東方曰報
二零一四年三月十八曰 March 18, 2014
撰文：黎雅麗 Reported by Wendy Lai
近年，港人英語水平下降，去年年底有調查指出，港人英語水平遜色於亞洲 部分國家和地區。英語畢竟是香港與世界接軌的重要工具，提升水平刻不容緩，尤其是年輕人。有院校推出「跨代英語教育證書」，融入跨代方案理念，讓退休專業 人士充當「人生教練」的角色，向年輕人教授英語，及分享豐富的生活及工作經驗，對年輕人有莫大的啟發。
In recent years, Hong Kong people’s English language proficiency keeps declining. Last late year, a survey indicated that Hong Kong’s English language proficiency level ranked lower than many countries and regions in Asia. English is by all means an important tool bridging Hong Kong to the rest of the world, and as such increasing the English language standard of young people especially is now a demand for immediate action. A new university-level collaboration provides training and “Intergenerational-ESL” certification for retired professionals who work with young people as “life coaches,” English language teachers, and conversation partners for sharing their life and work experiences. Through these roles, they serve to inspire young people in profound ways.
過去，曾為社會貢獻的第三齡人士（即年齡在55歲或以上人士），其人生及工作經驗豐富，絕對值得年輕人借鏡。但如何把第三齡人士的經驗，轉 化成年輕人的人生課堂？北京師範大學/香港浸會大學聯合國際學院，與美國賓夕凡尼亞州州立大學主辦、香港理工大學活齡學院協辦的「跨代英語教育證書 （Intergenerational-ESL Program）」，就是非一般的學習機會。
Third agers (i.e., older adults aged 55 or older) who contributed to society in the past are today full of life and work experiences, and thereby have much to contribute to young people. However, how to transform third agers’ experience into young people’s “life lessons”? Sponsored by the Institute of Active Ageing (Hong Kong Polytechnic University), BNU-HKBU United International College and Penn State University organized the “Intergenerational-ESL Program”. This is truly an extraordinary learning opportunity.
完成課程者可獲相關證書，及美國賓夕凡尼亞州州立大學的持續教育學分。去年招募了20多位自願參加者，一批是具大學學歷的退休人 士，另一批是年輕大學生。學者更研究參加者的表現，美方大學的Dr. Kaplan表示：「研究顯示，完成整個計劃後，大學生的總體英語水平（聽、講、讀、寫）均提升約25%。對第三齡人士在義務承諾、社群連結等範疇，亦有 正面的影響。」
(Right) Dr. Alan Lai from UIC, program director of Intergenerational-ESL (Left) Prof. Matt Kaplan from Penn State University, consultant of IG-ESL (Middle) Ms. Teresa Tsien, director of Institute of Active Ageing
活動多元化
Upon completion of the program, participants can receive certificates as well as Continuing Education Credits (CEU) issued by Penn State University. Last year, more than 20 volunteers were recruited to join. They were, in one part, college-educated retired members and, in the other part, a group of college students. Their performances were also evaluated academically. Dr. Matt Kaplan, a professor from Penn State University, said, “Results indicated that upon completion of the program, university students’ overall English language proficiencies – that is listening, speaking, reading and writing – were improved by around 25%. Also, this program had a positive impact on the third agers’ commitment to volunteering, community connection, etc.”
課程為期3個月，每星期上堂3小時，首小時是專為第三齡人士而設，內容包括語言學理論、英語教學技巧及跨代教育溝通知識，之後兩小時就是跨代時間，第三齡人士與年輕人身處同一課堂，參與訪問、寫信、拍廣告等活動。訪問是其中一個有趣的環節，先後由第三齡人士及年輕人分享各自的真實故事，再以英語互相訪問，既可活用英文，有助刺激彼此的深層思考。
Three hours long per week, the program lasted for three months. The first hour was devoted to third-ager members, covering linguistic theories, English language teaching skills and intergenerational communication knowledge. The next two hours were intergenerational sessions in which third-ager members were mingled with young [college student-aged] people. They engaged each other for various tasks such as interviewing each other, co-authoring letters, producing adverts, etc. Interviewing between generations, for example, was one of the most interesting activities. First, they interviewed each other and then presented to everyone their partners’ stories in English language as if they were themselves. In this activity, participants actively used English language while stimulating each other’s in-depth thinking.
IG-ESL is about to be promoted to secondary schools. The pictures shows the IG-ESL curriculum for university students.
Dr. Alan Lai, assistant professor of applied psychology from BNU-HKBU United International College said, “English language needs to be used, and not just merely learned. This kind of diversified activity provides many opportunities for English language use. The program will soon be extended to a secondary school [in Tung Chung, Hong Kong], with the hope of benefiting more students.” One of the college participants, Anson Chan, said, “Everyone used English in all lessons. We oftentimes discussed news issues. In the beginning, I thought the older generation had little chance to use English, and in fact their English is a lot better than ours.”北京師範大學/香港浸會大學聯合國際學院應用心理學系助理教授黎偉麟博士指出：「英文要運用，而不是學習，這類多元化活動正是提升英文能力的機會。計劃稍 後將推廣至中學，有望更多同學受惠。」參與的學生陳偉珽表示：「大家以全英語上課，我們不時討論一些新聞議題。初時，還以為上一代人較少機會接觸英語，但 想不到其英語水平比我們更好。」
有云：生命影響生命。年輕人對自我有何反思？參與跨代英語教育的恒生管理學院商科學生楊子洋說：「平時鮮有機會跟家人以外 的長者作深入溝通，今次體會良多。舊時香港只得一間大學，他們怎樣奮鬥考上外國大學、艱苦領取外國簽證，之後又經歷起起跌跌，事事也要靠自己。反觀我們這 代很不主動，的確有啟發性。將來我有打算做會計，但他們建議我可修讀金融，日後發展空間更大。」
學生梁嘉晞則表示：「初期我抱着了解長者的心態參與課程，日後想投身老人心理或輔導等工作。這次認識的長者都是專業人士，人生故事 很精彩，我跟他們談過日後的工作出路，如北上發展。留港發展的話，社會資源不多，老人行業也算是厭惡性行業，他們鼓勵我入行，不要介意人工低。」
The Chinese adage that lives influence lives rings true. How do young people reflect on their own lives? IG-ESL participant Alex Yeung, who is a business administration student from Hang Seng Management College, said, “Very rarely do I have the opportunity to communicate deeply with non-familial seniors. The program was all about such great opportunities. In the past, Hong Kong just got one university. They had to struggle a lot to get into a university overseas, like working really hard around to get a study visa, going through so many ups and downs, and they could only rely on themselves over everything. When reflecting on it, our current generation really lacks initiative. Inspirational to me indeed! For the future, I plan on an accounting career, but they [the third agers in the IG-ESL program] suggested that finance suits me better and offers greater prospects.”
The Intergenerational-ESL press conference was also the day of presenting certificates to all program members.
Another student Joanne Leung said, “I was with the attitude of understanding seniors when joining this program, hoping to commit to the work of gerontology or counseling. In this program, all I encountered were professionals full of fantastic life stories. I talked to them about my career plan such as working in Mainland China. They said Hong Kong is now very thin on social resources, and eldercare is a highly challenging kind of work. They encouraged me to work in this field and not to care much about lower paying.”
查詢：alanlai@uic.edu.cn
網址：http://intergenerational.cas.psu.edu
Fee: Free
Inquiry:alanlai@uic.edu.cn
Website: http://intergenerational.cas.psu.edu
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