NET Scheme News 2024 Spring issue 45

Time for a disclaimer: I ended up as co-chair of the Modified Primary Section of Battle of the Books HK. In my own 5-year journey of discovery from participant to organiser, I found that what is lasting and conclusive, beyond the teaching and the competition, is that both my students and I have read more books than ever before, we loved the books together and we still love reading today. Bianca Man, NET Ho Shun Primary School Being in the competition, however, offers several great advantages. For instance, having a book list to read from creates a true purpose for reading and training for the questions that come up, is very fun and engaging as students get to work in teams to answer questions within a short time limit. The key to the competition, is that the design and format makes it very feasible for even local students (as the original competition came from international schools); the answers are only ever the titles and authors from the book list. And from this, the competition bears another fruit: students are introduced to many great authors of modern fiction and may develop an interest in their other titles and works too. This opens a door into the realm of literature for primary students as they prepare for secondary school and its growing demand for students’ reading appetites. 19 NET Scheme News Issue 45