German as a Foreign Language at Secondary School Level in Hong Kong - A Case Study of a Pilot Scheme

Abstract

This paper examines the teaching and learning of German as a foreign language at secondary school level in the distinct region of Hong Kong – a former British colony. Due to the dominance of English in and after the British colonial history and the increasing importance of Mandarin since the handover to Mainland China, none of the other foreign languages including German can be compared with English and Mandarin. While previous articles mainly draw attention to German programmes in tertiary institutions, the focus here is on secondary schools, a neglected research area of German as a Foreign Language in Hong Kong. The description of a pilot scheme for a German Programme in a local Chinese school in Hong Kong as a case study demonstrates the development, content and curriculum for German as a third language at secondary school level. The aim of this article is to provide an example of how German secured its position in the local school environment in Hong Kong.