The Testing Unit of PolyU’s Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies (CBS) recently released a book titled “Study on Secondary School Putonghua Proficiency Tests” (Chung Hwa Book Co.). It was edited by Prof. Chan Shui-duen, and authors included Prof. Chan, Dr Zhu Xinhua, Ms Lau Man-choi and Mr Yeung Kwan. For more information on the book please click: http://www.psk.polyu.edu.hk/psk/content.php?s=2&t=8

The ten papers in the book covered studies and researches on different aspects of language education and assessment including the planning and administration of language education and assessment, the selection and adjustment of listening comprehension materials, the phonological basis of assessing pronunciation, and students’ performance in listening, narrating and speaking, standardized expression and phonics. Their collaborative effort not only yielded much research data, but also workable solutions to the teaching and learning of Putonghua.

The book was another product put together by members of the Testing Unit in the area of Putonghua assessment following the success of their previous book “Study on Primary School Putonghua Proficiency Tests”. The Unit has been committed to developing PolyU’s language proficiency tests which include written Chinese and Putonghua since 1995. They have established a series of assessments for university, secondary and primary students. In 2003, the grading system of Putonghua Proficiency Test (with the name “Putonghua Shuiping Kaoshi, in short, PSK) was pegged to academic equivalence with the national Putonghua Proficiency Test (with the name “Putonghua Shuiping Ceshi, in short, PSC) of the State Language Commission.

Colleagues in the Unit have also conducted several research projects on curriculum, teaching and assessment of the Chinese language, to which the education and examination organizations of Hong Kong made reference.  The reading skills system in particular, has been used by many local primary and secondary schools, and drew the attention of schools and education organizations from the mainland and Singapore. More than 2,000 serving Chinese Language teachers have participated in activities for developing the expertise in Chinese language assessment offered by the Unit.