THE STAR Tuesday 7 October 2014

Creating well-rounded students > 4 Going beyond the classroom > 11

Growing
the nation
StarSpecial
2 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 7 October 2014
Empowering young minds holistically
SINCE its inception more than 20
years ago, Q-dees has grown from
strength to strength, becoming
one of the most recognisable
names in early childhood
development and preschool
education in Malaysia.
With more than 140 centres
nationwide, Q-dees preschool
holistic educational experience is
known for providing cutting-edge
programmes.
There are three programmes
that are incorporated into the
Preschool syllabus Fliptec@Q,
Beamind Foundation and Q-dees
Love to Life.
Each programme focuses on a
specic area to provide a holistic
educational approach to empower
young minds and to build a
foundation for a child to grow
exponentially.
These programmes have been
specically formulated through
innovative and dynamic research,
which is globally benchmarked
and spearheaded by Q-dees R&D
centre at Cyberjaya.
Fliptec@Q utilises the Focus
Learning Imaginative Play
technology, which is highly
effective to motivate learning,
concentration, recall and
understanding.
Beamind Foundation is
designed to stimulate intelligence
by empowering creative and
logical thinking as well as
enhancing language prociency.
Q-dees Love to Life is a
programme that aspires to
nurture and promote love,
kindness and other essential
moral values.
These customised and highly
effective teaching tools have been
developed to make learning fun
through song, dance, animation,
rhymes, poems and stories.
This enables a greater range
of learning every day, a higher
rate of absorption, improves
attentiveness and enhances the
ability of application of lessons
learnt in the classroom into their
daily activities.
Mastering three languages
The ability to communicate
articulately is one of the most
essential soft skills today.
Mastering more than one
language is equally essential not
only because Malaysians live
in a melting pot of cultures and
languages but also because of
the effects of globalisation on
societal, cultural and communal
interactions.
The Fliptec@Q and Beamind
Foundation programmes are
geared to enable students to
master English, Bahasa Malaysia
and Mandarin. The lessons are
set out uniquely to promote
prociency through practice.
Empowerment through
innovation
With the speed at which
technology is evolving today,
having your child experience
it rst hand at an early age will
prove to be an advantage and it
will serve to enhance his learning
skills.
As children tend to have short
attention spans, the inclusion of
colourful visuals and appealing
Q-dees students are confident, creative and caring.
audio through multimedia
facilities and animation into the
lessons strongly engages the
children and promotes amplied
interaction during each lesson.
The revolutionary
e-Reader programme
A distinct programme offered
under the Beamind Foundation
programme is e-Readers. It has
been highly successful in instilling
a reading culture among children
from as young as three years old.
The e-Reader books are
developed meticulously and
are graded with a controlled
vocabulary to maximise word
identication and uency.
Q-dees commitment to its
children has never been stronger
and it continues to strive to
deliver the best, meeting both
international standards of
education while nurturing values
that empower lifelong education.
n For more information,
call 1700 815 077 or visit
www.q-dees.com
Investing in education
By ANUSHIA KANDASIVAM
P
RIMARY education is
compulsory in Malaysia this
is law, set out in the Malaysia
Education Act 1996.
This means that every child of
a Malaysian citizen has to attend
school once he or she has reached
the age of seven on the rst day of
January of the current school year.
It is safe to say that almost
every eligible child in the country
attends primary school.
According to Unicef statistics,
the primary school participation
survival rate to the last primary
grade in Malaysia was 99.2% from
2008 to 2012.
Statistics of secondary school
participation from the same
timeframe indicates that 66.1% of
male students and 71.3% of female
students continue from their
primary education and enrol in
secondary schools.
Though these numbers are far
from the 100% that any nation
would like to possess, they are
nevertheless promising as they
indicate an increased participation
in non-compulsory education.
Quantity
vs quality
According to the Malaysia
Education Blueprint 2013-2025,
research shows that Malaysia has
done relatively well in the past
50 years in expanding access
to education and raising adult
literacy rates and participation in
schooling.
Participation in schooling is
obviously vital for building an
effective workforce, but studies
have shown that quantity of
education the number of schools
and amount of resources available
to students in developing
countries such as Malaysia is
usually better than the quality of
education available.
A study by the World Bank
on the correlation between
education quality and economic
growth found that the quality of
education has substantial effects
on individual earnings, on the
distribution of income and on
overall economic growth.
The study further states that
just providing more resources to
schools is unlikely to be successful
in improving quality of the
available education; instead, a
reform of the education system is
needed.
It seems then that Malaysias
aspirations of economic growth
leading to it achieving high-
income nation status relies heavily
on the quality of the education
available in the country.
Improving outcomes
It is a widely recognised
fact that the quality of the
international education available
in Malaysia is better than the
education offered by the national
system.
One of the aspirations the
government has for the national
education system and the
students in it is to improve the
quality of national education
so that it is comparable to the
best international systems and
to give Malaysian children the
opportunity to attain a uniquely
Malaysian education that is of
excellent quality.
This is Shift 1 of the 11 shifts
identied in the Blueprint to
transform the national education
system.
As part of this initiative, there
are plans to revamp the national
examinations and school-based
assessments to gradually increase
the percentage of questions that
test higher-order thinking to train
students to think critically and
apply knowledge.
Shift 10 is maximising student
outcomes for every ringgit spent
on education, which includes
reallocating funding to the most
critical areas such as teacher
training and upskilling.
All this is aimed at improving
student outcomes, which in turn
will impact the workforce and
eventually, economic growth.
The right investment
In 2011, about 16% of Malaysias
annual federal budget was spent
on education, the largest portion
among all the ministries.
As a share of the countrys GDP,
Malaysias education budget is
one of the largest in the world.
In last years announcement of
the Budget 2014, Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said
that the education sector was
allocated RM54.6bil that is 21% of
the budget.
According to the Blueprint, this
signicant investment indicates
the governments commitment to
education.
This it certainly does, but such
investment must be channelled
into the right sectors and spent
eciently to be truly effective.
The World Bank study found
that simple physical expansion
of the educational facilities and
increased spending per student
generally do not seem to lead to
substantial increases of student
competencies and learning
achievement.
Although some investment of
this kind is certainly productive
there are minimal levels
of key resources required to
promote student learning and
improve the quality of education
students receive one of the
most important factors leading
to improvement of educational
quality is instead the quality of the
teachers in the classroom.
The government plans to
reallocate funding that has
been freed up through ecient
spending to teacher training and
upskilling an initial RM1bil in
operational expenditure for the
period of 2013-2015 was identied
for saving and reallocation.
The results of these reforms
will not be seen for years to come
as the rst few cohorts of new
graduates that have gone through
the still-evolving education
system will make up just a small
part of the countrys whole labour
force.
It can be conjectured that
within 10 years, the quality of
education should have improved
suciently that graduates who
have been through the system
would be able to contribute
enough to the economy to enable
Malaysia to achieve its developed
nation status goal.
The government
plans to
reallocate
funding that has
been freed up
through efficient
spending to
teacher training
and upskilling.
StarSpecial, Tuesday 7 October 2014 BRIGHT KIDS 3
Nutrition information
Serving size: 2 pieces (50g)
Serving per package: 4
Nutrients
Energy
Carbohydrate
Protein
Per 100g
230kcal (966kJ)
32.0g
8.0g
Per serving
115kcal (483kJ)
16.0g
4.0g
Fat 8.0g 4.0g
A guide to food labels
F
OOD labels reveal the brand,
markings, graphics or other
written or printed statistics
on food packaging.
Food labels help you make the
right choice of healthier foods by
reading the information printed
on them.
By reading food labels, you
will be able to differentiate the
contents of foods from the various
brands available in the market.
You will also able to know how
high or low a foods nutrient
content is.
The list of information on
a food label include the food
information panel, food claims, list
of ingredients, marking date and
information on the manufacturer
or distributor.
Food information
panel
The food information panel
shows the amount of energy
and the list of nutrients such as
carbohydrates, protein and fat
contained in a product.
Most packaged food will list
the energy, carbohydrate, protein
and fat content and sometimes
the vitamin and mineral content
as well.
The columns in the second row
show the amount of energy and
nutrient content in every 100g (if
the product is in solid form) or in
every 100ml (if the product is in
liquid form).
In the example below, every
100g of this product has 230kcal
of energy, 32g of carbohydrates, 8g
of protein and 8g of fat.
The columns in the third row
show the amount of energy and
nutrient content in every serving
of the product. In the table below,
every serving that equals to
two pieces (50g) of this product
has 115kcal of energy, 16g of
carbohydrates, 4g of protein and
4g of fat.
If you were to consume two
servings of the product (four
pieces), your energy and nutrient
content would be doubled.
Food claims
A food claim is any type of
claim made on food labels about
the quality of the product.
You will nd claims such as
fat-free, high in vitamin C or
less sugar on products that have
met the criteria to make such
claims.
The types of claims and
explanations can be summarised
as follows:
Type of claim Keywords Explanation
Nutrient content claim Low
Free/zero/no
Example: Low fat, sugar free
Source
High/rich
Example: Source of protein,
high in calcium
For nutrients that are said to be
detrimental to health if consumed
in excess such as fat, salt and sugar.
Nutrient comparison claim Reduced
Less/light
Example: Less sodium
For new formulations of a product
where the quantity a certain
nutrient that is not beneficial for
health is reduced compared to the
initial formulation.
Nutrient function claim Only the list of claims permitted under
the Food Regulations 1985 by certain
conditions, which involves:
classic nutrient functions such as
protein, vitamins and minerals
Example: Calcium helps the growth
of strong bones and teeth.
Other components that have been
identified such as lutein, beta-glucan,
plant sterol, sialic acid and so on.
Example: Beta-glucan from oats helps
lower cholesterol levels.

Claims describing the role of
specific nutrients in the normal
function of the body based on
development and scientific
evidence.
Claim does not imply that nutrients
can treat, cure or protect against
certain diseases.
More/extra
Increased
Example: Increased calcium
For new formulations of a product
where the quantity of a certain
nutrient that is beneficial for health
is increased compared to the initial
formulation.
For nutrients that are beneficial for
health such as protein, vitamins or
minerals.
List of ingredients
Reading the list of ingredients
on food labels is the best way to
identify the contents of packaged
products.
The list of ingredients will also
alert you on ingredients that you
may be allergic to.
Here is some information that
you will be able to derive from the
list of ingredients:
l All food labels list down their
ingredients based on weight.
The ingredient with the highest
content will be listed rst.
l Beware of sugar additives that
may be listed as sucrose, maltose,
dextrose, corn syrup, high
fructose corn syrup, honey and
maple syrup.
l Food products that contain
additives need to state the type of
additive included in the product
such as preservatives, colouring,
articial avourings, avour
enhancers and permitted food
conditioners.
l The list of ingredients is also a
good way for you to determine
the right nutrients that your
body needs. For example, if you
have a history of heart disease,
you will need to look out for
ingredients such as olives, corn or
or wholegrains.
Marking date
The Food Regulations
1985 makes it compulsory for
perishables such as baby formula,
milk, milk products, biscuits,
bread, cereals, pasteurised fruit
and vegetables juices to have a
marking date.
Marking dates are usually in
the following forms:
l Expiry date
l Use before
l Eat before
l Drink before
l Best before
Before you make your purchase,
ensure that the product is not
too close to its expiry date. This
applies especially to products that
are on sale.
As a consumer you have to
always be mindful of the marking
date on products as consuming
expired food products can
compromise your health.
Information on the
manufacturer or distributor
This information will let
you know if the product was
manufactured locally or overseas.
It will also provide you with more
information on the manufacturer
or distributor.
Food claims.
Food information panel.
High in iron
High in calcium
Vitamin A, C and E
Ingredients:
Cereals (wheat, rice, corn),
skim milk powder, sugar,
vitamin, salt.
Food information panel
Serving size: 28g
Number of serving per package: 18

Average
composition
Every
100g
Every serving
(28g)
Energy (kcal)
Carbohydrate (g)
Fat (g)
Protein (g)
Sugar (g)
Fibre (g)
365
67.0
1.2
16.1
37.8
4.1
102
18.8
0.3
4.5
10.6
1.1
Best before: 12.08.2020
It is important to
read food labels
when buying
packaged food.
4 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 7 October 2014
Students should have a balance between academics and activities that take place
outside the classroom.
At UCSI International School, students get to develop various skills such as
researching, self-managing and thinking skills.
Creating well-rounded students
T
HE Middle Years Programme
(MYP), an International
Baccalaureate (IB)
programme, is offered at UCSI
International School located in
the picturesque town of Bandar
Springhill, Negri Sembilan.
With IB programmes and full
boarding opportunities, the school
is a premier IB World School.
The MYP provides students
with a holistic education. The
concept-based, academically
rigorous curriculum is
complemented by the MYPs
Service as Action Programme,
Personal Projects and the schools
After School Programme.
The reective approach
of the MYP extends learning
opportunities to all students.
l Boarding experience
and facilities
UCSI International School offers
its students the full boarding
experience, which teaches them to
be independent.
Communal living also fosters
camaraderie and teamwork
among the students.
The school boasts a number
of state-of-the-art facilities,
including projectors, computers,
computer labs, a two-storey
library and a multi-purpose hall.
l Service as Action
The Service as Action
Programme is an integral part
of MYP and presents authentic
opportunities for all students to
engage with the community. The
focus of the programme is service
with others and not for others.
During the course of the
programme, students develop the
ability to design and implement
their own community service
projects.
In addition to these community
service activities, students in
Grades 8 and 10 conduct two
major projects as part of the
Service as Action Programme.
Grade 8 students, together
with their teacher, develop and
implement a plan to address a
need in the local community.
In Grade 10, students complete a
collaborative project that involves
both service and action in the
wider Malaysian area.
In pairs, Grade 10 students
implement a plan to address a
community need of their choice.
The plan is implemented over the
course of the academic year with
an advisor to guide and support
the students.
l Personal Project
In addition to the curriculum
and Service as Action Programme,
students in Grade 10 of the MYP
undertake a Personal Project.
For this project, students select
a topic of interest to them and
apply their classroom learning
to the real world. This is an
independent project guided by a
teacher advisor.
l Interdisciplinary learning
While students study distinct
academic disciplines, intentional
links to other disciplines are
explicitly made. As such, the MYP
reects the complexity of our
world.
lInquiry-based learning
Inquiry-based learning
supports and guides students as
they learn how to learn. As such,
inquiry-based learning allows
for individual differentiation
according to strengths and areas
for growth.
l Concept-based learning
Conceptual learning, as
opposed to learning content,
encourages students to become
adept problem solvers and
thinkers.
l Skills development
A hallmark feature of the
MYP, Approaches to Learning
are essential skills mapped
throughout the curriculum. The
skillsets include communicating,
socialising, researching, self-
managing and thinking.
l Leading learning
The school hires teachers who
are highly qualied professionals.
As facilitators, guides and
mentors, the teachers connect
with the students.
With this connection, students
are supported as they develop to
their full potential.
l Combining the best
As an IB World School,
UCSI International School is
proud to offer the Middle Years
Programme.
It combines an exceptional
programme with exceptional
teachers it is a premier IB World
School.
n For more information,
call 06-653 6888 or e-mail
enquiry@ucsiinternationalschool.
edu.my
StarSpecial, Tuesday 7 October 2014 BRIGHT KIDS 5
A good head start
P
ARENTS always want to give their
children the best when it comes to
education.
Cambridge English For Life (CEFL)
understands the importance of early
childhood education and so gives young
learners a strong foundation through the
Young Learners English Course.
There are two main levels of prociency,
namely Junior English 1 for ages three to
four and Junior English 2 for ages ve to six.
This content-rich and comprehensive
course is the adaptation of a carefully
planned syllabus that encourages effective
language learning through the development
of phonic skills, phonemic awareness,
comprehension and early literacy skills.
This encourages young learners to
become uent and lifelong users of the
English language.
CEFL teachers undergo regular training
sessions to refresh their skills and keep
up to date with the latest teaching
methodology.
A student-centred approach that
encourages active participation in every
lesson is implemented to develop speaking
skills. This is achieved through chants,
songs, rhymes, games, ashcards and other
methods that encourage communication.
Reading and writing are taught through
phonics as this is the most effective method
of teaching young learners to accomplish
these skills.
Simple texts are used to help young
learners put the language they are
beginning to acquire into context.
Finally, to improve their listening skills,
young learners are exposed to the sound of
native English through audio clips of songs,
stories and dialogue.
The Total Physical Response (TPR)
approach is used to get the young learners
to follow instructions, mime a song or
rhyme and role play.
Before young learners join a class, they
have to take an assessment of readiness to
test their prociency to be appropriately
placed in either Junior English Level 1 or 2.
CEFL does not believe in formal tests for
young learners but regular assessments are
performed and progress checks are made
to assess their progress at their particular
level.
These are done after each unit in the
middle of the year, with a nal assessment
at the end of the year.
The teachers also observe the
young learners to ensure the latters
understanding of the material taught to
them and ascertain if they are ready to
progress to the next level.
n For more information, visit
www.cambridgeforlife.org
Young learners at Cambridge English For Life will
gain a good foundation for the English language.
6 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 7 October 2014
Epsom College in Malaysia welcomed 150 students for its inaugural intake.
A successful new beginning
E
PSOM College in Malaysia
(ECiM) ocially started its
classes on Sept 2. A branch
campus of the esteemed 159-year-
old Epsom College in the UK, the
British curriculum international
school welcomed 150 students for
its inaugural intake.
The numbers are growing
everyday, following rave reviews
from its founding student families
about the schools impressive
facilities and experienced British
academic faculty.
The schools management
and founding team led by its
headmaster, Martin George, were
delighted at the schools successful
rst day, which came to fruition
after three years of dedication and
hard work by the team.
The passion and relentless
dedication of our team has
brought the school to this day.
With this, I would also like to
thank all our founding students
family who have entrusted us
with their childs education. It will
be the best decision they have ever
made, says George.
The vision of the school was
brought to life by its Old Epsomian
and Malaysia Campus Board of
Governors Chairman Tan Sri Dr
Tony Fernandes. Excitement and
joy were clearly visible on the
faces of its founding students who
marvelled at the top academic and
boarding facilities made available
to them at the schools vast
50-acre (20.2ha) campus.
Suchi Chai, who is currently in
Year 12 in ECiM, says, Studying
here is like studying in Hogwarts
from the Harry Potter series. I
love the boarding experience I am
getting here. Classes are great and
I have been making many new
friends and learning to play new
games such as touch rugby.
Many parents were also seen at
the parents lounge chatting with
heads of faculty and teachers on
the rst day.
On hand to talk with the
parents was Lim Kian Onn, a
member of the schools Board of
Governors who was also visiting
the school on its rst schooling
day.
With the rst term underway
and preparations being made for
the schools January 2015 intake,
this will be the rst of many more
successful stories to come for
Epsom College in Malaysia.
Epsom College in Malaysia is
hosting its Open Day on Oct 11
from 10am to 5pm.
n For more information,
call 03-6211 4488, e-mail
registrar@epsomcollege.edu.my or
www.epsomcollege.edu.my
STRATEGICALLY located in Bandar Enstek, an hour south of Kuala Lumpur,
Epsom College in Malaysia is a 15-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur
International Airport and KLIA2. This 50-acre development is Epsoms first
overseas campus.
Steeped in more than 150 years of rich UK heritage, Epsom College in
Malaysia (ECiM) offers students a first-class British educational experience.
Following the new English National Curriculum, including the Cambridge
International Examination Boards IGCSEs and A-Levels (CIE), ECiM aims to
mirror the academic excellence of Epsom College in the UK that consistently
achieves an 84% of A-Levels grades at A*, A or B grade.
The Epsom College vision embraces the personal development of each
student through innovation and creativity to achieve academic excellence,
developing a love for learning and helping students secure places at the
worlds top universities.
About Epsom College in Malaysia (ECiM)
Classes at Epsom College in Malaysia officially started last month.
StarSpecial, Tuesday 7 October 2014 BRIGHT KIDS 7
Nickie Yew,
co-owner and
director of Mint
Communications.
Penang to host education fair
PENANG has some of the earliest
established schools in the country.
Currently, Penang boasts nine international
schools that attract students from all over
the world, paving the way to a rich and
diverse cultural experience for both local
and international students.
As an advocate for international
education as well as in support of Penangs
efforts in fostering a knowledge-based
economy, Mint Communications initiated
the rst Penang Private & International
School Fair in 2012.
The event attracted families not only
from the surrounding states but from other
countries as well, including the Philippines,
the United States and Singapore.
This year will mark the third instalment
of Mint Communications Penang-based
international education fair.
Extending our fairs from Kuala
Lumpur to Penang was a
very natural move for
us, as the state holds
potential to become
an education hub
in the Asia-Pacic
region.
We want to
contribute towards
both Penang and
Malaysias
aspirations of
developing a
world-class,
skill-driven
economy, says Nickie Yew, co-owner and
director of Mint Communications.
Admission is free and visitors will be
able to meet with school representatives,
including principals and teachers, which
will allow them to compare schools and
curricula to ultimately nd a suitable
school for their children.
Schools participating in the upcoming
event include Epsom College in Malaysia,
Fairview International School, GEMS
International School of Pearl City,
International School of Penang (Uplands),
Kolej Yayasan Saad Melaka, Kolej Yayasan
UEM, Nilai International School, Pelita
International School, Prince of Wales
Island International School, Straits
International School and Tenby Schools.
Sponsors for the event are Chocolate
Passion, HSBC Amanah, Promethean
World and MPH Bookstores.
Visitors will also be able to get a copy
of Education Destination Malaysia, a
comprehensive guidebook that showcases
the full spectrum of international schools
in Malaysia as well as instructional articles
by education experts at a discounted price.
Event details:
3rd Private & International
School Fair Penang
Date : October 12
Time : Noon to 5pm
Venue : Traders Hotel,
Georgetown, Penang
n For more information, e-mail
enquiry@mint-communications.asia
or visit
www.PrivateInternationalSchoolFair.com
An outstanding
achievement
T
HE recently announced IB Diploma
results at Nexus International School
represent an outstanding achievement
for its learners. The schools rst cohort of
IB learners consisted of 23 students, 20 of
whom entered for the full diploma.
In total, the learners achieved an 80%
pass rate, which is comparable to the IB
Diploma world average of 79%. The average
point score for all learners was 31.25 and 36
points for all those students who attained a
full diploma.
Five Nexus students achieved 40 points
or above; this representing 25% of the
cohort. The highest scoring learner at Nexus
achieved an outstanding 43 points out of a
possible total of 45.
Learners at Nexus have all gained
entrance to top universities across the
world, including the United Kingdom,
Canada, the United States and Australia.
Nexus International School would like to
congratulate all its students and teachers
for their hard work and effort.
The current Year 13 cohort consists of 41
learners with 36 students enrolled into the
new Year 12. Registration is still open for
the few nal spots in this group although
most other year groups are now full.
n For more information, visit
www.nexus.edu.my
The IB Diploma programme is designed to equip learners with one of the best foundations possible for
entry into the worlds top universities.
8 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 7 October 2014
Mealtimes can be a major challenge for many
parents.
Scholarships for top scorers
NILAI International School (NIS) has opened
its scholarship applications for students
entering Year 7 and Year 10.
With the motto Let Your Light Shine,
the scholarships at NIS are dedicated to
students who have shown exemplary
academic performance and a solid
co-curricular track record.
There are three types of scholarships
that students can apply for. The High
Achievers Scholarship promises a full
tuition waiver for the entire study duration
at NIS.
This is provided the student upholds the
academic, co-curricular and disciplinary
standards set by the school.
The Merit Scholarship provides a 50%
waiver for tuition.
The Enrichment for Life award gives
students entering Year 7 or Year 10 a waiver
of RM1,000 per term for a duration of three
terms at NIS.
Forecast results for UPSR and PT3 are
accepted for scholarship applications.
Students have the option of selecting the
following intake dates for the scholarship:
Jan 5, 2015
Apr 20, 2015
The scholarship application deadline is
on Nov 28.
n For more information, call 06-850 2188,
or e-mail enquiry@nis.edu.my or visit
www.nis.edu.my
Nilai International School prepares its students to excel in life.
Essential nutrients for growth
C
ONVINCING your child to eat may be
one of the most dicult challenges
for parents. After all, parents must
ensure that their children receive adequate
nutrients from their meals for them to grow.
This is not as easy as it sounds, as
children often exhibit different preferences
and temperaments during mealtimes. It
is therefore important for parents to pay
attention to their childrens eating habits
and understand them to avoid negative
health consequences.
These are a few feeding issues faced by
parents:
l The child who accepts very few foods
Eats only a limited selection of food (for
example, only white foods such as rice,
noodles and bread)
Refuses to eat foods that have a particular
taste, texture, smell, temperature or
appearance
Shows signs of nervousness when asked
to eat foods with characteristics that he
dislikes
l The active child who is rarely hungry
Constantly runs around, is curious about
many things and hardly sits still for proper
meals
Much more likely to show very little
appetite and feels full after only two or
three bites
Is easily distracted from meals, preferring
to play with his toys or siblings
l The child who is afraid of eating
Shows a strong resistance to any attempts
to get him to eat
Cries, pushes away food and refuses to
open his mouth when offered food
May even cry at the mere sight of feeding
or eating items such as a bottle, spoon or
bowl
Could be due to a past traumatic event,
including choking, gagging or vomiting
May also be due to a medical condition
that involved the insertion of tubes through
the mouth and throat
Is your child getting all he needs?
Toddlers aged one to three require
adequate amounts of macronutrients
(including carbohydrate, protein, fat) and
micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).
Studies have shown that children with
feeding diculties consume less than
50% of their recommended daily intake of
energy and nutrients.
A child who has a balanced diet is
more than likely to meet these nutritional
requirements. However, picky eaters tend
to get less nutrition than they need as their
diet does not comprise all food groups.
Some children who are extremely
selective may even lack important vitamins
and minerals that are essential for optimal
growth and development.
The right type of nutritional support
can help your picky eater meet all the
requirements needed for optimal growth
and development.
In general, there are two types of
supplementation:
l Vitamin/mineral supplementation
Generally contains one or a combination
of micronutrients
Major components of the diet such
as carbohydrate, protein and fat
(macronutrients) are usually not present
Available in pill or syrup form
Usually helps to address a specic type
of nutrient deciency, for example, iron or
calcium deciency
l Complete nutritional
supplementation
Contains micro and macronutrients (such
as calcium, iron, carbohydrate, protein,
fat, bre, AA, DHA and other vitamins
and minerals) in the correct amounts
particularly for children
Benecial for picky eaters who often
refuse to eat most types of foods and miss
out on most of the essential nutrients
The effectiveness of certain types of
complete child nutritional supplements was
tested in more than 20 clinical studies
A complete child nutritional supplement
such as PediaSure Complete can ll in the
nutrition gaps every day while you work to
overcome the childs picky eating.
Complete nutritional supplementation
helps give your child all the necessary
nutrients required for optimal growth
and development as well as prevents
developmental and nutrient deciency
problems that may arise from malnutrition.
n For more information, call 1800 886 233
(Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm).
Children need
the adequate
amount of
nutrients to
grow.
StarSpecial, Tuesday 7 October 2014 BRIGHT KIDS 9
Experiential learning
KRISTA believes that early
childhood is a crucial stage
of a childs development.
As such, Krista provides
opportunities for children
in early childhood years to
develop holistically through
well-planned programmes
and extra-curricular activities
that contribute to their overall
development and success.
Kristas CAPABLE
Programme, an all-
encompassing programme
conducted in centres
nationwide, focuses on four
segments individuality,
the effective acquisition of
knowledge, character building
and competency.
The programme combines
aspects of intelligence and adds
value to create the CAPABLE
Krista Kid.
Krista books and teaching
materials have been prepared
with this concept in mind and
are tailored according to the
various learning stages.
At Krista, children at the age
of three are introduced to the
path of learning and experience
in an enjoyable way using its
Fun book series.
The four-year-olds start
becoming curious and Krista
provides the opportunity for
them to discover the world
around them through its
Discovering book series.
At the age of ve when they
start to ask questions, Krista
leads them to explore things
through the Exploring book
series before they progress to
the Study book series at the age
of six, which prepares children
for a smooth transition to
primary school education.
The Krista CAPABLE
Programme is supported by
Kristas day-to-day teachers
guide, Krista workbooks,
trained principals and teachers,
fun and enjoyable extra-
curricular activities and the
use of themes and Montessori
methods.
Another in-house computer
programme, the Krista
e-Discovery Programme,
focuses on a combination of
logical, linguistic, visual as
well as musical intelligence
that supports the academic
curriculum and gives children
useful IT exposure through
multimedia approaches.
Krista also values a close
partnership with parents as
their support, understanding,
commitment and involvement
contributes greatly to childrens
development.
Krista also believes in
building up childrens self-
esteem and condence,
inculcating good values and
discipline, stimulating and
sustaining childrens interest
in learning new things while
developing thinking, cognitive,
literacy and social skills.
n For more information,
call 03-2141 7575,
e-mail info@krista.com.my or
visit www.krista.com.my
Krista kids take a hands-on approach in gaining practical life experiences.
Shurouq Masoud with her daughters,
Minna and Janna.
The smart way to develop young minds
S
MART Reader Kids centres
across the nation are led
by experienced educators.
With assistance from warm and
friendly staff, the Smart Reader
Kids programme engages children
to discover the joys of learning and
develop their character through
play-based activities.
According to Hayati Mohd
Yusoff and Raja Ahmad Muzamir,
their daughter, six-year-old Raja
Mariam Mishael, used to be quiet
and was quite reluctant to go to
school.
After attending Smart Reader
Kids Taman Persiaran Desa, Kuala
Lumpur, Mariam has learned to
express herself better and enjoys
spending time in school.
Chandran Raman Kutty and
Geeta Ann Sulamuthu say that the
Smart Reader Kids programme
has helped their children, ve-
year-old Dhiveish Chandran
and Diya Jaszmiin Chandran, in
developing their academic, social
and interpersonal skills.
Our friends strongly
recommended Smart Reader
Kids to us. We made the decision
to enrol our children at Smart
Reader Kids Taman Mount Austin,
Johor Baru, upon hearing about
their childrens good grades and
seamless transition from pre-
school to primary school, says
Chandran.
As a foreigner, Shurouq Masoud
focused on nding a pre-school
that offers a comprehensive and
well-balanced English curriculum.
She eventually chose to enrol her
daughters, ve-year-old Minna
and Janna, at Smart Reader Kids
Medan Idaman, Kuala Lumpur.
In the beginning, Minna and
Janna could not read or speak
English properly. However,
after going through the Smart
Reader Kids programme, I am
happy that they have progressed
tremendously, says Shurouq.
Parents who would like to
enquire about the various Smart
Reader Kids programmes are
invited to attend the Smart Reader
Kids Nationwide Open Day on
Oct 11 from 2pm to 6pm.
In an effort to add even more
value to existing students, Smart
Reader Worldwide launched two
new programmes last month.
With classes held in the
afternoon, the Smart Reader Kids
Intensive English programme
places greater emphasis on
reading, writing, vocabulary
development, spelling,
communication and public
speaking.
These skills enable children
to build their condence and
enhance their verbal expression,
uency and articulation.
The Smart Funplay programme
is designed especially for children
aged three and above.
The programme is benecial
for children as it develops their
hand-eye coordination, language,
cognitive and social skills through
their interaction with Bobo the
Bear.
n For more information,
call 1300 885 555 or visit
www.smartreaderkids.edu.my or
www.smartreader.edu.my
10 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 7 October 2014
Committed to
student growth
R
AFFLESIA International School began
a new academic year last month, to
mark its second year as a provider
of excellent education for local and
international students.
The strong foundation of holistic
education established in the past year,
guided by the intention of nurturing the
success of students, will continue.
Raesia strives to improve this process
further with an increased involvement
of parents in the educational process,
working hand-in-hand to consolidate the
partnership between home and school.
All stakeholders must be invested in
student growth.
In this endeavour, it is important to
remember that education does not only
happen at school but also intricately within
the life of a student.
Whether students are at home, in
the school environment or engaging in
co-curricular and community activities,
they are always learning.
At the beginning of each year, all these
participants have important roles to play.
For students, it is important that they
arrive with the correct attitude.
They need to arrive at school well rested,
healthy and t from their holiday exercise
and full of good, nutritious food.
It may sound obvious, but if students
cannot arrive at school with their bodies in
shape, they cannot start with their minds
attuned.
For parents, the main responsibility is to
help their children arrive at school free of
stress. This means that they come smartly
dressed in their uniforms, with the right
books, the necessary stationery and all
forms and permission slips completed and
submitted.
For the school, it is imperative that
it supports the parents and students in
providing all the necessary assistance.
Orientation weeks, regular pre-
commencement communications and both
informal and formal forums all go a long
way in making sure families feel well armed
with all the information needed to make a
successful start to the academic year.
n For more information, visit
www.raesia.edu.my
Parents and teachers engaged in a discussion at
the Rafflesia International School.
Fun English programmes for the holidays
AS the Malaysian school year draws to a
close, many students are looking forward
to the holidays. However, after a long break,
there is always some catching up to do as
students are trying to settle back into their
studies when school commences.
Morris Allen English believes that
learning should never end and it should
be fun. This is the reason the Morris Allen
English Holiday Programme was developed.
The programme consists of a range of short
courses that are designed to develop the
English language skills of students in a fun
and interactive learning environment.
The two-week holiday programme
consists of several nine-lesson short courses
that include fun activities following the
Morris Allen English interactive approach.
The range of short courses focuses on
different English language skills.
The Speech and Drama course at
Morris Allen English is back by popular
demand. The focus of this course is to
enhance speaking skills and build personal
condence. In this course, students will
be involved in fun speaking and role-
playing exercises, oral reading and speech
presentations with guidance from Morris
Allen Englishs trained teachers who are all
native English speakers.
Morris Allen English also has a range
of new courses that incorporates reading
of childrens literature and development
of writing skills. Students discover the
wonders of reading as they will read
and build on their comprehension and
vocabulary skills while being involved in
interactive learning activities.
Morris Allen English understands that
laying good foundations for learning
English must begin early, so there are short
courses for younger students in this holiday
programme. These include Pre-Nursery and
Phonics, which are enjoyable, interactive
courses aimed specically at developing a
love for learning in younger children.
Morris Allen English blends learning
with fun so that learning does not have to
stop just because it is holiday time.
Keeping young brains active by taking
part in the Morris Allen English Holiday
Programme is a great way for children to
build stronger English skills for the start of
their 2015 school year.
n For more information, call 03-7880 3169
or e-mail angeline@morrisallen-malaysia.
com
The holiday
programmes
at Morris Allen
English are fun and
interactive.
StarSpecial, Tuesday 7 October 2014 BRIGHT KIDS 11
Going beyond the classroom
S
TUDENTS need an outlet for
their energy and creative
expression and deserve an
occasional break from books,
classes and exams.
There are benets of
carrying out activities outside
the classroom. They create an
individual who recognises the
importance of having both
academic excellence and social
aptitude.
Sunway International School
(SIS) keeps its students active and
enthusiastic by offering a vibrant
line-up of activities for students to
participate in, including activities
that serve students social
development as well as clubs
and societies that build on their
interest.
Activities geared towards
student development such as
Career Week and Anti-Bullying
Week emphasise lessons beyond a
classrooms regular lesson plan.
These events serve to raise
awareness of current and social
issues, inspire students to be
responsive, challenge them to set
goals and plan the steps to achieve
their dreams.
Career Week, for example, gave
students the chance to engage in
question-and-answer sessions
with guest speakers where they
got to absorb useful tips from
presentations that gave them
valuable insight into professions of
various industries.
They will be able to leverage
on this opportunity to explore
career options, be inspired by
professionals to attain their
desired career or spark an interest
in areas that they have never
considered before.
Activities outside the
classroom can be a wellspring
of opportunities for character
development and moral support.
For example, Anti-Bullying
Week helps students understand
the devastating impact of bullying
and establish a feeling of security
and community by sharing
positive messages.
Students also pledge to refrain
from bullying and aggressive
behaviour as part of the anti-
bullying initiative.
SIS plethora of clubs and
societies is another avenue for
students to come together with
like-minded people in pursuit of a
common interest.
The extra-curricular activities
such as athletic, artistic or
volunteer programmes encourage
students to get involved and
engage with other students.
SIS students venture beyond
their comfort zones, not shying
away from big tasks such as
making a presentation on
eradicating poverty in Cambodia,
which won them third place in
the Youth Parliament at the World
Marketing Summit 2013.
They also face formidable
veteran schools at the Asia-Pacic
level of The International History
Bee and Bowl 2014, winning the
right to represent Malaysia by
becoming champions at the
national level.
Participation in these
activities cultivates and teaches
essential skills such as time
management from prioritising
school work and club activities.
Students also learn
responsibility through
volunteering at a tree-planting
project for the community, and
teamwork in learning how to
give and take in competitions.
These positive traits are
building blocks to lifelong habits
that set these students up for
success in life.
A well-rounded student who
displays active participation
in and outside the classroom
will have a substantial advantage
over students who are top in
their studies when it comes to
competing for spots in top-tier
institutions of higher learning.
The worlds best universities
look for applicants who can
demonstrate desirable skills
such as leadership, problem-
solving, communication skills
and personality traits such as
condence and civic awareness
in addition to superior academic
performance.
Ultimately, an ideal school
environment is one that
encourages students to have
a good work-play balance and
provides exposure for students
to hone their interests, while
developing the required skills to
advance in life.
The extra-curricular exhibition
at Sunway International Schools
Open Day is a sensory treat as
students will exhibit slide shows,
interactive booths and display
boards that showcase the host of
exciting experiences and learning
they have gained from being
involved in these activities.
SIS invites parents and students
to visit the exhibition and
speak with the schools student
ambassadors at the Open Day on
Oct 11 from 10am to 3pm.
n For more information,
call 03-7491 8070 or visit
www.sis.sunway.edu.my/openday
The Sunway International School team represented Malaysia at in the International History Bee & Bowl Championship held in
Hong Kong in June this year.
Boost your childs confidence
By ELLEN WHYTE
SELF-CONFIDENCE is the foundation to
well-being and success as it affects how we
see ourselves.
It protects against all sorts of mental
health problems from anorexia to stress as
well as making us less vulnerable to bullies
and abusive partners.
Self-condence isnt inherited like
eye-colour or height but comes from the
people around us, so give your childs self-
condence a boost with these handy tips.
lLearn from your past
Look at your own childhood and make
a list of things your parents did that made
you feel great about yourself, and do these
with your kids.
Also, note what hurt your condence and
avoid those.
lDont beat yourself up
You already know this but it never hurts
to say it again: parenting is one of the
toughest jobs on the planet and there is no
such thing as the perfect mummy or daddy.
Accept that you cant be perfect, and
share this valuable life lesson with your
kids.
lPraise carefully
Self-condence rises out of a sense of
competence so its not how we look but
what we do that matters. Take time every
day to praise a skill your child has: tying
shoe laces, being kind to a friend or drawing
a picture.
lBuild skills together
Spending time together says, Youre
important to me, which is a boost itself.
Being able to do things is also high on the
list.
Remember how good it felt the rst time
you ew a kite or rode your bicycle? Work
together to build skills and have others
ready to show interest and shower praise
when your small one shows off a new skill.
lEffort counts too
It takes time to learn and setbacks can
put anyone off, so praising a good effort will
give your little one the impetus and courage
to try again
If the task is clearly beyond achieving,
calmly suggest you leave this for another
day and say how much you admire people
who keep trying.
Parenting is one of the
toughest jobs on the
planet and there is no
such thing as the perfect
mummy or daddy.
12 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 7 October 2014
Community service and co-curricular activities enable students to build connections with other people.
Igniting a passion for learning
E
DUCATION is not the lling
of a pail, but the lighting of a
re. For many young people,
the race is on to ll their pail with
degrees and diplomas in the belief
that those alone are what it takes
to have a successful life.
The limited focus means that
for many young people, the re for
learning remains unlit.
It is a fact that for even the most
academically talented of students,
there is often an unfathomable
gap between the curriculum and
their everyday lives.
For many students, the
opportunities to apply what has
been learned in the classroom to
real-life situations are decreasing.
With the prevalence of
digital resources and advance
of strategies for learning, this
disconnect has never been more
obvious.
To ignite a passion among
our young people, it is vital for
students at elc International
School to be shown these
connections. They need to have
concepts grounded in strong civic
mindedness.
This means that there is a need
to extend learning to beyond the
classroom.
This process of combining
classroom instruction with real-
environmental orientation.
This is often referred to as
service learning and facilitates the
building of strong bonds among
students and members of the
community.
Countries that have
implemented service learning as
a regular part of the curriculum
have seen a gradual increase
in empathy and encourage
cooperation in achieving a
common goal.
In an increasingly segmented
and insular society, these skills are
often rare commodities.
It is important to note that
service learning does not replace
classroom learning.
It reinforces the learning
process and helps students make
connections to real-world issues.
In Malaysia, it is necessary for
us to appreciate the perspectives
of others to understand the
benets of being different.
Students of elc will develop
a greater sense of social
responsibility and be inspired to
give back.
Being involved in community
service will give opportunities to
students to learn from conversing
and interacting with other people
as they encounter new points of
view.
Service activities facilitate the building of strong bonds among students and members of the community.
Being involved
in community
service will give
opportunities to
students to learn
from conversing
and interacting with
other people as they
encounter new points
of view.
life applications can be achieved
with a community service and