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To encourage students to experience and try new things, this year’s Junior Sports Reporters Programme has been injected with new elements, such as getting out of the classroom and engaging in interactive learning. With this in mind, the junior reporters gathered on the second day of lessons at the Legislative Council building, where they visited the council chambers to better understand how Legco operates. They also interviewed a number of people with close ties to sports development in Hong Kong, including Ma Fung Kwok who represents the Sports, Performing Arts, Culture and Publication constituency; Commissioner for Sports, Yeung Tak Keung; and  Richard Wong Tat Ming, Assistant Director (Leisure Services) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

The students first followed Mr Ma to the Legislative Council Chambers where he explained to them how work was carried out by legislators and the role each played. Although very green, the students were well prepared and stepped into the role of being a reporter with ease; practicing their interview skills, and asking questions and learning from the answers in a warm and lively atmosphere. Then Mr Yeung, Commissioner for Sports, described in detail the Government’s sports policy, allocation of resources, and its commitment to the construction of sports facilities. He also outlined the plans for Kai Tak Sports Park. 

Next, it was Mr Wong’s turn to introduce the 6th Hong Kong Games’ new competitive events this year, including wheelchair basketball challenge and swimming invitation competition for people with intellectual disabilities. The Games has been an integral part of the Junior Sports Reporters Programme over the past three years by allowing the students to conduct live interviews during the Games’ key events and competitions.

The students then returned to the classroom, where they had the chance to learn how to enhance their ability to conduct interviews in English with their English instructor, Susan Dootson, who is the English editing consultant with the Club’s Branding and Programme Services Department. She stressed, “When interviewing, be confident, be interested in people and have fun.” During the two-hour class, the students fulfilled all three requirements by enthusiastically asking and answering questions of each other. The students then paired up to interview each other, asking “deep questions” and writing about each other from their own perspective. Their writing instructor, James Mak, taught them the skills of interviewing and writing, pointing out that the key to writing a good news report was having “one focus” and “writing for all to understand”.

If you’d like to see some examples of the students writing and learn more about the programme, please visit (in Chinese only): //campaign.hkjc.com/ch/junior-reporter/index.aspx.