Comparing Chinese Enrichment (Primary/Preschool)

[autumnbronze]

titank:

Hi All,


Today let my gal have a trial at Berries. Seem quite well & now would consider whether to sign up a not. Wonder should go for trial at other chinese enrichment centre a not.

Actually up to you ....

If your DD is comfortable in Berries, then can sign her up for it.

But if you want to make a comparison and you have the time, then can try others

[maisy]

hi autumnbronze


i think it would be better if they can tweak the programme / structure to \"engage\" the students better ... their method might work very well for the older kids... cos it is very \"u sit-down , u listen , i tell u , u repeat after me approach, which works fairly well for older children who are \"more mature\". But for the tots, can be a little mundane.

honestly i have yet to see any introduction of nursery rhymes, music/song (apart from a CNY song which lasted only 5 mins) or anything else to further engage the tiny tots (nursery). For younger kids, what we need is to inject ideas to stir their interest level... only then will we be able to engage them & capture their attention.

I can see other kids \"losing focus , or interest\" in class - i do not blame them cos i understand the syllabus could be too dry for them at this tender age.

I think this is as much as I would like to say... i don't wish to say any further in case I get misunderstood & misconstrued that i have something against the centre.

Let's just say they are doing great .. just that it is not suitable for my child ..

[autumnbronze]

maisy:

hi autumnbronze


i think it would be better if they can tweak the programme / structure to \"engage\" the students better ... their method might work very well for the older kids... cos it is very \"u sit-down , u listen , i tell u , u repeat after me approach, which works fairly well for older children who are \"more mature\". But for the tots, can be a little mundane.

honestly i have yet to see any introduction of nursery rhymes, music/song (apart from a CNY song which lasted only 5 mins) or anything else to further engage the tiny tots (nursery). For younger kids, what we need is to inject ideas to stir their interest level... only then will we be able to engage them & capture their attention.

I can see other kids \"losing focus , or interest\" in class - i do not blame them cos i understand the syllabus could be too dry for them at this tender age.

I think this is as much as I would like to say... i don't wish to say any further in case I get misunderstood & misconstrued that i have something against the centre.

Let's just say they are doing great .. just that it is not suitable for my child ..

Hi maisy,

No worries. Thanks for clarifying.

I understand what you are trying to say

Please check your PM.

[Daddy D]

I think u’ll find more nursery rhymes, music/song in those Speech & Drama classes.

Typical language enrichment would be the usual classroom "u sit-down , u listen , i tell u , u repeat after me approach"…
Just my thoughts…

[MMM]

sesame246:

hi,


Does Han Language in Fu Lu Shou offers Higher chinese for P6 and do you know if it's good?

My girl is with Berries now but she feels that the lessons are not challenging enough.

Tks!

Hi,

I am not sure as my kids only attend Mdm Koh's S&D class. I think she is just renting the place from them to conduct the lessons.

[tamarind]

maisy:

Dear all


I've also removed my child from Molin altho there are 2 more lessons to go. Like titank , i also do not find the programme suitable at Molin... that said, I do like the teacher. Her delivery was fine ... i believe there is little she could do as she has a certain course content & structure as stipulated by the centre to follow.

At the moment , i have yet to sign my boy up for anything. . . most likely looking at Kembangan Berries ...have yet to arrange for trial due to CNY ... etc etc. Seems like most parents think highly of Berries.

Anyone attended trials at both Tien Hsia & Berries? How do u find them?

Berries use games and real objects to teach kids from 3 to 6 years old. For example, when they are teaching 米 and 饭, they actually let the kids touch the real rice (before cooking) and taste the cooked rice. My boy learns very well this way, by touching or tasting the real objects, the words are able to sink into his long term memory. I believe that most kids are like him, cannot sit still and listen.

But I think Berries from P1 onwards requires kids to sit down and listen.

[Daddy D]

tamarind:

Berries use games and real objects to teach kids from 3 to 6 years old. For example, when they are teaching 米 and 饭, they actually let the kids touch the real rice (before cooking) and taste the cooked rice. My boy learns very well this way, by touching or tasting the real objects, the words are able to sink into his long term memory. I believe that most kids are like him, cannot sit still and listen.

But I think Berries from P1 onwards requires kids to sit down and listen.

Err... wonder how many times they \"recycle\" the rice! haha!
I always think it's kinda ER XIN when they have these \"experiential\" learning when it comes to food.
Maintstream sch teach us to sit down and listen anyway...

[tamarind]

Daddy

tamarind:

Berries use games and real objects to teach kids from 3 to 6 years old. For example, when they are teaching 米 and 饭, they actually let the kids touch the real rice (before cooking) and taste the cooked rice. My boy learns very well this way, by touching or tasting the real objects, the words are able to sink into his long term memory. I believe that most kids are like him, cannot sit still and listen.

But I think Berries from P1 onwards requires kids to sit down and listen.

Err... wonder how many times they \"recycle\" the rice! haha!
I always think it's kinda ER XIN when they have these \"experiential\" learning when it comes to food.
Maintstream sch teach us to sit down and listen anyway...

They cook fresh rice every day lah ! Then they separate the portion for different classes. Of course they will not recycle the rice. They do so only for the week that they are teaching the lesson.

Before kids start main stream school, they should always learn using real objects and games. This method is best for kids between the age of 3 to 6. Parents are making a very big mistake if they force very young kids to sit down and listen everyday, they are not going to learn anything and they may even hate to learn.

[maisy]

yeap yeap i tend to agree w tamarind that the \"regimented old school method of u sit down, u listen, i say, u repeat\" method works better for P1 onwards .. or perhaps K2 onwards (to prepare them for P1)


But for preschoolers 3-5 years old, i think such method is not only \"dated\" but it will also kill the kids' interest & stifle their imagination.

I think even for P1 these days ... they no longer use the \"plain repeating after teachers approach\" ..I believe they try to make the lessons more interesting with flash cards, matching of flashcards (to let them recognise the words) & more \"activity-based\" assignments , rather than the old school method.

Hi Autumnbronze,
PM replied Cheers.

[sean wife]

Hi mummies,


If your preschoolers are attending Chinese enrichment classes, besides revising those materials from the classes, do you find that you have time to start them on your own teaching materials? Mine are in N1 and attending Berries and think they quite enjoy it (when I peep into their classrooms). Other than going through the word cards with them, I try to start them on the si wu kuai du books from Dangdang. However they can be quite resistant and always say ‘too many too many’ and start to whine….However they are quite OK when I read Chinese storybooks to them (this has improved since they started their childcare and Berries).

Those mummies who have put their kids through Berries, if we just revise the materials from school, will they be quite proficient by the time they reach K1/K2?