The results showed that the students' Chinese language ability is low, especially their literacy skills. There was significant discrepancy between the students' oral and written language competence. Further analyses were conducted in accordance with models derived from the simple view of reading (Gough & Tunmer, 1986), in which reading comprehension is assumed to be the product of decoding and linguistic comprehension. The analyses showed that the language-literacy discrepancy was related to the students' poor decoding ability. The students' reading comprehension performance was related more closely to Chinese character recognition ability than their linguistic comprehension competence. Moreover, the students' Chinese orthographic awareness and knowledge was found to be related to Chinese character recognition. The effect of the former on reading comprehension was mediated through the latter. / The study supports the relevance of the simple view model for understanding learning to read Chinese by second language learners. Studies of reading in alphabetic languages adopting the simple view have shown that the importance of decoding relative to linguistic comprehension depends on the developmental stage and proficiency of the readers, as well as orthographic transparency of the language. These results are consistent with our finding that for the participants in this study who were in upper primary level learning a deep orthography (i.e., Chinese), decoding accounts for more variance in reading performance than linguistic comprehension. Furthermore, just like understanding of the alphabetic principle helps reading in alphabetic languages, awareness and knowledge of the structural properties of Chinese characters, that is, the componential structures of the orthography and their phonetic and semantic functions, have a facilitative effect on Chinese character recognition and reading performance. Educational implications for the Hong Kong ethnic minority students and for Chinese second language learning were discussed. / This study investigated acquisition of Chinese literacy by ethnic minority children in Hong Kong primary schools. Ninety-seven primary-four ethnic minority students from four schools participated in the study. Their Chinese orthographic awareness and knowledge, Chinese character recognition ability, Chinese listening comprehension and reading comprehension competence were assessed. / Wong, Yu Ka. / Advisers: Pui Wan Cheng; Ling Po Shiu. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-02, Section: A, page: . / Thesis (Ed.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-131). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese; some appendixes also in Chinese.

Tam, Sin Yu Ophelia. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 203-209). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Scope of study --- p.1 / The policy change in the context of the education system in Hong Kong --- p.4 / Theoretical discussion and literature review --- p.10 / Definition of terms --- p.10 / Multicultural education --- p.16 / Newspaper coverage of South Asians in Hong Kong --- p.22 / My methodology and its problems --- p.26 / My involvement in the field --- p.26 / Areas of study --- p.30 / Methodological problems --- p.32 / Summary of chapters --- p.37 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Historical and Socioeconomic Context of South Asians in Hong Kong --- p.40 / Introduction --- p.40 / Socioeconomic situation of South Asians --- p.43 / Occupational pattern --- p.43 / Language spoken --- p.47 / Educational attainment --- p.50 / Discrimination and legislation --- p.56 / Concluding remarks --- p.58 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- The Educational Opportunities and Education Systems for Ethnic Minorities in Hong Kong --- p.60 / Introduction --- p.60 / Medium of instruction in history --- p.61 / Education systems in Hong Kong for ethnic minorities --- p.69 / Three types of schools based on the medium of instruction --- p.69 / The fieldsite school - a case study --- p.75 / The policy change --- p.80 / The school place allocation system for ethnic minorities --- p.81 / Concluding remarks --- p.84 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Views of the Education and Manpower Bureau --- p.87 / Introduction --- p.87 / Background --- p.88 / Promoting integration --- p.90 / School closer to home --- p.97 / The principle of equal opportunities --- p.98 / More choice of schools --- p.102 / Concluding remarks --- p.104 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Views of the Concern Group --- p.107 / Introduction --- p.107 / "Background: The meaning of ""integration""" --- p.107 / Better Chinese language skills? --- p.112 / Lack of resources and long-term planning --- p.115 / Are closer schools an advantage? --- p.121 / More choice of schools? --- p.122 / What is equal opportunity? --- p.125 / Results of a survey done by the concern group --- p.127 / Concluding remarks --- p.129 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Views of the South Asians Apart from the Concern Group --- p.133 / Introduction --- p.133 / Background --- p.134 / English as an international language --- p.137 / Is Chinese reading and writing skill irrelevant? --- p.140 / Ability to support their children's study --- p.143 / Racial discrimination --- p.149 / Cultural assimilation --- p.153 / Parents who supported the new policy --- p.155 / Concluding remarks --- p.158 / Chapter Chapter 7 --- Views of Other Parties --- p.162 / Introduction --- p.162 / Non-Chinese Speaking schools --- p.162 / Principals and teaching staff --- p.164 / The mass media --- p.167 / University experts on education policy --- p.172 / Unison Hong Kong --- p.174 / Concluding remarks --- p.176 / Chapter Chapter 8 --- Conclusion: Multicultural in Education in Hong Kong --- p.180 / Summary --- p.180 / Versions of multiculturalism in Hong Kong --- p.183 / The Education and Manpower Bureau --- p.186 / The concern group --- p.190 / The South Asians --- p.192 / Implications of multiculturalism in Hong Kong --- p.195 / Concluding remarks --- p.200 / Reference

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This research project explores the relationship between the use of culturally sensitive reading material and reading comprehension among Spanish-speaking language minority students of elementary school age. Text includes Spanish and English transcriptions of stories.