SCCL Cultural Forum, "Enabling a Reader through Picture Books" cum Book Launch of the SCCL Flying Fish Graded Reader Series

SCCL Deputy Executive Director Dr Tan Chee Lay inviting Director-General of Education

Ms Ho Peng to initiate the Book Launch of the SCCL Graded Reader Series

Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL) launched the SCCL Flying Fish Graded Readers Series on 24 November 2012. In conjunction, the Cultural Forum "Enabling a Reader through Picture Books" was also held.

Director-General of Education Ms Ho Peng was the Guest-of-Honour for the events. She launched the SCCL Flying Fish Graded Readers Series jointly with Dr Chin Chee Kuen, SCCL Executive Director, and Dr Tan Chee Lay, SCCL Deputy Director and project director for the Graded Readers Series.

On the launch of the SCCL Flying Fish Graded Readers Series, Dr Tan Chee Lay gave a brief report on the research background and developmental process of the Graded Readers Series. Mdm Png Bee Hiong from Fairfield Methodist School (Primary), who participated in the experimental teaching of the Graded Readers Series, shared her experience with the audience.

Commissioned by the Ministry of Education, the SCCL Flying Fish Graded Readers Series is specifically designed for local primary school students. This set of 36 readers is currently available in six levels, with six readers for each level. Based on the latest Primary School Chinese Language Syllabus and catering to the intellectual and cognitive development of children, the readers aim to stimulate children's interest in reading and to enhance their learning efficiency by using illustrated stories. The Graded Reader Series also comes with a digital reading pen and is supported by an online learning platform.

For the cultural forum, there were more than 100 participants. SCCL Lecturer Dr Li Min and Master teacher Mdm Lim Kwee Hua were the invited speakers.

Dr Li Min shared with the audience various vocabulary expansion games and reading activities making use of picture books. Through her sharing, she hoped to further promote Picture Books Reading.

Mdm Lim Kwee Hua gave concrete daily examples to show parents among the audience how to effectively conduct parent-child reading, helping them to embark on an interactive reading journey with their children.