INTRODUCTION
The READ SMART collection is designed for primary schools in Hong Kong to develop learners' English proficiency through reading. The collection incorporates the features listed in the English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6), 2004 to help teachers implement curriculum innovations. The collection stresses learners' development of reading skills and strategies (learning to read) and provides them with opportunities to enrich their knowledge and broaden their life experience (reading to learn).

The collection adopts an eclectic approach that involves learners' active and real use of the language, one that accommodates and vital approaches of task-based and balanced literacy. Combined together, they encourage not only literacy skills, but also cultivate a learner's motivation to induce good habits in reading. As a result, beginning learners can then become avid self-reliant readers. Dr. James Patrick Cummins, of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, the University of Toronto and a leader in second language learning and literacy development research, supports this integrated method to learning. '...[R]eading comprehension is predicted primarily by the amount that students actually read; extensive reading provides access to a wide range of vocabulary which has consistently been shown to be the strongest predictor of readability; psychometrically, vocabulary knowledge is virtually indistinguishable from reading comprehension.'(Cummins 2004)

Parent's meeting, Yaumati Catholic Primary School (26/6/2004)		Dr. Ina Siu (left), a lecturer of the Department of English, of HKIEd, in an ELT workshop (28/6/2004)

In addition to the blended approach, the collection also provides clear instructions and tasks for learners to accomplish, all of which are given from a localised perspective. 'Tasks are purposeful and involve contextualised activities where learners draw together a range of elements in their framework of knowledge and skills to fulfil the task set.' (CDC 2004) Thus, tasks in the collection provide real-life situations and appropriate contexts within learners' cognitive level for them to understand the language. Several of these tasks are based on real-life scenarios specific to Hong Kong. The tasks range from asking learners to respond by drawing pictures to using English to solve problems. These open-ended tasks are provided to expand learners' creativity and self-expression. Different modes of interaction and formats are employed to cultivate learners' collaboration skills, gradually enabling them to become independent learners.

Within the READ SMART collection, this integrated approach facilitates effective teaching. Teachers need to employ different teaching strategies to provide the best reading instructions to learners of various abilities, cognitive levels and world experience. Strategies like storytelling, reading aloud and shared reading are prominent at Key Stage 1 due to the need for strong teacher's support required in the nature of these strategies. As learners become more skilful in reading, supported reading and independent reading is encouraged at Key Stage 2. (CDC 2004)

Ms. Taylor - Roehm, an independent educational consultant of Mimosa Publications at a seminar (15/5/2004)

There are six diverse series in the READ SMART collection, which make up about 300 eclectic titles altogether. Within these six series, three are devoted to the imaginative art of fiction and the remaining three concentrate on nonfictional facts that help learners better understand the world around them. While these books come from renowned international publishing houses, The Modern Educational Research Society (MERS) has also carefully adapted some specifically for Hong Kong.

FICTION
The collection of fictional texts includes the series Fables & Tales, Kites, Inside Stories and The Story Basket / The Story Box, all of which range from the classic tales of Hans Christian Andersen to modern stories written by authors such as the famous children story writer, Joy Cowley. Fiction stories are usually the first books that most learners are exposed to, and generally the first books they read by themselves. These stories provide learners with lessons in virtue to aspire to, while also simultaneously nourishing and extending their imagination. It has been found that literature for learners with repetitive sentence patterns and incorporated phonics, which are the two aspects easily extrapolated from this lively and stimulating collection, is best for English learning.

Fables & Tales
Moral lessons have long been handed down through the ages in the form of fables and tales, and with good reason. The universal themes of suffering and redemption have become synonymous with the lines: 'Once upon a time'. These two genres of fables and tales, thus are among the simplest but most treasured of all literary forms, capturing the hearts and minds of the young and old alike. The Fables & Tales series contains 12 titles of stories adapted from the traditional classical works of Hans Christian Andersen, Aesop and other great authors. All the stories are followed by tasks of various refreshing text types and formats, to help learners further explore the topics and issues narrated and told within the book. Some examples would be a biographical narrative about the history of the mysterious Pied Piper, and a public announcement to warn against swindlers who make invisible clothes. These tasks help young learners enhance their understanding and appreciate the stories more fully.

Fiction Titles in the Fables & Tales series

Various text types

Localised teacher's guide

Filled with attractive illustrations, there are various follow-up tasks at the end of every story. As a supplement, each book is accompanied by a tailor-made, localised teacher's guide. Being localised, these guides can help teachers anticipate problems encountered by Hong Kong students while learning English. Last but not least are the interactive CD-ROMs with animated stories, games and language art materials.The visual animated effects and colourful graphics help enliven learners' entertainment while the structure introduces new vocabulary, phonics, and other new information.

The Story Basket / The Story Box
The 20 new titles handpicked from The Story Box / The Story Basket series, published by Wright Group and McGraw-Hill Publishing Inc., are wholly written by Joy Cowley. As she is widely-known for her imaginative modern stories, they are often thought-provoking in their illustrations, with gently humourous rhyming words for learners' pleasure and enjoyment. The stories focus on building skills using a variety of instructional and classroom practices, outlined in the books and teacher's guides. This series specifically focuses on shared reading and guided reading that lay the groundwork for learning. Additionally, the reinforcement of skills is achieved through a myriad of resources, all of which invite learners to practise using hands-on word games and activities. Most importantly for teachers, each story has a detail five-day lesson plan that clearly outlines how to best interest and enliven a young classroom. Overall, The Story Box / The Story Basket series is an inviting, integrated classroom reading programme structured to help each learner realise his/her own reading potential. The corresponding big books, audio cassettes, poetry posters and lesson plans are sold individually.

Thought-provoking stories

Fiction titles in The Story Basket / The Story Box series
Lesson Plan	Worksheets

Inside Stories
This award-winning series published by Mimosa Shortland is much more than just another library of traditional stories. In addition to a traditional tale, each title includes a range of text in a variety of diverse genres and formats, all of which specifically link to the classical story. 'Think & Link' is very special to Inside Stories, as learners are exposed to a neo-traditional style of storytelling, with special additions that make it relevant to their own world. Consequently, this series acquaints learners to being able to gather information from a variety of sources in a playful and exciting way. The corresponding E-book supports and extends the use of the big book through a wide variety of activities that can be completed on screen.There are eight interactive CD-ROMs in the series, one for each title, in addition to the E-book attached to each big book. The CD-ROMs provide an interactive version of the stories as well as a wealth of highly engaging activities focusing on key skills and strategies. Also provided are audio support, continual feedback and off-screen activities to build onto the work done on the computer. All of these features together make the series an ideal resource for learning centres. Each CD-ROM has a comprehensive Teacher's Resource section, which includes additional off-screen work that can be printed out as blackline masters.

Award-winning titles
Fiction titles in the Inside Stories series		Think & Link Analogies
Different text types
Various worksheets

NONFICTION
The nonfiction titles include the series Kites, Nelson Focus and Go Facts. Nonfiction texts have become a prominent part of learners' reading materials. It is predicted that for an average person in the 21st century, 90% of all reading materials will be nonfiction. To better prepare learners for this fast-paced modern age of inquiry, our nonfiction titles have the purpose to provide information and expand content knowledge, while geared toward learners' interest as well. Reading informational texts with a purpose promotes questions and active learning, and develops learners' critical thinking skills, all of which are crucial abilities best to be learnt early.

Nelson Focus Nelson Focus is a nonfiction language programme produced by Thomson Learning, featuring 120 motley titles for guided reading and writing. The exceptional and unique feature about Nelson Focus is the structure itself. It uses a variety of text types: recount, report, procedural, expository, explanatory, verse and structural formats, to arrange and connect ideas presented in each title. All of it is carefully organised for the learners' understanding and pleasure. The Nelson Focus Teacher's Guides encourage the use of modelled, guided and independent reading strategies to encourage learning and promote further reading. Along with many practical ideas and suggestions for nonfiction guided reading, the teacher's guides provide a range of ideas for guided tasks, including independent reading and writing, think-and-link tasks on science/society and environment, and ELT support. This series also contains eight big books, all sold separately.

Nonfiction titles in the Nelson Focus series

	Teacher's guide

Go Facts
Go Facts is an award-winning Australian series adapted from Blake Education. Distinguished for its precise and organised text and its truly stunning colour photos, it introduces learners to many different features of the environment while conveying a sense of wonder about the natural world. With six themes ranging from the seasons, animals, transportation, and food the contents are put in an easy-to-understand format, catalogued with fun fact boxes and explanatory statements. There are four books in each themed set of Go Facts and each book is accompanied by a localised teacher's guide, in which teaching ideas and strategies suggested in the English Language Curriculum Guide are included. The key benefit of reading the series is that it provides learners with a well-written, nonfiction text that allows them to model their own writing on. There are also some strong visual literacy features accompaning the text. As focused nonfiction books, they are also ideal for project learning and as library reference material.

Nonfiction titles in the Go Facts series

Localised teacher's guides

Pair-up titles in the Kites series

Kites
Also published by Mimosa Shortland, Kites is an easy-to-use series with each fiction text accompanied by a companion nonfiction text and a teacher's guide. The singular match of these companion fiction and nonfiction texts found help provide teachers and learners with texts on the same topic. For instance, a learner can read a fictional merry story about a birthday cake, and then immediately afterwards discover the mechanics and chemistry behind the baking of a cake. The result would be an entertaining but intensive learning experience for young learners. As a series, Kites contains 110 charming guided reading texts organised into six levels. The series places strong emphasis on developing comprehension and thinking skills, along with links to mathematics, science, technology and social studies. Accompanying each book is also a tailor-made teacher's guide which also helps teachers address the concerns of young Hong Kong learners, and an interactive CD-ROM with games.

Localised teacher's guides

Conclusion
The READ SMART collection offers excellent reading resources for the new English course in primary schools. The collection is solely distributed by MERS at competitive prices. Interested teachers are welcome to visit their showroom or contact Mr. Christian Siow at 2990 0235 for further information.