The Star, tuesday 19 january 2016

special

Finding new
education
grounds

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2016

2 bright kids

Making the school transition

By THERESA BELLE
THE growth of international
schools in the country is
encouraging parents to look
beyond the national curriculum
when considering education for
their children.
This is supported by the
Education Ministry besides
loosening enrolment policies for
local students in international
schools some years ago, it is now
more involved in scaling up
international schools under the
Economic Transformation
Programme (ETP).
Granted, the latter is angled
more towards attracting
expatriatres considering Malaysia
for their childrens foreign
education.
Target countries listed under
this ETP education entry point
programme include South Korea,
Indonesia, China, India and
Singapore, and the Government is
actively promoting Malaysian
institutions in these locations and
more.
With the opening of new
international schools, though,
Malaysian children also stand to
benefit from an increasingly
diverse pool of educational
opportunities.
In more than 100 international
schools in the country a number
that is consistently growing we
see parents paying up to
RM100,000 annually to ensure
their children have a chance at
quality global education.
Many parents see these schools
as a welcome alternative to the
national school system, which for a
long time has come under scrutiny
for the quality of education and
rigid application of rote-learning
methods.
Parents and educators in
international schools are moving
away from a strict emphasis
on examinations, preferring
instead to offer children various
opportunities to grow and learn
in their own ways.

Embracing timely
change
For Soon Wai Kwan, the decision
to place his son Nelson in the
International Baccalaureate (IB)
programme is a reflection of this
preference. Nelson began his
education in Ireland, where Soon
says the curriculum is designed to
nurture the child in several facets
of their lives, including spiritual,
moral and emotional.
He first placed Nelson in the
British curriculum as he felt its
pedagogy and emphasis on
examination results was tailored to
local requirements at the time.
However, Soon shares that he is
glad that Nelson later switched to
the IB, where the principles seem
to bear similarity to the ethos of
Irish education that Nelson was
first exposed to.
Inquiry and reflection in
learning develop us to look at
things through multiple
perspectives. Mastering ones view
should not be limited to textbooks,
and in this way, the IB helps one to
prepare for future learning,

Informed
choices

Identifying the needs and goals of your child is the first step in finding the right school or curriculum for them.

It is important to
closely consider
individual
circumstances when
looking to switch
your child to a new
school or system,
chief of which is the
curriculum and the
continuum it offers
towards higher
education.
Children typically take a few weeks to get used to a new school.

working and life in general, says

Soon.
However, he admits that he had
initial concerns on how his son
would adapt to the programme.
Lucky for both of them, the IB
heavily endorses parent
participation in their childs
education, and Soon was able to
learn with his child.
He shares that parents were
often made to do the same
assignment as their children,
allowing them to gain insight into
the educational process beyond
what is typically expected of
parents.
The school where Nelson
started his IB journey organised
many forums and workshops to
educate parents who were new to
the programme. My wife and I,
being new to IB, enquired and
researched with others who
already had children in the
programme, he says.
With his son nearing completion
of the IB Middle Years Programme,
Soon, who has always been heavily
involved in Nelsons education, is
well aware of the fact that what
children receive in their learning

will be different from what their

parents did back in their time at
school and this is not a bad thing
at all.

Every case is its own

Principal of UCSI International
School Alexandre Nenes shares
that it takes an average of two
weeks for students to settle in
school when they first arrive.
We receive a number of
students who are migrating from
national schools, whose major
challenge would be adjusting to the
new calendar as international
schools follow a different academic
calendar as opposed to public
schools, he says.
Indeed, students who switch
between different curricula could
face challenges in adjusting to a
new system. Research at McMaster
University in Canada found that
children who switch schools
somewhere between kindergarten
and Grade 3 do not do as well as
other students on Ontarios
standardised tests, which could
be a result of the disruption in
their education.

Of course, external factors could

be at play, especially the reason for
the move itself a child who is
forced to move to a new area
because of changes in the family
dynamic, for instance, is surely not
in the same boat as a child whose
expatriate parents uprooted to a
new country.
This is why it is important to
closely consider individual
circumstances when looking to
switch your child to a new school
or system, chief of which is the
curriculum and the continuum it
offers towards higher education.
It is always the best option to
choose a school that can lead the
child to meet their expectations
related to university admission and
career choices, says Nenes.
On top of that, the emphasis
placed on extracurricular
development in international
schools further diversifies options
in picking a new schooling system.
Parents can help their children
select a school that offers the
facilities, programmes and sports
that match their interests and
plans for the future.

> SEE PAGE 4

HERE are a few steps that could

be useful in your search for a
new school:
l Research the school
Speak to school representatives
and other parents, but most
importantly, check out the
school first. Bring your child for
a school tour to see if they
would be in an environment
where they will flourish.
l Hash out the pros and
cons Consider all the reasons a
move would be good for your
child by making a list of the pros
and cons of switching to a
particular school. Involve your
child in making this list so that
everyones motivations are
made clear and the best
common understanding can be
achieved.
l Involve your child in the
decision It is their education
after all, so get your child to look
at other schools with you and
consider their aspirations and
plans when choosing a new
curriculum. They should also fit
in with the other children and
most importantly, exhibit
interest and motivation in
learning in the new
environment.
l Monitor and evaluate
Keep a close eye on your childs
performance in school for the
first few months to see how they
are adjusting. Give them some
time to make new friends,
understand different concepts,
formats and methods and get
comfortable in their new school.
Be present in this time and let
your child know they can come
to you with any challenges, so
you can overcome them
together.
Adapted from: schooladvisor.my

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2016

THE Master of Early Childhood

Education (MECHE) course at
Open University Malaysia (OUM)
is specially conceived with the
overall nurturing of young
children in mind.
It also ensures that candidates of
the course are fully equipped to
cater to the needs of the industry
and, at the same time, have a
successful career ahead of them.
The curriculum fully complies
with the Malaysian Qualifications
Agencys Programme Standards,
enabling graduates to:
l Demonstrate a mastery of
knowledge in the core areas of
early childhood care and education
as well as understand their
relationships to related fields
l Demonstrate effective
leadership in advocating for
quality early childhood care and
education
l Analyse, apply and
disseminate information to
enhance quality early childhood
care and education
l Apply evidenced good
practices in administration,
management and
entrepreneurship in
early childhood fields
In the MECHE journey, learners
explore a wide range of
foundational theories and
methods, gaining essential
knowledge and practising
important skills in early childhood
education.
Learners build their own

bright kids 3

Become early
childhood experts
l Learning outcomes
l Learning milestones
l Assignment questions
l Assessment details and

understanding of this knowledge,

structure their own experiences in
the industry and possibly even
improve on early childhood
education processes.
The course covers five core
areas of knowledge needed by
professionals, educators and
frontliners in the field.
These core areas are child
development, curriculum
and learning environment,
administration and management,
families and the community, and
professional development.

format

l Seminar and discussion topics

l Self-reflection checklist
l List of recommended books
and other learning materials

l List of websites to help with

the subject

l List of other materials such

as videos, recordings and
articles

Learning kits
At OUM, the programme
learners are given learning kits
developed and produced by early
childhood education experts at
OUM.
They have pooled together their
own resources, experiences,
knowledge of the matter and
best materials to be combined
into a comprehensive kit for
MECHE learners.
Each subject in the course has

one kit specially designed for it. If

learners take up three subjects in a
semester, three kits will be given to
them. Each kit encompasses the
entirety of its subject. It includes:
l Introduction to the subject
l How to use the learning kit
l Use of the online portal for
self-learning
l Use of other learning
resources at OUM

According to programme
coordinator Dr Azhar Md Adnan
(pic), the faculty opted to provide
learning kits instead of books
because no one book can
encompass everything there is to
be learnt about early childhood
education.
The early childhood education
industry is an ever-evolving one.
True, all industries are but this is
one where its subjects (that is,
children) are also constantly
evolving. No one week or month
is the same for any one of

them, he says.
The learning kits also evolve.
Should there be one section, page
or even a footnote that needs
addressing, it is taken out, changed
accordingly and slotted back into
the learning kit. This way, the
entire learning kit stays updated
and current.
We believe our learners are
given a competitive advantage this
way.
OUM also offers diploma and
bachelors degree programmes in
early childhood education. The
programmes are especially suited
to teachers, school principals and
operators, college lecturers and
personnel in any industry
involving young children.
The January intake is still open
for registration.
To register, visit fastrac.oum.edu.
my or walk into any of OUMs 34
learning centres nationwide.

n For more information,

call 03-2773 2121,
e-mail enquiries@oum.edu.my
or WhatsApp 012-303 9934/35

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2016

4 bright kids

> FROM PAGE 2

An international school
education is quickly becoming
the preference of students with
aspirations to pursue tertiary
education abroad.
Those who already have an
idea of where they want to study
typically wind up studying the
local adaptation of the foreign
countrys syllabus.
For Year 10 student Parthik
Karuna, this plan only came into
fruition halfway through his
secondary education when he
switched from the national
syllabus to the International
General Certificate of Secondary
Education (IGCSE).
By this time, he was already
heavily immersed in the national
syllabus, which his mother Jessy
Karuna admits caused some
concern on whether he would be
able to adapt to a whole new
system.
One of the main challenges
Parthik faced was getting
accustomed to the new format.
We had to look for places to buy
books that adhered to the new
syllabus because they are not as
commonly available as national
syllabus books, she says.
A primary criterion in their
search for a new school was a
fully English medium of learning.
This was especially important for
Parthik, who is undecided on
whether to pursue a science or
arts career under the national

Not too late for change

Tips for adjusting to a new school
Parents
Help your children get over their
nerves by doing something exciting with
them before their rst day at a new
school. Go to the movies, visit a park or
have a nice dinner use the time
together to discuss how they are feeling
about this new chapter in their life.

Get enough sleep. You may have

enjoyed sleeping past your bedtime
over the holidays, which could make
waking up for school tougher than
usual. To avoid this, start your school
sleeping routine a week before the
actual rst day.

Become involved in the parent-teacher association as early as possible to

establish a network of fellow parents.
Being in the loop with other parents will
allow you to keep abreast of current
issues and latest information from the
school.

Prepare for school the night before.

Lay out your uniform, pack your bag
and stationery, and even review the rst
chapters so you turn up ready for the
new classroom.

Exchange phone numbers with your

childs teachers and principal. Let them
know you are available when it comes
to any aspect of your childs education.

switch that is right for the

individual student.
Parental support is crucial in helping children adapt in a new school.

system, not all subjects are taught

in English.
I went around enquiring about
the IGCSE programme in different
schools, speaking to teachers and
other parents while also checking
on their learning environment,
class sizes and delivery of
syllabus, says Jessy.
They finally settled on an

international school closer to

their home than Parthiks
previous private school.
Although the first few weeks
were hard for him, he was
eventually able to follow lessons
and get into the new pace with
help from friends and dedicated
teachers, proving that it is never
too late to make an educational

Students

Participation is key
I also had to get used to
Parthiks new school, especially
in establishing a reliable network
of fellow parents, says Jessy.
Thankfully, one of the factors
that made her sons school
transition easier was that he
already had peers in his new
school from prior interaction
some aspect of familiarity can
be especially helpful for children

Dont be shy to approach your

teachers on any lesson or classroom
practice that is unclear to you. Teachers
are usually more than willing to lend an
extra hand to newcomers.

in new environments.
Transitioning to a new school
can be hard on a student, but is
also heavily influenced by the
part played by their parents,
teachers and peers.
This is why it is vital that
there is honest and open
communication between parents
and their children, educators and
other parents.
A switch that matches your
childs educational goals and
improves their schooling
experience is a successful one that
will benefit them in the long run.

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2016

bright kids 5

Legacy of
excellence

Jar of clouds
Materials:
l Jar
l Rubber glove or balloon
l Rubber bands
l Water
l Hand towel
l Scissors
l Matches

After-school activities such as sports are available to keep boarders

active.

IN my 35th year with

Marlborough College as a
beak (teacher), Housemaster,
Second Master and now
founding Master of Marlborough
College Malaysia, I have
experienced and been personally
enriched by the challenges of the
past seven years and remain
proud to be part of Marlborough
College and all that it represents.
Three years after its inception,
I am pleased with the direction
that the college is moving in
and while a lot remains to be
done, much has already been
achieved.
With more than 200 boarding
pupils in addition to 500 day
pupils, we have welcomed 40
different nationalities to the
college who represent many of
the Asian countries as well as
England, Australia, the United
States and European countries.
We opened the sixth boarding
house at the start of this
academic year and the high
demand has pushed us to plan
for two more houses.
Enthusiasm for boarding in
the region has increased and we
believe that young people should
have the opportunity to
experience boarding prior to
going to university. Boarding
provides the life skills necessary
to survive and thrive beyond
school.
The caring and trained
professional Housemasters and
Housemistresses, all of whom
have an association with
Marlborough College in the UK,
give willingly of their time and
expertise to increase the future
prospects of those in their care.
Each House has up to six
adults living on its premises and
all beaks are assigned to a House
to act as visiting tutors who
come by at least one night each
week.
Boarding begins from Year 5
in our two junior Houses with
graduation to a senior House at
the completion of Year 8.
Boarders have the opportunity
to utilise the colleges excellent
facilities and gain maximum
benefit from them.
After-school activities include
talks, debates, sports, art, music,
outdoor activities and charity
work and are complemented by
a full and varied weekend
programme.
Academically, it has been

an encouraging start for

Marlborough College Malaysia.
Many expatriates return to the
UK when their eldest child
reaches senior school age
and with our tailor-made
Preparatory School curriculum,
which incorporates the
requirements of Common
Entrance, we have achieved
many impressive successes at UK
senior schools as well as
prepared pupils in a rigorous
manner for our own Senior
School.
IGSCE examinations yielded
an impressive 61% A* to A
grades which, from a nonselective entry in 2012, sets a
good benchmark for the years
ahead.
This years group will be our
first leaving cohort in July and
it is encouraging that 15% of
them gained interviews from
Oxbridge.
In the Sixth Form, we offer the
International Baccalaureate
Diploma Programme to facilitate
a broad-minded and enriching
preparation for the wide range
of universities for which our
pupils are preparing to enter.
With the recent investment
in the Sixth Form Centre, The
Marlburian, we are excited for
the potential to offer our pupils
the best education they need to
move forward as well as allrounded learning with wideranging co-curricular
programmes and excellent
pastoral care.
The second phase
development of Marlborough
College Malaysia is currently
underway and a new teaching
area for pupils in the Senior Prep
(Years 4 to 8) will be completed
in September next year.
This will allow the Senior
School (Years 9 to 13) to use the
buildings currently occupied by
the younger pupils, allowing the
college to reach optimum
capacity of around 1,250 pupils
by 2020 or 2021.
Our mission is to become a
beacon of educational excellence
in South-East Asia and we are
ready to embark on the next part
of the journey. By Robert B
Pick, Master of Marlborough
College Malaysia.

n For more information,

visit www.marlborough
collegemalaysia.org

Steps:
l Use a piece of rubber to seal the
jar. To get this piece, cut a square
from a glove or the neck off a
balloon.
l Fill the jar with around 1cm of
water.
l Dry the outside of the jar so the
rubber does not slip.
l The next few steps should be
done quickly with adult supervision:
Have the adult light a
match and let it burn for

a few seconds.
Have the adult blow out the
match and immediately drop
it into the jar.
The moment the match is
dropped, stretch the rubber
over the top of the jar to seal
it.
Place some rubber bands
around the top of the jar to
hold the rubber in place.
Pinch a bit of the rubber and
pull it up. You should find
that a white fog forms in the
jar. It will vanish when you
release the rubber.

What happens?
The amount of water vapour in
the air depends on the temperature
the hotter it is, the more water
vapour there is in the air.

Some of the
water in your jar
evaporates.
Pulling up on the
rubber lowers the
pressure in the jar,
which lowers the
temperature of the air.
The water condenses out of the
air to make tiny droplets, which
cause the fog in the jar. When the
rubber is let go, pressure and
temperature return to normal and
the droplets evaporate.
The smoke from the match
contains tiny particles of soot,
around which the droplets of fog
form.
This is similar to how clouds and
fog form.
Source: www.csiro.au

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2016

6 bright kids

SINGING, dancing and acting are

not just frivolous entertainment at
Sunway International School (SIS);
they serve as a platform for
creative expression and an avenue
to learn important values.
Whether monthly open mic
sessions or semester concerts such
as poetry slams, arts festivals and
talent nights, the performance arts
are tangible and thriving at SIS
because they are simultaneously
enjoyable and educational.
Performances and arts
celebrations rank among the most
anticipated activities for both
students and staff.
Students are motivated to see the
project through to its successful
completion, while the teachers and
community look forward to the life
lessons students absorb and put
into practice.
The unique approach to learning
at SIS extends beyond the
classroom and this is most evident
when students get involved in
initiatives such as these.
In addition to being an exciting
breather from the routine
responsibilities of their school
work, these projects serve as an
opportunity to interact with and
learn from peers who each bring a
unique set of skills to the team.
In the recent SIS school play
adaptation of Jonathan Rands
Check Please staged by the schools
Drama Club, the elaborate
production was entirely studentmanaged, with the clubs teacher
advisors playing a secondary role

More than just talent

Involvement in performing arts allows students at SIS to gain enriching

experiences that complement their academic education.

as consultants.
The cast impressed the audience
not only with their display of talent
in acting, directing, stage
management, costume and props
preparation, and sound and
lighting controls, but also through
their teamwork, resourcefulness
and determination.
Director Grade 10 student
Pranay Dakshanadaran Prem

Ratna credits the collaboration

between members for the plays
success.
Of course there were times
when we butted heads and we had
to learn to see things from others
point of view to make the project a
success, he says.
This experience taught me a
valuable lesson in working with
people, how important

communication is and that with

teamwork, there is nothing we
cannot achieve.
From its conception to the
opening night, their hard work
spanned an entire semester and
the members were rewarded by
how well the play was received by
the audience.
The cast members varied
backgrounds and personalities
combined to expose students to
an exchange of knowledge and
ideas, teaching them about
tolerance and imbuing them with
a newfound sense of confidence,
camaraderie and cooperation.
Tracing the history of creative
arts events at SIS, a common
theme becomes familiar: a
majority of the showcases held
are associated with a cause or
service.
The quality and prevalence of
talent at SIS is undeniable;
however, the community is
proudest when its students
combine their talent with heart.
SIS Interact Club proved this
with its novel approach to last
semesters talent competition SIS
Unseen Talent Night.
The Unseen moniker paid
homage to the Malaysian
Foundation for the Blind and the
club channelled all proceeds from

the talent gala to the foundation.

Besides inviting local celebrities
to serve as judges for the event,
the club members got other
international schools such as elc
International School and Taylors
International School to participate
as well as SIS Cooking Club to cater
for the event.
During the event, scheduled
intermissions conveyed the
challenges visually impaired
individuals face daily and
empathise with their condition.
The learning that students
receive from all these experiences
endows them with a sense of
appreciation and acceptance for
the arts and all the benefits that
involvement in the performance
arts can bring.
Keen to know more? Drop by
for a visit to SIS next students
performance Discover Poetry
Slam in Sunway Iskandar, Johor,
on Feb 27.
Themed around love and
friendship, this event will
showcase students voice and talent
and creative expression through
performance poetry.
Limited seats are available.

n To book your seats (by Feb 2),

visit www.sis.sunway.edu.my/
iskandar

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2016

WITH the rapid increase of

students enrolled in online courses,
the traditional college classroom is
shifting from a physical location to
a virtual meeting space.
To accommodate the demands
of the part-time, technology-savvy
student, schools are expanding
their online offerings.
Students interested in taking an
online course must be prepared to
manage their education.
More than ever before,
establishing self-directed learning
and organisation skills at an early
age is essential.
Eye Level recognises the
importance of building and
strengthening the fundamental
principle of self-directed learning
and incorporates this into its
curriculum.
Eye Level has instilled this ability
in millions of students from
preschool to secondary education
levels worldwide.
The incorporation of blended
learning in its existing (Eye Level
Math Online) and new (Eye Level
Happy Talk) programmes has led
to creative transformation in

bright kids 7

Independence in learning
Eye Level learning.
Blended learning is a
combination of traditional
face-to-face (offline) and
online learning.
Blended learning enables
teachers to customise the learning
environment to suit students
differing needs.
The new online-offline blendedlearning approach at Eye Level
aims to provide a new learning
experience and boost students
learning effectiveness.
Eye Level Math Online is a
holistic, blended-learning
mathematics programme that
caters to Basic Thinking Math
students from level three to 15.
Happy Talk is a blendedlearning, situational speaking
programme that aims to enhance
students speaking skills.
The situational speaking
programme exposes students to

Books for your

study needs
IF you are looking for general
reference books or education
books with specialised content,
MPH Bookstores Private and
International Educational
Services (PIES) can help
recommend international
school workbooks.
A range of publications,
including those from the United
Kingdom, the United States,
Australia, Japan and Singapore,
are made available in selected
MPH bookstores.
Of the books sought after,
English workbooks are the most
popular as it is a core
curriculum subject in schools
besides being a crucial language
of communication locally and
internationally.
The top three publishers
whose books are often used by
primary school teachers are
Oxford University Press,
Cambridge University Press and
Schofield & Sims.
They are popular for their
recognised teaching systems
that aid learners effectively
through the years, though each
publisher maintains a unique
style of teaching in their books.
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge Primary English is
an exciting series used in the
Cambridge curriculum, which
was written specifically to
support the Cambridge
International Examinations.
Each learning stage
comprises a learners book,
activity book and teachers
resource book. This series is
designed to support teachers
and help learners succeed in
their primary education.
It also provides structured
questions, tasks and end-of-unit
tests to help build students
confidence while allowing
teachers to monitor their
progress.
Oxford University Press, on

The Explorers series encourages

students to embark on a journey
of self-discovery.

the other hand, publishes the

Explorers series that provides a
wide range of components to
support teachers and students on
their journey of discovery.
By using real-world content to
introduce language education,
the Explorers series encourages
students to explore learning with
their personal experiences.
Fun Explorer Quests at each
level encourages the review and
use of learnt vocabulary and the
extra practice materials in the
Class Book provides support for
the Cambridge English Young
Learners tests.
Schofield & Sims is a wellknown publisher that provides
graded questions to develop
childrens literacy skills.
Key areas are constantly
revisited, giving pupils intensive
language practice. Every
Schofield & Sims English skills
book is divided into three
sections, each comprising 12
one-page tests covering spelling,
word structure, vocabulary,
sentence formation, punctuation
and grammar.
Teachers and parents will also
find this book useful for its
additional education resources.

n For more information, call

MPH at 03-2276 1534.

Eye Level combines face-to-face and online learning in its programmes.

core daily expressions from an

early age to prepare them for
future social blending.
Students are placed in an
enjoyable learning environment
where they acquire practical
English skills through the media
and characters in fun animations
that appeal to them.
Overall, Happy Talk nurtures the
confidence to speak in students.
Eye Level strongly believes in
centralised learning for children,

where it caters to their ability and

needs.
With the advancement of
technology in the 21st century,
children are exposed to machines
and online elements at an earlier
age.
Therefore, it is important to
provide an approach that aligns
with the childrens learning needs.
Benefits of a blended learning
programme:
l Keeps students focused for

longer periods of time

l Makes students more excited
to learn
l Enables students to learn at
their own pace
l Prepares students for the
future
l Improves the quality of
teaching and learning as it
supports face-to-face teaching
approaches
l Students are able to better
evaluate their understanding of
course material via the use of
computer-based qualitative and
quantitative assessment modules
According to chairman
Youngjoong Kang, the ultimate goal
of education is to help children
think for themselves and realise
the joy of learning.

n For more information, visit

www.myeyelevel.com

THE STAR, TUESDAY 19 JANUARY 2016

8 bright kids

Becoming their own teacher

IN 2009, Prof John Hattie published
Visible Learning after having
completed 800 meta-analyses of
thousands of studies and millions
of students in an attempt to answer
a simple question What works
best in education?
An education focused on visible
learning is one that involves an
enhanced role for teachers as they
become evaluators of their own
teaching.
Visible teaching and learning
occurs when teachers see learning
through the eyes of students and
help them become their own
teachers.
The Australian International
School Malaysia (AISM)
commenced its visible learning
journey in 2014.
The Visible Learning Team
conducted a preliminary analysis
of the schools practices and
systems in 2014 and implemented
a whole-school pedagogical
approach to Visible Learning and
Thinking last year.
AISM is working towards
achieving accreditation as a Visible
Learning School next year. With
these developments, AISMs
students are well on their way to
becoming assessment-capable
visible learners learners who can
assess their own learning by
understanding when they need
extra help and areas that they are
doing well in enough to move on.
Visible Learning in junior school
used during lessons reminds
children the purpose of the lesson,
ensuring they know exactly what
they need to recognise in the
relationship between the various
learning experiences.
For example, the What Makes

AISM incorporates visible learning in the Early Learning Centre to help students identify what they are learning and to
encourage them to asses their own learning abilities.

You Say That thinking routine is a

technique that helps develop
thinking, interpretations and
justifications.
This routine helps students
describe their observations and
build explanations. It promotes
evidential reasoning (evidencebased reasoning) and, because it
invites students to share their
interpretations, encourages
students to understand multiple
perspectives.
When examining an artefact or

concept, the key questions that

teachers use in this routine are:
l What is going on?
l What can you see that makes
you say that?
l What do you know that makes
you say that?
Another thinking routine asks
students to describe something,
such as an object or concept, and
then support their interpretation
with evidence.
Because the basic questions in

this routine are flexible, it is useful

when looking at objects such as
works of art or historical artefacts,
but it can also be used to explore a
poem, make scientific observations
and hypotheses or investigate
conceptual ideas such as
democracy.
The routine can be adapted for
use with almost any subject and
may also be useful for gathering
information on students general
concepts when introducing a new
topic.

James Unsworth, humanities

and English teacher in Year 11
and Year 12, believes that new
routines can be learnt and
embedded into the subconscious
mind.
It is like riding a bike. Over
the last two years, all teachers
and students have been working
and developing a new habit the
Visible Thinking routines.
Fast forward two years, I now
automatically write a learning
intention and success criteria on
my board at the start of every
lesson, which are part of the
visible thinking routines, and
during the lesson I constantly
relate what we are doing to our
Visible Learner poster, he says.
With these vital developments,
AISM is set to achieve its goal in
becoming a Visible Learning
school next year.
The implementation of
this learning approach has
certainly enriched learning by
helping students gain better
understanding of their learning
process, continuously assess
themselves and identify their
own learning needs for further
improvement.
This is what differentiates the
Australian curriculum from other
curricula the fact that learning
is not assessed by one major
examination but rather through
various testing methods and
placing importance on the
application of life skills
(communication, critical thinking,
creativity and collaboration)
throughout the learning journey.

n For more information,

visit www.aism.edu.my

Improve your English

TRANSITIONING between schools
can be daunting not just because of
the prospect of getting used to a
new curriculum or making new
friends.
In many cases, students are
intimidated by the fact they have to
learn and interact in a language
they are not proficient in.
Private and international schools
in Malaysia generally use English
as the main medium of teaching,
learning and communication.
If you are transitioning from a
public or vernacular school to a
school where English is the main
language, improving your use of
the language is crucial.
Here are some tips on how to
improve your English.
l Read in English
Read books, newspapers and
web articles in English. Reading at
your own pace and at home is less
intimidating than having a teacher
or other students watch you.
Depending on your level of
English, you can start with
beginner or intermediate books
and slowly work your way up.
Besides helping you improve
your vocabulary, reading
newspapers also keeps you
updated on the latest happenings

in the country and gives you an

insight into how formal reporting
language is used.

l Choose English entertainment

Improving your language skills
does not have to be a boring
process. Films and television series
in English can help you learn new
words and phrases in a fun and
entertaining way.
Find films and television shows
with subtitles; this will not be
difficult in Malaysia. This way, if
you do not understand a word or if
the characters are speaking too
quickly for you to follow, you can
fall back on the subtitles to learn
the new vocabulary or get familiar
with pronunciations. Eventually,
you will be able to follow the show
without subtitles.
Listening to English songs is
another fun way to improve your
language skills. Find out the
meaning of the lyrics if you do not
understand them and take note of
how words rhyme.

l Learn English idioms and

phrases
English is a complicated and
expressive language. There are
numerous idioms (phrases or

Reading books, newspapers and web articles in English is a good way to improve your language skills.

expressions whose meaning may

not be immediately discernable)
that native English speakers use to
express their meaning and feelings.
Learn the meaning of one idiom
every week or two and try to use it
in your everyday conversations.

your grammar.
You can keep a journal and write
a few hundred words about your
day every evening. This is also a
good way to keep track of your
progress and improvement in the
language.

l Write in English

l Practise whenever you can

Writing is another way to

express your thoughts, use your
English vocabulary and practise

You will be using English in

school but you should practise at
home with your siblings and

parents too.
If you are from a non-English
speaking household, set aside some
time every day (such as an hour in
the evening) when everyone
speaks only in English to each
other.
This will not only improve your
command of the language, but
your familys too.
Source: schooladvisor.my