【明報專訊】This week we will discuss discursive texts. Our tutor is British Council teacher Steve Roberts.
Student's contribution
Dear editor,
I'm writing to discuss the phenomenon of attending tutorial schools in Hong Kong.
As we all know, it is common for local students nowadays to attend tutorial courses after school. These schools are gaining popularity rapidly.
One of the reasons for the skyrocketing enrollment number is the exam-oriented teaching methods promoted in these courses. Some believe that these courses are more practical as exam skills would be taught.
While some students would like to study the same topics over and over again, others may think they lack the self-discipline to study. That's why they attend these schools hoping they may help. Peer pressure may also explain this phenomenon. They follow the lead of other students without really knowing if these courses truly suit them. At these tutorial classes, students are often given notes that are the simplified versions of their textbooks. As a result, students may be under the impression that they no longer need to study their textbooks from school.
It is natural that these tutorial schools are trying to lead students to believe that school is no longer important. It is business after all and they are trying to make as much money as they possibly can. However, relying too much on these exam-oriented materials may pass a wrong message to students that the sole purpose of going to school is to pass exams. That said, tutorial classes can still be beneficial to students. It all depends on the student's perspectives.
There is no clear-cut "yes" or "no" to whether one should attend these schools. The most important thing is that we need to be more discerning when it comes to these schools and choose wisely.
Yours faithfully,
Hong Wah Ngai, Andy, F5
The Chinese Foundation Secondary School
