Research led by Prof. Chan Shui-duen and Prof. Zhu Xinhua at the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies have shaped the HKSAR government’s policy on Chinese language education and assessment since 2000. This led to the development of a new course for non-Chinese speaking (NCS) students, the 2019/20 revamp of the Putonghua curriculum for P1 – S3 students, and the reform on L1 Chinese language curriculum and assessment since 2000. Their research team has trained around 3,000 teachers on the teaching of Chinese to students, with essential strategies to evaluate students’ learning effectively, and to provide timely and constructive feedback.

Prof. Chan has undertaken over 40 professional service / R&D projects for the Hong Kong Education Bureau (EDB) since 2000, with a cumulative fee of HK$39,127,400. These include 12 projects on NCS Chinese learning, a strategic priority for the HKSAR government. In 2003, the EDB commissioned Prof. Chan to develop the Character and Lexical List for Hong Kong Education, and followed with the 2009 commission to develop a Chinese Learning Framework for senior NCS students. The 12 courses developed were uploaded to the Qualifications Register in 2012. For her valuable contribution to the Hong Kong education sector, the HKSAR government honoured Prof. Chan with the Medal of Honour in 2015.

Prof. Zhu conducted research into Assessment for Learning, and assessment of specific language skills. He has completed more than 20 professional service commissions and R&D projects with Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB) and the EDB. His research led to the development of important assessment frameworks /standards such as the “Merged Standard-referenced Reporting Standards on Listening and Integrated Language Use”, “Six Types of Reading Comprehension Processes”, “Four Traits of Integrated Writing Competence”, and the “Standards of Chinese Language Assessment in Reading, Writing and Integrated Skills”. These research outcomes have been widely implemented or referred to in curriculum and assessment of Chinese language, and appeared on SSCI journals including Journal of Second Language Writing, Assessing Writing, Applied Linguistics Review, Educational Psychology, Frontiers in Psychology, Language Assessment Quarterly, Reading and Writing, Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, as well as on CSSCI journals such as Educational Research, and Research in Educational Development, Educational Research and Experiment.