Comparing Pre-school English Reading and Phonics Enrichment

[Jinglee]

Buds...


Glad to see your reply... Congrats again on your little bundle of joy... So,you got yourself a Dragon Baby...!!
I'll take note of the Innovative kids series...
Have been hanging in Popular stores and Kinokuniya these days... but not really buying anything... just window shopping for what to buy when his time comes for reading, interesting books,etc,...

[tigermummy]

My 5 yr old has been with ICR for 2 terms. Before that she spent 3 terms at GUG where she learnt all her zoophonics and could already read up to 2a of "Peter and Jane" series by herself before she started at ICR. I switched her from GUG to ICR because the daughter of a friend of mine is in their ICR program and my friend was happy with her learning, and I wanted her to go through a more structured program.


Unfortunately, I’m now having a lot of reservations with I Can Read. First, they placed her in the ICR preparatory system. I went along with it because I was willing to start her off slow and be familiar with the system and surroundings first. But after 2 terms, I don’t think she learns much at all (compared to all her other enrichment classes where I’ve seen tremendous results within 3-4 mths in the sense that she both thrives on and enjoys her classes).

I’ve sit through her class for 1-2 times. Generally my observation is that it is very messy with no structure. The way the teacher conducts is mostly aural based, with quick questions being fired and jumping from one subject to another after 10-15min? The room is very small too (compared with all her other enrichment classes). I was surprised to find out that she is one of the youngest and there is a P1 kid in her class. Most of them look quite bored and I don’t blame them given the way classes are taught. Another thing that surprised me is that I thought that several kids pretty much know their stuff already. Why are they not "allowed" to be promoted to the ICR class where they can finally start to learn to read? The preparatory class (PRP) seems to be a complete waste of time if a kid spends more than 2 terms in it. They’re expected to be promoted to PRP only when they can blend 4-5 sounds and yet the structure program as advertised by I Can Read only starts in PRP! There’s absolutely no materials for them to bring home from the ICR preparatory class. How can parents help them improve to be "promoted"?

I’ve spoken to the teacher in order the understand how and when she might be promoted to the proper ICR class so that she can actually start learn to read. The teacher didn’t really give a good reply other than she has to blend 4 or 5 sounds and told me to google for words to practise with her. I’m not sure if this is the best way. The whole preparatory class seems like fishy to me. Why hold kids back from the proper structured class that was advertised? I only hope that other parents will realize that their kids are really not learning at all in that class and not waste more than 2 terms of their kids precious learning years there. ICR seems more interested in slowing down the children’s progress than push them to learn to read (and hopefully love reading). If you’ve been inside, you’ll see that the teachers all looked quite stressed out and curt. Moreover, unlike some other schools, there is no slack time in between two classes which shows that there isn’t much attention given to welfare of both teachers and students.

It is a pity that there doesn’t seem to be any good English enrichment class like Berries for Chinese. My daughter is in a class that is 1 year advance of her age in Berries (she’s in K1 this year but is in the K2 class at Berries). Even my 2.5 yr old can read 50-80 characters into his 2nd term at Berries. They absolutely love their classes. This is all more impressive because we mostly speak English at home. At Berries, not only do the teachers use a whole range of delivery channels, it also provides great materials for children to bring home so that parents can provide regular guidance, and innovative technologies too like reading pen and pad (Ok, I’m NOT being paid to advertise for Berries), and is priced at 30-40% cheaper than any of the other English enrichment classes I find in the market. Why is there such a big discrepancy between the standard of English and Chinese enrichment classes in Singapore?

Btw, any advice on what to do with my 5 yr old? Should I take her out and look for another school or teach her to read on my own?

[longmao.029846irene]

Hi tiger mummy,


Empathize wif u. May I know wh ICR branch? I Understd not all branches are equip wig good teachers. Apparently my gfs hv their kids in Hougang bt hv v favorable feedback. U might wan to trf to another be to try it out.

I didn’t send my kids to any English enrichment, hehe I self taught.
Started wif phonics as young as 2( bt they blur like sotong), peter & Jane series ard end of nursery (4yo) so actuali my DD is doing ard book 8 ard end K1. Along d way I expose him to dr seusses etc as well. Now in k2, quite tired of d series n reali doing serious reading on his own wif other books borrowed in library.

So u may wan to consider self teaching him or swop to another muc interesting class to capture her interest to read again. Personally feel tat to b able to read is v impt as even now in P1 they r doing problems sum in Maths!!

Hopefully I didn’t stress u up bt sincerely u can recaptured her interest as it is gg to b a long journey for her.

[tigermummy]

Hi Irene, thanks for your advice. She’s at AMK branch. My friends’s daughter is in the Goldhill branch. I agree with you that not all branches are as good so i guess I might just have been unlucky. Both Hougang and Amk branches are owned by the same franchisee but i was told that the boss sits at Hougang so maybe it is true that it is better.


I read to my children everyday. The reason why i put her in an English class is precisely the reason you mentioned, that nowadays, kids start P1 expected to already read and write, unlike in my days when we go to school to learn. I might check out hougang or goldhill and see if they’re better or teach her myself like you.

[buds]

Jinglee:

Buds...


Glad to see your reply... Congrats again on your little bundle of joy... So,you got yourself a Dragon Baby...!!
I'll take note of the Innovative kids series...
Have been hanging in Popular stores and Kinokuniya these days... but not really buying anything... just window shopping for what to buy when his time comes for reading, interesting books,etc,...

Thank you.. yes Dragon Boi.

I too, love hanging around Popular even when I've nothing important to buy.. I love the smell of paper AND books. Oh, when you look out for resources and stationery, keep your eyes peeled for games as well.

[hokkiengirl]

tigermummy:

Btw, any advice on what to do with my 5 yr old? Should I take her out and look for another school or teach her to read on my own?

Hi, Tigermummy!

DIY lah. Seriously, just 15 minutes or so a day with your girl and she will be able to read soon. Save money, save time and you can move at her pace. Very important point to note is that you have to check if she is ready to read. Some kids don't connect what they see on the page to sounds and therefore meaning till later. It's a brain thing. Cannot rush. All you can do is to gently help accelerate the process with lots of exposure. And be prepared to be very patient. I'm still making this mistake with my kids. I think that just because I try very hard, they should be able to get it. Sigh, actually, if they're not ready, there's nothing else parents can do. To yell would be counter-productive and would scare them. I'm still trying to learn this lesson...

btw, Book Depository, the online bookstore, is having a ten-percent sale!!! Great selection of children's books! And, no ah, I am not affiliated in any way to BD. No commission for me!

[hokkiengirl]

angelwink35:

Hi ,

Im a new mother and am trying to gage which is the more effective ways in teaching my child reading when he reach sch age. Some childcare they also put in enrichment programmes for students in order to prepare themselves in Pri one.Like creativity writing compo,comprehension, phonics etc.But of course since the sch offer more comprehensive methods and they are normally cost more than normal CC. Or shld I put my child to normal CC like those PCF and then put him to outside enrichment class .Which ways are better?

Hi, angelwink35!

I would go with PCF and external enrichment classes. The branded schools usually charge a premium, then, as parents, we get very UPSET when the standards drop or the schools don't deliver what they promised, etc. It's quite stressful. With PCF, you can paying a reasonable amount for what to me is a pretty good programme. So any extra stuff done will make you happy! And there are loads of things happening in PCF kindys, like Reading Festivals, Sports Days, external trainers coming in to teach sports and Chinese, etc. Value for money!!!

If you still don't think it is sufficient for your child, then you get to choose the specific enrichment class which you feel would best meet your child's needs and suit his temperament. So you have more control over his learning. And, er, I've found out that the PCF syllabus is actually pretty rigorous. They do teach stuff that prepares the kid for primary school, and what I like is that it is OTT like some other kindys, which stress the kids by making them do ridiculously hard things. When most kids manage the hard thing, let's not kid ourselves that they are smarter and superior to previous generations. It's just that they were screamed at and even caned at home till they reached the required standard. It's the dirty little secret of most Singaporean households with young children.

[Monster Mummy]

Hi,


I totally agreed with hokkiengirl. My children are all in PCF as they got caregiver to tske care and I actually enrol them in external programme. Basically, the PCF programme has been quite structure and improve along these years. I can see the difference for two years. I enroll them in the external programme is to prepare for their primary school. I think that those enrol in the premium childcare still need to pay additional cost for going external programme.

I heard from one of my gf who is childcare teacher, she told me some student who are weak, their parents will enrol them in external programme.

[Twinkerbell]

Hi all, I strongly recommend Learning Point. My dd is in their Phonics program n am amazed that she progress so fast. It is a one year prog n will follow by writing prog after completion of reading! A parent I knew there told me her dd wasted 2 yrs in ICR n was glad she placed her in LP now. I got to know this centre through fren’s recommendation.

[rose88]

May i know how old is ur daughter and how much is the fees? Thanks a lot.