emerging "ham-sap" classroom culture

Angel Lin (ENANGEL who-is-at cityu.edu.hk)
Tue, 14 Sep 1999 13:49:00 +0800

Dear xmca friends,

I'm trying to gather ideas for a teacher-researcher who's found himself=
having to deal with an emerging "ham-sap" (a Chinese word for sleazy)=
culture in his Form 4 (Grade 10) classroom in a boys's school in HK; added=
to his difficulty (or perhaps his asset) is that he has come from a=
different culture from the students' (he's from the U.S. and doesn't speak=
or read the students' L1, which is Cantonese/Chinese; he teaches them=
English language arts). Could you share your experience in dealing with=
these issues with adolescent boys in a grade 10 class, or suggest some=
practical classroom activities/ways of helping students to develop some=
critical literacy skills towards the mass media, especially towards the=
sexist and racist elements? Thanks.

Angel L

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Bob, that's really a concern--the sexist and racist aspects of pop culture=
in Hong Kong--I think it might be worth trying to get students to become=
more critically aware of the sexist nature of the women-commodifying=
commercial culture of Hong Kong; need to find some reading which is=
appropriate for this purpose--which raises students' critical literacy=
skills: to be able to critiqe the mass media and pop culture; for instance,=
getting students to debate whether it's women-degrading to hold beauty=
contests in the way that Hong Kong TV is doing (e.g., by comparing how=
that's done in other places; e.g., the U.S. beauty contests require the=
candidates to answer serious questions about current social and political=
affairs whereas in HK the candidates are asked embarrassing sexist=
questions); it might be a good idea to look for things said by Christine=
Loh in the papers too; she seems to have said something to critique the=
ways women are treated in Hong Kong. But it's not just a woman-thing;=
distorting the proper relationship between members of the opposite sexes=
(i.e., simplifiying the man-woman relationship to one that's focused on=
mainly the physical aspects) is dehumanizing both to men and women and=
depriving them of a proper fulfilling relationship. Perhaps do more=
research on these topics and try to find some educational ways of=
developing their critical literacy skills towards the mass media (e.g.,=
through guided debates, reading newspaper commentaries, projects that=
involve writing letters to the editors to voice against the media/TV sexist=
and racist practices, discussing the different positions/opinions voiced in=
the society about censorship of the press--e.g., the recent debate on=
whether newspapers should be censored by govt. to prevent their violation=
of privacy rights; to get them to debate on whether public figures' privacy=
should be respected... Good luck! Angel

At 09:59 PM 9/8/99 +0800, you wrote:

>

>Angel.

>

>Thanks for your emails. I'll get in touch with Ken H. =20

>

>I hope to read through my students letters over the weekend and then I

>should have a better idea of what they are expecting. Most seem to be

>responding well to my research so far. The photographs were a big hit=
and

>one student brought in his camera to take my picture.

>

>I am still concerned about the Arts class and I have noticed that a "ham

>sap" (that is Chinese -- I don't know if there is an English equivalent)

>culture is fast emerging. Students seem most interested in magazines like

>East Touch and programmes like South Park. The role plays they have been

>doing are filled with sexual references. I would like, of course, to keep

>the seedier elements of the local culture out of the classroom so that my

>dissertation does not need a category III rating, but I am not sure how=
that

>can be done in a place like Hong Kong. I could try to address some of=
these

>issues head on (ie sex education, pornography) so that I could have some

>control over how these topics are discussed in the classroom. But I think=
I

>will need to look at ways of limiting the harmful aspects of the students

>culture and building on the more desirable aspects.

>

>I know that you must be terribly busy now. I don't really need any answers

>now, I am just trying to keep you up to date and trying to help set an

>agenda for when we do have a chance to meet.

>

>Best,

>Bob

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***************************************************************

Angel Lin, <italic>Ph.D.(Toronto)

</italic>Assistant Professor

Department of English

City University of Hong Kong

Tat Chee Ave., Kowloon, Hong Kong

Fax: (852) 2788-8894; phone: (852) 2788-8122

E-Mail: enangel who-is-at cityu.edu.hk