Cambridge and Trinity Demands for Certifications for Hong Kong Primary School Interviews
Cambridge and Trinity are the two leading faculties when it comes to ESL certification for Kindergartens and Primary school. Demands for certifications in Hong Kong Primary School interviews are intense. The market for this sector of the education industry is large and facilitates most tuition centres peak times.
The incentive for parents to sign up for these courses is prove their child’s academic ability. These courses are certified from Western countries. Parents are willing to invest heavily in these courses to increase their students chances at Primary School interviews. I will address what the courses are and the problems with them in this article.
Table of Contents
Cambridge and Trinity GESE
The most demanding course is Cambridge. To explain Cambridge quickly, it is a course with many different levels that is administered by the University of Cambridge, one of the most prestigious universities in the world. The course itself measures the student’s ability to communicate in English by providing a strong foundation and learning framework. Cambridge is highly sought after, as it finely measures the student’s speaking, listening and writing ability. Taking a Cambridge assessment is no easy task, as the student will undertake the exam under exam conditions and the person conducting it must be a verified Cambridge examiner. Not to mention the cost of taking the exam can exceed over 500HKD!
Trinity GESE (Grade Examinations in Spoken English) is another popular course but has it’s limitations. The benefits are that it can measure the students vocabulary and subject range. The way the course is taught and presented can be deemed as robotic. Students respond to specific questions with generic answers. There is not much thought involved, more of an instant reply. However, it is a great introduction to English.
I have made booklets for both of these courses that are in the booklets section of my website: http://www.mrgregenglish.com/category/booklets/
I understand that parents want to give their child the best chance to be in an exceptional primary school. They are willing to go through certain lengths. Cambridge and Trinity GESE courses can help the child’s application process, if it is not the lowest level. Having these certifications doesn’t essentially boast your child’s ability, it can highlight their weaknesses and inabilities. So they must consider whether it is beneficial or not for their child. The course certifications are graded on a scale and not on a fail/pass merit.
- https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/starters/
- https://www.trinitycollege.com/qualifications/english-language/GESE
The Marketing of the Courses
Now here is my problem with these courses, it is a big marketing tool for some tuition centres. They push these courses and lure parents in, convincing them that their child can gain a certification that they can present at interviews. Cambridge and Trinity GESE lowest level courses do not have any requirements, however it is suggested that the student has a certain level of English to be able to well. As pictured, one of the most popular book sets for Cambridge is Kid’s Box, but the curriculum was written for native level.
Tutition centres love to have this box set has it allows the student to roll up a long period of time. It can take at least 6 months to a year to finish one book at one, one hour lessons a week. Even if the student does not have the recommended skillsets to learn the course efficiently, they would still be enrolled.
Recommendation
Parents will always be highly interested in these courses because of the reputation they boast. The certificate it provides at the end (if the child passes the course) is highly valuable. I always give my personal advice and recommendation to parent to educate them in their choices. For example, before enrolling in Cambridge the student must have basic sight word knowledge and be able to blend singular sounds together. Students should be assessed thoroughly to get an idea of their English level. This will ensure whether the course is right for them or not at that given time.
The demand for these two courses will always be high. English will always be in demand. Families who aren’t familiar with the language can be persuaded easily into these courses and their certificates. Parents should carefully consider their child’s current abilities before going onto a very demanding course.
My recommended skill sets before undergoing any Cambridge course;
- Know their single sounds and be able to blend them into 3-4 letter words
- Basic sight word ability
- Vocabulary range between 30-40 words
- Be able to listen to instructions thoroughly
If you want to know more about these courses, please feel free to contact me. I have many years experience teaching Cambridge and Trinity GESE.
Mr Greg.
