THE STAR Tuesday 4 February 2014

StarSpecial BRIGHT KIDS

Unlocking
your potential
Knowing your body weight status > 3 Quality, affordable international education > 5
2 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 4 February 2014
The wide reach of IGCSEs
By ANUSHIA KANDASIVAM
B
ESIDES the national
education and examination
system, the next most
popular education system
available in Malaysia is the
IGCSE system. These British
examinations, the International
General Certificate of Secondary
Education, are the international
version of the United Kingdom’s
national General Certificate of
Secondary Education (GCSEs).
The IGCSEs are offered
by Cambridge International
Examinations (CIE), which
is part of the University of
Cambridge and is the world’s
largest provider of international
education programmes. It can be
extrapolated that the Cambridge
IGCSE is the most popular
international education system in
the world because of the vastness
of the Commonwealth, but it is
more than this that makes the
programme so popular.
In the last few years, the
International Baccalaureate (IB),
another international education
programme, has been gaining
popularity around the world, but
the IGCSE continues to maintain
a good hold in Malaysia and is
the most-offered international
programme in the country.
Different approaches
As part of its bid to become a
regional education hub, Malaysia
has an abundance of international
schools – currently there are about
90 campuses throughout the
country – and only 12 of them do
not offer the IGCSE programme.
Why its continuing popularity?
Basically, the Cambridge
IGCSE programme remains so
popular in Malaysia is because
the system has been proven to
be comprehensive, holistic and a
good indicator of academic and
thinking skills.
Critical thinkers are needed
to grow the nation.
One way this is achieved is of development and intended
through a curriculum that allows outcomes of the IGCSE
students to choose from a variety programme:
of learning routes that will enable l Subject content
them to explore and develop a l Applying knowledge and
wide range of abilities and skills. understanding to new as well as
This is perhaps the programme’s unfamiliar situations
biggest draw, and its main l Intellectual enquiry
difference from the Malaysian l Flexibility and responsiveness
national curriculum, which is to change
comparatively limited. l Working and communicating in
While the majority of national English
schools stream SPM students into l Influencing outcomes
two distinct categories – science l Cultural awareness
and arts – according to CIE, the
IGCSE curriculum emphasises Evolution
building breadth of knowledge
and cross-curricular perspectives. For an education system
This means that students are to be truly effective, it has to
encouraged to study a variety of change with the times. Malaysia’s
subjects and explore connections education system has remained
between them. fundamentally unchanged since
The SPM programme does the country’s independence, but
offer a variety of subjects, from systematic changes are currently
the usual arts and literature, and being implemented in order to
science and mathematics, to reach the goals set by the Malaysia
languages, social sciences, Education Blueprint 2013-2025.
and vocational and Teaching and learning is set to
technical subjects. change to a less exam-oriented
However, the majority system, and testing will, ideally,
of schools offer only be no longer just for the objective
the conventional arts, of achieving high grades, but
literature, science to ensure understanding and
and mathematics application of knowledge. The
subjects, limiting new de-centralised examination
the students’ system, which will slowly be put
choices in higher into place starting end of this year
study and with the national third form PMR
eventually career. exams, is aimed at eliminating the
This is not need for content recall and instead
to say that all ensure students are trained to
international think critically.
schools offer every The very fact that the national
IGCSE subject system is being changed to
available – as with accommodate these elements
national schools, shows how important they are to
the subjects children’s education and future, as
offered depends well as the future of the nation.
on the schools’ The GCSE, the UK national
capacity and system, will also be undergoing
availability some changes from next year.
of qualified According to the UK’s Department
teachers. But of Education, the system is
students do have being reformed to offer more
more choices in challenging subject content and
what they want rigorous assessment structures
to study, subjects in order to provide proper
that are offered preparation of the A-Levels
are wider in scope, examination, the next step
and teaching and between secondary school and
learning methods university.
are through No changes to the IGCSEs
discussion, have been announced, but
interaction, educationalists have observed
understanding that the GCSE reforms may be
and application. an attempt to bring the system
CIE lists up to the higher standards of the
the following IGCSEs. The IGCSEs are a linear
as areas examination system – one big
exam is taken at the end of
the year, and there is no
coursework, as compared
to the modular GCSEs,
where a few exams still
offer multiple choice
questions.
In fact, there
is a current trend
in the UK for local
students to take some
IGCSE exams instead
of GCSEs, and even of
double entries – students
taking both exams for a
few subjects, probably
with the intention
either using the
higher grade or the
perceived prestige of
the IGCSE for college
or university entry.
On the other side of
the coin, there are observers who
comment that the IGCSEs are
actually easier than the GCSEs and
so it is easier for students to obtain
higher scores.
Either way, there seems to be
a beginning of a shift in focus
towards a more exam-oriented
system with emphasis on high
scores. Interestingly, this is the
opposite of what is happening in
Malaysia.
Looking inwards and
outwards
In Malaysia, there are
arguments that a national system
of education turns out nation
builders while an international
curriculum may not be
appropriate or relevant to the life
of the student or to his country.
But while the IGCSEs have
an international outlook, the
programme has been specifically
developed in each of the more
than 120 countries it is offered
in to retain local relevance. The
CIE states that the programme
was created for an international
student body and to avoid any
cultural bias.
This essentially means that
students graduate as global
citizens with both local and
international understanding.
In Malaysia, giving the sciences
priority over the arts in education
has been a national policy that
has been in place since the 1970s.
The objective of this is to produce
sufficient graduates for the
science, technology, engineering
and mathematics (STEM)-driven
economy that is part of Vision
2020.
To any layman, the observable
results of this policy are a large
percentage of science-stream
graduates, a neglect towards
the development of the arts
stream – which has perhaps led
to a retardation in the growth of
the Malaysian arts scene — and
generations of young people
who were unable to pursue
their true interests because they
were encouraged or even forced,
for various reasons, to take up
sciences instead of the arts.
The Education Blueprint
has outlined steps to raise the
percentage of science graduates,
including by raising student
interest through new learning
approaches and an enhanced
curriculum.
For Malaysians then, the
IGCSEs may seem a more open
and comprehensive alternative
to education than the national
system.
As an internationally
recognised qualification and an
examination system that feeds
directly into the A-Levels system,
it certainly is a good choice.
There is no doubt that Malaysia
requires nation builders, but
as the country moves towards
becoming a developed nation, it
also needs people with the ability
to conceive and actualise world-
encompassing ideas, no matter
their area of study.
Until the national education
system is able to mould students
into these global leaders, it seems
that international systems such as
the IGCSE will remain attractive
alternatives.
 StarSpecial, Tuesday 4 February 2014 BRIGHT KIDS 3

Knowing
your body
weight status
Here is how you measure your child’s BMI:
1. Measure you child’s height and weight BMI FORMULA
2. Use the formula to calculate his BMI weight (kg)
3. Compare your child’s BMI to the standard growth chart from BMI (kg/m2) =
the World Health Organization. Boys and girls have different charts height (m) x height (m)

P
ARENTS should always
provide their children with
optimal nutrition and ensure
that they are physically fit. But
how can parents determine if
their children are eating right and
growing well? Here are some tips
to help parents out.
Energy balance concept
Are energy and calories the
child’s Energy In and Energy Out
are the same, then his weight will
stay the same.
But, if the amount of your
child’s Energy In is greater than his
Energy Out, he will gain weight.
This, if left untreated, can lead to
obesity. On the other hand, if the
amount of your child’s Energy In
is less than his Energy Out, he will
lose weight.
so remember to use the appropriate one.
4. Using a pencil, find your child’s age on the horizontal axis of the chart and move vertically up.
5. Find your child’s BMI on the vertical axis and move horizontally across to the right of the chart.
6. At the point where these two lines meet, draw a small cross or dot. The region where the small cross or
dot falls on indicates your child’s growth status.
BMI-for-age BOYS
5 to 19 years (z-scores)
32 32

same? Energy is released from Health risks related to

food and beverage components unhealthy body weight 30
Obesity 2
30

known as carbohydrate, protein

and fat and it is measured in units Childhood obesity is associated 28 28

called calories. with a higher chance of premature

Energy balance is a relationship death and disability in adulthood. 26 Overweight 26
1
between “Energy In” (from food Overweight and obese children
and beverage that we ingest) and are more likely to stay obese into 24 24

“Energy Out” (through physical adulthood and develop NCDs such

BMI (kg/m²)

activities, basal metabolic rate as diabetes and cardiovascular 22 0 22

(BMR), digestion and absorption diseases at a younger age. Normal

of nutrients in our body). The first In addition to increased 20 20

important principle of energy future risks, obese children

intake must be estimated on the experience breathing difficulties, 18
-2
18

basis of energy out rather than increased risks of bone fractures,

energy in. hypertension and insulin 16
Thinness -3 16

resistance.
Why balance it up? 14 14

The BMI calculator

Healthy eating and regular 12 Severe thinness 12

physical activities (accumulation The Body Mass Index (BMI)

of 60 minutes of moderate calculator is a simple and effective Months
10 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 10

intensity physical activity daily) way to monitor your child’s Years 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

are important components for
reducing the risk of obesity and
related non-communicable
diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes,
high-blood pressure and high
cholesterol.
When the amount of your
growth. The BMI calculator Age (completed months and years)
ensures that he is at the right 2007 WHO Reference
weight and height for his age.
Parents often compare their child’s
growth with other children. This
should not be done as children
BMI-for-age GIRLS
5 to 19 years (z-scores)
grow at different rates.
32 32

30
Obesity 2
30

28 28

26
Overweight 26

1
24 24
BMI (kg/m²)

22 22

About the Nestlé Healthy 20

Normal 0
20

Kids Programme 18 18

THE Nestlé Healthy Kids Programme is aimed at improving -2

nutrition knowledge and promoting active lifestyles among
Thinness
16 16

school students between the ages of seven and 17. It consists -3

of two modules – a Primary School Module called the Nestlé 14 14

Healthy Kids Programme and the Secondary School Module

called Program Cara Hidup Sihat (Healthy Lifestyle Programme). 12 Severe thinness 12

Both programmes are based on a multi-partnership approach,

with collaborations with national health and educational Months
10 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 3 6 9 10

authorities such as Ministry of Education, Nutrition Society of Years 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Age (completed months and years)
13 14 15 16 17 18 19

Malaysia and Universiti Putra Malaysia.

2007 WHO Reference
4 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 4 February 2014

Paving the way to A-Levels scholarships on offer

UCSI International School offers the UCSI University Trust A-Level
Scholarship Award to new intake students pursuing the GCE

top-notch universities
A-Levels programme. The scholarship is open to students who
obtain 5 As (A+ or A only) at SPM or O-Levels examinations taken
last year.

Achievement Scholarships amount

10 A+ and above (min 9A+) RM25,020

F
ROM the outset, the guiding
principle at UCSI International
School, Subang, has been to
provide its students with a holistic
experience in developing their
academic, creative, social and
professional skills.
In order to realise this
ambition, the school follows
an internationally recognised
academic programme, the ICGSEs,
and has gathered expert faculty
from around the globe and uses
state-of-the-art facilities and
laboratories.
In essence, UCSI has established
a microcosm in which its students
are able to arm themselves with
the knowledge and training they
require to be critical thinkers and
independent learners. They are
offered the chance to explore the
world at a smaller scale before
they venture into the real world.
To further its mission,
accommodate the needs of its
current and new students, and
pave their way to top-notch
universities and careers in some of
the world’s most highly demanded
and prestigious fields, UCSI
International School will launch
the Cambridge GCE A-Levels in
March this year.
10 A+/As (min 8 A+) RM15,000
10 A+/As RM10,000
9 A+/As RM9,000
8 A+/As RM8,000
7 A+/As RM5,000
6 A+/As RM4,000
5 A+/As RM3,000
Successful scholarship recipients from the A-Levels programme of UCSI University.
From left: Angela Lim Wern Huey, Tiong Nee and Felix Wong.
The 18-month tailored leads students to business degree
programme targets Year 11 and 12 and ICT degree programmes,
students and offers two streams: among others, offers:
science and business. l mathematics
The science stream, which will l business studies
lead the students to engineering l economics
or medicine degree programmes, l psychology
among others, offers: classroom will be offered in each GCE A-Levels fees range between
l further mathematics To maintain the school’s high stream, with a maximum of 25 RM36,000 and RM38,000
l physics standards and ensure that the students. depending on the stream.
l biology A-Levels students enjoy the best Due to the limited number
l chemistry quality education and guidance of seats in each stream, the n For more information, visit
from its qualified native-English- enrolment will be on a first-come, www.ucsiinternationalschool.edu.
The business stream, which speaking educators, only one first-served basis. The Cambridge my/sj/

Ushering in the
Year of the Horse

Some of the card designs on display at the exhibition.

IN light of this year being the Year of the
Horse, ALFA College organised a special
“Ride to the Occasion” exhibition at its
premises in Subang Square. The exhibition,
which kicked off on Jan 15, will continue to
run until Feb 28, featuring a range of artistic
and creative expressions that depict the
horse as its main focus.
Under its main Postcard Design category,
which was open to participation from all
ALFA students, staff, alumni and friends,
the college received submissions from
as far as Japan, the UK, the US, Germany,
Iran, Pakistan, Vietnam, Indonesia, the
Philippines, Singapore, Australia, Macau,
Hong Kong and Taiwan. In total, 1,258 card
designs were received, all of which are on
display at the college. Besides postcard
design, there are various creative activities
and categories such as Paper Cutting, 3D
Horse design and Chinese calligraphy.
The aim of compiling these horse-related
designs is for ALFA College to enter into
the Malaysia Book of Records by achieving
a collection of at least 1,000 different horse
designs. The college also aims to create an
animated presentation of all the designs as
a culmination to the event. The exhibition is
open to the public.
Details of the Ride to the Occasion
event are:
Date : Jan 15 to Feb 28
Time : 9am - 5pm
Venue : ALFA International College Sdn
Bhd, Subang Jaya
The official launch of this horse event
is on Feb 14 (Friday) at 10am. Please call
to confirm your attendance.
n For more information, call 03-5631 9208
or e-mail koh@alfa.edu.my or jessicalee@
alfa.edu.my

Quality, affordable
international education
P
ARENTS who are keen on
enrolling their children in
international schools today
are spoilt for choice. However,
before choosing the right school
for their child, there are a number
of factors that they should
consider — price, syllabus, location
as well as the facilities of the
institution.
Nilai International School (NIS)
opened its doors in 2010 and
though it is among one of the
more affordable international
schools in Malaysia, it is not
lacking in facilities. NIS provides
all the teaching and learning
amenities of a world-class
international school, with its
purpose-built campus on 6.01ha
campus.
Located in the green suburb of
Putra Nilai, it is wholly owned by
Nilai Education Sdn Bhd, which
also operates Nilai University.
Both institutions sit side-by-
side in a quiet cul-de-sac in this
picturesque town.
Easily accessible by a number of
highways, NIS is just 35 minutes
from the Kuala Lumpur city
centre and a mere 15 minutes
from Seremban and the Kuala
Lumpur International Airport.
School bus services are available
StarSpecial, Tuesday 4 February 2014 BRIGHT KIDS 5
from a number of designated
spots, making the commute to
NIS relatively stress free.
The campus features round-the-
clock security and it also has
boarding facilities. Each classroom
features a state-of-the-art smart
board, which encourages an
interactive learning experience.
Its library is well-stocked with
books for all age groups to
encourage the reading habit
among students.
Extra-curricular activities are
highly encouraged with a range
of sporting facilities available on
campus, including outdoor courts,
a football field and a swimming
pool. The teaching staff members
comprise both expatriates and
Malaysians who have been hand-
picked by the administrators
to deliver the internationally
recognised Cambridge
International Examinations (CIE)
syllabus. Intakes for NIS are in
January, April and September for
Primary 1 to Secondary (O-Levels).
The Early Years Foundation stage
for children aged between three
and five is scheduled to start soon.
n Parents who are interested can
contact 06-850 2188 or visit
www.nis.edu.my Nilai International School provides the teaching and learning amenities of a world-class school.
6 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 4 February 2014

Key to enriching young lives

E
YE Level (formerly known
as E.nopi), one of the
leading child enrichment
programmes in Malaysia, recently
held the Eye Level Testimonial
Contest to encourage parents
to share their thoughts on their
children’s journey with Eye Level.
“Whatever life you are living
now, it is essential to give yourself
a chance to perform at your top
capacity. And that chance derives
from learning,” says Young Joong
Kang, chairman of Eye Level. Eye
Level is proud to share testimonies
from its students and their
parents.
Parent’s name: Dalilah Ismail
Students’ names: Asyraff,
Zhafran and Nur Elysha
Period of study: one year 10
months
My first son went to Eye
Level in 2010 as he was weak in
mathematics. We were impressed
by the Eye Level mathematics
programme and we made the
decision to enrol him.
It made a great difference as
the learning environment is cosy
and comfortable. The teachers are
very caring and responsible and
always go the extra mile in giving
me feedback on my son’s progress
and how he could improve further.
Discipline is also high on their list,
which I think is very valuable for
Dalilah Ismail is grateful to Eye Level for the wonderful experience it has given her my children’s development.
children. My son has improved greatly
in mathematics and English since
he started classes at Eye Level.
He is more confident when he
speaks English compared to his
schoolmates. Seeing my son’s
achievement, I have enrolled my
second son and daughter too. My
children always look forward to
their Eye Level classes every day.
I am grateful to Eye Level for the
wonderful experience it has given
to my children.
Student’s name: Aditya Gupta
Period of study: two years four
months
Eye Level is different compared
to other learning centres. I love
Eye Level because it is a perfect
educational base for my future.
It helps me in school and its fast
methods for calculation help every
child in different ways.
The bright colours in the Eye
Level centre are very stimulating
but what I really like about Eye
Level is the guidance that our
teachers provide when we are
having difficulties with our
exercises. The teachers are
extremely understanding and
helpful. They do not provide the
answers directly but encourage
us to figure out the right answers.
Eye Level is very different because
it is fun and most of the time, we
forget that we are studying. I enjoy
reading the concept comics in
the worksheest and the cartoon
strips, which bring out the maths
concepts behind the stories, in
really amusing ways.
Parent’s name: Ho Lee Hong
Student’s name: Jeffrey Tong Kai
Period of study: two years 10
months
Jeffrey, my eight-year-old son,
has been a student of the Eye
Level mathematics and English
programme since June 2010.
Jeffrey was recently diagnosed
with ADHD and will begin a six-
month treatment programme in
May.
In the beginning, it was really
difficult guiding him when he
was learning the alphabet and
numbers due to his ADHD. I am
very grateful to the teachers at Eye
Level for their effort and patience
with him at all times.
Without their help and
guidance, he would not be as
confident in mathematics and
English as he is now.
Jeffrey always completes the
homework assigned to him on
time. He finds the design of the
worksheets very eye-catching and
the repetition of the worksheets
is good in helping him build
his mathematics skills and
understanding its concepts.
Eye Level did not give up on my
son. Thank you, Eye Level.
n For more information about the
Eye Level programme, visit
www.myeyelevel.com

Let Your Light Shine

Globally Recognised Cambridge
International Examinations
Curriculum IB system helps students develop knowledge and concepts.

Stimulating play-based
learning at new school
Early Years Foundation
Stage to Start Soon

WHEN recalling their early experiences at stimulating, open-planned classrooms.

school, many parents have memories of There will be opportunities for indoor
very formal classrooms, tables and chairs and outdoor learning, a large covered
in rows and an expectation of silence. playground with a bike track, sandpit and

APRIL Curriculums were rigid, facts needed to be

memorised, there was little time for asking
questions and play was for outside only.
INTAKE Times have changed and following
extensive research, there is a well-
established consensus among early
childhood professionals that play is an
essential element of developmentally
appropriate, high-quality early education
For Information & registration, programmes.
IGB International School (IGBIS) is an
please contact 06 850 2188 International Baccalaureate World School
that will be offering education to students
from three years of age to Grade 11 starting
NILAI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL NO7 E244 this year, and Grade 12 from August next
No.3, Persiaran Universiti, Putra Nilai, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus, Malaysia year. The Primary Years Programme (PYP)
www.nis.edu.my Email: enquiry@nis.edu.my for Early Years will be for children aged
A member of Nilai Resources Group Sdn Bhd three to five and it will be set in bright,
a pool.
The programme will be delivered by
highly experienced, knowledgeable and
caring early childhood PYP educators
who are skilled in creating a play-based
environment that will be relevant,
engaging and challenging. Teachers will
collaboratively plan units of inquiry that
will fascinate and inspire the minds of their
young learners.
Through the IB Learner Profile, teachers
will help students develop the knowledge,
concepts, skills, attitudes and action
required for future learning.
Parent participation will be encouraged
and teachers will work in partnership with
parents to optimise each child’s own unique
learning path.

E
PSOM College has long been
known as a prestigious
boarding and day school and
a leader in British education since
1855. The school’s vast expertise in
quality education over the last 150
years will come to fruition in their
new sister school in Malaysia.
Epsom College in Malaysia (ECiM)
will open its doors to its first
cohort of students aged three to
18 in September this year.
The modern boarding
experience at Epsom is part of
what makes the school unique
and distinct from other regional
establishments. Epsom has a
long history of offering flexible
boarding options, as well as
weekly boarding; in fact Epsom
UK started and developed weekly
boarding very significantly in the
United Kingdom.
“We are going to take the full
and weekly boarding concept to
the next level in Malaysia and
offer flexi-boarding,” said deputy
head (head of Prep School) of ECiM
Jane Smith at the school’s media
briefing last month.
“We have also hand-
picked housemasters and
housemistresses with very clear
criteria in mind as to the type
of people we want influencing
the emotional, physical and
StarSpecial, Tuesday 4 February 2014
Great British education
on Malaysian shores
educational development of the
children in our care,” she said.
Having an extension of
Epsom College here in Malaysia
will mean that parents here
will be able to spend more
purposeful quality time with
their children.
The curriculum is based on
the fact that there are also day
students and weekly boarders
who will go home during the
weekend.
“An interesting concept
to consider is that there may
even be parents from Europe
who may choose to send their
children to ECiM. Asia is going
to drive the next generation
forward and Malaysia is very
much becoming an education
Epsom College in the United Kingdom. hub,” said Tan Sri Tony
Fernandes, chair of the board of
governors of ECiM, at the media
briefing.
“For Malaysians and
Malaysia, having this school is
also a wonderful opportunity to
provide information on different
ways of doing things and to
spur on other international and
local schools to drive education
forward,” he said.
Epsom College has always
had strong links to the
medical profession in the UK,
which goes hand-in-hand
with its outstanding science
programme.
Historically, Epsom College
has its roots in the Victorian-
era school built for the children
of doctors who had died from
the diseases they were hoping
to cure. Today, Epsom College’s
students are still equipped
The boarding experience at EPSOM is one of the things that makes the school
(619106-W) unique.
BRIGHT KIDS 7
with the skills, attitudes and
knowledge needed to get into
top medical schools in the UK
as well as other challenging
professions globally.
Students are still coming to
ECiM with similar aspirations
but just as in the UK, ECiM’s
focus will be broader and
more developed in other areas.
“We provide opportunities for
children to develop in all sorts
of ways. They may come to us
with a deep love of science,
which we will continue to
develop. But at the same time
we will ensure they have
opportunities to try different
things and figure out what their
other passions in life might be,
and give them the opportunity
to develop them through their
teenage years and into their
adult life,” said Smith.
The link between Epsom
College in the UK and in
Malaysia is very strong. “It is
not a franchised school; ECiM is
very much an extension of the
UK school,” said Martin George,
headmaster of ECiM. “There will
be opportunities for students
and staff to collaborate on
projects, compete in sports, and
even have video conferencing of
lessons. We will work to ensure
that the link between the
schools continues to develop.”
n To book a campus tour, to
meet the heads or for more
information about ECiM, contact
the registrar, Nicola Harris, at
registrar@epsomcollege.edu.my
or 03-6211 4488 or visit
www.epsomcollege.edu.my
8 BRIGHT KIDS StarSpecial, Tuesday 4 February 2014

Treating the antisocial child

H
ENDRY and Lisa (not their
real names) found it difficult
to handle their 10-year-old
daughter, May.
She had had antisocial
problems since her preschool
years.
Hendry and Lisa never
considered their daughter’s
problem serious until she started
Year 4 in primary school.
May could not distinguish right
from wrong.
She would sometimes
purposely break her siblings’
and friends’ stationery and was
unfriendly and aggressive towards
others.
She was also unaware of social
or cultural contexts, causing her
to disrespect others, including her
parents, teachers and elders.
The situation became worse Antisocial behaviour should be addressed as early as possible. Bullying is a form of antisocial behaviour.
when May got older.
By then, the number of calls was able to help with their Overt antisocial behaviours brought to the psychologist when n This article is contributed by
Hendry and Lisa were receiving daughter’s problem. include destructive actions against they are young. ChildPsych, the Child Psychology
from the school regarding May’s The psychologist found that other people such as harassment, Psycho-educational therapies Division of the International
behavioural issues were increasing May could be suffering from a verbal or non-verbal abuse and based on the results of their Psychology Centre’s team of
day by day. developmental disorder called destructive actions against psychological assessment are psychologists, educational
Her school results were also antisocial behaviour. property. developed to help them overcome psychologist and psycho-
deteriorating although she It is a psychological disorder or A child with antisocial their antisocial behaviours. nutritional therapists.
attended tuition classes. neuro-developmental behavioural behaviour may also abuse drug Psycho-nutritional therapy They can be contacted at the
Her parents sought information disorder characterised by and alcohol and be involved in is also tailored to a patient’s lab International Psychology Centre
from the Internet and social significant violation of the rights dangerous activities if untreated. results. Sdn Bhd, 11-1 Wisma Laxton, Jalan
media on how and who could deal of others. Principal consultant child This includes balancing Desa, Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur.
with their daughter’s antisocial Covert antisocial behaviours psychologist of the International deficient neurotransmitters Call 03-2727 7434, e-mail
problem. include dishonesty, non- Psychology Centre Dr Weng with natural psycho nutritional info@psychology.com.my or
They found ChildPsych, compliance, sneaking or secretly Lok Chan said most antisocial supplements. childpsych@psychology.com.my
the Centre for Children and destroying the property of other behaviour disorders can be May’s behaviour improved or log on to www.psychology.com.
Adolescence Psychology, which people. treated, especially if patients are within six to 12 sessions. my