Comparing Pre-school English Reading and Phonics Enrichment

[dodoma]

My family just returned from Germany to Singapore last week and my daughter need improvement in English for P1 starting in Jan 2017.


She will be 5 in coming October and she speaks Mandarin at home and went to a German/English bilingual kindergarten. She understand some English but tend to use German/Mandarin to respond. I used to think kids learn a language from listening first till end of kindergarten. I talked to teachers from Germany and Scotland and they also think so. So I have never worried about her English untill our friends keep emphasizing phonics phonics phonics after our return.

As there is no preschool academic enrichment classes in Germany at all, I was quite overwhelmed by so many different english programs in the market. I know there is a Learning Time with Shaun&Timmy by British Coucil, and a I can Read in Marine Parade Center nearby. And British Council offers another two programs, Preschool English and Kindergarten English programs.

Anybody have knowledge about the differences and which course suites better my daughter.

Thanks a lot in advance for sharing your experience.

[1amber]

My dd went for ICR and got her reading very well. Lorna Whiston didn’t work so well for her.

[Nekokiki]

i am planning to let my 5yrs old K1 son join I CAN READ at Forum. Any feedback on this school and systems?

[PororoBoy]

Hi, can pm me ur phonics teacher please. I m looking for one who can teach in west. Thank u!

[Carolina]

dodoma:

My family just returned from Germany to Singapore last week and my daughter need improvement in English for P1 starting in Jan 2017.


She will be 5 in coming October and she speaks Mandarin at home and went to a German/English bilingual kindergarten. She understand some English but tend to use German/Mandarin to respond. I used to think kids learn a language from listening first till end of kindergarten. I talked to teachers from Germany and Scotland and they also think so. So I have never worried about her English untill our friends keep emphasizing phonics phonics phonics after our return.

As there is no preschool academic enrichment classes in Germany at all, I was quite overwhelmed by so many different english programs in the market. I know there is a Learning Time with Shaun&Timmy by British Coucil, and a I can Read in Marine Parade Center nearby. And British Council offers another two programs, Preschool English and Kindergarten English programs.

Anybody have knowledge about the differences and which course suites better my daughter.

Thanks a lot in advance for sharing your experience.

I have no idea about the differences of the different phonics programs. As far as I understand, phonics is just the sounds of the alphabets, how to blend, etc.

Maybe you might want to arrange and bring your daughter for trial classes and see which one she enjoys more. Or find out about the teaching methods of the different programs by talking to the program providers and see which one might interest your daughter. Only then sign her up. Kids learn best when their interest is triggered.

Phonics is important for Singapore education context, given that kids are expected to already be able to read fairly well by the time they start Primary 1 and able to write short sentences by 2nd-half to end of Primary 1. Along the way, they will have quite some spelling tests as well. Phonics will come in handy as the ability to sound out the words means less time needed to memorise spelling words.

Have some patience though. Phonics is progressive and different children have different learning speed and different strengths and weaknesses. My daughter at age 5 can read as well as my son at age 6 simply because she is better at languages, although we spent more time and effort on my son to build up his reading skills.

Then, there are the more traditional methods like Peter & Jane series, which basically trains reading skills by training the kids to memorise the common words by sight. This is good for sight words, but not much else, unless your daughter is weakest in learning via audio method and strongest in learning via visual method, like my son. Then this method can help complement phonics.

Hope the above is helpful.

[Blissedsher]

anyone has review if mind strecher phonics or KRTC phonics which is better?

[giraffeviolin]

Hi parents ! Any feedback for icreative learner at ang mo kio ? Any helpful feedback regarding teachers or quality of materials or teaching style will be helpful. My son will be enrolled with them next yr in April. Wondering if that’s a good choice. Or should I just go for the convenient little readers program near my place in sengkang ? Pls pls advise.

[giraffeviolin]

Any feedback on iread and I write in pandan valley ?

[Baby JB]

giraffeviolin:

Hi parents ! Any feedback for icreative learner at ang mo kio ? Any helpful feedback regarding teachers or quality of materials or teaching style will be helpful. My son will be enrolled with them next yr in April. Wondering if that's a good choice. Or should I just go for the convenient little readers program near my place in sengkang ? Pls pls advise.

Hi giraffeviolin,

Have you visited ICL in Ang Mo Kio? Btw, how old is your child? Why only enrol in April next year; no vacancy?

[babykodomo]

i dropped my son out of Mindchamps reading and writing enrichment after 2 terms (from 3.5 to 4yo). Pace is slow and focus is on FUN and PLAY through learning. Teachers did not ensure they finish their work in class. felt like they treated the kids like customers instead of students. Even though they said child is placed on ability, the child still have to progress in sequence instead of skipping levels once they are enrolled…and they have quite a number of levels! personally, i think it’s over-rated and expensive as they seemed to be stretching the syllabus.