Hi Buds,


Do you still remember my gal whom is confused with the introduction of alphabet names? I replied to you with more questions :oops: in page 45 and hope to hear from you soon

buds:

I usually wouldn't suggest parents of very young children to go straight
into teaching letter sounds. Even in our enrichment classes, we cater
to children aged 4yrs old.

I didn't know this....

buds:

In phonics enrichment classes, focus is given
to learning letter sounds and not the alphabets/letter names. The idea
is to introduce and enhance the reading process using phonics, not letter
recognition.

there was no warning signs..as in her teacher didn't bring up to me that not knowing the letter names is critical, knowing that my gal only knows the letter sounds.. wat's your view?

buds:

For younger children, do expose them to the alphabets and the shape of
the letters... do tracing activities... craft activities... matching activities &
singing alphabet songs and many other stuff together when they are
home with you.

by younger children, how old is this range you are referring to?

buds:

May i know how old is your child again, soomum?

she is 3 yrs old.

buds:

soomum:

How can i help her to learn the letter names now??? I am now at a lost as to how to proceed or maybe should i even proceed on with her. i.e. has taught her letter sounds - introducing letter names *now made her confused *

I will need to know the age of your child before i make some suggestions.
One way will be, YOU teach the letter names ie. the alphabets. Let the
teacher teach the sounds..... for now. Until your child is more comfortable
handling both simultaneously from you. In the meantime, what you can do
is not to say she is wrong but instead, reiterate that for example... 'b' makes
the sound /b/ : b-uh.

So you mean i (being the first to teach her the letter sounds) can now teach her the letter names? without confusing her further? I just stop doing the letter sounds with her right? But she is so used to doing the letter sounds with me, what if she requests to do the sounds?

buds:

soomum:

- next step is building words is it?

Yes, it is. Wordbuilding is helping children to listen to sounds in words...
beginning with 3-letter phonetic words. During this stage, i usually
encourage parents to read rhymes with children llike these ones...

Diddle Diddle dumpling, my son John..
Went to bed with his trousers on..

i should wait till she knows her letter names and sounds well before proceeding to wordbuilding right?

buds:

soomum:

... this to teach in conjunction with learning to write the letters or need to already be able to write?

This can be done for both learning writers and confident writers. This is
where the initial alphabet activities comes in extremely handy and timely,
especially if they were to start Phonics lessons around 4yrs old... earliest
would be 3.5yrs old. Children who are confident writers from what i have
observed can even do independent spelling with simple 3-letter words the
centre has covered with them. They can easily associate writing down...
c-a-t when the directress says please spell for me c-uh... aaaahhh... t.
They usually have no issues co-relating alphabets and letter sounds.

how do one assess a child is ready for learning to write? my gal likes to trace dotted lines/letters with markers. is it the right time now to teach her to hold a pencil and trace the dotted letters? when do we 'wean' off the dotted lines?
sorry for my many questions. this is my first time teaching a pre-schooler and realises that it is not as easy as others portray it to be.

buds:

Letter names or the alphabets must come first.

Then comes letter sounds to make connection
or to be of relation to the letter names.

ie. This letter b makes the sound /b/... (b-uh).

If you learn the sounds first, especially for young
children... they will get confused and WILL slow
down the progress of writing efficiently.

Cannot possibly say, /b/ makes this letter b, right?
ie. b-uh makes this letter b-(ee), tio-bo?

In Phonics enrichment classes especially, they don't
do both. They only focus on the sounds. Not letters.
So ensure that your kids are equipped with knowledge
and recognition of the alphabets prior to attending a
Phonics enrichment class. This will ensure that your
child does not require to go back to basics when he
or she has difficulty making connection/relation with
the alphabets during the course of the programme.
Imagine a child who already can read well with the
Phonics decoding but yet doesn't know the abc's...
I have personally encountered this problem. And
i tell you, the child was very demoralized.



The parents? Confused and lost. They didn't realize
it cud be THAT detrimental to his progress.


This is due to the fact that the process was not done
systematically/in order and also not age appropriate...
Children should be allowed to grow and learn at their
specific age range. For example, we cannot possibly
make a three month old crawl when they're just
learning to turn their bodies, right...?

....

So, i truly honestly encourage parents to please introduce the
alphabets first, just like how we did when we were little... Dun
need to advance teach reading when cognitively there are many
other things that the child has to learn in his time.... at his age.

Unless of course, child is gifted. Okie?

Hi Buds!
I've been following your thread and can say a fan pf yours . Was reading the thread and got a shock :!: when i read this post. I have been having the understanding that i should only introduce letter sounds first to the child and not letter names. As such you are right that my child is starting to get confused when she is being introduced to letter names. Its really tricky to be teaching letter names after she had learned the letter sounds. How can i help her to learn the letter names now??? I am now at a lost as to how to proceed or maybe should i even proceed on with her. i.e. has taught her letter sounds - introducing letter names *now made her confused * - next step is building words is it? this to teach in conjunction with learning to write the letters or need to already be able to write?

You are absolutely right! :? I am super confused and also very very worried that I have done it wrongly. Please HELP us :?:

jellybnzw:

I went and checked out the school fees.Total per month is $680. Per month is $650 and there is a meal allowance (90% organic supply) $30. the registration is $380 but if you are a passion card holder $200 off(limited time offer).


I saved on transport as my girl is at my gran's place which is 10mins walking distance. So this sort of sealed the deal.
Hope this helps!

Cheers!

Thanks alot! Its great to be within walking distance for your girl It sure seems like the school incorporates quite a variety of activities for the children there.

Hi parents!

Does anyone has child(ren) in Fairfield Methodist Church Kindergarten at tg pagar?
How is your experience with it?

thanks a lot!
:thankyou:

jellybnzw:

Hi there,

I read all the posting about Arts Kidz and I found another one close to Arts Kidz. Its called [Moderator's note: Entry removed on request of service provider] and they utilise the Montessori method. And they teach violin and the students do not need to purchase a violin at all.

Well personally for me its only a 10min walk away from my gran's house and the location is convenient. Its located in Radin Mas CC and its on the second floor.

The class rooms are big and spacious with study desks and cubbies. They are also using the CCs music room and there is quite a large outdoor play area.

They advocate teaching children to be independent and be able to do things themselves.

Their sports for the older kids include Aikido. How cool is that.

I personally like the school as the Administrator was quite honest to tell me that her son is in the same school and in the 18 - 2yrs class.

Food wise, they are a organic school, so they try to go organic as much as possible. Healthy way!

I mean give a look at it.

I will be enrolling my girl in this school end of the month to start next year!

hi jellybnzw,

sounds like a great school looking at the curriculum. do you mind sharing the fees per month for [Moderator's note: Entry removed on request of service provider]?

thanks!

Hi Buds,


How are you now? Recovered yet?

lessons1- 5 which covers teaching child sounds /c/. /f/, /i/, /m/, does it mean we just do the same for /e/, /z/, /p/, /o/ follow by next set etc?

What is the reason for introducing LMA ? :?

After LMA, is it word building stage or the 3-letter word formation you mentioned earlier?
she is not tracing the sandpaper letters well yet, always anyhow do :frustrated: is it a bad time if i try to get her to hold a pencil and start writing freehand letters? :?

sidetrack a bit, i noticed that there are usually more than 1 child working on the mat in my child's school. is this acceptable? i have the perception that a child should work within a given space/work area in a montessori env, hence i'm abit disturbed by this as the teachers are not showing that this is not wrong to do. my child would tell me that so and so went over and play with her toys. she is not too happy unless its her fav friend (strange how a 3yo would already have friends she prefers) as i taught her to work within her mat and not disturb others hence she expects the others to do so.
Then she loves playing her school toys not sure what she picked and she does not like to be asked to do tablework/sit beside teacher to learn numbers/letters. she's stubborn i usually have to find a way to convince her to agree to do what i want her to. Have you come across such student/child before? How would you handle them?

Thank you buds! for replying even when u r in hospital. I hope all is well for you and bb.

:ugogirl:

buds:

[Moderator's note: Topic selected for http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/teach-math-home-introducing-1-10.]


http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/ss93/buds_kiasubucket/NumberRodsCards.jpg\">

In a Montessori classroom this is one simple material used
for introducing children to concept of 1 to 10. The material
is made from wood, alternately coloured with blue and red,
to determine each column as one unit... and as number goes
bigger, rods get longer.

The number cards are also in wood. Numbers printed in black ink.

For mummies trying to teach this concept with similar learning
material, you cud do it with vanguard paper or cardboard...
preferably papers which won't bend easily. If using normal
paper can laminate.. Likewise for the number cards.

http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVjGg3S


Many teaching variations to teach early maths concepts
with this simple material.

>Intro quantity of 1 to 10.
( Counting from left to right & one unit at a time)

>Building stairs. From 1 to 10. - Least to most. Smallest to biggest.
>Learning to count in sequence from 1 to 10.
>Building stairs. From 10 to 1. Most to least. Biggest down to smallest.
>Learning to count backwards from 10 to 1.

>Matching quantity and written symbols, with number rods and cards.
Arranged at random.

>Visual aide for introduction to simple addition using two rods.
(For addition questions with the answers 10 and below)

If you have two sets of these, can work the number bonds with
your children. I'll go into that another time, ay..

Happy teaching!

Hey buds,
Guess you must be awfully busy with the shifting to your very first new home. I just shifted to my very 1st one! *Phew* Its was so grueling for me. That's why I've not been working much with my dd.

I wonder if you have time for my queries. I want to teach my 3yo dd maths. I tried on and off when i have time to count 1-3 with her using concrete objects. However it seems like she can only understand up to quantity 2. What is the frequency like to introduce 1-10? All at one go or break into 1-3 then progress to 1-4, 1-5 and so on? I feel that her tcher is not working much with her on maths and i'm anxious to want her to be able to count (desperately in fact haa!).
Reading your above post, I would like to use the Montessori method to teach so it means i need to start off with this concept? if yes, i do not quite understand how i can use vanguard sheet to replace as the wooden rods? because the vanguard sheet although hard is not as 3D as the wooden rods right? Thus how do i build stairs without them flying off the floor? Can i use mega blocks to do this but thats higher cost? Why must it be alternate red & blue color? Is there a book i can get so that i know how to conduct this concept step by step?
Also, do i have to make sandpaper numbers for tracing too? Or can i just print out the numbers (bold in black) and laminate it?

My apologies with my questions. Hope you are not fainting I can't say enough of THANK YOUs for all your advice and help rendered since i know you here =D