PECERA (Hong Kong) Annual Meeting 2012 cum Seminar on“Early Identification and Intervention to Prevent Reading Problems in Children Learning English as a Second Language”.

PECERA (HK) Annual Meeting 2012 was successfully held on Nov 19, 2012. Dr Betty Chan, President of PECERA (International) and PECERA (HK) shared with us the works and activities of the Association in 2012. After that, Professor Linda Siegel from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver gave a keynote address on “Early Identification and Intervention to Prevent Reading Problems in Children Learning English as a Second Language”. She shared with us a study designed to develop and test a simple system for identifying children at risk for reading difficulties and to test a classroom based intervention program. It is possible to identify children at risk for reading difficulties at their early age. And it is also possible to use classroom based instruction techniques to develop reading skills, at both the decoding and comprehension level. Early intervention and identification for potential reading difficulties and can be successful, efficient and cost-effective. In addition, bilingualism is not an impediment to the development of literacy skills, and in some cases may be an advantage. Prof Linda Siegel’s presentation was thought provoking, and audience actively participated and asked questions after her sharing.