All About Grooming & Encouraging Good Reading Habits

[Blobbi]

cafelatte:

Err....I used all my 3 20% off coupon at Popular already !

This is off topic. But how to get 20% coupon for Popular hah? :lol:

[optimistforum]

Dear Tamarind, Clarbella, Cafelatte, Blobbi et al


Firstly, Tamarind - in answer to your question, about comparing UK state schools to Singaporean state schools; there is no comparison. Singapore is far superior!!! It is a shame that we (in the UK) who are the mother country, have the poorer literacy and numeracy levels. Our Year 2 SAT Papers in English and Maths are weak compared to equivalent papers at the end of P1. :oops:

Secondly, after seeing the Stellar Program PDF, can someone please have a look at the English Practice Book (by Jean Chua), that I mentioned earlier. I would like to know if I can use this as a standard now.

Finally, what is the school year in Singapore? I understand it starts in January. (Here in the UK, school starts in the first week of September, and finishes around the third week of July. The age cut-off date is 31 Aug. So DS1's current cohort in Year 2 (your P1) had to all be 6 years of age by 31 Aug 2009. My DS1 was 6 in July, and so is a very young six.)

[Blobbi]

optimistforum:

Finally, what is the school year in Singapore? I understand it starts in January. (Here in the UK, school starts in the first week of September, and finishes around the third week of July. The age cut-off date is 31 Aug. So DS1's current cohort in Year 2 (your P1) had to all be 6 years of age by 31 Aug 2009. My DS1 was 6 in July, and so is a very young six.)

Gosh, Optimistforum, I did hear about Reception year being 4yrs of age and Year 1 starting at 5. I wasn't clear about what the standards are but from what you've written, it sounds pretty high for a child of an equivalent age. Maybe the standards aren't as high as Singapore's because of the age difference? It may then ramp up as the child progresses through the system to finally equalize at, say, 16yo? This is pure conjecture on my part. It's always interesting to learn about education systems around the world.

Whatever it is, you sound really clued into our local system (more than me, which isn't difficult, keke). Good stuff, Mummy!

[buds]

Blobbi:

cafelatte:

Err....I used all my 3 20% off coupon at Popular already !

This is off topic. But how to get 20% coupon for Popular hah? :lol:

For Popular members, the most recent Popular Magazine
contains three 20%-off-coupons at the second page.. I
got one left. Waiting to make last spree before 31st Dec.

[tamarind]

optimistforum:

Dear Tamarind, Clarbella, Cafelatte, Blobbi et al


Firstly, Tamarind - in answer to your question, about comparing UK state schools to Singaporean state schools; there is no comparison. Singapore is far superior!!! It is a shame that we (in the UK) who are the mother country, have the poorer literacy and numeracy levels. Our Year 2 SAT Papers in English and Maths are weak compared to equivalent papers at the end of P1. :oops:

Secondly, after seeing the Stellar Program PDF, can someone please have a look at the English Practice Book (by Jean Chua), that I mentioned earlier. I would like to know if I can use this as a standard now.

Finally, what is the school year in Singapore? I understand it starts in January. (Here in the UK, school starts in the first week of September, and finishes around the third week of July. The age cut-off date is 31 Aug. So DS1's current cohort in Year 2 (your P1) had to all be 6 years of age by 31 Aug 2009. My DS1 was 6 in July, and so is a very young six.)

Our kids go to P1 in January in the year that he turns 7 years old. For example, a 2003 child goes to P1 in 2010, even if he is born on 31 Dec 2003. My son is born in Sep, when he enters P1 he will be only 6 years 3 months old.

However, most families who can afford it, send their kids to playgroup from as young as 18 months old to start learning ABCs. It is very rare to find a child who has not gone to nursery at 3 years old. Many parents start to read English books to their babies since birth

When my girl was in kindergarten K2 (the year before P1), her kindergarten taught the Rigby Rocket turquoise series :
http://www.edventurebooks.com/Rigby/Rocket/turquoise.htm
Click here to see the words :
http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqBQJ1i

Roughly equivalent to Peter and Jane level 4/5. Though she has already read Charlotte's Web, Little House on the Prairie, the original Alice in Wonderland, etc, at home.

Kids who can read very well at a very young age, all learned to read at home, taught by their mommies

I taught my boy http://tamarindphonics.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-to-teach-phonics.html at home, and let him read the http://tamarindphonics.blogspot.com/2008/12/key-words-with-ladybird.html from 3 years 3 months old, he completed book 11a and is able to read Roald Dahl's books before he turns 5 years old.

I think that the majority of kids who attended kindergarten(not compulsory) are able to read at about Peter and Jane level 4, but there are also many kids who can only read at level 1 by the time they enter P1, usually in neighbourhood schools.

Those kids studying in the top primary schools in Singapore, are the ones who are best prepared by their mommies , that is why the schools need to set test papers of very high standards.

I don't have the book by Jean Chua, I will take a look when I go to Popular bookshop.

[optimistforum]

To Tamarid, Clarabella, Cafelatte et al


Just some context about myself. :idea: I am concious that I have posted numerously over the last few days, and I thought I would give some details about myself. I am finding it difficult to enter the info in the \"Profile\" section, and I may need some help on that. :?

I am a married man, with two sons. I am a 43 old Indian; I was born in the UK, but my parents are from India. Indians are like Singaporeans, and have the education-work ethic. I taught my children to read and count from 2.5 years to 4. My wife deals with reading with DS1 and 2 between ages of 4 and 6. I then take over with a challenging programme of small pieces of English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non Verbal Reasoning. As my wife and I both work full-time, we ensure kids have a balance of fun and homework in the evenings and weekends. DS1 finds he enjoys the Singaporean assesment books, and says they are more challenging than work done at school. DS2 has just started Reception (age 4-5); and while not as prolific a reader as DS1; he knows his 42 letters and diagraphs, is reading Rigby at school, and Peter and Jane at home.

I have one eye on preparing my children for entrance/scholarship to Rugby School, Marlborough College, Wellington College or Eton College. It is most likley, we will opt for Rugby, as the others are boarding schools; Rugby (which is a day and boarding school) is also a short distance away and we can ferry the kids there, each day, by car.

I have also recently become a Literacy and Numeracy Governor at a poorly performing Secondary School. In my first 12 months now, the school's GCSE results have risen above the \"poor\" threshold mark, and the school whilst still poor is not a forlorn case - and is now moving onwards and upwards. NB, GCSE's are nowhere as hard as your O'levels, and that's a discussion for a future thread.... :x

PS as I am on Xmas holiday for two weeks, I will be on this forum a lot during this period.

[cafelatte]

optimistforum:

..I have one eye on preparing my children for entrance/scholarship to Rugby School, Marlborough College, Wellington College or Eton College. ....

Thanks for the intro and *WOW* !!! to the above !!

[Blobbi]

Tks buds. Hubby threw it into the bin. Maybe I can pick up a copy at the store. I won’t be learning this lesson again next year, grr.


Optimistforum, good luck to you and your family. Hope your son gets into the dream school, whichever it is!

[ChiefKiasu]

buds:

For Popular members, the most recent Popular Magazine

contains three 20%-off-coupons at the second page.. I
got one left. Waiting to make last spree before 31st Dec.

Me too

For those who have lost your coupons, you can get another 3 by paying $0.50 to buy the magazine again.

[autumnbronze]

buds:

For Popular members, the most recent Popular Magazine

contains three 20%-off-coupons at the second page.. I
got one left. Waiting to make last spree before 31st Dec.

Hi,

Kaypoing as usual ....

Yeah, just used up the second one yesterday, going to Popular again soon aft xmas to 'conclude' the spree

Haiz, really spent alot on bks this year for DS ...