Your correspondent argues that native English teachers (NETs) are neither equipped to teach English to local students nor effective in creating an English-speaking environment at school.
First, although there is a grain of truth to the argument that NETs are unable to teach local students well because of differences between English and Chinese, it does not reflect actual situations in schools.
There are occasions when drawing connections with students’ first language (Cantonese) is useful. For example, a phrase commonly misused by many second-language learners of English in Hong Kong is “there is/are”, which often becomes “there has/have”, as a result of direct translation from the Chinese. Yet, these problems can easily be bridged in schools with effective co-planning sessions between local English teachers and NETs where ideas and materials can be shared.
Furthermore, the Education Bureau holds regular workshops for NETs to grow their teaching skills. Sure, there may be some NETs who are less experienced in teaching but suggesting that all NETs are unqualified to teach English in Hong Kong is a bridge too far.
