Pattern and Variation in Use of Two Languages in the Hong Kong Secondary English Class

Abstract

Language use observed in the English classes of eight Cantonese- English bilingual secondary teachers in Hong Kong is examined in relation to the presentation of lessons and other kinds of classroom activities. General patterns and individual variation are reviewed, and a classification system of compensatory and strategic language use is developed to describe the findings of the author's study in the context of previous research on Hong Kong secondary classrooms (Johnson and Lee, 1987; Lin, 1990).