The role of elementary teachers in Hong Kong's initiation schools for new arrival children (China)

The thesis explores the role of elementary teachers in Hong Kong's Initiation Schools for New Arrival Children [NAC], a name given to children who migrated from Mainland China. Using a qualitative approach, the study presents data that was collected in the spring semester of 2001. Based on cross-cultural teaching and adjustment theories, the research explores the following propositions: (1) Teachers understanding their own biases, character and personalities, as well as the assessment of their abilities to teach students from a different cultural background, are crucial to the NAC's educational adaptation. There is no proof that teachers who were born on the Mainland had better understanding and acceptance toward New Arrival students. (2) Teachers who tend to perform the role as parents instead of authority figures enhance the teacher-student relationship and encourage the learning process of the NAC. (3) Despite the fact that teachers feel ill-equipped for using experiential teaching methods in academic subjects, they generally agree that experiential teaching methods will promote the learning interest of the NAC over pure didactic methods. (4) Though academic scores may relate to successful adaptation to Hong Kong schools, high scores should not be regarded as the only indicator to measure academic and social adaptation of the NAC to their new environment.; This dissertation asserts the important role of teachers in the educational adaptation of the NAC. It also offers important early assessment of Hong Kong's attempt to assist NAC from the Mainland to succeed in Hong Kong's competitive educational system. At the same time, the results of the research offer insights into the important responsibility of the educational system to provide cultural and social equipping for Hong Kong teachers involved in the NAC program. It requires more reflection and evaluation of the training program by the Hong Kong Education Department to prepare teachers for students from another culture or sub-culture.