions showed a better Chinese language proficiency progression than the comparison group. Within the home domain, NCS parents increased awareness, knowledge and skills in supporting children’s learning, and provided improved space for learning Chinese at home. In the school domain, principals and teachers were equipped with culturally-responsive pedagogical knowledge and skills in teaching NCS students, with MTAs’ assisting in teaching and communicating with parents and teachers. Community domain programs provided experiential learning opportunities for NCS students to know the community and engage in cultural exchange with local students. With a holistic approach to home-school-community domains, a reconstruction of an L1-like Chinese language learning environment was made possible for NCS students.
KeywordsHome-School-Community FrameworkNon-Chinese Pre-SchoolersHolistic ApproachChinese LearningMixed-MethodChinese as a Second Language
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1993). The Ecology of Cognitive Development: Research Models and Fugitive Findings. In R. H. Wozniak, & K. W. Fischer (Eds.), Development in Context: Activity and Thinking in Specific Environments (pp. 3-44). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Brown, H. (2007). Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy (3rd ed.). London: Pearson Education.
Census and Statistics Department, HKSAR (2017). 2016 Population by-Census—Thematic Report: Ethnic Minorities. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department. https://www.statistics.gov.hk/pub/B11201002016XXXXB0100.pdf
Chen, X., Hao, M., Geva, E., Zhu, J., & Shu, H. (2009). The Role of Compound Awareness in Chinese Children’s Vocabulary Acquisition and Character Reading. Reading and Writing, 22, 615-631. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-008-9127-9
Choi, J., & Ziegler, G. (2015). Literacy Education for Low-Educated Second Language Learning Adults in Multilingual Contexts: The Case of Luxembourg. Multilingual Education, 5, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13616-015-0024-7
Clayton, J. B. (2003). One Classroom, Many Worlds: Teaching and Learning in the Cross-Cultural Classroom. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Curriculum Development Council (1996). Guide to the Pre-Primary Curriculum. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Government Printer.
Curriculum Development Council (2006). Guide to the Pre-Primary Curriculum. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Government Printer.
Denzin, N. K. (2012). Triangulation 2.0. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 6, 80-88. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689812437186
Education Bureau, HKSAR (2018a). Education Bureau Circular No. 11/2018, Enhanced Quality Assurance Framework for Kindergarten Education. https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/en/edu-system/preprimary-kindergarten/quality-assurance-framework/EDBC18011E.pdf
Education Bureau, HKSAR (2018b). Handbook on Quality Review for Kindergartens. EDB. https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/en/edu-system/preprimary-kindergarten/quality-assurance-framework/qr/handbook_on_qr_eng.pdf
Epstein, J. L. (1994, E-Book in 2019). Theory to Practice: School and Family Partnerships Lead to School Improvement and Student Success. In B. Werber, & C. Fagnano (Eds.), School, Family, and Community Interaction: A View from the Firing Lines (pp. 39-52). New York: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429305375-4
Epstein, J. L. (2001). School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Equal Opportunities Commission, EOC (2019). Closing the Gap: Report of the Working Group on Education for Ethnic Minorities. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Equal Opportunities Commission. https://www.eoc.org.hk/s/ClosingtheGap/Closing_the_Gap_Report.pdf
Government of HKSAR (2016). LCQ16: Provision of Grants for Kindergartens Admitting Non-Chinese Speaking Students [Press Release]. https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201607/13/P2016071301598.htm
Grant, K. B., & Ray, J. (2019). Home, School, and Community Collaboration: Culturally Responsive Family Engagement (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Henderson, A. T., & Mapp, K. L. (2002). A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family and Community Connections on Student Achievement. Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.
Jeynes, W. H. (2005). A Meta-Analysis of the Relation of Parental Involvement to Urban Elementary School Student Academic Achievement. Urban Education, 40, 237-269. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085905274540
Kamps, D., Wills, H., Greenwood, C., Thorne, S., Lazo, J., Crockett, J., Swaggart, B. et al. (2003). Curriculum Influences on Growth in Early Reading Fluency for Students with Academic and Behavioral Risks: A Descriptive Study. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 11, 211-224. https://doi.org/10.1177/10634266030110040301
Kindergarten Inspection Section, HKSAR (2016a). Quality Review Report (School No.: 542768). Hong Kong: Education Bureau. (In Chinese) https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/tc/edu-system/preprimary-kindergarten/quality-assurance-framework/qr/qr-report/PLK_MrsTamWahChing.pdf
Kindergarten Inspection Section, HKSAR (2016b). Quality Review Report (School No.: 324264). Hong Kong: Education Bureau. (In Chinese) https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/tc/edu-system/preprimary-kindergarten/quality-assurance-framework/qr/qr-report/WesternPacific.pdf
Kindergarten Inspection Section, HKSAR (2016c). Quality Review Report (School No.: 320897). Hong Kong: Education Bureau. (In Chinese) https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/tc/edu-system/preprimary-kindergarten/quality-assurance-framework/qr/qr-report/SaintMay.pdf
Kindergarten Inspection Section, HKSAR (2017a). Quality Review Report (School No.: 532550). Hong Kong: Education Bureau. (In Chinese) https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/tc/edu-system/preprimary-kindergarten/quality-assurance-framework/qr/qr-report/CheLok.pdf
Kindergarten Inspection Section, HKSAR (2017b). Quality Review Report (School No.: 157678). Hong Kong: Education Bureau. (In Chinese) https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/tc/edu-system/preprimary-kindergarten/quality-assurance-framework/qr/qr-report/SA_FuKeung.pdf
Kindergarten Inspection Section, HKSAR (2017c). Quality Review Report (School No.: 156272). Hong Kong: Education Bureau. (In Chinese) https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/tc/edusystem/preprimary-kindergarten/quality-assurance-framework/qr/qr-report/FuYiu.pdf
Kindergarten Inspection Section, HKSAR (2017d). Quality Review Report (School No.: 325775). Hong Kong: Education Bureau. (In Chinese) https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/tc/edu-system/preprimary-kindergarten/quality-assurance-framework/qr/qr-report/MayNga_Br.pdf
Kindergarten Inspection Section, HKSAR (2017e). Quality Review Report (School No.: 157856). Hong Kong: Education Bureau. (In Chinese) https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/tc/edu-system/preprimary-kindergarten/quality-assurance-framework/qr/qr-report/RockOfAge_Lutheran.pdf
Kindergarten Inspection Section, HKSAR (2017f). Quality Review Report (School No.: 319562). Hong Kong: Education Bureau. (In Chinese) https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/tc/edu-system/preprimary-kindergarten/quality-assurance-framework/qr/qr-report/StBarnaba'sCh.pdf
Krashen, S. (1982, E-Book in 2009). Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. First Internet Edition. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Principles-and-Practice-in-Second-Language-Krashen/ 4b85d72a8edbd47b4ba3e0b563f1563f6e9f746b
Lam, W. I., Hui, S. Y., & Cheung, W. M. (2018). Chinese Language Learning Progression Framework for Non-Chinese Speaking Children in Kindergartens in Hong Kong. Hong Kong: Centre for Advancement of Chinese Language Education and Research.
Legault, J., Zhao, J., Chi, Y.-A., Chen, W., Klippel, A., & Li, P. (2019). Immersive Virtual Reality as an Effective Tool for Second Language Vocabulary Learning. Languages, 4, 13. https://doi.org/10.3390/languages4010013
Long, M. H. (1996). The Role of the Linguistic Environment in Second Language Acquisition. In W. C. Ritchie, & T. K. Bhatia (Eds.), Handbook of Second Language Acquisition (pp. 413-468). Cambridge, MA: Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-012589042-7/50015-3
Marton, F., & Tsui, A. (2004). Classroom Discourse and the Spacing of Learning [Electronic Resource]. Mahwah, NJ: L. Erlbaum Associates. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410609762
Morrow, L. M., & Young, J. (1997). A Family Literacy Program Connecting School and Home: Effects on Attitude, Motivation, and Literacy Achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 89, 736-742. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.89.4.736
Patrick, B., Hisley, J., & Kempler, T. (2000). “What’s Everybody So Excited about?”: The Effects of Teacher Enthusiasm on Student Intrinsic Motivation and Vitality. The Journal of Experimental Education, 68, 217-236. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220970009600093
Pomerantz, E. M., Moorman, E., & Litwack, S. D. (2007). The How, Whom, and Why of Parents’ Involvement in Children’s Academic Lives: More Is Not Always Better. Review of Educational Research, 77, 379-410. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430305567
Purcell-Gates, V. (1988). Lexical and Syntactic Knowledge of Written Narrative Held by Well-Read-to Kindergartners and Second Graders. Research in the Teaching of English, 22, 128-160.
Quality Education Fund, EDB, HKSAR (2017). Report on Development of Chinese Language Learning Progress Framework for Non-Chinese Speaking (NCS) Children in Kindergartens in Hong Kong. https://qcrc.qef.org.hk/Publish/project_information/201712/20130076FR.pdf
Sheldon, S. B. (2003). Linking School-Family-Community Partnerships in Urban Elementary Schools to Student Achievement on State Tests. The Urban Review, 35, 149-165. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023713829693
Sheldon, S. B. (2007). Improving Student Attendance with School, Family, and Community Partnerships. The Journal of Educational Research, 100, 267-275. https://doi.org/10.3200/JOER.100.5.267-275
Sheldon, S. B., & Epstein, J. L. (2005). Involvement Counts: Family and Community Partnerships and Mathematics Achievement. The Journal of Educational Research, 98, 196-206. https://doi.org/10.3200/JOER.98.4.196-207
Sondergeld, T., & Schultz, R. (2008). Science, Standards, and Differentiation: It Really Can Be Fun. Gifted Child Today, 31, 34-40. https://doi.org/10.4219/gct-2008-694
Suarez-Orozco, C., Onaga, M., & De Lardemelle, C. (2010). Promoting Academic Engagement among Immigrant Adolescents through School-Family-Community Collaboration. Professional School Counseling, 14, 15-26. https://doi.org/10.5330/prsc.14.1.xl6227108g624057
Suárez-Orozco, C., Suárez-Orozco, M., & Todorova, I. (2008). Learning a New Land: Immigrant Students in American Society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Task Force on Home School Co-Operation and Parent Education (2019). Positive Parenting, Cross-Sector Collaboration and Innovation Foster Healthy Child Development. Hong Kong. https://www.e-c.edu.hk/doc/en/publications_and_related_documents/education_reports/ Report_TF%20on%20HSC_en.pdf
Tomlinson, C. A. (2000). Differentiation of Instruction in the Elementary Grades (ERIC Digest). Reston, VA: Office of Educational Research and Improvement. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EDD00036)
The University of Hong Kong (2012). Report on a Pilot Study of the Student Evaluation of Teaching and Learning (SETL) Questionnaire. https://intraweb.hku.hk/reserved_2/tlearn/SETL2012/SETL_Pilot_Report_Full_Version.pdf
Tse, S. K., Shum, S. K., & Ki, W. W. (2005). Variation Theory and Space for Learning. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.
Tsung, L., & Gao, F. (2012). What Accounts for the Underachievement of South Asians in Hong Kong? The Voices of Pakistani and Nepalese Parents. Educational Research, 54, 51-63. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2012.658199
Weiss, H. B., Kreider, H., Lopez, M. E., & Chatman, C. M. (2005). Preparing Educators to Involve Families: From Theory to Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Whitehurst, G. J., & Lonigan, C. J. (1998). Child Development and Emergent Literacy. Child Development, 69, 848-872. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.1998.tb06247.x
Xinhuanet (2018). The Number of Candidates Taking Different Kinds of Chinese Language Tests Increased to 6,500,000 in 2017. http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2018-05/29/c_1122906694.htm