The Breakthrough Project : The Visiting Tutor Scheme
 English Immersion in the Residential Context
(An Outline and Guide to the Scheme)

Mission Statement

The mission of the project is to promote the day-to-day speaking of English in the Lingnan University residential community through a tutor-led, student-centered approach.  The goal is to enhance the English language speaking opportunities and competence of students at Lingnan University.

Background

The urgent need for a well-trained workforce with a high standard of English remains a key element in Hong Kong’s future.  The current economic difficulties underscore the emphasis that must be placed on ensuring Hong Kong remains the key international trading centre in Asia.  In the increasingly competitive marketplace and given the expanding role of English as the language of trade, technology and cultural exchange, it is more vital than ever that Hong Kong graduates are highly skilled communicators.  Singapore, and Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Beijing, place high value on English language skills and pursue policies that reflect their language objectives.  In the past, but less so today, Hong Kong maintained a critical edge over other places, resulting in it being able to attract inward investment and achieve considerable growth and prosperity.  The advantages of the past, however, will not be enough to secure Hong Kong’s supremacy in offering to the world a guaranteed pool of linguistically proficient professionals and entrepreneurs.

The Hong Kong public at large – and especially employers – are convinced that the standard of English is falling.  To what extent this is true must remain a topic for debate.  What is unarguable, however, is that the standard of spoken and written English among graduates can never be high enough in a service-oriented, internationalised workplace.  The educational system in particular must do what it can to enhance the language skills of its students.

The Visiting Tutor Scheme is intended to address the English language difficulties of Lingnan Students in a new way by stimulating and promoting the daily learning through practice of English at Lingnan.  Our primary goal is to create an English speaking environment on campus and realise the university language policy of producing bilingual graduates.

Two pilot projects took place in 1989-99 and 1999-2000 with tutors from York University in Toronto.  The programme has continued in the last three years with six visiting tutors, drawn from our partner institutions.  The scheme is privately financed.

The Visiting Tutor Scheme

Sustained practice in using English leads to increase confidence.  Such practice needs to occur not only in the formal classroom but also integrated in the daily lives of the students, reinforcing knowledge acquired in class.  The ‘breakthrough’ referred to in the title of the project implies that students need a big push in informal contexts to reach a sustained level of practice and heightened self-confidence.  Greater confidence leads to success and a heightened motivation to improve.

Lingnan University is now largely residential with 1,500 of the 2,000 students living on the campus.  The provision of halls of residence is part of Lingnan’s commitment to “whole-person” development.  The social context of residential life and the opportunities this provides is becoming a key element in the kind of ‘education-for-service’ mentality we foster.  One golden opportunity, which the residential environment provides, is a language-learning platform and catalyst.  It is an opportunity to enhance English learning through natural exposure rather than to increase formal language teaching.  We are certain that without a daily platform, or environment of English language opportunity in informal, stress-free contexts, student progress and sense of self-confidence will be impeded.

The centrepiece of the project is to develop a native-speaker, tutor-based English language environment in the University residences, during the day, evening and weekend.  We recruit 6 young native-English-speaking graduates as tutors who will live in the halls of residence and who will work together with the staff in the English Department and Language Institute to develop specific areas of English language enhancement.  The tutors will be under the direct supervision of the Head of the English Department.  The tutors originate from high quality institutions with whom Lingnan has established partnerships and be jointly selected by those institutions and Lingnan University.  Each of the residential blocks will have one English language tutor whose primary function is to create continuous but informal interaction with the students and to encourage students to develop their own skills through providing stimulating language tasks and opportunities.

Tutors will be assigned to a member of staff who will in turn mentor them and ensure they are creating and promoting the stimulating environment we have in mind.  The Head of English will act as the co-ordinator of the programme as a whole.  If appropriate, tutors will assist in the teaching of a service English course.

Duties of the Tutors (in order of importance)

1. To organise English language activities in the residential blocks where they live, such activities to be negotiated in advance.

• Conversation and discussion groups;

• Writing skills workshops and individual assistance (but not proofreading  and other dubious work);

• Inter-block debating / public speaking competitions;

• Any others according to talents and interests of tutors.

2. In pairs, to lead the students in one particular campus-wide English related activity, such as:

• Outreach activity to the China Coast Community old people’s home (English is the spoken language);

• Organise and inspire a “Big Mouth Corner” on campus;

• Drama / radio / video activities in English;

• A campus newsletter / newspaper in English;

• Any others according to talents and interests of tutors.

3. Assist in the Self-Access Centre, work to be assigned by the English SAC coordinator.

4. If tutors have an appropriate background, they may be asked to tutor one section of an English service course (ENG232).

5. Assist (and be mentored by) a member of the English department staff on the Contemporary English Studies degree.

Coordination of the Scheme

To ensure that the scheme works effectively and efficiently, the visiting tutors report to the Head of the English Department who is the coordinator of the scheme.  There is to be a visiting tutor ‘Home Room’ located in the English Department.

However, the input from the house wardens and the Student Services Centre will be of very great value and it is hoped that tutors will work with the wardens (in particular) to coordinate all activities in an orderly fashion.  Ideas for activities may be generated from many sources (tutors, wardens, students) but it is important that there is some overall coordination through the English department to ensure that the work load remains appropriate and the source of authority unambiguous.

There will be occasional meetings to assess progress and discuss any problems.

Concluding Remarks

The Visiting Tutor Scheme, a key part of the Breakthrough Project, is innovative and imaginative in its attempt to make a difference to the amount and quality of spoken and written English on campus.  Its success will depend on the goodwill of the tutors, wardens and senior management in carrying forward our plans with vigour and determination.  The task is not easy and frustrations will inevitably occur.  But the goal of improving the language capability of our students is worthwhile.

The Visiting Tutor Scheme: Lingnan University

• The posts are tenable from August 16 to May 15 and may be held for a maximum of two years.  

• The monthly salary is fixed at HK$12,000 per month and tutors are provided with a small apartment on campus.  

• Medical and dental cover are provided by Lingnan University.  

• Assistance will be given in obtaining a valid Hong Kong entry visa from the Hong Kong Immigration Department.

The Lingnan Tutor Scheme

Applications are invited for graduates to participate in the Visiting Tutor Scheme operated by the English Department at Lingnan University in Hong Kong.

The purpose of the tutorships is to assist in the development of an English language environment in the Lingnan residential campus.  Ideally, successful applicants will have a first degree in English (or another appropriate Arts subject) and have a particular interest in Asia, generally, and Hong Kong, in particular.  Relevant working experience is also desirable.  More important, however, is an outgoing and friendly disposition and a genuine willingness to work with students in developing activities through the medium of English.

There are several inter-related activities associated with tutorships:

• Creating an English language environment in the residential community

• Assisting staff in the English department as tutors on English courses

• Assisting in the Self-Access Centre through conversation groups etc.

• Developing English ‘Outreach’ activities in the community

Interested graduates are asked to complete an application form and to forward it to the following address together with a copy of their official transcript and sealed copies of two letters of reference.

Professor Barry Asker

Head of English

Lingnan University

8 Castle Peak Road

Tuen Mun

Hong Kong

Deadline for Applications: 01 March 2003