In Hong Kong, the education system largely reflects that of the United Kingdom. Students are required to first complete six years of primary school, commonly referred to as Primary 1 through Primary 6, or P1-P6. Primary 1 begins at age six, and for most students, is completed at age 12.
In Hong Kong, primary level years are considered to be the first half of middle school, with the other six being junior secondary and senior secondary years. Secondary school is completed at age 18, followed for most by post-secondary education at a university. Acceptance to a university is extremely important for most students, even at the primary school age.
A great emphasis is placed on the importance of English-language proficiency for all Hong Kong citizens. Speaking English is considered to be the key to upward mobility, and that upward move begins with access to post-secondary education. The quality of English-language education is crucial for both learning the English-speaking skill itself and the university acceptance that learning English helps to secure.
Primary education: NET and LET
In efforts to provide greater English education for all students, Hong Kong’s government has implemented a Native English Teacher (NET) scheme, placing at least one native-English speaking teacher from outside of Hong Kong in every primary and secondary school. These NETs work collaboratively with local English teachers (LETs) to provide even more English-language learning support for primary and secondary school students.
NETs help students communicate with native-English speakers, and grasp conversational English from a young age. The NET scheme operates under the idea that authentic language experiences with native-English speakers are much more impactful on students than learning from a textbook alone, which has proven to be an overall successful approach.
Most students in Hong Kong begin English classes by age five, with many students being introduced as early as age three when they begin kindergarten. English is the secondary language for instruction in most primary schools in Hong Kong, and even the primary language in some of the more elite primary schools. Because of the NET program, Hong Kong students also communicate with native-English speakers from a young age regularly.
Primary 5 education Hong Kong
By the time a student in Hong Kong reaches Primary 5, they are likely to have a considerable amount of experience learning and communicating in English. At this age, approximately 50% of students in Hong Kong identify themselves as English-speaking. In P5 English, students are now practising higher-level English reading skills, such as:
Reading comprehension
Making inferences through context
Understanding tone
Analyzing poetry
Capitalization
Punctuation
Spelling
Sentence Structure.
P5 English students extensively practice proofreading skills, and they may practice their spoken English through songs or practising nursery rhymes out loud.
P5 English curriculums typically include vocabulary, speech, writing and grammar lessons. Vocabulary lessons in P5 English aim to support students’ ability to have conversations in the real world. Writing courses in P5 English focus largely on formatting complex sentences and learning to write formally.
Grammar lessons become a bit more advanced at this level. Verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, synonyms, antonyms, homophones and analogies are all studied extensively in P5 English. P5 English students begin to identify and determine meaning from figurative languages, such as similes and metaphors, as well as understand analogies. Students in P5 English also learn to understand suffixes and prefixes, as well as identify and draw meaning from Greek and Latin roots in English words.
P5 English exercises
In Hong Kong, Primary 5 students complete many English exercises in school each day, often in the form of written worksheets. Many P5 English teachers also make these English exercises available online to provide access to additional practice outside of the classroom setting. One can find an abundance of downloadable and printable P5 English exercises online by using a search engine.
Another of the most recommended English exercises for P5 students is drilling with flashcards. This can be a particularly helpful exercise for learning new vocabulary. There are also many videos available on YouTube that act as P5 English exercises in listening skills.
Primary 5 English exercise PDFs
Some P5 English educators in Hong Kong have formulated entire curriculums for English study outside of the classroom, specifically aimed at the most ambitious and elite learners. These types of curriculum are usually available for download in the form of an English exercise PDF or E-book, making them highly accessible for English students all over Hong Kong. These types of curriculums provide drills and exercises developed specifically to help P5 English students in Hong Kong learn English more effectively than traditional classes alone.
P5 English exercises range widely in format. In some examples of Primary 5 English exercises, students are prompted to complete sentences by choosing appropriate vocabulary or selecting proper tense, correcting spelling and grammar, or using context to interpret meaning.
Primary 5 students will often be given prompts based on certain vocabulary words or pictures and will compose short essays that display their creative writing skills and ability to integrate themes. P5 English students also read a variety of books, which they are later asked to reflect on.
Wrapping Up
Primary 5 students in Hong Kong are encouraged to use English naturally, integrating figures of speech and sometimes slang. The aim is to develop a casual, conversational style of speaking English that can be understood universally across English-speaking people worldwide.
A wide variety of exercises should be practised to develop a complete understanding and natural English-speaking ability. P5 English students should also treat interacting with NETs as a form of English exercise. Any English exercise a student can take part in is considered to be beneficial for their long-term success in Hong Kong.
Manhattan Elite Hong Kong is a state of the art english learning centre, which offers a range of english courses such as Primary English education and Dse English programs. We pride ourselves on delivering the best quality English education to your children while simultaneously nurturing their creativity. We offer maths and science programs as well.
Click here to contact us for more information.