This research study aims 1) to reveal what NCS students can do as to be considered to have met the threshold standards for studying competently in Chinese Language lessons in HK local schools alongside their Chinese-speaking counterparts; 2) to investigate the essential elements of threshold standards for immersion in Chinese Language lessons as well as reading competently and extensively in Chinese for NCS students; 3) to find out different elements of threshold standards be assessed effectively in different learning domains of listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as Chinese character recognition and writing; 4) to explore if there any distinctive features in the performance of learning Chinese that could be explained by differences in ethnic groups or language background; and 5) to suggest the adoption of the principles on “assessment for learning” in improving curriculum planning and pedagogy strategies for teaching Chinese as a second language to NCS students.