e-Bulletin for Parents - 22 September 2023

Let Children Learn English, Understand and Appreciate the Splendid Chinese Culture through Reading the e-Book Traditional Chinese Festivals

To support English Language education at the primary level, promote national education and encourage reading across the curriculum, the Curriculum Development Institute of the Education Bureau has newly developed an English e-book titled Traditional Chinese Festivals. This e-book aims to facilitate students in learning English at the primary level and provide resources to enrich their cross-curricular reading experiences. In addition, through learning about the origin, customs and significance of traditional Chinese festivals, students can understand and appreciate the essence of Chinese culture, such as showing respect for ancestors, filial piety, upholding the importance of family and love for our country, thereby cultivating a sense of national identity in them, and fostering their development of proper values and attitudes.

This e-book features four traditional Chinese festivals, namely Chinese New Year, the Ching Ming Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival, and includes a writing task. A core text, an extended text and a short video are provided for each of the festivals and supplemented with learning activities to help students enhance their reading skills, understand different festivals, develop their interest in traditional Chinese culture and guide them to respect, appreciate and inherit the Chinese culture. The writing task in the e-book is designed to connect students’ reading and writing experiences. Students are guided to create and write about a new festival to develop their creative writing skills. Besides, the interactive features of the e-book, including audio files embedded in the core and extended texts and answer-checking functions, can help students enhance their literacy skills and facilitate self-directed learning.

Traditional Chinese Festivals is particularly suitable for upper primary students. It not only increases their exposure to English, but also helps them deepen their understanding of Chinese culture, cultivates in them a sense of belonging towards the country, an affection for the Chinese people and a sense of national identity. Parents are encouraged to read the e-book with their children together and enjoy the fun of reading with them. Traditional Chinese Festivals can be accessed at: https://www.edb.gov.hk/Chinese_Festivals. Reading is pivotal to language learning. Parents may encourage their children to read more. The Education Bureau recommends book lists for theme-based reading. Please visit the following website for details: https://www.edb.gov.hk/en/curriculum-development/4-key-tasks/reading-to-learn/curriculum-related-reading-resources/theme-based-reading/index.html.

Traditional Chinese Festivals

ELE Theme “Theme-based Reading” (EDB web page)