All About Preparing For Primary One
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[Moderator's note: Topic selected for http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/teaching-english-slower-learners.]
clarabella:
Heyya clarabella,Hello dear parents
Do you help your kids to learn their English spelling? If you do, how do you do it? Sit down and memorize letter by letter? Are there any other ways to learn spelling? Do you revise everyday? I imagine that for words that are decodable, most kids won't have much problems since it seems that kindergartens cover phonics quite comprehensively these days. But how about those pesky sight words?
I wonder because my K2 ds claims that he doesn't need to learn the words on his spelling lists since he already knows them :shock: Can't work all the time; eventually there will be words that he doesn't know well. I'm trying to figure out how I can help since he's a kid who doesn't like his mum to sit down with him and 'help' with his 'work'.
My girl is rather strong in her Language. Early introduction to both
Phonics and reading books of all kinds - including high frequency
sight-word books like Peter and Jane amongst others helped her
with language learning. Spelling we started since K1, just for fun.
Her kindergarten doesn't do spelling at all.
When i say for fun - we do it via rhythmic sounds. Like a tune to
create a ring to the word for easy learning. Know how the National
Day song where they shout out ala cheerleading cheers? There are
some words that can have that kinda ring to it and since the rhythmn
is catchy, even when my girls are doing colouring or playing, the spelling
words became like their own song, always on the lips.
If you've watched Akeelah and the bee... tells a story of a girl who
is good at spelling words for a black girl. The story showcases her
style of learning words - she likes to tap her hip while reciting letter
by letter. Gives her a rhythmn in remembering words! So, that worked
for her...
Was coaching a P4 boy with Phonics cos his reading was really weak -
my tutor friend recommends parent send him for private lessons in
Phonics to catch up with his reading glitch that is slowing him down.
I took up the challenge and boy was it a challenge cos he mostly
replies to my questions in Mandarin or mix of Eng/Man. When i asked
him to practise English speaking with his friends, he says...
Tah men ye sher jiang hua yu - they also speak in mandarin...
So it was back to basics for him, and really train him to curl his tongue
from China to Queens. Since he dislikes reading cos he doesn't
understand what the words mean most of the time, he refuse to
revise his spelling words much to the exasperation of his parents -
who were both 100% Mandarin speaking!
What does he like?
Crafts, Science experiments and everything sciency mebbe except
Scientology... kekekekkeh... and also Maths. Strong as he may in
Science it pulled his marks down cos the English was too cheem for
him - terminologies and all... Maths not so bad always come out tops
cos he was good with heuristics, diagrams and has the analytical
thinking.
So what did i do?
Tap on his interest in crafts when teaching him Phonics.
So he will remember the different combinations better.
(He's easily bored..)
I broke up the long spelling words he detest doing and
made it into puzzle games. I also did the rhythmic spelling
with him - it helped with his low attention span. Even when
he didn't know how to spell it, he rings the tune in his mind.
P4 SA2 oral exams - from usually zero to just pass only..
Mum cried on his last day with me, saying i have turned
her son into an English boy and thanked me profusely.
But the credit? To the mum really for making the effort
to learn the sounds from me. Learning the rules of grammar
and phonetic reading with me. Playing word puzzles with us
when she came. All despite the handicap in language...
So the ultimate credit is her - for not giving up on her son.
She realised she has a son of below average ability, so she
knew that with limited financial resources she gotta do something.
Each time we met, she's armed with dictionaries and insist i
speak English with her to communicate so she too can practise
the language, so she may be of some help to her son at home
to revise what we have done..
She is one truly great mum...
So now, Clarabella....
What does your boy like? -
buds:
... Tah men ye sher jiang hua yu - they also speak in mandarin...
buds... I always feel like
everytime I read your experiences helping the underachievers do well. I think that is so much more meaningful than helping already bright kids get into GEP.
PS. Your \"Beijing-leg\" is showing in the above. Gotta tone down the tongue-curling
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Wow buds.... *speechless* you take my breath away.... You are great!
How lucky that little boy is to have you to help him!
Er, my son huh... he likes.... everything! Loves numbers, loves art, loves music, loves science stuff, loves to read. Hmmm, thanks for asking me what he likes - now I have an inkling how I can help by tapping on his favourite activities. His reading level should be fine, I think. This past week he picked Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to read to his sister and brother as their bedtime story (I farm out my mummy duties when busy :oops: ) Unfortunately he doesn't like to write at all (any tips??). His kindergarten only just started distributing spelling lists out for the rest of the term, so this will be his first 'real' homework.
Anyway, I just realized that he claimed to know all the words because according to him, he had already looked at them and he remembers what the words look like :? Definitely not an orthodox way of learning spelling imo, but when I quiz him he can spew them out, in fact he even recited some words backwards to prove to me what he did. My new question, in Singlish.... like that also can work meh??? -
ChiefKiasu:
Hahahaa! Now you will make others who didn't notice,buds:
... Tah men ye sher jiang hua yu - they also speak in mandarin...
buds... I always feel like everytime I read your experiences helping the underachievers do well. I think that is so much more meaningful than helping already bright kids get into GEP.
PS. Your \"Beijing-leg\" is showing in the above. Gotta tone down the tongue-curling
notice it too. Thought it wasn't so obvious. Trust you
to notice.. chen sher de :faint:
I work freelance so i like to take up more meaningful
work to interest me enough to get out of bed to be
the PTWM. Gives me a kick out of it in a way..
Though the improvements may not be distinctions, it
was a great feeling to know they didn't totally drown,
and that there always is a 2nd chance for everyone.
I usually only consider by word of mouth recommendations
from friends, or re-route them to language coaches i know
of. If the timing fits our SAHM hours then good, if not we
normally politely decline. As SAHM family and home has
became more of a priority... Have stopped catering to the
masses. -
clarabella:
Errmm... orthodox or not he can make it leh..Wow buds.... *speechless* you take my breath away.... You are great!
How lucky that little boy is to have you to help him!
Er, my son huh... he likes.... everything! Loves numbers, loves art, loves music, loves science stuff, loves to read. Hmmm, thanks for asking me what he likes - now I have an inkling how I can help by tapping on his favourite activities. His reading level should be fine, I think. This past week he picked Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to read to his sister and brother as their bedtime story (I farm out my mummy duties when busy :oops: ) Unfortunately he doesn't like to write at all (any tips??). His kindergarten only just started distributing spelling lists out for the rest of the term, so this will be his first 'real' homework.
Anyway, I just realized that he claimed to know all the words because according to him, he had already looked at them and he remembers what the words look like :? Definitely not an orthodox way of learning spelling imo, but when I quiz him he can spew them out, in fact he even recited some words backwards to prove to me what he did. My new question, in Singlish.... like that also can work meh???
So, should be can work lor..
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Means I cannot ‘help’ him already… cos I only know the orthodox way and he of course thinks it’s crazy to repeat all the letters one by one.
Hey, but i guess if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it…
Thanks again, buds, for your great ideas. You are definitely a very inspiring mum! Wo men de hao bang yang! -
You're most welcome, clarabella momma.
Hey, you're the famous momma now with
your nick in clear view accompanied with
your most recent post put up for portal
publication in Digital Life thee other day!
Yeah, if it ain't broken, it doesn't need fixing.
:celebrate: -
Hi, I am gonna return back to Singapore after 4 yrs in Beijing and my son will be starting P1 in 2010. I need some advice on what to prepare him for P1 in Singapore.
He attended full day school here in Beijing, standard slightly lower than K2 in Singapore. He is quite ok with Phonics, and some simple Chinese Characters. Only learnt addition and subtraction up to 20. We will only be returning in end July which I think will be too late to be enrolling into any K2 classess. Am thinking of putting him into day time enrichment courses. Any recommendations? -
returning:
Hi, I am gonna return back to Singapore after 4 yrs in Beijing and my son will be starting P1 in 2010. I need some advice on what to prepare him for P1 in Singapore.?
Heyya returning, here are two sites you can read up on (extensively)
on the what's to prepare for primary syllabus here in Singapore. The
English site starts on from P2. But in my opinion, its almost similar
to the one done for P1. This will be helpful to you unless the school
you're putting your child into goes with the STELLAR programme, ie.
No textbooks.
http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/syllabuses/sciences/files/maths-primary-2007.pdf
http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/syllabuses/languages-and-literature/files/english-primary-secondary.pdf
My kiddie's school still uses the textbooks. The topics covered are
quite diverse and my kiddie finds them interesting. However if you
require some information on STELLAR programme, you can view here.
http://www.stellarliteracy.sg/returning:
Better late than never, returning. I say just put him in a kindergarten forHe attended full day school here in Beijing, standard slightly lower than K2 in Singapore. He is quite ok with Phonics, and some simple Chinese Characters. Only learnt addition and subtraction up to 20. We will only be returning in end July which I think will be too late to be enrolling into any K2 classess.
K2 just to give him an insight anyway. Unless you have plans to allow him
to be enrolled only for the enrichment programmes...
Heard from my friend who were in Shanghai for a couple of years,
the school there for their kids, is more international school types for
expat (Singaporeans) and the curriculum is more thematic and play
based, as compared to the academic-driven curriculum in Singapore.
Hope this helps, returning.
Best regards. -
buds:
Hiya buds!You're most welcome, clarabella momma.
Hey, you're the famous momma now with
your nick in clear view accompanied with
your most recent post put up for portal
publication in Digital Life thee other day!
Somehow I didn't see this post from you, paiseh. So now I'm very perplexed - how come KSP was in Digital Life way back in, let me see, March?? Not very clued in, sorry, drowning in exam woes (myself, not my kids)!
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