ISA HK/China (Professionals) --- HK Tree News (Declining English Standard in HK 狀元增加雖可喜 英文下降究可悲)

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Dear Station Members,

The newspaper cutting below has complained about the continuous decline in the language abilities of the local students in HK, in particularly in the English Language.

It is true that after 1997, the use of good, or international, English appears to be something of a past. As reflected in the production of our Arborist Reports today, incorrect spelling, wrong grammar & inconsistency in reporting structure appears to be common. A lot of the report readers have great difficulties in reaching a justified decision, or sometimes even to understand of what is presented in paper. Such a trend is certainly against international practices.

It is true that the Certified Arborist (CA) exam does not test for report-writing or writing communication skills. This credential assumes the candidate is fluent in their language ability, & has a minimum of 3 years of full time tree work experience. In view of this, ISA HK/China has therefore introduced the Qualified Arborist (QA, http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/09/isa-hkchina-qualified-arborist-qa.html) credential for our territory of HK, Macau, Taiwan & China. The QA system, with its now installed interview requirement, will ensure the candidate can master basic report-writing skills & oral communication skill. The QA will compliment the CA credential for our local candidates.

In ISA, nearly all published arboricultural research are written in English. Without studying research, the Practicing Arborist will be all words & no substance in him. Arboriculture is a justifiable science to a great extent. Although it is an absolute science, there are many research, guidelines & rules of thumbs that the Practicing Arborist can use to sustain his claims. Without knowledge in reference, this Arborist would need to rest on his "credential", which actually does not stay evergreen...

ISA HK/China encourages our Arborists to use good English for communication. Mastering the English Language means the Arborist has opened the window to the world. International communication today is all done in English Language as a fact, whether we like it or not. Withdrawing ourselves to the Chinese Language alone would not get us very far. This is the reality of life.

Therefore, brush up your English to be ready to meet the world. Because the opposite would only hide you in a shell, whereas those who are behind will catch up on you very soon.

best regards,

Sammy Au
President (Station Manager)
Registered Consulting Arborist no. RCA#497 (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/12/isa-hkchina-first-rca-in-asia.html)
ISA Board Certified Master Arborist / Certified Tree Worker no. HK-0174BT (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2011/03/isa-hkchina-first-bcma-in-asia.html)
Independent Practicing Arborist no. IPA-010908 (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/04/isa-hkchina-hk-tree-news-14410-report.html)

"Providing treatment without in-depth diagnosis & research support is professional misconduct. "


"Casual tree assessor delivers wanton tree assessment. Mother Nature makes the rules."


各位會員：

下列剪報投訴本港學生語文能力水平持續下降，尤其是英文語言。

事實上，1997年香港回歸後，港人能使用國際水平的英語已成為過去。在我們樹藝師的評估樹報告中，不難發覺有很多串錯字，錯文法及不對稱的報告結構，使閱讀者很難根據報告作出一個決意，甚至有時不明其所欲言。這個趨勢真是與國際做法對衡。

在考取 “註冊樹藝師” 資格的考試中, 並沒有測驗考生的英文寫作能力和技巧，是因為這個資格已假設考生已懂流利英語及最少有3年樹木工作經驗。為提升我們在本地區域的認受性，我們已引入了 “認可樹藝師”(QA, http://isablchina.blogspot.com/2010/09/isa-hkchina-qualified-arborist-qa.html)這個認証制度加插了英語口試，目的是要確保考生能掌握基本撰寫報告及表達的技巧。” 認可樹藝師” 制度可為本地考生彌補 “註冊樹藝師” 認証的不足。

在國際樹藝學會，幾乎所有樹藝研究都以英語撰寫。如一個執業樹藝師不學習樹藝研究，那麼他只會說不懂做。在很大程度上，樹藝是一門合理的科學。雖然它不是一門絕對科學，但執業樹藝師可從研究報告中得到很多指引及經驗法則去支持他的判斷。如沒有參照研究得出的處方，一個樹藝師只靠他的認証是站不住腳的…….

本分會鼓勵我們的樹藝師使用良得英語作為溝通。擁有良好的英語能力，樹藝師可以面向世界。無論我們喜歡或不喜歡，英語仍是今天世界主要溝通的工具。如我們只懂得中文，就難跳出本地域的框框。這也就是生活的現實。

請大家提升英語水平，面向世界。否則我們只會局限自己的發展而很快就被他人迎頭趕上。

謹此致意

國際樹木學會中國地區分會會長

歐永森
顧問樹藝師號RCA#497(http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/12/isa-hkchina-first-rca-in-asia.html)
獨立執業樹藝師號IPA-010908(http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/04/isa-hkchina-tree-news-1440-report.htuml)
注冊樹藝師/注冊攀樹師號HK-0174AT(http://www.isa-arbor.com/)

“不深入診斷和參照研究來批出處方，是專業失當。”


“速成出來的樹木評估員，只會作出胡亂的樹木評估。大自然會決定成敗。”


(以上由霍健，香港注冊房屋經理R.P.H.M.-119翻譯。一切內容以英文版本為准。)


狀元增加雖可喜 英文下降究可悲

高級程度會考今日放榜，不但向莘莘學子派發成績單，也是檢驗港府教育政策成效的時候，很明顯，香港教育亂象叢生，整體教育水平每況愈下，現行教育政策可謂「肥佬」。

雖然今年高考產生了四名六Ａ超級狀元，無論考獲Ａ級成績的總科數或是超級狀元，都創下多年新高，可惜這並不能說明甚麼問題。實際上，在今年首次應考日校考生中，英文科合格率只有百分之七十四點九，雖只較去年微跌零點一個百分點，但較母語教學實施前大跌四點七個百分點。此外，中文科整體合格率則與去年 相差無 幾。令不少學生感到徬徨的是，今年有近一萬九千人符合升讀大學的最低資格，僧多粥少的情況更甚往年，將有多達七千名符合資格的高考生被拒於大學門外，不知何去何從。

表面上，今年高考整體成績並不算太差，但語文水平尤其是英語呈持續下降的趨勢，則不能不令人擔憂，這證明港府主導下的教育改革出了大問題。自回歸以來，港府的教育政策朝令夕改，反覆無常，早就備受詬病，以爭議最大的母語教學為例，先是一刀切將中學分為「中中」和「英中」，製造標籤效應，引起社會分化，然後兜兜轉轉，最終又轉回原地，以「微調」為遮羞布，間接宣告母語教學失敗。

教學語言改來改去，反覆無常，最直接的惡果就是導致學生的中英文水平同告下降。事實上，社會人士尤其是僱主，近年經常投訴香港學生的語文水平一年不如一年，影響香港競爭力。早前甚至有學者提出警告，部分內地大城市的 學生英文水平 將於八年內超越香港。試想想，香港作為一個國際都會，學生中不成英不就，日後怎樣與人家競爭呢？

除了語文水平下降，香港的教育亂象還多的是。在大專教育上，副學士課程愈開愈多，結果良莠不齊，製造了大批高不成低不就的「掘頭進士」；在中學教育上，各科課程愈改愈雜亂，評核方式愈改愈繁複，加上倉促推行通識科，令師生無所適從，倍感吃力。

種種添煩添亂的教育政策，每每是在「教育改革」的口號下推行。其實，有改革才 有進步，教改本來無可厚非，問題是當局往往不顧社會的實際情況和香港的長遠利益，單從長官意志出發，以致愈改愈差，愈改愈亂，令學生慘變白老 鼠，學習水平 不升反跌。難怪經濟條件許可的家庭包括港府高官，大多將子女送往外國留學，用腳向香港教育制度投下不信任一票。而可笑的是，港府卻還在奢談甚 麼發展教育產 業，打造區域教育樞紐，實在是自欺欺人。

說到教育，不能不提近年的殺校潮。本港出生率持續下跌，適齡學童不斷減少，殺校本來無可避免。然而根據政府統計處推算，內地孕婦來港產子已成為趨勢，約半數父母均非香港居民的嬰兒日後會返港讀書，對此，當局將如何因應 呢？會不會鬧 出今天殺校、明天開校的笑話呢？有備方能無患，無備必定大亂，當局不可不早為之計。

社會前途，繫於教育。回歸以來港府教育政策顛三倒四，亂象紛呈，這既是學生的不幸，也是香港的不幸。
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