READ & WRITE: A Jockey Club Learning Support Network
Project Overview
Project Background
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Approximately 10% of the school population in Hong Kong has specific learning
difficulties (SpLD). Dyslexia is the most prevalent and accounts for over 80% of SpLD
cases.
Dyslexia is a developmental learning disorder. Individuals with dyslexia have deficits in
some reading-related cognitive processing that are not related to their general intellectual
functioning.
Dyslexic children are perceived as being at risk of failure not only academically but also
socially and emotionally. Therefore, early intervention is essential for this group.
Over the past 100 years, dyslexia has been widely investigated in alphabetic languages.
Research in Chinese developmental dyslexia has received attention more recently as it is
recognised that there are different cognitive manifestations in different languages.
Hong Kong is an international city which mixes cultures of the East and West. Dyslexic
students have to receive well-structured and suitable education in order to cope with the
needs in their studies and daily lives. In view of these needs, The Hong Kong Jockey
Club decided on its own initiative to launch a five-year programme with the aim of early
identification and intervention, so as to assist these children to develop their potential.
Project Details
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The Club has approved HK$153.7 million for the five-year project entitled "READ &
WRITE: A Jockey Club Learning Support Network". A project team, steered by The
University of Hong Kong (HKU), comprises collaborating partners from The Chinese
University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB), Heep
Hong Society and Society of Boys' Centres.
The Project will use evidence-based measures to tackle difficulties which have long
existed. These include:
1. Research, Development and Production of Screening and Assessment Tools
Led by Department of Psychology, HKU, in collaboration with EMB
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Dyslexia-related research studies will be carried out with the aims of building up
essential theoretical foundations and empirical evidence to facilitate the setting up of
an effective teaching programme for students with dyslexia. Topics of the studies
cover:
 Dyslexic students' long-term development of learning and responsiveness to
intervention, and the risk/protective factors that influence the effectiveness of
early intervention;
 Dyslexic students' difficulties in sentence/text level processing;
 The effectiveness of early intervention in improving dyslexic students' learning
behaviour.
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Development & Production of Screening and Assessment Tools
 Second edition of the Hong Kong Test of Specific Learning Difficulties in
Reading and Writing – identify primary school students with dyslexia by
assessing their literacy and cognitive functioning
 Production of a professional assessment battery for identification of secondary
school students with dyslexia - identify junior secondary school students with
dyslexia by assessing their literacy and cognitive functioning
 Second edition of The Hong Kong Specific Learning Difficulties Behaviour
Checklist for primary school students – assist primary school teachers to identify
students with dyslexic features according to their learning behaviour
 Second edition of the computerised training kit "Training in Chinese Word
Reading Skills" for dyslexic students – enhance students' ability in Chinese
character recognition
 Development of The Hong Kong Specific Learning Difficulties Behaviour
Checklist for secondary school students for teachers' use – assist secondary
school teachers to identify students with dyslexic features at an early stage
 Development of a computerised teacher assessment tool for primary school
students – assist primary school teachers to identify students with dyslexic
features
2. Development of a school-based support model for primary schools
Led by Department of Psychology, HKU
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Tiered Intervention Model for supporting dyslexic primary school students will be
developed and validated in local schools. The first phase commenced in September
2006 with three primary schools participating in a trial-run of a 3-year Tiered
Intervention Model. In the second phase, four primary schools will be invited to
participate. It is hoped that the Tiered Intervention Model will be able to improve
students' listening, speaking, reading and writing abilities, and offer them full
support. It is expected that the Model will ultimately be introduced to all primary
schools in Hong Kong.
3. Teacher Development
Led by Department of Education, CUHK and the Society of Boys' Centres
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The 5-year teacher development project has the following components:
 Provide school-based training for teachers of participating schools, in
collaboration with the school-based support team of HKU;
 Organise workshops for EMB staff members;
 Provide teacher development training for Chinese language teachers in primary
schools.
Teacher development training for primary schools is the core of the programme. The
teacher development team of CUHK will develop a two-part, 30-hour teacher
development course. Part one will focus on enhancing the understanding of the
psychological development of children in learning languages. This will enable
teachers to improve their teaching skills and acquire the basic knowledge of how to
identify students with specific learning difficulties. In part two, teachers will learn
how to teach dyslexic students at an advanced level. They will be taught how to
assist the students with small group remedial learning and individualised education
programme. Teachers will also learn the way to handle emotional and family
problems caused by dyslexic children, and strategies to develop a school-based
support programme.
Training will commence in September 2006. Over 5,000 teachers will be trained in
this five-year project. It is expected that at least six to eight Chinese language
teachers in every school will receive training under the project.
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4. Development of district-based support model and learning kits for pre-school and primary
school students at risk
Led by Heep Hong Society
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Develop early intervention services for pre-school children at risk
 Research results indicate that early intervention can minimise learning
difficulties that students might encounter in their studies. The educational
psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists and social workers of
Heep Hong Society will work together to develop a series of systematic learning
activities to enhance students' language, writing and reading abilities. Training
courses for parents will be developed so as to empower their technique in
assisting dyslexic students. A teaching kit will be developed with reference to
the result of this training programme, and shared with parents and pre-school
education workers.
Develop district-based support services for dyslexic students
 To facilitate the wholesome development of dyslexic students and provide
support for their family members, the programme will develop an all-round
district-based support network for dyslexic students and their families, including
parent-counselling services. Studies will be conducted to explore their actual
needs, analyse the existing services provided by different service units, and
recommend ways to co-ordinate services at district level. Their experience will
be shared with frontline workers from other agencies so as to assist all dyslexic
students in Hong Kong.
5. Development of secondary school Chinese language learning kit with IT support system
for teachers and parents.
Led by Society of Boys' Centres
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The "Learning Development Project" of the Society of Boys' Centres, led by
educational psychologists, teachers and social workers, will develop a learning kit
for junior secondary school students with dyslexia who are studying in mainstream
schools. The kit will help to improve students' reading and writing skills. A set of
supplementary teaching materials for Secondary 1 to Secondary 3 students with
dyslexia will be developed in 2006 – the first year in which the project commences.
A trial run in mainstream schools will follow in the next three years.
The Society of Boys' Centres will develop an IT support system in 2008 to enhance
dyslexic students' learning motivation.
6. Public education to enhance public awareness and understanding of dyslexia.
7. Overseas experts will be invited to be consultants of the project. These consultants will
help to host seminars and workshops, and assist in evaluating the effectiveness of the
project.
27 September 2006
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