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2 bright kids
No limit
to learning
ALMOST all preschools focus on basic language, mathematics and
skill development. However, many have also come up with
interesting lessons that integrate atypical early education subjects.
Here are some such programmes:
Category
Options for
early education
By THERESA BELLE
THE idea that preschool should
be a place for learning from
interactions, experiences and
activities is not a new one.
Teachers have supported the
notion that preschool education
should allow children to express
themselves through play since
Pedagogue Friedrich Frebels
renowned work in the 1800s.
Frebel was the first to recognise
that children have unique needs
and capabilities, and this notion
set the foundation for modern
education.
In recent years, governments
around the world have given
early years education more
status and scientific research
has provided evidence to support
what early years specialists
have been saying for years
children learn best through
Unique constructs
Besides public and private
centres, many international schools
also have their own preschools that
Preschool
Fitness or
martial arts
Music
Cultural and
world studies
Cooking
Natural sciences
and technology
Source: schooladvisor.my
bright kids 3
The BECHE
programme at OUM
is fully accredited
by the Malaysian
Qualifications
Agency (MQA)
and recognised by
the Public Service
Department (JPA).
Dr Azhar Md Adnan
ECCE at OUM
The Bachelor of Early Childhood
with Honours (BECHE) programme
at Open University Malaysia (OUM)
is designed to meet this need
4 bright kids
Individual exploration,
progress
The Montessori approach was
brought to Malaysia almost 30 years
ago by Nan Civel, founder of The
childrens house preschool chain.
Characterised by individual
learning and development through
freedom within limits, this method
shifted the role of teachers from
instructors to facilitators in the
classroom.
The approach recognises that
Preschool Curriculum
emphasises communication
skills, social skills and other skills
to prepare them for formal
education beginning in primary
school.
In these early years, learning
takes on a very fluid meaning as
children are not yet involved in
formal education.
Several circumstances affect
parents decision on when and
where to enrol their young ones
in preschool, including the skills
or experiences they want their
children to pick up.
For example, there are centres
with language immersion
courses for children to learn a
language such as Bahasa
Malaysia or Mandarin while they
are in the prime period for
language acquisition.
In recent times, religious
preschools (particularly Islamic
in Muslim-majority Malaysia)
that focus on fundamental
teachings and values have also
cropped up to cater to parents
who want faith education
incorporated in their childs
early years.
Islamic preschools such as
Genius Aulad and Nuhs Ark
Islamic Montessori, for instance,
offer Arabic and Quranic lessons.
Addressing current
needs
For Nitha Nathan and her
husband, enrolling their threeyear-old in an international
kindergarten was about
Colourful
melting ice
THIS experiment examines how
quickly (or slowly) you can melt
ice using salt and some
watercolours.
It is a great fun learning
activity for preschool-aged
children to perform on a hot
day.
Children will not only learn
science, they will also practise
their reasoning and motor skills.
Make sure to ask questions and
discuss what is happening
to the ice as the experiment
progresses.
What you need:
Cake tin
Water
Salt
Watercolours or food
colouring
Paint brushes
Small spoons
Large baking dish
(optional)
Prepare ahead of time:
Freeze water in the cake
tin. Remove the block of
ice from the tin for the
experiment.
Fill an ice tray with
water. Mix in different
food colourings/water
colours to create a range
of colours.
Mix in some salt with
each batch of coloured
water.
Place the block of ice on
any surface or in a baking
dish to contain the
melting water.
What to do:
Pour some salt directly
onto the block of ice; it
will pop and crack. Why
does this happen?
Paint the block of ice with
the watercolours. Does
this speed up the melting?
Continue painting and
sprinkling salt onto the
ice. Cracks will form, into
which the watercolours
will seep. Talk about what
is happening and how it
looks.
How it works:
Salt lowers the freezing point
of ice where water usually
freezes at 0oC, it will now freeze
at -6oC (with a 10% salt solution).
This means that as the salt
dissolves into the water, it
lowers its freezing and melting
temperature, causing the ice to
melt more quickly than usual.
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Primed
for life
THE first batch of Australian
International School Malaysia
(AISM) Year 12 students recently
completed a week-long Trinity
College Personal Leadership
Program at the University of
Melbourne.
The students, who are in their
final year of schooling, are due to
sit for their Australian Higher
School Certificate (HSC)
examinations in Malaysia in
September.
They were mentored
throughout the week by
university and college staff as
well as by high-achieving senior
students from University of
Melbourne and senior teachers
from AISM.
The partnership with
University of Melbourne was an
excellent opportunity for AISMs
senior students to explore
leadership capabilities, focus on
academic goals, and enhance
their teamwork and collaborative
skills.
The programme also helped
students become more aware of
the skills they would need when
transitioning to university study.
At the commencement of the
week, a blog was created to
provide families and teachers of
the Year 12 students with an
opportunity to see photographs
and comments from those
involved as the week progressed.
Sophie Cusworth, one of the
University of Melbourne student
mentors, wrote about the
students in the blog, saying, It is
a real pleasure having AISM
students here they are
enthusiastic, fun, hardworking
and insightful. What a great
group.
During the week at University
of Melbourne, AISM students
went through a range of learning
experiences that was designed to
help them explore their
individual potentials and unique
talents.
The activities included
seminars and workshops on
leadership, personal
development, problem-solving
and teambuilding skills.
Students were also treated to
drama communication sessions,
early morning tai chi classes,
rock climbing, a tour of the
University of Melbourne and city
sights and even a trip to the
theatre to see Georgy Girl the
Seekers Musical.
The programme gave us an
insight into the ups and downs of
university life and is especially
relevant to us during our final
year of schooling, says Praveen
Revi Chandran, who also
attended a two-week residential
summer school programme in
Oxford University two years ago.
We have received an
impeccable amount of knowledge
through the daily seminars in
this programme, which covered
topics crucial for university and
personal development.
6 bright kids
tutorial centres.
Siti Nori Nor Anuar, mother of
five-year-old Aryan Ammar, finds
the IEP programme to be effective.
Since the day her son joined the
programme, she has been amazed
with his progress in the English
language.
I noticed that my sons
vocabulary improved and he was
able to use many new English
words within six months, says Siti
Nori, who enrolled Aryan in Smart
Reader Kids Taman Sri Hartamas.
Understanding the need to
provide a strong English
foundation for her five-year-old
daughter, Mazuin Abdul Rahim
made the decision to enrol
Syameen Aryssa Shahrul
Nizam in Smart Reader Kids
Damansara Heights.
Prior to joining the Smart
Reader Kids and IEP
programmes,
Syameen was an
incredibly shy girl.
However, after
Emma Abd
Majid with her
son Ahmad
Daniel
Haqeem from
Smart Reader
Kids Dataran
Selayang.
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elc International School prides itself in hiring qualified and passionate educators.
The noble
profession
THE lack of qualified teachers is not an
issue unique to Malaysia; this shortage is
experienced across the world.
Many schools have had to look at hiring
degree holders with no teaching
experience or educational qualifications.
The net is being cast far and wide to
recruit a new generation of teachers to
cope with the increasing number of
students.
Loo Chuan Kian, senior assistant of the
secondary division at elc International
School, says, We need to find teachers
with good subject knowledge. This matters
not only because at the top of the ability
range, you need to be able to stretch
pupils, but also because teachers with good
knowledge tend to make lessons for
younger children more interesting.
Subject knowledge is a prerequisite for
any discipline of teaching, but that alone is
not enough.
Sheela Raghu, principal at elc, says,
Sound subject knowledge can only go so
far. A teacher has to have the tools for
delivering a subject. For that, she needs to
have an awareness of the methodology of
teaching and learning.
Nithiya Kala, head of languages and
literature, adds that learning is now more
student-centred and activity-based rather
than being didactic-based.
Essentially, teachers need to have the
tools to engage students and get them to
take charge of their own learning process.
The main challenge nowadays is to be
able to keep students motivated and
focused, says head of the mathematics
department Catryana Nellan.
This requires a significant amount of
skill on the part of the teacher. While
candidates with sound subject knowledge
but without teaching qualifications can be
appointed, it is essential that they
immediately undertake training that will
8 bright kids
Era of online
learning
BLENDED learning integrates face-to-face
classroom time with online learning
facilitated by a classroom teacher, improving
the effectiveness of classroom learning with
technology-enhanced online materials.
Eye Level has launched a new blended
learning programme called Eye Level Math
Online. The programme offers online
practice that provides instant feedback on
top of its offline learning.
Students are able to learn new concepts
through the booklets with trained instructors
at the centre and receive immediate
feedback on their homework that can be
done online. In addition, students results
and statuses are compiled and provided as
feedback to the parents.
Parents will be amazed at how fast their
Improve your
childs vocabulary
COLLINS English dictionaries and
thesauruses combine colourful illustrations
and clear layouts to encourage children to
discover and learn the English language.
As children learn and grow, Collins
dictionaries reflect their learning needs with
up-to-date vocabulary in an easy-to-use and
engaging format.
The Primary Illustrated Dictionary and
the Primary Thesaurus have both been
recently revised and updated to provide full
support for children seeking to improve
their comprehension and writing skills.
Collins dictionaries are the essential
reference tools for supporting the language
and literacy needs of children.
Written in a clear, straightforward style,
the dictionary contains full sentence
definitions and examples that place words
within a context that is familiar to children.
It is specifically designed to extend and
reinforce key dictionary skills by showing
parts of speech (for example, whether a
word is a noun or verb) and other forms of a
word (for example, plural forms and
adjectival forms).
It also provides pronunciation support for
difficult or easily confusable words.
Synonyms and antonyms are provided to
help develop pupils vocabulary and the
dictionary is complete with spelling and
grammar tips to help children use words
with confidence.
The Primary Illustrated Dictionary also
offers the unique Word Wizard, which helps
children develop their spelling, writing and
grammar skills with themed pages and
games, and includes a fact-filled Earth and
bright kids 9
Focus on
the early
years
EDUCATION acknowledges that
learning is developmental and
provides for each childs
physical, social, emotional,
intellectual and cultural
development.
At Marlborough College
Malaysia, this journey begins
with the youngest pupils in the
Pre-Prep department.
Children enter the Reception
class at age four and follow the
Early Years Foundation Stage
(EYFS) curriculum.
The EYFS is a British
programme that provides a
strong foundation for young
childrens development and
emphasises the importance of
learning through play and the
role of play in its own right.
Through play, children develop
language skills, emotional
creativity as well as social and
intellectual skills.
Play takes place both indoors
and outdoors. It is in these
different environments that
children explore and discover
their immediate world.
The role of the teacher in this
setting is crucial. Our Early Years
teachers provide high-quality
planned experiences that allow
pupils the opportunities to
practise their ideas and skills,
take risks in a safe environment
and solve problems that they
encounter.
When children play, they are
learning at the highest level as
they are engaged and interested
in the activity.
Our EYFS teachers observe the
play and join in when invited or
when they see an opportunity to
extend the learning that is taking
place.
Marlborough recognises that
children enter the Reception
class at various stages of
maturity and academic ability.
We aim to nurture each child
and provide for their individual
needs, building from their
existing knowledge,
understanding and experiences.
Throughout their first year in
school, children are offered a
wide range of opportunities
while a strong emphasis is
continually placed on their
education.
Personal and social skills play
an important part in our daily
life. The children are nurtured
in a positive and caring
environment and are given
opportunities to develop
confidence and self-esteem.
The EYFS curriculum
allows teachers to
become facilitators
who co-explore
learning experiences
with children, helping
10 bright kids
Encouraging
shy children
FOR most children, preschool is the first time
they venture out of their comfort zone.
While some are immediately eager to
participate and play, more reserved young
ones may find their introduction to school
overwhelming. As a result, they may seem
quiet, withdrawn or uninterested.
Parents of shy children are often
concerned about their childrens behaviour,
but children have different abilities and
milestones they cannot all adapt or learn at
the same pace. Adults can help ease the first
school experience by acknowledging and
talking through their childrens feelings
while practising these steps:
Bring their interests to school Whether
it is a toy, book or pet, sharing their interests
with other children allows children to open
up in a way that is familiar to them while
fostering a sense of belonging. Interacting
with the teacher and discussing ways to
integrate lessons at home could also help
children who learn better at their own pace
or in a familiar environment.
Facilitate interaction Arrange play
dates or outdoor activities with other
children from preschool. If one-on-one
interaction is hard, start by having the other
child come over and play with the little one
at your house, then move outdoors and
bright kids 11
Myriad ways
to develop
PLAY is a natural action for
children. While it may seem
disorganised and pointless to
adults, there are underlying
complexities to play, many of
which bring educational and
developmental benefits.
Play is basically how very young
children learn and practise fine
motor skills and reasoning. As
children grow older, they further
develop these skills through play
and also learn social skills through
interaction with playmates.
However, in a largely rotelearning society, there are often not
enough opportunities given to
children to learn through play,
especially as they progress in their
education.
Play time should not be
underestimated as it can provide
meaningful learning experiences
for children, which help children
effectively retain information that
they learn in classes.
In fact, modern curricula have
recognised the importance of this
natural behaviour and have
incorporated it into the teaching
Educational benefits
l Meaningful experiences
Play gives children meaningful
contexts to gain new concepts and
skills, which allow them to
understand what they have learnt
and put their knowledge into
practical use.
Hands-on activities give children
the opportunities to not only use
new-found skills but also efficiently
find solutions to problems they
encounter in real life.
l Motivation to learn When
children enjoy the learning
process, they become motivated to
learn and thus pick up new
information quickly.
Furthermore, a fun and relaxed
learning environment encourages
Developmental benefits
l Language development
Children engage in varied language
use during play and as such
develop greater mastery of
receptive language (what a child
understands) and expressive
language (the words a child
speaks).
They learn how to use a wider
range of vocabulary to express
their thoughts and actions during
play sessions, thus helping develop
their communication skills.
l Social development As
children progress into preschool,
they start interacting with each
other.
Through these interactions,
children learn to negotiate,
cooperate, share and be aware of
other peoples feelings, which are
important social skills for life.
Master English
the fun way
The first academic term of the year is about
to end for the student community and for
many of them, this means it is time to get
serious about study.
Many are hoping to improve their grades
as they work towards educational goals and
examinations.
However, it is a mistaken belief that if
students practise and complete enough
worksheets, they will improve.
Research has shown that when it comes to
education, students will be more successful if
they have fun while learning.
Morris Allen English believes that learning
English can be fun when it takes place in an
interactive learning environment.
All of its classes involve interaction
between students and qualified, experienced
native English-speaking teachers.
This is one of the main reasons so many
students enjoy attending and keep returning
to English language enrichment classes at
Morris Allen English.
Children enjoy their lessons and continue
to grow in their confidence, which is
reflected in the improved results in their
English lessons at school.
Morris Allen English offers a specially
designed enrichment programme that
encourages children to love learning English.
As reading and enjoying books is one of
the important elements for building a strong
foundation in all who learn English, Morris
Allen English provides students with an
extensive library of books that they can take
home each week.
The Morris Allen English programme
includes speaking and listening to native
English-speaking teachers.
With small classes of one teacher to 12
students (smaller for preschoolers), every
student gets the opportunity to engage with
their teacher. In return, the teacher can offer
l Cognitive development
With arts and crafts, children learn
how to put together existing objects
and colours to create something
new.
In storytelling, children learn
how to empathise with characters
emotions and translate text
descriptions into images.
In these instances, children are
expanding their imagination,
gaining new perspectives and
participating in abstract thinking,
all of which are crucial for their
brain development.
Having the ability to think,
reason and imagine is important
for success in their future studies,
career and life.
l Physical development
While activities such as
watching the television or
playing games on a tablet
involve limited or no motor
actions, play activities such as
arts and crafts and sports
involve the use of fine and gross
motor skills.
The latter is important in
facilitating childrens physical
development as they learn about
the functions of their anatomy
and their physical capabilities.
This leads to children
developing healthy bodies,
which in turn helps develop
healthy minds.
Parents can encourage
physical activities by involving
themselves in their childs play.
Set aside an hour or more
each day for a few days a week
for physical activities that
involve gross motor skills, such
as jogging, swimming, playing
games in the garden or those
that involve fine motor skills
such as painting or making
crafts.
12 bright kids
Overcoming ADHD
LISAS son Jack (not their real names) had
always been a handful. As a preschooler, he
would tear through the house and no toy or
activity held his interest for more than a few
minutes.
Things did not improve when he went to
primary school. According to his class
teacher, Jack was not able to carry out
simple problem-solving activities. After
numerous complaints of his disruptive
behaviour at school, Lisa contacted
ChildPsych, the Child Psychology division of
the International Psychology Centre, to make
an appointment for an initial assessment.
The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for
Children that diagnoses children
psychological disorders such as learning
difficulties was employed to observe Jacks
learning abilities and detect any attention
and concentration difficulties.
The assessment revealed that Jack scored
poorer than children of his age, indicating
an attention-deficit disorder.
Jack was diagnosed with Attention-Deficit
Disorder (ADD) or Attention-Deficit/
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a form of
behavioural disorder.
After subsequent tests, a child
psychotherapy programme was developed to
resolve the weaknesses identified in Jack.
This programme emphasised behavioural
therapy and was designed to change
negative behavioural patterns by
reorganising Jacks home and school
Children with
ADHD may be
easily
distracted as
they are not
able to
process the
overwhelming
information
they receive.