When students enter S1, one of the major changes they encounter is the more extensive use of English both for daily interpersonal communication and for study purposes. In this case, teachers of a primary school organised a cross key-stage tutoring programme with a neighboring secondary school to equip their students with the knowledge and skills required to face the challenges of the secondary curricula. Teachers used reading as an entry point to facilitate the development of students’ speaking, listening and writing skills.

Through collaboration and study, teachers discovered a gap between the reading materials used in the primary and secondary schools. They were inspired to improve their formal school-based curriculum to strengthen their students’ foundation in reading and help them develop into independent readers. With the reading tutors as role models and facilitators, young readers acquired some skills and built up their confidence in managing longer texts which contain more difficult words and fewer illustrations. The reading skills, speaking skills, generic skills and confidence in using English of both groups of students were strengthened through the programme.