SCOLAR has launched the "Incentive Scheme on the Development of Chinese Language Graded Readers for Non-Chinese Speaking Children". Through engaging local organisations to develop Chinese language graded readers, the scheme aims at helping non-Chinese speaking (NCS) children in Hong Kong develop an interest in and the habit of reading Chinese books, thereby enhancing their ability to use the Chinese language.
Three local publishers supported by the Language Fund have individually developed a series of Chinese language graded readers specifically designed for NCS children aged three to nine.
The Chinese language graded readers developed by each of the three local publishers are graded into 3 levels and each level is comprised of 30 volumes. The text and content of the first-level readers are relatively simple, with increasing difficulty along the next two levels. The content of the readers complies with the context of Chinese usage in Hong Kong and covers Chinese expressions used in daily lives. In addition, supporting resources such as reading pens or online audio recordings are also provided for parents to read with their NCS children or for self-learning by NCS children whose Chinese proficiency is relatively high.
SCOLAR has distributed the graded readers and supporting resources free to kindergartens and primary schools offering local curriculum and admitting NCS students by phases.