ABSTRACT
Shadow education is known as bou2 zaap6 in Hong Kong. There are various forms of bou zaap for students at different stages of schooling. Many children in their early childhood are sent to playgroups and extra classes to enhance their social skills, logical thinking, and communicative competence. Primary pupils usually receive homework guidance via home-based one-on-one tutoring. Some are enrolled in subscribed learning programs in franchised learning centers. Lecture-style tutoring in tutoring institutes where tutors market themselves as celebrities is more popular among secondary students preparing for the public examinations. This chapter contributes to the shadow education literature by illuminating the features of various forms of bou zaap and examining how the shadow curricula contribute to students’ educational development at different stages of schooling. It commences with a description of the Hong Kong educational context and the popularity of bou zaap. Based on the findings of shadow education research in Hong Kong and the author's insider perspective, it analyzes the features and practices of different forms of bou zaap for students from early childhood to late adolescence. The chapter concludes with implications for educational development in the mainstream and its shadow and recommends directions for further research.
