2009年9月25日 星期五

打好小學英語基礎才是提高英語能力的關鍵

各位,

很好的文章講香港現時小學英文學習問題

Benny

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 青田教育中心 - 第60 期季訊
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 2009 10:43:28 +0800
From: greenfield <info@greenfieldhk.com>
To: benny.lam@alumni.ust.hk


青田教育中心 - 第60 期季訊

詳情請下載以下連結 :

http://www.greenfieldhk.com/filedata/tbl_newsletter/doc/18_1.pdf

2009年9月23日 星期三

學習筆順網頁 - 在網打中文字, 免費輸出介紹筆順的Word file

各位需要教小朋友寫字的朋友,

真的要去試一試.

http://src.tpc.edu.tw/eword/

Benny Lam

2009年9月15日 星期二

≪教孩子成為閱讀高手≫ 擇要

Dear friends,

我近來看完由韓國作家寫的≪教孩子成為閱讀高手≫,有很著。

有興趣可看看我寫的擇要。

Benny

============================================================================================

書名:教孩子成為閱讀高手
作者:南美英 (韓國)
出版日期: 2006年05月20日

1. 為什麼要閱讀
a. 樂趣
b. 思考力更加發達,因閱讀是「言語性的推測遊戲」
c. 提升 EQ
d. 找到可依靠的價值觀
e. 可能內心「散散心」

2. 什麼樣的書是好書
a. 永遠且普遍的價值觀 (i.e. 十歲, 廿歲, 三十歲, 四十再看到覺得好看、很值得, 就是好書)
b. 成長的故事 (e.g. 英雄傳紀: 分離 -> 難苦 -> 成功 -> 回鄉)
c. 探索故事 (神話、偵探、科幻)
d. 上升動機 (洗滌不安, 痛苦或徬徨, 引導進入幸福世界, e.g. 醜小鴨)
e. 能傳達感動的教育 (帶出人生中需要的哲學)
f. 暗示性的開始, 與具有想像空間的結局 (e.g. Alice in the Wonderland)
g. 與眾不同的主角 (e.g. 湯姆歷險記)
h. 簡明的對等式文章 (i.e. 不是教訓式)
i. 與讀者一同參與的作品 (e.g. 「林肯他總是穿著露出腳踝的褲子」比
「林肯是個高個子,他雖然家境貧寒,但他有著不奢侈,也不會憤世嫉俗的個性。」更能給讀者聯想空間)
j. 好的插圖
k. 美麗的裝訂

3.1 閱讀的三個階段
1. 準備的階段
2. 理解/解讀的階段
3. 感想的階段

3.1.1 準備的階段 - 閱讀準備度
a. 文化方面的準備度 (e.g. 家庭及朋友對閱讀的看法)
b. 心理方面的準備度 (i.e. 對於要看的書籍的興趣與好奇心的程度)(訓練法:看書名/封面後, 試想像作家與內容; 快速翻閣書籍, 透過看到的插圖想像內容)
c. 環境方面的準備度 (e.g. 室溫, 噪音, 照明)
d. 身體方面的準備度

3.1.2 準備的階段 - 唸出聲音法 (逐隻仔逐隻仔讀 )
好處一:提昇正確的辨讀文字的初期閱讀力
好處二:協助孩子迅速進入書籍的世界

3.1.3 準備的階段 - 讀默法 (逐段逐段看 )

3.1.4 準備的階段 - 培養語彙力
(e.g. 「花」字, 初小學只會聯想到自己喜愛的花, 高小會聯想到花會讓人變得溫柔)

提昇語彙力的方法
a. 長期持續性的閱讀
b. 與很多人談話
c. 任何事都用話語來指示
d. 邊散步邊問問題
d. 把孩子的不完整句修改為完整的語句
e. 玩語言遊戲 (e.g. 文字接龍)
f. 查字典, 同時學用法, 同意字, 反意字

3.2 解讀是一種只要 訓練就可以提昇的技能。不同的資料與目的,有不同的解讀閱讀方法。

3.2.1. 解讀的方法:故事內容的讀法 (即將書中內容按時序重新排列, 簡易的理解及記取)
- 如何訓練故事內容的讀法:給小孩圖書後說出內容。如不能,
提示「什麼時候?在哪?誰?」。或讓孩子用筆記下,以連環圖方式表現。或試編一個按時序的故事。或看布偶故事後說出故事。
3.2.2. 解讀的方法:要點的讀法 (判斷要點,如內容、主題、人物個性)
- 如何訓練要點的讀法 (從故事中選出不重要的單字或字句。或選出重要的單字或字句。寫下要點講給他人聽。用重要的單字做summary)
3.2.3. 解讀的方法:簡略的讀法 (如讀報)
3.2.4. 解讀的方法:濃縮法 (將一篇內容濃縮成一句或幾句的能力)
3.2.5. 解讀的方法:分析式的讀法 (把看起來好像統一的概念或事物, 分解成不同屬性或要素後再去理解的一種思考方式)
3.2.6. 解讀的方法:關連讀法 (邊閱讀邊整理內容中心的構想,或重要概念之間的意義關係)
3.2.7. 解讀的方法:結構化讀法 (瞭解內容的想法結構)
3.2.8. 解讀的方法:文章脈絡的讀法 (由單字前後的形容/動詞來解釋字意)
3.2.9. 解讀的方法:快速讀法 (e.g. 簡略讀法, 預測法, 單字讀法, 句讀法, 跳讀法)

3.3. 感想的階段 (解讀後進一步自我思考,自動創造意義,並加以推論論、想像)
- 小二就有能力發表感想
- 提升想像力的方法 (a. 選感人肺腑的作品, b. 用言語來表達)

3.3.1. 感想階段:感覺式的讀法 (閱讀時, 感覺人物的心情, 把人物的行與與自己的經驗連接, 想像背景與場面)
3.3.2. 感想階段:想像式的讀法 (想像場面, 場景, 氣氛, 個性, 長相, 表情, 態度, 行動, 服裝, 顏色, 樣式, 大小,
觸感, 聲音, 重量, 天氣, 距離, 寬度, 未描述的一切, 發生事情前的情形)
3.3.3. 感想階段:推測式的讀法(ask Why, If not, so..)
3.3.4. 感想階段:批判式的讀法 (依據標準和基準, 判定對與錯, e.g. 是否真實, 妥當, 各章節的位置放是是否恰當, 主觀性還是客觀性的作者)
3.3.5. 感想階段:創意式的讀法 (把有疑問的地方做記錄, 找出遺漏的事項並補充, 聯想故事發展, 閱讀後想像替代方法, 只看圖畫後填上對白)
3.3.6. 解決問題的讀法 (想像自已是主角, 想想與主角的差別, 代入主角後想像自已會否同樣失敗/成功, 原因如何)


==== Part 2 ====
4.1. 認知發展階段的閱讀

3-4 歲: 圖畫書時期
- 當孩子會自己座, 就可以講一些以小朋友或動物的圖書給他聽。
- 讓孩子把內容表現出來
- 設立一個漂亮的書架

5-6 歲: 聽故事時期
- 講有道得意義的神話故事
- 讀有幻想性的書 (一到四歲:對於幻想則不會產生興致或瞭解; - 五到八歲:對於幻想可以瞭解,並能樂在其中; -
超過八歲之後,由於進入合理性的思考期,因此會對幼想抱持懷疑。), 如人魚公主, 阿拉丁, 阿里巴巴和四十大盜
- 父母指著文字來讀給小孩看 (切勿經常問懂子懂生字, 以免失去興趣)

小一至小二:幻想童話時期
- 讀童話書
- 專注閱讀時間10-30分鐘
- 父母與小孩一人一句輪流閱讀
- 與小孩子討論內容
- 試由父母提問, 逐漸轉換為由孩子提問
- 試叫小孩講故事給他人,增加功成感
- 試寫一兩行讀後感
- 小二開始喜歡獨自閱讀, 也從出聲朗讀改為默讀
- 開始尋求複雜架構的故事
- 可試:先把書名遮住, 為書取名;想象故事後主角的發展; 用筆標示重要的部份(作將來寫 Summary 的訓練)
- 開始喜歡閱讀善與惡、真實與偽善、賢明與愚笨、正義與邪惡等道德價值非常明顯的作品
- 討論價值觀,如龜兔賽跑,可以問:烏龜真正勝利嗎?

小三至小四:歷史故事時期
- 脫離自我中心期,進入容觀思考期
- 主題由魔法/公主 轉變為 天地創始,國家朝代
- 喜歡讀真實的故事 (如傳記)
- 因在交友期, 友情有關的書很適合
- 適合看四種冒險故事,
a) 描述少年真正踏上冒險之旅的故事:湯姆歷險記、頑童流浪記、金銀島
b) 無法踏上冒險之旅的孩子們的冒險故事:如尤利西斯號的密航者
c) 奇異世界的怪異小說:如吸血鬼德古拉伯爵
d) 外星人的科幻小說
- 適合讀可憐孩子的故事,閱讀這些書可給予別人同情的強者心態的表現。

小五至小六:知識與論理的時期
- 開始想知環繞著自己的世界的一切
- 如對社會有興趣,會開始看報紙雜誌
- 如對科學有興趣,會看百科全書或科學書
- 如對藝術有興趣,會看藝術家生平的書
- 會開始對歴史小說感興趣
- 處於精神方面的斷奶期,喜歡看友情為題的長篇小說
- 喜歡看偵探小說及推理小說 (但避免出現為金錢殺人,描述死亡等情節)

中學生:自我探索時期
- 因開始反叛,家長只可買適合的書放在客廳。或是買書卷作禮物以鼓勵閱讀
- 介紹淒美的愛情小說(如窄門)以抗衡低俗的談情小說及雜誌
- 可能對反抗及革命的故事感到滿足
- 對偉人的尊愛會減少至一兩個,會開始研究偉人細節
- 最適合的時期看世界文學名著

4.2 和媽媽一起閱讀
a) 在家設立精美的圖書櫃
b) 多帶孩子逛書店
c) 送書給孩子或叫孩子送書給別人
b) 觀賞與書有關的錄影帶 (e.g. 美女與野獸)
e) 父母多閱讀作榜樣
f) 讀後在家討論
g) 寄送書的介紹函
h) 製作閱讀紀錄卡
i) 自製閱讀獎勵計劃

==== Part 3 ====

5. 用閱讀來讀醫治內心裡的病

5.1 擔心外表不出眾時看的書
- 醜小鴨, 美女與野獸, 出賣笑容的孩子 (作者:雅姆仕‧克呂斯, James Kruss)

≪出賣笑容的孩子≫內容簡介 : 這是一個現代浮士德的故事。以信念交換慾望
以微笑交換財富。一位原本笑聲迷人的小男孩提姆‧塔勒,把他的笑容賣給了一位神秘的男爵。兩人簽下了一份協議,男爵可以得到提姆的笑容,而提姆從此可以贏得每一次的打賭。提姆‧塔勒變富有了,卻也失去了原本屬於他那個年紀該有的快樂,他不會笑了…….然後,他開始懷念自己的笑容。原來,笑容比財富更能使人生豐富。於是,他開始展開一項計畫,準備贏回他的笑容、他的人生……


5.2 擔心頭腦笨拙時看的書
- 愛迪生, 愛因斯坦,

5.3 開始有點討厭父母時看的書
- 安徒生的一生, 林肯, Christmas Day in the Morning - by Pearl S. Buck

5.4 與朋友吵架後想要一個人靜一靜時看的書
- 蝴蝶 Schmetterlinge (by 赫曼赫塞 Hermann Hesse) (LCSD 圖書館都有)
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111320400381750+-access+top.books-page+search+open+BT+Schmetterlinge%23%23A:NONE%23NONE:NONE::%23%23

5.5 心情鬱悶想生氣時看的書
- ≪美德的書≫ ???

5.6 討厭學校想要逃課時看的書
- Jennings goes to school / by Anthony Buckeridge
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111320400381750+2+search+select+++2+6

5.7 被人取笑膽小而憤怒時看的書

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

優良圖書附錄 (only those available in LCSD library)

A. 幼兒
- 大象艾瑪 / 大衛.麥基文, 圖 ; 周逸芬譯.
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111320400381750+-access+top.books-page+search+open+BT+大象艾瑪%23%23A:NONE%23NONE:NONE::%23%23

- 我變成一隻噴火龍了! / 賴馬文, 圖.
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111320400381750+-access+top.books-page+search+open+BT+我變成一隻噴火龍了%23%23A:NONE%23NONE:NONE::%23%23

- 小毛找尾巴 / Michael Grejnice[即: Grejniec]文, 圖.
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111320400381750+-access+top.books-page+search+open+BT+小毛找尾巴%23%23A:NONE%23NONE:NONE::%23%23

B. 低年級圖畫書

- 一片披薩一塊錢 = One pizza, one penny / 郝廣才 文 ; 朱里安諾 圖
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111320400381750+2+search+select+++8+0

- 猜猜我有多愛你 / 山姆.麥克布雷尼文 ; 安妮塔.婕朗圖 ; 陳淑惠譯.
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111320400381750+2+search+select+++9+0

- 小兔沙比立大功 / 陳肇宜文 ; 達姆圖.
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111320400381750+-access+top.books-page+search+open+BT+小兔沙比立大功%23%23A:NONE%23NONE:NONE::%23%23

- 學不會魔法的小女巫 / 陳景聰文 ; 李長駿圖
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111320400381750+-access+top.books-page+search+open+BT+學不會魔法的小女巫%23%23A:NONE%23NONE:NONE::%23%23

- 小魚散步 / 陳致元[文 圖].
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111320400381750+2+search+select+++12+0

- 想念 / 陳致元作, [圖].
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111320400381750+2+search+select+++13+5

- 蹺課的老鼠 / [宮西達也文.圖 ; 侯佩宜譯].
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111320400381750+-access+top.books-page+search+open+BT+蹺課的老鼠%23%23A:NONE%23NONE:NONE::%23%23

- 我不怕! / 方素珍譯寫. (學研館???)
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111320400381750+2+search+select+++15+3

C. 低年級童畫書類

- 十五少年漂流記 / 儒勒.凡爾納原著 ; 林惠娜撮寫 ; 黃穗中, 李祥插畫.
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111320400381750+2+search+select+++16+2

D. 高年級童話書

- 小婦人 / 奧爾科特著 ; 楊玉娘譯
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111320400381750+2+search+select+++17+0

- 長腿叔叔 / 愛麗絲.珍.威伯斯特著
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111716060380664+2+search+select+++1+0

- 湯姆歷險記 / [美]馬克吐溫著 ; 林壽祿譯.
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111716060380664+2+search+select+++2+3

- 愛心樹 = The giving tree / 謝爾.希爾弗斯坦文.圖 ; 鄭小芸譯.
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111716060380664+2+search+select+++3+1

- 魯賓遜漂流記 = Robinson crusoe / 丹尼爾.笛福(Daniel Defoe)著 ; 高誠譯
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111716060380664+2+search+select+-view+LONGVIEW+4+6

- 爺爺有沒有穿西裝? / 艾蜜麗.弗利德文 ; 傑基.格萊希圖 ; 張莉莉譯
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111716060380664+-access+top.books-page+search+open+BT+爺爺有沒有穿西裝%23%23A:NONE%23NONE:NONE::%23%23
原著獲1998年德國青少年文學獎圖畫書獎, 德國「最美麗的書」獎, 德國驢耳朵雜誌「不同凡響獎」, 世界最美麗的圖畫書獎, 德國萊比錫「傑出藝術作品獎」.
好書大家讀1999年度最佳少年兒童讀物獎, 1999年開卷十大好書

- 西遊記

E. 高年級知識類

- 名偵探貓熊 : 19種驚奇的科學推理 / 柳己韻作, 繪 ; 金炫辰譯.
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111716060380664+-access+top.books-page+search+open+BT+名偵探貓熊%23%23A:NONE%23NONE:NONE::%23%23

- 我把愛迪生給賣了 / 鄧鴻吉著.
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111716060380664+-access+top.books-page+search+open+BT+我把愛迪生給賣了%23%23A:NONE%23NONE:NONE::%23%23

- 聰明是看故事學來的 = Les philo-fables / 米歇爾.皮格馬文 ; 菲力普.拉果提耶圖 ; [譚寶璇譯].
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111716060380664+-access+top.books-page+search+open+BT+聰明是看故事學來的%23%23A:NONE%23NONE:NONE::%23%23

- 因冒險而產生的發明. 2, 尋找消失的時光 / [申應燮圖, 文].
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111716060380664+2+search+select+++9+0

- 100種大發明的創意 / 金壽璟文 ; 趙賢淑圖 ; [中天翻譯股份有限公司翻譯
http://libcat.hkpl.gov.hk/webpac_eng/wgbroker.exe?200909111716060380664+-access+top.books-page+search+open+BT+100種大發明的創意%23%23A:NONE%23NONE:NONE::%23%23

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Christmas Day in the Morning - by Pearl S. Buck


Christmas Day in the Morning - by Pearl S. Buck

He waked suddenly and completely. It was four o'clock, the hour at
which his father had always called him to get up and help with the
milking. Strange how the habits of his youth clung to him still. Fifty
years ago, and his father had been dead for thirty years, and yet he
waked at four o'clock in the morning. He had trained himself to turn
over and go to sleep, but this morning, because it was Christmas, he
did not try to sleep.


He slipped back in time, as he did so easily nowadays. He was 15 years
old and still on his father's farm. He loved his father. He had not
known it until one day a few days before Christmas, when he overheard
what his father was saying to his mother.

"Mary, I hate to call Rob in the mornings. He's growing so fast and he
needs his sleep. If you could see how he sleeps when I go in to wake
him up! I wish I could manage alone."

"Well, you can't, Adam." His mother's voice was brisk. "Besides, he
isn't a child anymore. It's time he took his turn."

"Yes," his father said slowly. "But I sure do hate to wake him."

When he heard these words, something in him woke: his father loved
him! He had never thought of it before, taking for granted the tie of
their blood. Neither his father nor his mother talked about loving
their children - they had no time for such things. There was always so
much to do on a farm.

Now that he knew his father loved him, there would be no more
loitering in the mornings and having to be called again. He got up
after that, stumbling with sleep, and pulled on his clothes, his eyes
tight shut, but he got up.

And then on the night before Christmas, that year when he was 15, he
lay for a few minutes thinking about the next day. They were poor, and
most of the excitement was in the turkey they had raised themselves
and in the mince pies his mother made. His sisters sewed presents and
his mother and father always bought something he needed, not only a
warm jacket, maybe, but something more, such as a book. And he saved
and bought them each something too.

He wished, that Christmas when he was 15, he had a better present for
his father. As usual, he had gone to the ten-cent store and bought a
tie. It had seemed nice enough until he lay thinking the night before
Christmas, and then he wished that he had heard his father and mother
talking in time for him to save for something better.
He lay on his side, his head supported by his elbow, and looked out of
his attic window. The stars were bright, much brighter than he ever
remembered seeing them, and one was so bright he wondered if it were
really the star of Bethlehem.


"Dad," he had once asked when he was a little boy, "what is a stable?"

"It's just a barn," his father had replied, "like ours."

Then Jesus had been born in a barn, and to a barn the shepherds and
the Wise Men had come, bringing their Christmas gifts!

The thought stuck him like a silver dagger. Why should he not give his
father a special gift, too, out there in the barn?

He could get up early, earlier than four o'clock, and he could creep
into the barn and get all the milking done. He'd do it alone, milk and
clean up, and then when his father went in to start the milking, he'd
see it all done. And he would know who had done it.

At a quarter to three, he got up and put on his clothes. He crept
downstairs, careful of the creaky boards, and let himself out. The big
star hung lower over the barn roof, a reddish gold. The cows looked at
him, sleepy and surprised.

"So, boss," he whispered. They accepted him placidly, and he fetched
some hay for each cow and then got the milking pail and big milk cans.

He had never milked alone before, but it seemed almost easy. He kept
thinking about his father's surprise. His father would come in and
call him, saying that he would get things started while Rob was
getting dressed. He'd go to the barn, open the door, and then he'd go
to get the two big empty milk cans. But they wouldn't be waiting or
empty; they'd be standing in the milk house, filled.

The task went more easily than he had ever known it to before. Milking
for once was not a chore. It was something else, a gift to his father
who loved him. He finished, the two milk cans were full, and he
covered them and closed the milk-house door carefully, making sure of
the latch. He put the stool in its place by the door and hung up the
clean milk pail. Then he went out of the barn and barred the door
behind him.

Back in his room, he had only a minute to pull off his clothes in the
darkness and jump into bed, for he heard his father up. He put the
covers over his head to silence his quick breathing. The door opened.

"Rob!" his father called. "We have to get up, son, even if it is Christmas."

"Aw-right," he said sleepily.

"I'll go on out," his father said. "I'll get things started."

The door closed and he lay still, laughing to himself. In just a few
minutes his father would know. His dancing heart was ready to jump
from his body.

The minutes were endless - ten, fifteen, he did not know how many -
and he heard his father's footsteps again. The door opened and he lay
still.

"Rob!"

"Yes, Dad--"

His father was laughing, a queer sobbing sort of a laugh. "Thought
you'd fool me, did you?" His father was standing beside his bed,
feeling for him, pulling away the covers.

"It's Christmas, Dad!"

He found his father and clutched him in a great hug. He felt his
father's arms go around him. It was dark, and they could not see each
other's faces.

"Son, I thank you. Nobody ever did a nicer thing--"

"Oh, Dad, I want you to know -- I do want to be good!" The words broke
from him of their own will. He did not know what to say. His heart was
bursting with love.

"Well, I reckon I can go back to bed and sleep," his father said after
a moment. "No, hark-- The little ones are waked up. Come to think of
it, son, I've never seen you children when you first saw the Christmas
tree. I was always in the barn."

He got up and pulled on his clothes again, and they went down to the
Christmas tree, and soon the sun was creeping up to where the star had
been.

Oh, what a Christmas, and how his heart had nearly burst again with
shyness and pride as his father told his mother and made the younger
children listen about how he, Rob, had got up all by himself.

"The best Christmas gift I ever had, and I'll remember it, son, every
year on Christmas morning, so long as I live."

They had both remembered it, and now that his father was dead he
remembered it alone, that blessed Christmas dawn when, alone with the
cows in the barn, he had made his first gift of true love.

2009年9月10日 星期四

Good article to share - 高中生準備什麼?

2009年9月4日 - 信報
高中生準備什麼?
程介明

在寧波一所名校,與一批就快畢業的高中生談起如何準備升學,
啟發了我。這所名校,新辦高中,希望畢業生能夠升上出色的大學,也希望他們能夠在境外、國外升學。談論起來,許多事情在我們來說是也許理所當然,在學生來說卻不一定意識得到。在這裏拿來與香港的讀者共享。

第一個話題是:大學以後!

高中生和他們的教師和家長,眼光不能只是盯着大學入學,而要多想大學以後將會面對的一生。也就是要充分理解到:社會變了!有幾個方面,我在本欄先後分別提過,也在不同的場合與不少人討論過;但是一旦合起來,連自己也還有點吃驚。
學歷職業關係變了

一、用非所學。「對口就業」已經不再是常規。在香港,除了醫科以外,即使是像法律、工程,就有一大部分的畢業生並沒有從事法律或者工程;更不用說文科、理科、社會科學。

二、用時方學。與用非所學相呼應的,是許多行業(突出的如會計、創意)都不在乎畢業生的所學,而是期望他們在崗位上按需學習(on-demand)、及時學習(just-in-time)。

三、超越學歷。實際上,同樣學歷的畢業生,即時是同一所大學畢業,從事同一個行業,受到待遇可以差異很大。說明社會不再斤斤計較正規學歷,而轉而注重道德品格、基本能力、靈活變通、學習能耐等等「人」的素質。

四、轉工轉行。現代社會,轉工轉行是家常便飯,失業待業也是司空見慣。人們的職業身份變得模糊難辨,人們對機構的忠誠也往往被迫無以為繼。

五、機構小化。機構的規模愈來愈小、大機構愈來愈少。因此隊伍變小、人員互動愈趨緊密,人際摩擦成為常態;前線人員要為服務對象提供總體方案(total
solution)、個別化服務(customized products);每個前線人員就仿如一個小領導;等等,再沒有按章工作安逸度日的餘地。

六、個體創業。與以上種種想呼應的,是愈來愈多的個體工作者(Freelancer)。他們或則自僱創業,或則同時受僱於多個客戶,或則完全以短期合同形式提供服務。反正不隸屬於任何機構,但是卻全時間地工作。

七、學習落差。既然是「學習型社會」(Learning Society),就有人與人之間的學習落差(Learning
Divide)。就是說:沒有持之以恒的學習意願、韌力、精神和能力,就很難在現代社會中立足下去,也許就會參加到全球普遍的「非自願提早退休」的行列。

以上所說,並非就業掛帥。剛好相反,正好說明瞄準「職場」而獲取學歷的想法,已經不切實際。正規的學歷,再也不是逃避生活現實、繞過人格考驗的取巧途徑。現在是返璞歸真,學生要着力於提高自我的總體素質。
大學學習模式變了

因此有第二個話題:大學在變!

大學也在變,努力追趕社會的變化,面對社會的挑戰。

一、大學不再是純粹「埋頭苦讀」的地方,尤其是出色的大學。知識來源不再局限於教師與課本。大學的教師都在努力尋求最靈活、最高效的途徑,讓學生最有效地學習,但是關鍵還是學生要進入主動學習的狀態。

二、大學的學習不再局限於正規課程。愈是出色的大學,愈是想方設法讓學生在課餘、在校外、在國外有豐富多彩的學習機會:宿舍生活、國外交流、農村體現、跨國扶貧、社會服務、政策倡議、見習實習,加上一貫的體育、文藝、宗教、出版等等,學生面對的是興奮而困難的選擇。

第三個話題:大學收生。

大學的取錄,也往往超越高考分數,而考慮其他廣泛的因素。港大在內地的招生所引起的議論,集中在有些各省狀元落選;人們問:分數高還會不錄取?哈佛的錄取,是專業的招生人員,根據他們長年在各地中學的詳細考察,經過三個月的閉門會議,逐個學生討論才決定的;其中SAT的高成績已是不在話下,不是話題。牛津的錄取,給學生火車票住校數天,互動觀察,給以條件性的門檻分,暫時錄取;於是值得錄取的學生,門檻分就定得低;學業之外乏善可陳的,門檻分就頂得高。在在說明,對於認真的大學來說,高成績對於錄取,是必要的,但不是保證。

於是有第四個話題:高中生如何準備?

高中生假如要考進世界上出色的大學,第一是成績要好!這是無可置疑的;除非是非常特殊的情況,是沒有議價餘地的。高中生需要的,是成績要好,其他方面也要好。千萬不要以為是此消彼長的零和遊戲,強勢的學生,就是強在能夠各方兼備。
大學對高中生要求變了

第二是英文要好。這也是無可置疑的。內地和香港的學生,都有一種傾向,會把英文考試或者測驗的成績,看成是自己英文的程度。這給了學生許多虛假的估量,也讓學生錯失了真正提高自己英文程度的期望。學習英文,關鍵在於使用;在華人地區,起點在於閱讀。

第三是開闊視野。要進入出色的大學,就要有出眾的視野;這是脫穎而出的關鍵。不管是面試,還是美國大學需要的意向書(essay),關鍵都在視野。光靠正規課程是不會擴寬視野的;花幾千元人民幣參加內地的「港大面試急修班」也是不會見效的。我大膽地對高中同學提了三點建議,也許讀者會見笑:一是認識世界當前大課題(如氣候、貧窮、醫療),多看電視的
CCTV9、英文的 Discovery、英文的 National
Geographic;二是選擇自己最感興趣的課題,包括一些正規課程裏的有趣課題,上網涉獵英文的維基網,拓寬知識,逐步深入;三是看一點英文小說(非知識性的故事),逐漸增加分量。

這有點像藥方,不過似乎不難實行,而且不費一分一毫。香港的學生又何嘗不可以做?況且,香港學生還有一個優勢:即將在學校中出現的通識課程,恰恰就是為這些準備鋪路。