The Chinese Graded Reader Standards for International Chinese Language Education (hereinafter referred to as the Standards) is divided into three parts according to the ages of readers: the children stage (aged 5-12), the adolescent stage (aged 12-18), and the adult stage (aged over 18). The Standards for each age group include three major sections: “Reader Characteristics”, “Reading Material Characteristics”, and “Examples”, forming a scientific, systematic, and practical standard system. Among them, “Reader Characteristics” are described from “Readers’ Age and Psychological Characteristics” and “Readers’ Reading Ability Performance”. The latter is further described from three aspects: readers’ cognitive processes, reading behaviors, and reading strategies. “Reading Material Characteristics” are described from language, content, and form, and the “Examples” mainly provide sample reading materials that conform to the descriptions of the characteristics of reading materials at different levels.

The Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) is a non-profit professional educational institution for international Chinese language education, affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE). CLEC is committed to providing quality services for people from all over the world to learn Chinese and understand China. It also intends to build a platform for friendly collaboration on language education and cross-cultural learning. CLEC is specifically responsible for coordinating the construction of resource system of international Chinese language education, participating in the formulation and implementation of related standards of international Chinese language education, supporting the construction of international Chinese language teachers, teaching materials, disciplines, etc. and academic researches, implementing the examinations for teachers of Chinese to speakers of other languages and the series of Chinese language proficiency examinations for foreigners, and carrying out relevant assessment and recognition.

1. Guidance: The Standards takes the Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education and the Framework of Reference for Chinese Culture and Society in International Chinese Language Education as references, with the core concept of “Reading with Pleasure and for Proficiency”. It endeavors to provide a scientific, systematic, and personalized guidance system for Chinese graded reading worldwide.

2. Systematicness: Based on related disciplines such as Chinese language and literature, education, and psychology, the Standards combines the cognitive development laws of children, adolescents, and adults, and systematically describes the typical characteristics of the reading abilities of Chinese readers including children, adolescents, and adults globally.

3. Scientificity: The Standards scientifically sets the difficulty and gradation of reading materials, which is conducive to the progressive development of knowledge, skills, and emotional goals in the reading process.

4. Internationalization: The Standards attempts to integrate international Chinese reading with world cultures, featuring a distinct international perspective and intercultural awareness.

5. Practicality: The Standards can serve as a scientific and standardized basis for the development of graded reading materials for developers, an efficient and convenient learning basis for Chinese readers, and objective, professional, and accurate guidance for various Chinese education and publishing institutions.

It is recommended that children, adolescents, and adults use it respectively, and the descriptive terms for each level of each age group should be used in conjunction with the corresponding examples at the end of the standards.