WINK to LEARN | Early Learning Flash Cards & DVDs | Inspired by Glenn Doman & Shichida

1

5 STEPS TO PRIMARY 1

 

R Sam

Director

Athena Educational Service Pte Ltd

5 STEPS TO PRIMARY 1

STEP 1: I CAN READ

Can your child read independently? This is the first step in preparing your child for Primary 1. He should be able to read non-fiction book about the solar system, animals, habitats, and so on. Books like these expose him to a wide range of vocabulary and encourages the child to explore and widen his general knowledge.

STEP 2: I UNDERSTAND

The second step is to strengthen his comprehension skills. Besides being able to read fluently, he must be able to comprehend what he reads. This means that he should be able to answer questions based on the text he has read. Answers should be to the point and should not be whole sentences lifted from the passage.

STEP 3: I KNOW MY GRAMMAR

The third step is introduction to grammar. He should also be adept at recognising and correctly applying basic grammar rules, appropriate tense, collective nouns, similes, adverbs and adjective.

STEP 4: I CAN SPELL

Being able to spell accurately and independently boosts a child’s confidence. Learning to spell can be achieve effectively with phonics, which is a much more efficient method compared to memorising. It will give the child the confidence to explore more challenging texts and articles.

STEP 5: I CAN ADD

Once he has mastered the four basic skills of reading, comprehension, grammar and spelling, he should be taught the four concepts of mathematical operations-addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. This will provide the child with a strong foundation in the core subject of English and mathematics, and sufficiently prepare the child to confidently face the challenges of Primary 1.

   

2

I LOVE CHINESE

 

Wang Qun

Curriculum Manager

Berries World of Learning School

I LOVE CHINESE

CREATE THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT Every child needs exposure to a language in order to learn it. Listening to nursery rhymes, watching cartoons, and speaking to family members or friends in Chinese, will help build up his vocabulary.

GET PROFESSIONAL HELP A young child’s mind is susceptible to all influences, whether good or bad. So if you can’t coach him directly, seek professional support. It is crucial that the school curriculum takes care of his emotional readiness besides training him with new knowledge.

OFFER ENCOURAGEMENT Even if as parents, you do not have a strong foundation in Chinese, learning the language together with your child helps to ease him into it. Do praise him in clear ways such as, “You can sing 10 more nursery rhymes”. This will enable him to concretely understand his own growth and improvement.

MONITOR HIS PROGRESS To keep your child on the right track, checks that he is speaking the language regularly and continues reading Chinese books. Continue to compliment him when he makes an effort to improve. Should he falter, do find out the underlying reasons calmly. Sometimes, young children might not be able to express their thoughts, so it is important for parents not to lose their temper.

BE CREATIVE All paths lead to Rome. A parent I know term every Wednesday the family’s “Chinese Day”. Everyone, including their helper, has to speak Chinese that day. With strong parental love, even shopping for groceries can be a fun session in learning Chinese. The point is to help your child enjoy the process of learning the language and not to fear it.

   

3

WHAT IS MONTESSORI?

 

Marilyn Tan

Vice-Principal

Brighton Montessori

WHAT IS MONTESSORI?

THE PHILOSOPHY Montessori education is a method of teaching that is founded by Dr Maria Montessori. It combines a philosophy of freedom and self-development using a practical hands-on approach.

THE ENVIRONMENT Based on Dr Montessori’s belief that all children have an intrinsic desire to learn, the Montessori classroom is carefully planned and prepared to invite children to engage in these learning activities of their own individual choice.

THE TEACHERS Montessori teachers are trained to observe their students carefully and respond to their individual needs. With a small student-teacher ratio in our class, each child’s individual needs will be met and catered to.

THE CHILDREN Students in the Montessori classroom are encouraged to perform tasks independently to gain a sense of joy and self-confidence with each complete task.

THE PROGRAMME In the Montessori programme, children are given the opportunity to develop important life skills. Practical life exercise include pouring from jugs, threading and working on dressing frames, to practising buttoning and zipping.

Sensorial exercises refine the sense through sorting, matching and comparing of objects. These early sensory impressions boost children’s power of observation and discrimination.

Language is based on a carefully structured multi-sensory phonic approach to writing and reading.

Montessori’s mathematics materials enable children to progress from concrete to the abstract stages using self-confidence apparatus.

Cultural studies include topics such as geography, zoology, history and botany.

   

4

LET’S TALK, TEACHER

 

Elaine Ng

Vice President, Enrichment and Oversea Operations

Cherie Heart Group International

LET’S TALK, TEACHER

Enrolling your child in a preschool can be a time of anxiety and uncertainty: How well will my child adjust to preschool? Will he make friends? Will my child be ready for formal school learning?

Establishing and maintaining an open, clear channel of communication with your child’s preschool teacher can lessen many parental concerns. By approaching your child’s teacher with an open mind, you can be a part of your child’s preschool experience and take pride in celebrating his achievements and successes.

HI, THERE Take the first step to get acquainted with your child’s teacher. Let them know your parenting practices and the learning dispositions you wish to develop in your child. Share with them any pertinent information about your child’s interest, limitation or specific needs.

FIND OUT MORE Communicate and exchange feedback with your child’s teacher regularly. Ask about the available communication channels the school practices. This can take the form of home-school communication books, conferences, telephone calls or written reports.

SEE HOW HE’S IMPROVE Request for updates on your child’s progress. This can take the form of anecdotal records, work samples and video or audio clips.

GET INVOLVED Visiting the classroom regularly is a great way for you to monitor your child’s learning experience. Offer to be a class resource parent to assist the teachers in planning and implementing any class activities.

BE OPEN-MINDED If the teacher has concerns about your child, avoid being defensive-this may make the teacher hesitant to discuss any problem for fear of confrontation. Try to ask direct and focused question to clarify and resolve issues to help support your child collaboratively.

   

5

THINK DIFFERENT

 

Fiona McDonald

Head of Chiltern Learning Circles

(A member of Julia Gabriel Family of Service)

THINK DIFFERENT

WHY YOUR CHILD NEEDS CREATIVITY It is necessary skill that every child needs to be adaptable in an ever-changing world, and to learn to be divergent thinkers who are able to question and solve problems effectively.

Therefore, it is vital that we recognise the important of nurturing the creativity that is innate in every young child. Our role is to help equip them with the necessary skills to take on future challenges.

BREAK DOWN THE BARRIERS As adults, we have the habit of setting up barriers to creativity in our children by imposing our own ideas and opinions on them, rather than listening to and being open to their ideas or request.

Barriers to creativity occur:

  • When children must always be the best or the first

  • When there is pressure to “grow up” and discard fantasy and possibilities

  • When ideas are totally rejected, not considered or put down

  • When there is a focus purely on learning facts and the “right approach”

  • When there is a belief that children are not “good enough” or able to do something

  • When there is an emphasis on comparing one child to another

HOW TO ENCOURAGE IT Focus on the process and not the end product. Give the gift of time-to think, plan and create. Develop appropriate skills that can be put to practical use. Set up open-ended situations and questions. Encourage the sharing of ideas and doing things together. And finally, create an accepting and positive environment.

LOOK FOR EVERYDAY WAYS Often, creativity can be inspired in the simplest ways. For example, many creative skills are required in the preparation of a meal. Involving your children safely in such activities naturally stimulates their creativity. By encouraging stimulating holistic activities, in a positive, pressure-free environment, we can ensure the development of happy, self-confident and creative individuals.

   

6

WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER

 

Karen Nicholls

Senior Pre-school Director

Etonhouse Pre-school

WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER

Parents and teachers both have an important role to play in a child’s life. The influences of both home and school have an impact on and determine how a child thinks and acts.

Through their interactions with each other, parents and teachers are able to enhance their understanding of each other and assist in providing support and positive experiences for the child.

In order to build a collaborative relationship between home and school, there are steps that can be taken on both sides that assist in this process.

WHAT THE SCHOOL CAN DO:

  • The school community should be receptive to and provide opportunities for parents to ask question and offer comments.

  • Listen to parents’ concerns and develop an action plan to respond to these concerns.

  • Show flexibility in allowing parent visitations and opportunities for observation to dispel feelings of suspicion and uneasiness.

  • In order to keep meetings student-focused, student should be encourage being involved in parent/teacher meetings.

  • The school should provide opportunities for parent to be involved in the school community.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

  • To allow for open communication, parent need to make themselves accessible to the teacher by developing open lines of communication.

  • When speaking to teachers or school personnel, parents should remain professional and avoid responding overly emotionally.

  • Parents should come to meetings with a prepared list of question and suggestion.

  • Remain open-minded to the positive influences the school is having and be prepared to work together to resolve differences.

  • Interact with the school by volunteering in various activities both within and outside the school premises.

   

7

5 WAYS TO TEACH SCIENCE

 

Lim Hwee Hoon

Manager

Formation centre

5 WAYS TO TEACH SCIENCE

Science is all around us and it is never too early to nurture the “innate scientist” in your child. The inquiry-based approach is embraced by the American and Singapore education authorities for teaching science in schools, and motivates children to observe think, ask questions and to investigate. Here are five tips to get you started:

ASK AND ASK Encourage your child to observe, ask questions and explore. For a start, focus on the science process skills of observing, comparing and classifying.

MAKE LEARNING FUN Leverage on your child’s area of interest as a springboard for learning.

SHOW, DON’T TELL As the old stage goes “Tell me and I forgot, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand”. Get your child involve in meaningful activities or science experiments to enhance his learning.

DISCUSS AND APPLY Weave in the facts, vocabulary and explanation of the science concept as you teach them.

READ WIDELY This broadens the child’s horizons and help build up his vocabulary.

Read to embark on this inquiry-based guiding journey now? Here are some activities using the theme of water:

MOVE IT Find some transparent plastic containers. Add water and a few drops of food colouring. Let your child watch how water moves.

FLOATING EGG Fill a glass with water, add an egg (boiled or raw) and observe how the egg sinks. Pour in two teaspoonful of salt at a time and stir carefully. Continue until the egg starts to rise and float. This teaches kids about density.

SHAPE RACE If your child has a pet fish, observe the shape of the fish and how it swims. Conduct a “shape race” experiment by using modelling clay. Make different shapes of about the same size-the shape of a fish, a square or a star shape. Place them at the top of three tall bottles filled with water and observe which one flows through fastest. Ask your child to guess why the tear-drop shape flows through fastest. (Hint: angles and sharp curves break up the flow, increase drag and slow down the movement.)

   

8

RAISE A READER

 

Yeo Hwee Fung

Director

Halifax Montessori Childcare

RAISE A READER

Reading should be enjoyable. Books can add joyous new dimensions to a child’s life by awakening his mind, feeding his imagination, expanding his horizons, and sharpening his awareness. Try these five ways to develop your child’s love and reading:

MORE BOOKS, LESS TV As soon as a baby is interested in his surroundings and can focus his attention on an object for a while; parent can start to introduce books by reading aloud. Getting a child involved in book handling like turning the page and answering questions will get them interested and focused.

SET UP A BOOK CORNER Set up a book corner where the child has ready access to wide selection of book. Pick a few of his favourite books and place them in a basket or display the books on a bookshelf at his eye level. When the child is no longer reading those books, rotate different books.

USE PHONICS FOR READING SKILLS This method of teaching is based on the sounds of words and the basic idea is to enable the child to “decode” the words. As the child learns this method, he will also be “decoding” words, a strategy which encourages reading.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT BOOKS

  • It is at your child’s level or above it? A fine balance must be maintained between choosing books that children can easily understand and those that they will find challenging, both linguistically and conceptually.

  • Help the child comprehend the content of the book by asking questions and explaining new words.

  • It is the right length? Start with short stories and progress to longer ones as the child’s attention span increases.

  • Is the print readable, the illustration attractive?

  • Choose books that the whole family can read together.

   

9

LET’S PLAY AND LEARN

 

Julia Gabriel

Founder-director

Julia Gabriel Centre for Learning

LET’S PLAY AND LEARN

How do children learn? They learn through play! To understand how to do this with our children, we must understand why it is important to play. But just what is play? For children, it is serious work; an opportunity for learning all the skills they’ll need for life:

  • Play is created and directed by the players.

  • Play is free of external rules.

  • Play is enacted as through the activity were real.

  • Play is meaningful to the players.

Babies learn through play. If we play with our babies in a loving, nurturing and joyful way, they learn to grow up trusting in people, forming solid relationships with those around them. Knowledge of the world grows out of a baby’s early play. Later, when the two-year-old begins make-believe play, it contributes to the goals of early education.

How can parents best play with their toddlers and help them towards these early education goals? Read them bedtime stories and extend these stories into make-believe games. Stories increase a child’s vocabulary and knowledge of ideas.

Playing “dress-up” also helps stimulate role-play and drama. During imaginary play, children’s language gets more complex than in most other activities. A child “playing” at being a teacher, mother or father, will recreate the language patterns they have overheard, using correct grammar and a wide range of advance communication skills.

Share games as a family as children learn important social rules, like turn-taking and fairness, from games. They come to accept losing (someone has to) and learn to value failure as an opportunity to evaluate and try again.

Play moving and speaking rhyme games that involve clapping, jumping, crawling, and miming daily are excellent ways to help your child develop mastery of gross and fine motor skills, and improve language.

Letting children help with chores such as washing up, cooking or painting is educational, and a great way to bond and have fun.

   

10

THESE ARE THE RULES

 

Rebecca Han

Curriculum Specialist

Learning Vision

 

THESE ARE THE RULES

 

Parents often feel that it might be too early to guide and discipline their toddlers, as toddlers might not be the stage where they can understand what rules and regulation are.

But it’s never too early to do so. As toddlers, they need adult to set limits so that they will feel safe and secure, to begin to understand what is expected of them, and to keep them from harming or hurting others.

However, toddlers are at the stage where they do not really misbehave. Rather, they often make mistakes in their efforts to experiment and understand the world and all the things around them.

Parents should not view is as them are being “naughty”, or worse still, shame and humiliate them for their “misbehaviour”.

EMPATHISE, UNDERSTAND AND ENCOURAGE

  • Show your toddlers what he is supposed to do rather than what he should not do.

  • Understand your toddler’s need for self-control and provide him with choices within limits. For example, if your toddlers refuse to keep his toys, you should give him a choice of which set of toys he wants to keep first, rather than forcing him to do it.

  • In this way, he will be more willing to cooperate, as it gives him a sense of self-control and competence

  • Support your toddlers towards self-discipline by setting boundaries.

   

11

I CAN DO IT!

 

Dr Melinda Eng

General Manager

The Little Skool-House International

I CAN DO IT!

We often want our children to be independent before they are ready. Instead of rushing then into “independence”, take time to talk to them about everyday events, discuss what they love and are afraid of, delight in conversations about their observation. Here’s how:

MODEL SKILLS THAT TEACH INDEPENDENCE These include brushing their teeth, reading by themselves, putting things away after use, and clearing the table after a meal.

GIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOTS OF PRACTICE Children will eventually master the skill they are learning after doing it repeatedly.

PRAISE THEM FOR EACH ACHIEVEMENT Always praise and encourage by saying, “Well Done” or “Let’s Try Again”, even if it is not up to your expected standard. For example, if your child wishes to help you clear the dustpan, thank him for the effort even though there will be dust spilled along the way.

Do not hurry them. Allow children the time they need to perform the task. For example, while preparing for a picnic, give them enough time to dress and groom themselves, put on their shoes, and help pack the food.

AVOID “CORRECTING” Correcting a child’s work sends the message that he has not done well and his efforts are not appreciates. This may discourage him from attempting to do things on his own. Instead, guide him to correct the mistake on his own. For example, after he has put on his socks, don’t adjust it if he has not worn them properly. Instead, check with the child if he is comfortable after he has put on his shoes and tried walking.

KEEP LEARNING FUN Use chants and rhymes to teach the skills that you want your child to learn. For example, brushing can be fun if mum sings, “Open your mouth, 1, 2, 3, up and down, 3, 2, and 1.”

   

12

GET THE WRITE STUFF

 

Helen Marjan

Joint Managing Director & Director of Studies

Lorna Whiston

GET THE WRITE STUFF

How do you help your child to improve his creative writing? Here are some helpful hints:

READ WIDELY Encourage children to read a board range of narratives. Guide them in analysing how writers use words to create certain effects. Children can be inspired to imitate ideas gleaned from the books they read.

OPEN WITH A BANG Focus on finding an initial opening for the story that acts as an invitation to read more. A story start can be dramatic, an interesting introduction to the main characters, or an exclamation which will draw the reader straight into the action.

INVESTING ENDINGS We know how it feels if we miss the ending of a story. An ending can take the form of moral point, an indication of what has been learned through the story, or a hint of what might happen in the future.

FLASH OUT THE CHARACTERS Think in-depth about the character in the story. Develop their personalities through vivid descriptions, dialogue, the names they are given and their actions and behaviour.

WRITE IT DIFFERENTLY Think of different ways to make a boring sentence more interesting. Try including adverbs, adjective, lively vocabulary, and alternative verbs. Children and young people can note down “effective” words in a writing journal or vocabulary book.

USE A STORY PLANNER Think of the following key question:

  • Who – are the characters?

  • Where – does the story take place?

  • Why – are the character there?

  • When – does it happen? Time, weather, etc.

  • What – happens to get the story going?

  • How – will it be written? “I”, “She/He”, present or past tense?

   

13

MUSIC WIRES THE BRAIN

 

Christopher Tan

Music Educator

Magic Fiddler Pte Ltd

MUSIC WIRES THE BRAIN

Research by Canadian scientists shows that music lessons can improve memory and learning ability in young children aged four to six by encouraging different patterns of brain development.

WIRED RIGHT The brain of children as young as four months old, responds to sounds. Dr Takako Fujioka from Baycrest’s Roman Research Institute suggests that musical training has an effect on how the brain gets wired for general cognitive functioning related to memory and attention.

LEARN BETTER Psychologists from the Chinese University of Hong Kong studied 90 boys between the ages of six and 15. They found that children, who are given musical training either in the form of violin or piano lessons, had better verbal learning. They say their findings could help people recovering from a brain injury as well as healthy children.

TWIN BENEFITS Music lessons help both the right and left brain areas. Dr Agnes Chan from the Chinese University of Hong Kong found that giving music lessons to children somehow contributes to the re-organisation and better development of the left temporal lobe, which in turn facilitates cognitive processing mediated by that specific brain area, that is, verbal memory. Students with better verbal memory probably will find it easier to learn in school.

MOZART EFFECT Frances Rauscher, a psychologist now at the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh, discovered that listening to Mozart improve people’s mathematics and spatial reasoning. For example, a Mozart piano sonata seems to stimulate activity in three genes involve in nerve-cell signalling in the brain.

   

14

THE POWER OF A HUG

 

Elaine Chia

Director

Mindchamps Preschool Pte Ltd

THE POWER OF A HUG

Parents know how much their children love to be hugged. Psychologist John Bowlby, well-known research of the Attachment Theory, described this simple act of a parents’ expression of love for a child as a “lasting psychological connectedness between human beings”. It involves the exchange of comfort and care that makes a child feel safe and secure. Bowlby found that as securely attached children grow, they are better able to:

  • Attain their full intellectual potential

  • Sort out what they perceive and understand

  • Think logically

  • Develop a conscience

  • Become self-reliant

  • Cope with stress and frustration

  • Handle fear and worry

  • Develop future relationships

  • Reduce jealousy

Bowlby’s extensive research revealed that the best way to achieve a strong attachment with a child is through bonding experiences like the act of holding, rocking, singing, feeding, gazing, or kissing. Factors are crucial to bonding include time together, face-to-face interaction, eye contact, physical proximity, touch and other primary sensory experiences such as small, sound and taste.

Scientists believe the most important factor in creating attachment is positive physical contact such as hugging, holding and rocking, which triggers neuro-chemical activities in the brain. These neuro-chemical activities lead to normal organization of brain systems which are responsible for attachment.

Of all the things a parent must do to take care of their children, bonding is the easiest, least expensive and most enjoyable. Bonding also makes the greatest impact on a child’s future happiness and success. All it takes is a simple hug.

   

15

LEARN TO SHARE

 

Hee Onn Nah & Dora Phoon

Principals

NTUC Childcare

LEARN TO SHARE

It takes time to teach children how to share. Sharing is difficult for children to understand as they can neither see nor touch this concept. Often, children put their own needs before others, but can learn to share if they are taught to do so from a young age. Here are five ways to teach children to share:

LEAD BY EXAMPLE

Make a conscious and deliberate effort to demonstrate to children how to share, through daily activities. You can share an apple with your child, a piece of cake or even toys. By doing so, the child learns that sharing is fun and makes another person happy.

CREATE A SHARING CULTURE AT HOME

Children are very observant and like to emulate what others are doing. When your child sees you sharing with your spouse, siblings, friends and visitors, sharing becomes natural to him because he sees it daily in his own family.

DEVELOP A CARING ATTITUDE

When you see him sharing with family or friends, offer a compliment for what he has done. Affirmation and acknowledgement of their good behaviour will reinforce their sharing and turn-taking actions.

Teaching children to share and care for the less fortunate is another way to inculcate a sharing mind-set among children. Go through items in the house that are of good condition, and decide with your child which ones they would like to pass on to charity. Festive holidays such as Christmas are also good opportunities to inculcate the spirit of giving and sharing in children. Bring your child to a toy store to pick a gift and have him/her take it to one of the children’s charities.

   

16

THINK POSITIVE

 

Weelai Suwanarat

Associate Program Director

The Odyssey Creative Learning Centre

THINK POSITIVE

One of the challenges that children encounter is learning to behave appropriately in the world they live in while trying to make sense of it. Thus discipline should guide children’s behaviour and/or set limits to give them space to explore, but in a socially acceptable manner.

DO

  • When an inappropriate behaviours occurs, address the behaviour, not the child. Say “Hitting hurts people. If you are angry with John, please talk to him”, rather than “You are being a bad girl. You know you are not supposed to hit others”.

  • Give brief reasons why the behaviour is unacceptable.

  • State and model acceptable behaviour

  • Offer reasonable choices whenever possible. This shows them that they are respected and empowers them as well.

  • Recognise and acknowledge their feelings of anger, confusion or hurt as legitimate. It would benefit the child if labels could be given for these emotions.

 

DON’T

  • Shame or humiliate the child

  • Moralise or let your anger come through. You can tell your child you are angry but never react in anger, as this will make the child fearful and anxious

  • Use “No” too often. Instead use words like “Stop” or “Please don’t”.

  • Use bribes, false threats or false choices.

  • Retaliate, that is, to do to the child what he/she did to someone else. Remember that children learn the most from us through modelling and imitating.

 

It is important that adults convey clear values to children to allow them to grow up being considerate and respecting the feelings of others. Being treated with respect will allow children to learn to respect others and themselves.

   

17

5 STEPS TO INDEPENDENCE

 

Patricia Koh

Founder Director

Pat’s Schoolhouse

 

5 STEPS TO INDEPENDENCE

 

Developing independence should be taken to mean helping a child cope with simple tasks without having to rely on an adult all the time, rather than allowing a child to be free to do things his way. Here are five simple ways to help your child copy with simple tasks:

 

STATE the exact action needed. Your child needs to understand what is required of him. Be specific and say: “Please put all your toys into the blue box when you have finished playing with them.”

 

SHOW how it is done. Your child needs to observe, learn and imitate the correct actions. It is thus important that you speak to him as well as demonstrate what is expected of him. For example, you could wash your hands as you show him how to do so, or return a book to the shelf as you tell him what to do.

 

SET an example. Remember to always do the exact things you expect of your child. For example, if you expect to put away his plates or cups into the sink after a meal, the rest of the family members should do the same.

 

SEND positive messages of encouragement. IT is important to encourage continued positive behaviour through praise and by stating what he has done right. You can reward your child with small rewards, such as little treats which you do not normally give out, or time-off to engage in activities he enjoys.

 

SIMPLIFY the action if it is too difficult for your child. Sometimes a child is not ready to be independent. You will then need to simplify the steps.

 

To help your child get used to his bedtime routine for example, such as putting away his toys, showering, putting on pajamas, getting tucked into bed and having a bedtime story read to him, you can simplify the process and start by asking him to first put away his toys. Thereafter, you may encourage him to practice the routine while you help him recall what needs to be done. Make it a game so he does not feel pressured when he gets it wrong.

   

18

MULTIPLE TALENTS

 

Dr Khoo Kim Choo

Founder Director

Preschool for Multiple Intelligence/Sunbird Child Development Centre

MULTIPLE TALENTS

There are at least eight intelligences that are located in different parts of our brain that can be nurtured from potential to reality – in varying degrees.

LOGICAL MATHEMATICAL INTELLIGENCE

  • Play number games, ask “What do you think would happen if…?” questions.

  • Involve your child in daily routines, for example, sort laundry according to size, colour; count steps, number of people for dinner, number of plates required.

LINGUISTIC INTELLIGENCE

  • Read books, labels, signs etc regularly to your child.

  • Talk to your child and ask him to tell you stories.

SPATIAL INTELLIGENCE

  • Play with puzzles, paint, draw or use clay.

  • Look for landmarks to find the way home or to regular places of visit.

MUSICAL INTELLIGENCE

  • Expose them to music from young. Sing and dance with him or attend concerts.

  • Use household material like pots, pans and pebbles in a bottle to make music

INTERPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE

  • Encourage your child to play with other children

  • Teach him to share toys and request (instead of grabbing) and to take turns.

INTRAPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE

  • Affirm your child; show that you love him unconditionally.

  • Encourage effort and explain expectations clearly.

BODILY-KINESTHETIC INTELLIGENCE

  • Encourage your child to walk, climb, and run in parks and playgrounds safely.

  • Let him explore with his hands through scribbling, drawing, dough and water play.

NATURALIST INTELLIGENCE

  • Go for nature walks – parks, nature reserves, beaches, riverside to touch, feel and observe the nature.

  • Use a magnifying glass to look at small creatures such as ants.

   

19

TECH THE FIRST STEP

 

Heng Po Lin

Curriculum Specialist

Townforkids Pte Ltd

 

TECH THE FIRST STEP

 

Technology in the classroom has provided many new tools to assist teachers in enhancing children’s learning. The potential benefits of technology for children’s learning and development are well documented, so early childhood educators should critically examine the impact of technology on children and be prepared to use technology for their benefits.

 

USE YOUR SENSES. Researchers note that the more our senses are deployed in learning, the better something is learnt and the more easily it is accessed again later. Computer technology can deliver this advantage superbly in that it provides sound, colours, graphics, animation and video in presenting information.

 

KIDS GET ENGAGED. Interactive boards allow for group learning using only one computer, and together with the highly interactive nature of multimedia software or websites, they bring about greater involvement and engagement in a child’s learning process. Apart from this, when a child works along on his computer , it allows him to proceed through programmed learning at his own pace, with instant correction, explanation and reinforcement.

 

KEEP THEM MOTIVATED. The process of learning in the classroom can become significantly richer as children have access to new and different types of information quickly, as compared to traditional instruction. Not only can technology be used to relay information to child in a short time, it can also make the information more interesting, motivating and exciting.

 

LEARN ANYWHERE. The use of technology allows mobility and flexibility in learning, and lessons will not longer be confined to the classroom. Children can take digital photos during a nature walk, and talk about them back in the classroom. These new ways of obtaining and presenting information greatly empower children in exploring and understanding the world around them.

 

DELVE DEEPER. Technology allows the presentation of scientific concepts more vividly. It allows the simulation of an environment that is not observable in real time. Simulation, photographs and anything that can help clarify concepts will leave a much bigger impact on children and help them retain lessons better. Wish the Internet, the whole world can practically be brought to life before their eyes.

   

20

RAISE A BILINGUAL CHILD

 

Song Yu Hong

Principal-director

Yuquan Preschool/Yuquan Language School

 

RAISE A BILINGUAL CHILD

 

Many parents want their children to be bilingual in English and Chinese, but what is the best to develop bilingualism in children?

 

TEACH BOTH LANGUAGES SIMULTANEOUSLY. A child has the inborn ability to learn multiple languages. As such, children under three or four need not be able to distinguish which sentence is English and which is Chinese. To naturally help child to build up the language logics, we need to teach them to express themselves in correct, fluent sentences in a conducive environment which will lead to successful bilingualism.

 

AVOID MIXING THE TWO LANGUAGES. When communicating with children, consistently use language that is correct and standardized. To main the purity of each language, we should not mix both languages in a single sentence.

 

BUILD A CONDUCIVE HOME ENVIRONMENT. The most ideal home environment for bilingualism is to have someone communicating with the child wholly in English, and someone communicating with the child wholly in Chinese.

 

CHOOSE THE RIGHT SCHOOL. Some families lack the environment for bilingualism. Thus, selecting a good bilingual school for the child will be important. When learning a language, a child requires more than one or two hours of lessons in class – the language environment in their daily lives also plays a big role. In class, children learn through nursery rhymes, songs and storybooks. Although most children are able to read and speak Chinese, they are unable to communicate with others and express themselves appropriately in their daily lives. Therefore, when it comes to bilingual schools, parents should evaluate the classroom lessons as well as the bilingual environment.

 

LOOK FOR ENRICHMENT CLASSES IN CHINESE. For a child to master bilingualism, Chinese lessons alone may not achieve the best results. To balance children’s exposure to the two languages, parents can look for calligraphy, dance and music classes that are taught in Chinese.

   

21

Social Growth Begins at Home

 

Do children really need other children to become socially excellent?

By IAHP, Glenn Doman

One of the great modern myths is that children need other children to become "socialized." The exact opposite is true. The notion that little children learn how to be civilized from being with each other has little to recommend it. What can a three-year-old teach another three-year-old? Answer: How to behave like a three-year-old.

When we place tiny children together, the result is chaos. If one child is a biter, then other children get bitten and learn that biting may be useful in self-defense. Generally, this is not the kind of social idea that mothers want their children to have.

Sometimes mothers are convinced to put their child with other children in what are called "play groups" or "kindergarten" because mother wants her child to learn to share. Mother believes that this cannot be learned at home from her. Sharing is an admirable and worthwhile objective. But two and three-year-olds are not ready to share anything. Instead, they defend their belongings against any and all comers. The "play group" only stays civilized if each mother stands right next to her child and protects that child from all the other children in the group. "Sharing" occurs only when mother pries the beloved toy truck out of her child's grasp and hands it to another child, who then gets a death grip on the truck until his mother says that he has "shared" the truck for long enough and it is pried out of his grasp to be returned to its little, very anxious owner.

If the above scene takes place without a mother with each child, then the result is much worse. Without mother at his side, the child will simply fight to keep his toy or be overpowered by a bigger, more aggressive child. He either learns to fight or to flee.

Is this socialization?

When little children are herded together like so many little lambs with only a few shepherds to protect them, we are foolish to expect "socialization" to be the result.

Little children do not need other little children to become socialized - they need mother and father. Civilized behavior is learned at home from mother and father. Children learn right from wrong from mother and father and grandmother and grandfather, or they do not learn it at all. The longer a small child spends with his mother each day, the more civilized he will be. The less time he spends with mother each day, the less civilized he will be.
All mothers know that.

Take This Challenge
Arrange for your child to spend more time with you every day and less time with other little children. Be consistent, fair, and honest in all your interactions with your child. In a few months you will have a more mature, kind, and helpful child, but, even better, you will be spending precious time with a wonderful companion who will love and support you for the rest of your life.
   

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