Introduction
Hong Kong students have long been dismissed as not being able to use English well. Not spending enough time on reading English books should be held accountable to a large extent as a survey conducted recently showed that secondary school students read no more than an average of ten English books a year. It is thus hoped that by organizing the activities suggested below, students’ interests in reading English books can be aroused.
Book review competition
It is proposed that a book review competition opening to all Hong Kong students be launched. By writing up a booklist which consists of varied types of books, students who participate in the contest would be encouraged to read books of different genres. Some English classics by renowned writers like Shakespeare and Dickens could be included as a compulsory topic for the book reviews so as to act as an impetus for students to read valuable books that are usually ignored by them. To avoid having too much restriction, the competition is recommended to be comprised of 2 rounds, in which one could have a set theme and one could allow free topics.
Inter-school Fun Day
As local secondary school students are the target, it is suggested that an Inter-school Fun day could be held. Special activities could be designed for each participating school. Talks by famous writers, book exhibitions and a “Q and A session” focusing on literature knowledge are possible events. By inviting famous English book writers to share their experience of writing a story, students could understand that writing is not dull or difficult. Once their interests in books are enhanced, they would be more motivated to read English books. For the book fair, it is proposed that discounted bestsellers could be displayed to attract students. Last but not least, the “Literature Knowledge Test” could encourage individuals in schools to learn more about literature in a form of competition. After all, it is hoped that a reading atmosphere could be formed in schools by holding the “Inter-school Fun Day”.
Literature Workshops
It is suggested that English book writers or lecturers in Hong Kong could be invited to host literature workshops in different districts in Hong Kong, aiming at encouraging students to read and learn literature. A grand prize of having a chance to join a culture tour to famous universities like Oxford and Cambridge is suggested to be given to outstanding performers in the workshops so as to encourage local students to read more and participate more in the workshops.
Conclusion
The activities proposed above aim to create a reading environment in Hong Kong secondary schools. I sincerely hoped that the Hong Kong Bookshop will have a thorough consideration over the suggestions.