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.
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.
The
programme has been in operation since 1998 and currently employs six
visiting tutors drawn from our partner institutions. The scheme is
privately financed.
The Visiting Tutor Scheme
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 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 will 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)
-
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.
-
Assist in the Multi-media +
Language Learning Centre, work to be assigned by the English coordinator.
-
If tutors have an appropriate
background, they may be asked to tutor one section of an English course.
-
Assist (and be mentored by) a
member of the English department staff on the Contemporary English
Studies degree.
-
Where appropriate, 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);
-
Participate and help organise sessions of "English Corner" on campus;
-
Drama /
radio / video activities in English;
-
A campus
newsletter / newspaper in English;
-
Any
others according to talents and interests of tutors.
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 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 an 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. Applicants with other academic and first-language
backgrounds are also invited to apply. More important, 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
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 Richard Freadman
Head of
English
Lingnan
University
8 Castle
Peak Road
Tuen Mun
Hong Kong
Deadline for Applications: 15th March 2008 |
