人才・聚
自1956年成立以來，浸大已培育了逾140,000位畢業生，當中許多校友在各個領域都取得了顯著成就。我們期望讓校友擴闊知識領域，因此發掘來自不同專業領域的校友，並邀請他們分享有關方面的知識。
鄭臻賢校友分享
如何於特殊教育領域上施展音樂魔法
鄭臻賢校友— 心光盲人院暨學校音樂總監
中學時期，鄭臻賢校友 (音樂) 於一次偶然機會下，觀賞到由特殊學校演出的音樂劇。當時，她眼見一群充滿自信的學童在台上全情投入表演，深切體會到音樂在他們身上展現的神奇力量。從那時開始，鄭校友決心要加入特殊教育的行列。稍後，她更發現自己在音樂方面的天賦，於是入讀浸大時選擇主修音樂，矢志從事音樂教育。畢業後，她先於一所中學任職音樂老師，隨後於2017年開始任教於心光盲人院暨學校。身為該校的音樂總監，鄭校友歷年來帶領心光學校合唱團於不同場合演出。
(訪問內容只供英文版本)
1. What is the key difference between teaching at a normal school and a special school? How did you adjust yourself to the differences?
In my opinion, no matter whether you are teaching in a normal school or a special school, you are bound to find that there are differences in the learning capabilities among your students. As a student-centred teacher who is sensitive to students’ needs, I find that there is no significant difference in my mentality regardless of whether I am teaching in a normal school or a special school. If I really have to state a difference, small-class teaching is usually adopted in special education, which allows teachers to pay more attention to the learning progress and needs of individual students. In that way, I can offer these students appropriate support that caters for their individual needs and learning pace.
As a teacher, I believe that providing guidance and support to students based on their needs is of the utmost importance. In a special school, I have to understand the physical disability encountered by students. As a result, I need to spend more time coming up with the appropriate pedagogy. As a start, I need to learn about braille (點字) to understand how my students read. Then I need to think of a more creative approach in music teaching since the traditional pedagogy of music training may not be applicable in a special school. For instance, these students can barely read sheet music (樂譜). So I need to design some body movements to assist them in differentiating every pitch. This is one of the major means to help them overcome their physical disability while learning or enjoying music.
鄭校友採用特別教學方法以照顧視障學生的需要。
鄭校友用心學習及制作點字樂譜。
2. Please share with us how you utilise music as a tool to provide training to students with special educational needs.
As Ebenezer School serves students of a broad age range from 6 to 20, various ways of music training are adopted. For students at the age of primary school, I would use more body movements and group interaction in class, in order to help students appreciate the groove in music; I would also guide students to clap their hands or tap their feet along with the rhythm, so as to help them pick up their sense of pitch. Listening is also an important means to help students enjoy music. For the relatively mature students, I would teach them a more sophisticated means of appreciating music, like introducing to them the elements of music theory and even music composition.
In addition to the above, I will also spend time nurturing their inner hearing skill, as it is an essential skill in music appreciation. When students can develop the skill of capturing the melodies inside their head without the sounds being externally present, they will then be able to recall music previously experienced. This in turn enhances their ability in making a distinction among various music pieces.
鄭校友教導學生運用手部動作來學習及區分不同音域。
3. How can students with special educational needs benefit from music training?
I believe music is a good tool for communicating with others, and human voice is a natural musical instrument that all students possess. Therefore, the school choir is established to provide students with opportunities for engaging in a group activity, allowing them to enlarge their social circle and learn to cooperate with others. Participating in the practices of a school choir also helps them manage the schoolwork better; and thus, heightens their sense of responsibility. In addition, students have more chances to step out of the school while staging a performance, so students can gain more exposure outside the school. Furthermore, choir performance can arouse public awareness of the school, and in turn the capability of its students. The Ebenezer School Choir has been invited to join various public performances, such as performances at the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and the “No Limits” programme of the Hong Kong Arts Festival, which are all valuable experience for students.
It is really rewarding and satisfying when you see these visually impaired students gaining more confidence and becoming more socially active through music. I hope more HKBU students who major in music can join me in experiencing the exceptional joy brought forth by nurturing students with special educational needs through music education.
鄭校友帶領心光學校合唱團於不同地方表演，包括應香港迪士尼樂園度假區及香港藝術節「無限亮」計劃的邀請進行公演。