Learning Buzz!

Approaches to learning: 3-4 years

2012-01-26T10:24:00.003+08:00

Approaches to learning : 3-4 years

" Research shows that if children start school with a strong set of attitudes and skills that help them ‘learn how to learn’, they’ll be better able to take advantage of educational opportunities. While some learning skills come naturally to children, others can be developed through a supportive environment."

Three-year-olds increasingly know what they want and are able to express what that is. While playing, they’re better able to ignore distractions and focus on the task at hand – they’ll even persist in completing something that’s a bit difficult. Your child’s learning still mainly happens through exploring, using all her senses. Her growing language skills allow for more complex questions and discussion, and she can think more creatively and methodically when solving problems.

Initiative, engagement and persistence
1) Your child is becoming increasingly deliberate when choosing activities and companions. For example, ‘I want to play at Jeremy’s house today’.
2) He’s able to focus his attention for longer periods of time, even with distractions or interruptions (as long as the activity is age-appropriate and interesting to him). For example, he can repeatedly solve and tip out a wooden puzzle, even with the TV on in the background.
3) She’ll persist with a wider variety of tasks, activities and experiences, and will keep working to complete a task even if it’s a bit tricky – for example, she might work on a hard puzzle until it’s finished.
4) Your child is learning to do a wider range of activities on his own, such as feeding, undressing, and grooming himself. He might refuse your help as he becomes increasingly independent.

Curiosity and eagerness to learn
1) Your child is continuing to seek and engage in sensory and other experiences. She’ll enjoy listening to stories, playing with friends and going on trips to new places, such as the local fire station.
2) He’s continuing to ask lots of questions, which are becoming more verbally complex. For example, ‘How do we get to Nana’s house?’
3) She’ll continue seeking out new challenges – for example, she’ll try to dress a doll or put together a new construction toy.

Reasoning and problem-solving
1) Your child is becoming more flexible in problem-solving and thinking through alternative options. For example, he might talk to himself about what to do first when putting on his shoes, and if the shoe won’t easily go on one foot, he might try the other one.
2) She’ll be increasingly able to ask for help on challenging tasks. For example, ‘Can you put Teddy’s pants on please?’

Invention and imagination
1) Your child is developing his ability to ‘play pretend’ with other children. For example, he’ll enjoy playing in a pretend kitchen with a friend as they serve pretend ‘biscuits’, or will take on familiar roles, such as ‘Mum’ or ‘Dad’, in pretend play.
2) She’ll play creatively with both language and objects, expressing inventive ideas in lots of situations. For example, she might create interesting scenes with small plastic animals, or enjoy stringing nonsense words together: ‘Mummy nummy summy tummy’.

Baby development

2012-01-20T10:40:00.001+08:00

" Development is the term used to describe the physical changes in your baby, as well as his amazing ability to learn the skills he needs for life. As your baby grows, these skills and abilities become more and more complex. "

Baby's Facts !
If your baby seems to forget how to do something, it’s likely he’s become fascinated by learning a new task, and will surprise you by doing the earlier skills when he’s ready. Your baby will constantly repeat actions like waving, clapping or making a particular sound, then suddenly stop. These skills will also reappear.
Most healthy babies who have plenty of love and attention develop new skills in a completely natural and continually surprising way. So much development takes place in the first 12 months that this is an amazing process for parents to watch.

Babies grow and develop at tremendously different rates – and often with blissful disregard for what parenting textbooks say they’ll be doing.Your instincts, plus knowing that your baby eats and sleeps well, and that she isn’t grizzly whenever she’s awake, tell you far more than a growth or development chart can.

Enjoy the variations.
These variations are what make development so exciting and memorable.

Developmental milestones
Developmental achievements are called ‘milestones’. Growth and development milestones are a useful guide, but they aren’t something to get too worried about. Developmental milestones are grouped under headings according to the parts of the body they refer to:

1) Large body movements involve the coordination and control of large muscles and skills like walking, sitting and running.
2) Small body movements (or manipulation) involve the coordination and control of small muscles, and skills like holding a rattle, picking up crumbs and scribbling with a pencil.
3) Vision is the ability to see near and far, and to interpret what’s seen.
4) Hearing is the ability to hear, listen to and interpret sounds, whereas speech is the ability to produce sounds that form words.
5) Social behaviour and understanding is your child’s ability to learn and interact with others, including skills for play and connecting and communicating.

Developmental delay
* Developmental progress can be affected by delays. These delays might be temporary or, less often, permanent. Premature birth and illness are two things that might cause temporary delays. Some disabilities can cause permanent delay. A baby’s development can also suffer because of her environment.

Choosing your child's school

2012-01-14T11:26:00.000+08:00

Choosing your child's school

Decisions about where your child goes to school are very personal, and can be difficult. It’s common and normal for parents to feel anxious about getting this decision right. For some parents, the decision is simple. Their children go to the local public school – the school in the same government zone as their house. Other parents might want to look further afield at other government schools (‘out-of area’ schools) or private schools.

Things to consider when choosing a school

If you’re looking beyond the local public school, think about what will work best for your child’s characteristics, personality, strengths, needs and interests. You might also consider how different schools’ cultures and values sit with your family values and family life.

Factors you could take into account include:

- The facilities the school has to support your child’s learning – such as playgrounds, library, home language support, music programs, clubs and sporting teams

- The opportunities for parent and family involvement with the school, and how communication between home and the school is managed

- The school’s size and number of children enrolled

-The school’s religious affiliation or otherwise

- Your preference in relation to public versus private education

-The location of the school, cost or difficulty of travelling to and from the school, and public transport options
- Your preferences or needs – for example, boarding, or the possibility of educating your child at home

- The connection between the school and the local community

-The schools’ previous academic results or performance in other areas, such as the arts, sport or community engagement

- where your child’s friends are going.

*Many parents worry they can’t afford to send their child to the ‘best’ school in the area. Every school has strengths that will enhance your child’s experience of school. Getting to know what those strengths are and how you can support them will benefit your child’s education.

Choosing a primary school

The following questions might be useful if you’re thinking about primary schools:

- Will you and your child feel welcome at the school?
- Does the school offer a ‘transition into school’ program?
- What options are available for before and after school care? What do other parents you know think about the -Different schools in your area? What are their experiences?
-What approach does the school take to behaviour management?

Maximizing emotional intelligence

2012-01-08T11:10:00.000+08:00

Let Children learn what they like

When we are interested in what we are learning, maximal retention occurs. In Calvin and Hobbes, Calvin's father once expressed concern over Calvin's grades. He said to Calvin, "But you like learning and reading, don't you? What happened in school?" Calvin's answer was short and to the point. "We don't learn about dinosaurs." If the school had taught about dinosaurs, Calvin would be a grade A student.

Therefore, parents can identify one subject area that your kid is fascinated in and encourage exploration to allow them to maximize their emotional intelligence.

Reading aloud

2012-01-02T11:22:00.000+08:00

Reading aloud is fun, it open doors, and builds the desire to read.

It gives educational advantage for your child, and can establish bonds between the both of you. Reading aloud also develops the ability to read alone.

You can make reading aloud to your child more fun, if you speak in the voice of the characters in the book. For example, in Goldilocks and the Three Bears, you can use different voices for the three different bears. For even more fun, your children can also act or playact the parts of their favourite stories.

Assign parts in the story which are fitting to the characters, for example, dad could be the Papa bear, mum could be the Mama bear, and your child, the baby bear. After doing this many times, the roles can be reversed, so your child gets chances to play the Papa bear or any other character. The game gets even more hilarious when the roles are mixed up.

Why is reading aloud to your child important

2011-12-26T10:36:00.000+08:00

You child will be able to hear how reading sounds like when it's done by an adult, how it is different from his own reading. He carries the echo of the sound in his ear as he learns to read alone.

Even when a child develops enough confidence in himself by reading to his parents and younger siblings, he still needs to hear stories read aloud for him too. The growing independence in reading alone is strengthened by the praise he receives from his listeners.

Reading aloud is a social event, your child learns not only stories, he learns about life, his family, his place in the world. While reading a story, we tend to talk about it and even after the reading is over, we still continue to talk about it. Events from stories can be related to everyday life, reinforcing the story in your child's mind.

Hearing a story in a group at the library or school cannot compare to hearing a story read aloud to you by your own parent at home. When you read to your children, you are not only teaching them about the material they are reading. You are telling them that they are important to you, that they are safe and secure with you by their side.

All children needs to receive messages like these, to show that you feel that they are important to you.

Creative Parenting Ideas

2011-12-20T11:18:00.001+08:00

Spend Time to Impart Knowledge

We spend lots of time with our children , sharing information with them whenever it's practical. We visit the libraries and borrow books on general knowledge that contains attractive illustration, and give them five bookmarks before their bedtime. And they use these to mark topics in the library books that they would like to know more about. They also look forward to these nightly sessions and have acquired quite a fair bit of general knowledge. We, as adults, have also learn many facts,

Our aim is to impress upon our children that there is a wide reservoir of knowledge in nooks.

Of course much time is needed to prepare and share with the children in this respect. But if parents manage their time well, these sharing session with the child will be very rewarding.

What reading does to your child

2011-12-14T10:46:00.000+08:00

Reading alone expands a child's world. By reading, a child can be transported to other times and places, which he would not be able to be, by just reading. History textbooks give facts, but historical stories have the power to make us feel as if we are living in that exact same setting.

Through reading, your child can imagine the life in the future, or on a distant planet. Books help us to consider the impossible situations and realise the many choices that we have in life. It builds a sense of wonder in your child.

Reading also allows us to live more lives than the one we have. While reading, we can face fear and loneliness without leaving the safety of our home. We're able to sail around the world without fear of shipwreck, suffer blindness without loss of sight, while still feeling the emotions of the moment. Through reading, we can also feel the experiences that we may have someday.

Books cannot replace a real life experience, but they are useful to help us decide which experiences are worth having in the future.

How reading makes a differnce

2011-12-08T13:44:00.000+08:00

Reading makes a difference in unexpected parts of our lives. Books can be used to reassure a child who needs to face something that frightens him or her. By reading a story several times about a frightening or scary procedure, it would help to calm and reassure the child. This way, the child would be able to face those bravely.

Books can help you as a parent in many family situations. When a new baby is going to arrive, books that deal with this situation help a child with their deep inner fears of being replaced or unloved.

Books can also ease concerns about losing a tooth, serving as a flower girl in a wedding, having an operation, or other events. There is a backward and forward flow between books and what happens in real life, children can use real life experiences to help them understand books and books help them to understand real life.

Learning from baby’s body movements

2011-12-02T10:58:00.000+08:00

Learning from baby’s body movements

Look at all the parts of your baby’s body, and note the way baby’s feet kick, hands clasp and
face changes with different expressions.

Watch how your baby moves arms and legs to see which things cause distress or make baby startle – sun in the eyes, the cat running past, or a loud noise from the street.

You will also see what calms and reassures your baby.

1) Learning from baby’s responses

- Watch how your baby responds to your communication and touch, and learn what comforts baby. As your baby grows and begins to smile, return smiles as much as possible.
- Babies as young as eight weeks old can tell the difference between people. Babies will have different physical responses to different people, depending on their relationship with the baby.

2) Recognising baby’s feelings
Learn to recognise when your baby is wide awake and alert, crying, fussy, or at different stages of sleep. Eventually you will become familiar with these and be able to predict your baby’s patterns.

3) Learn to tell when your baby is tired.

Watch for:
~ droopy eyelids and slow blinking
~ stiff and jerky movements
~ whining and irritability (younger babies)
~ being wound-up
~ crankiness or moodiness
~ eye rubbing
~ clinginess (older babies).

4)Understanding what your baby is saying to you.

The way you respond to your baby – whether you put baby to sleep when baby’s looking overtired or offer a feed when baby’s hungry – can help settle baby into a routine. It is easier to build a routine if you do things in the same way most days.

5) Communicating with baby

Alert babies are more interested in communicating. Talk to your baby quietly and rhythmically and use lots of facial expressions. After all, your baby is reading your face too. Babies can watch what you’re doing and slowly get used to the idea that they can communicate with you, and you with them. Before your baby learns to talk, there’ll be experiments with sounds – anything that can get a response! This includes sneezing, coughing, gagging and squealing. Later, vowel sounds begin. These noises are attempts to engage your attention. The way you respond, however silly, will help your baby learn to communicate.

The success cycle of reading

2011-11-26T10:54:00.000+08:00

Reading alone establishes reading as a lifelong habit. Children are better readers because they get good at what they practice a lot in.

In reading, like many other things, practice makes perfect. This is the success cycle of reading, a cycle we want our children to get into as readers.The more you read, the better you read, the better you read, the more you enjoy it. The more you enjoy it, the more you want to read.

Reading independently improves reading fluency, the ability to read fast and understand the word.

So get your child into the reading success cycle today!

How to Encourage Your Child to Read

2011-11-23T14:12:00.002+08:00

What adults can learn from kids

2011-11-17T23:09:00.001+08:00

Getting along with others

2011-11-14T10:00:00.000+08:00

Some young people have a knack for getting along with others. They step into a group and within minutes, they are accepted into the group. Some really never get along with others. Perhaps the easiest way of explaining how your child can learn to get along with other children is to place him with a cat.

A child who is good at interpreting nonverbal communication will know after some interaction with the cat. What the cat likes and dislikes and how it wants to be approached. This is especially important as your child will meet more and more people as he grows older and steps into the society. As he moves up the hierarchy, he will find that an inability to communicate with others will impede his progress.

Just as the cat likes it when your child makes meowing sounds. People get comfortable when someone they meet for the first time adopts familiar ways of relating to them. This involves everything from walking and talking a similar fashion to using similar words. Imitation is other the most sincere form of flattery.

Living and learning

2011-11-08T10:00:00.001+08:00

Wondering have you and your child seen that learning doesn't cost a penny and can be something as fun and simple as activities such as going out for a walk, kicking about on a field with full of gold and brown leaves, and watching sunset/sunrise together? In fact, real life opportunities for children to think about and learn from are every bit as valuable in brain development.

Here are a few ways that you can put into real life with your child-
1) Real life maths learning is a great way for child to develop.
Maths is full of abstract ideas that aren't always easy for children to get a grasp of. But put maths to work in real life and that all changes. A simple thing such as help your child figure out the weekly shopping budget with you can complement their academic study by making maths real.

2) Let children brainstorm and problem solve with you.
Thinking and problem solving do not always require tailor-made activities to engage the brain. Everyday life is on big problem-solving activity! There is always a birthday party or big family event just around the corner and these are brilliant opportunities for children to use their brain and gain confidence.

3) Check your child's social diary before booking a day out.
You have just spend an amount of money, you arrive at your destination, only to find your child is going there on a school trip next week, It happens - Simply because today's lifestyle are busy and hectic.

4) Get the best value for money from days out.
Most venues are just as keen as you that you get the best value for your money, and they are most likely to work with large school visits so are used to dealing with children.

5) Avoid 'Are we there yet'
Children don't have any idea of time and distance, This is easily remedied by turning trips into brain training exercises - ask your child to help plan the journey with you.

The seven steps to personalized learning

2011-10-13T10:05:00.001+08:00

Let's find out how your child can benefit by understanding a few basic concepts and techniques of personalized learning from this pyramid.

Step 1: Never be passive, always be active
Don't allow yourself to get into the habit of passively accepting that when you are presented with text, the way things are set out in it is necessarily the best way for YOU to learn. If it doesn't work for you, don't hesitate. Take Action!

Step 2: Learn how to make knowledge your own.
Each time children brings creativity into learning, their mind is linking learning with fun- and that is a great motivation for a child to learn more and do more.

Step3: Experiment with different techniques
Once you and your child have learned about different ways of thinking and learning, you should move on to this step, which is to experiment. Try experimenting with new ideas that you find out what works best for your child.
For example, making riddles. Riddles are able to help your child to:
1. Re-shape the information to make it more personal
2. Find a different way of thinking about a new topic
3. Develop problem-solving abilities.

Step 4: Let children choose what works for them
Having a variety of strategies at their fingertips means that your child can bring any of them into play as required. This places them in a very powerful position. When they do this, they are using skills that will not only help them across the school curricula but also throughout life.

Step 5: Remind children that they are unique
The more children practice different techniques , the more they will begin to have the confidence not only to mix and match them but also to design and come up with a few of their own. Your child is unique and just as able as anyone to come up with great ideas that build upon the fact that they are now becoming an expert in how they think and learn.

Step 6: Remain open to new ideas
Knowledge and research is forever moving on, and children can benefit from this as techniques and strategies can be influenced by new findings and discoveries. What we know about the brain and learning is an ongoing journey, not a static one, so keeping eyes and ears open to new ideas is important.

Step 7: Expert in personalized learning
And lastly, congratulations! Now, you know everything there is to know about personalized learning. Whenever you feel you need to revise things or remind your child how important it is to develop a good range of workable strategies, go through this seven steps again.

Tips for busy parents

2011-10-06T10:13:00.001+08:00

In the preschool years, your chidl is a learning machine. He learns even when you don't know he's learning. The most important things you want your child to do is to get to know books, come to love books, and to learn about the language.

These learning tasks can be accomplished if you just do these simple things.

Reading a bedtime story- This cannot be started too early or repeated too often. The fun times when you and your child are together is important in establishing a lifelong habit.

Reading the same book over and over- Unlike yourself, your child will want the repetition of the happy experience.

Give your child markers, paper and pencils- Children need to make notes on paper to learn that they can write down what we say, and that they are able to write too. Look over your child's writing, and keep writing supplies in a special place where you can bring out while keeping an eye on your child.

Write messages to your child- When you are away, leave a message for your child to read. Leave a note on the fridge, or in their lunchbox.

Label your child's possessions- Children need to see their names everywhere.

Make alphabet books- Staple together 26 pieces of paper, write a letter on each page. Get your child to fill each page with words or pictures that begin with the letter that is on it. She can also write her own name, and her friend's name too.

Put magnetic letters on the refrigerator- Many children learned to read from magnetic letters on the refrigerator. You got to form the letters into words, especially your child's name, and get your child to do the same.

Setting achievable goals

2011-09-29T10:12:00.002+08:00

One skill that you can teach your child is the ability to set small and achievable goals. When a target is reached, a positive upward spiral of accomplishment is created and your child's self-esteem is heightened. Goals should be specific and have a time frame. When your child has a goal that really matters to him, you will be amazed by his determination and the tenacity that is unleashed in him. Let him begin with small things such as improving his Mathematics grade from B to A and completing his art project in a given time frame. Once this habit is developed, the consequences can be far-reaching.

Dealing with children to do their homework?

2011-09-24T10:35:00.001+08:00

"How do you get your children to do their homework? Instead, you leave homework up to your children, and let them deal with the consequences directly."

Here are four effective ways to inspire your children to do their homework:

1) Let your children experience poor grades.

This is difficult, I know but critical. When report cards come out, sit down with your children and ask how they feel about their grades. Discuss which areas they want to improve in and which areas they are proud of. Sometimes going to summer school and missing out on summer fun is a big motivator to do better next time.

2) Pay attention to the subjects they are interested in

Ask them about their interests, hobbies, and projects. Support them in their activities any way that you can.

3) Attend as many of your child's school events as possible

Go to the parent-teacher interviews, the concerts, and the games, and demonstrate your interest, care, and support.

4) Stop reminding them about homework

Leave the responsibility for their homework to them. In order for your children to do well in school over the long-term-and ultimately in life!-they need to care about their homework and responsibilities more than you do do well in school over the long-term-and ultimately in life!-they need to care about their homework and responsibilities more than you do.

Gimmicks, lies, guilt trips, and similar homework motivation techniques don't help.

Instead, choose to make a small investment in your kids' future success: Give them the support and encouragement they need now. They'll ultimately feel more confident about making their own choices and taking responsibility for their achievements-and then you won't have to motivate them to do their homework any more. After all, chances are you have already passed your schooling and don't need to do it again.

The route to success in goal setting and achieving for your child

2011-09-09T10:10:00.002+08:00

It is a very old saying, but a true one: if you don't know where you are going, you could end up somewhere else. Hence, goal setting and achieving the goals set are a valuable skill for your child throughout his/her life.

1. Let your child decide on a goal
Children's dreams and ambitions are their own, as are their gifts. When children work from the foundations of knowing what they are good at and what they want to achieve they have a much better chance of achieving that goal because they will have the personal motivation.

2. Refine goals. The brain likes precision and detail in goals
There is a big difference between a wish list and a goal. Typically a child might say, 'I wish i could do better in my homework.' To the brain this doesn't mean anything because you haven't told it what 'better' means. Is it getting a better and precise grade? Is it presenting your work more neatly?

3. What the brain sees it believes
Since prehistoric cave paintings, humankind has always used pictures to help spur them on to greater things. Visualization works in the same way and is great brain training.

4. 'Keep on going', don't let anything get you down
Ask anyone who has achieved brilliance in any given field and they all have the same story to tell: at many turns in the road they had to face and overcome obstacles - and then move on.

5. Break down big goals into little ones and give them precise timescales
Think of climbing a mountain and you have to build in little goals to get to where tou want to go. Help children achieve their big dreams by showing them how to break down their gial into little steps, all of which they can take in their stride confidently and happily.

6. Celebrate the wins and let children reward themselves
Always celebrate the wins. No matter how big or how small, they all count. The operative words here are 'let children reward themselves'. Real reward for achievement is all about feeling good inside, it is not about the size or cost of the prize. The prize is the achievement itself.

Reading activities for special times

2011-09-02T10:06:00.002+08:00

Life is not all about work and no play. During weekends, birthdays, holidays, vacations,rainy days, books make a difference. Books are the right medicine for happy times and sad ones.

1- Make a rainy day book
Put a few sheets of paper together to create a book with your child illustrating it. Write down the sounds made by the rain, the splash, patter and ping of rainfall. Draw pictures of rain equipment, like umbrellas, raincoats, boots. Also, draw pictures of the neighbourhood in the rain, the buildings, people, animals.

Go to the library to get the book "Rain Talk" by Mary Serfoza, where a child listens to the "ping a ding, plip plip, and drum a tum" sounds of the rain. "Get Umbrella" by Taro Yashima, in where three-year-old Momo is awaiting the rain to come, so that she can use her new red boots and umbrella. Seeing what other children do to celebrate the rain gives your children models for their own books.

2- Read before vacations
When preparing for a vacation, get some books from the library. Find books to read about the places you are going. There are informational books about their national parks, historical sites and resorts areas. Also, there are fictional stories set in all parts of the country and world. Ask your chilren's librarian to point out books set in the area you will be visiting. If the books are too difficult for your child to read alone, read aloud to them. Your child will learn that reading is a source of information for all endeavors.

3- Read during vacations
If you travel, books are a important part of your luggage. Bring books along. Encourage your child to keep a journal or diary. Together, write a book about the places you visit and see. If you stay at home, books are even more important to your vacation time. Vacations are a good time to read the more difficult books that take up more time to read.

Did you know -
Kids who are read to do better in school.
Reading aloud to a child raises their self-esteem and reading ability.
Becoming a better reader helps a child do better in social studies and math.
Keeping a diary helps a child become a better writer and reader.
Allowing your child to read in bed is a good habit to start.
Children will read on their own a book that has been read aloud to them.

Characteristics of Infants-Preschoolers

2011-08-29T10:07:00.003+08:00

Infants

Enjoy action nursery rhymes
Fall asleep to nursery songs and lullabies
Copy actions of children in books
Join in making sounds of animals in the books
Relate book to real life
Like to see babies in books

Toddlers

Like to read the same books multiple times
Choose their favourite book from the shelf
Explore the world by their senses
Like short stories which rhyme
Prefers large, clear and realistic pictures
Like to name objects in books and magazines

Preschoolers

Use words to express themselves
Struggle for independence, want to do things themselves
Play around with language, singing, making sounds
Fascinated by other children
Enjoy simple folktales, but not fairy tales.

Ideas for getting started on reading

2011-08-23T10:03:00.003+08:00

It is never too early, nor too late to start reading. Once you have the desire to make your child a reader, the rest is simple. There are only a few things you have to do to create a reader, and there are some which are already done. You can't begin too soon, so start today!

Here are a few ideas on getting started to make your child a reader.

1- Keep books handy and accessible
A stack of books in a basket beside the sofa makes it convenient to use those moments anytime an activity is needed. Books put by the bedside table shows that reading is a natural part of the bedtime routine. A home library can be set up at a low cost, maybe even lower than buying breakable toys.

2- Choose books your child likes
A good book that your child likes, would be read over and over again. Compared to an uninteresting book that doesn't hold your child's attention, good books are a lot more effective.

3- Set up a special time for reading
Besides bedtime, there are other times which you can read to your child too. For example, before dinner, while waiting for the other family members, you can entertain them with a book.

4- Read at bedtime
Reading at bedtime works well. When children are tired, read them a story. Maybe short with a short poem or two. Pick a good time that works for you, even better if there would be three or four times a day!

5- Read for 15minutes every day
Or even longer. When you establish book time on a regular schedule, your child will not let you forget about it.

6- Talk about the story as you read
If the story is set in the city, talk about how the pictures in the book look like the ones in your town. If there is a grandfather in the story, say about how he is similar to their grandfather. If your child doesn't understand things in the story, explain as you read.

With these tips, it would be easy to develop a active reader in your child!

How to Teach Your Toddler the Days of the Week?

2011-08-17T13:23:00.000+08:00

10 STEPS in Communicating with preschoolers

2011-08-16T10:11:00.002+08:00

1) Give your preschooler your full attention

Even a quick but focused connection can fulfil your child’s need for communication. If your child says, ‘Play with me’, and you’re not available, you might explain why. You could say, ‘I had a hard day at work today. I need three minutes to change. Then I can play with you’. Preschoolers can understand your feelings – to a point – and will appreciate your honesty.

2) Be aware of your tone

Preschoolers are new to sentence-making, they might have a heightened awareness of your tone and body language.

3) Reflect your child’s unspoken emotions

This helps put your child’s feelings into words. If your child didn’t get a turn at the playground, you might say, ‘You wanted to play with the ball next, didn’t you?’ or ‘I can see you feel really cranky!’

4) Enlist your preschooler’s help in figuring out a problem

For example, you might say, ‘Did something in that movie scare you?’ If your child doesn’t answer, you might follow up by saying, ‘Could it have been the look on that person’s face?’

5) Help your preschooler develop emotional awareness

Even if there is misbehaviour – you can talk about it together. Most preschoolers can understand a sentence like, ‘Sometimes, I get mad too. It helps me to go into another room and take some deep breaths’.

6) Offer limited choices

Preschoolers gain a sense of control by making their own decisions. You might say, ‘Do you want to get dressed before or after breakfast today?’

7) Don’t end your sentence with ‘OK’ unless you are ready for your child to say ‘No’.

Asking your child if an activity is OK can lead to a lengthy discussion and even a power struggle.

8) Grant a preschooler’s wish in fantasy

If your child expresses sadness that a toy has to be shared, you might say, ‘Would you like it if you had the toy all to yourself? What would you do with it?’ By expressing a wish and talking it through, even if it can’t be granted, a child begins to calm down.

9) Create safe opportunities for preschoolers to express their BIG feelings

For example, if your child is extremely angry, instead of saying, ‘Stop yelling’, you might say, ‘Go in the bathroom and scream as loud as you can for one minute’.

10) Don’t over-explain

Simple explanations can be more effective than long discussions. If your preschooler is having a tantrum, holding your child close – or just staying nearby – can mean more than any words you can say

Developing Musical Intelligence

2011-08-10T10:00:00.002+08:00

Musical Intelligence: The ability to appreciate and produce rhythms and melodies. Bach, Beethoven or Brahms would have processed this intelligence. Music intelligence tends to run in the families, partly because in such families, the child is heavily exposed to music, whether formally or informally. Here's what your child can do to improve his musical intelligence.

1. Sing in the shower or hum a tune while moving from point A to B

2. Play musical games with the family

3. Establish a regular family sing-along time

4. Join a church or community choir

5. Attend concerts or musicals

6. Collect his favorite music CDs and listen to them

7. Spend one hour a week listening to an unfamiliar style of music

8. Put background music while studying, working, eating or during a quiet time in the day

9. Listen to naturally occurring melodies such as bird chirping

10. Have your child make up his/her own tunes

Strategies for apologising to kids

2011-08-02T10:10:00.002+08:00

" Children feel validated when their parents say sorry. It also models a positive way of resolving conflict.- Apologise for your behaviour, not for yourself.

You might tell your child, ‘I've been thinking about what happened and I don’t like what I said or did’.

- Give yourself a momentary time out.

You might say, ‘I'm sorry, I'm not thinking clearly right now. Give me a moment and I’ll get back to you’.

- Ask your child, ‘What could I have done differently?’

Ask your child for help in figuring out what to do, and be open to your child’s suggestions. You might say, ‘Did I make a mess of this?’ Kids love to hear parents admit they’re wrong.

- You might also ask, ‘What could you have done differently?’

In a non-accusatory way, review what occurred. Use this opportunity to discuss what you and your child could do differently next time.

- Remember that no parent is perfect.

Think about what provoked your response. Also think about all the good things you do as a parent. Talk to a friend about what happened and find out how your friend might have handled it.

- Think specifically about how you might behave differently next time.

What it is about your child’s behaviour that pushes your buttons? Is there something you can do or say that would change the way you react? You might try taking a deep breath before you speak, or walking out of the room until you figure out how you want to react. Think about this when you’re calm. The heat of the moment might not be the time to fix this problem, particularly if it’s become a pattern.

Providing your child with confidence

2011-07-26T10:30:00.003+08:00

Children become aware of their parents' feelings and behavior. They hear not only the words parents say but the tone of their voices. They observe, recognize their body language and also watches their facial expressions closely. The child will also model himself on the things their parents say and do.

Therefore, the way parents behave and speak to their children has enormous influence on their development. Most importantly, it can affect the children's self-confidence.

When parents praise and affirm their offspring, they ensure that their children grow up with appropriate self-esteem But when parents are critical or inconsistent or even unloving, their children will invariably grow up undervaluing themselves.

Praising and rewarding good behavior is more beneficial than constant criticism. To hug the child and praise him or her for good behavior encourages the child to see that being nice or kind brings rewards. It also encourages good self-esteem.

And on a side note, please remember that it is also important for your children to hear you say that you love them.

Dealing with Child's frequent tantrums

2011-07-21T11:20:00.000+08:00

Motivation

" Jacklyn, a four year old girl, was brought to us as her parents were worried about her frequent tantrums.Whenever she could not do something well, she would cry. If she lost a card game with her siblings, she would throw away the cards in disgust.Her parents were taught to guide her to understand and accept that sucess is completing the task rather than achieving good results.Good results were a bonus."

Motivation is an important part of learning because with it, a child will develope interest and self belief.

Give the child a sense of sucess by giving him tasks that he can do.
Don't focus on mistakes but instead point out the correct way.
Parents and teachers should not force a child to learn as it generate negative emotions.
Minimize comparison with other children.Focus on the child's positive aspects.
Stimulate a child's thirst for knowledge by using field trips to the zoo.library,gardens,museums.etc.
Encourage participation in non-acafemic activities during tender years. (The 3Rs in tender years should be rest,recreation and relaxation instead of reading,writing and arithmetic.)

Understanding Your Child

2011-07-18T10:05:00.001+08:00

Many parents fail to recognize that children are different at different ages.

An infant is a newborn child who has specific needs in order to survive. Infants are defined as from newborn to 12 months in age.

Toddlers refer to young children aged 12 months to three years, who have started developing basic skills in communication, movement and some degree of self care.

Preschoolers are young children between the ages of three to six who are ready for nursery and kindergarten.

It is a challenge to improve the quality of life for our children. Brining up a child is an important and responsible task which changes as the child grows through the stages.

Ages	Infants and toddlers	Children	Adolescents
Specific tasks	Sleep, eat and explore	Play and learn	Identify and independence
Parenting skills	Sensitive and responsive	Protective and nurturing	Negotiation and communication

Knowing the needs of your child is an essential part of parenting skills. For a child to grow up into a mature individual, his day-to-day needs must be adequately met.

The needs of children can be divided into three categories:

Physical needs:-

Including wholesome food, adequate clothing, safe shelter, play, rest, sleep and protection from danger and infection.

Emotional/psychological needs:-

Comprising the need for love and security, new experiences, praise and recognition, and responsibilities.

Moral/spiritual needs:-

From the age of two, children begin to have a conscience and are able to feel guilt. This is the period children learn good moral or religious values from the attitudes of their parents.

Storytelling

2011-07-14T10:53:00.000+08:00

Young kids enjoy hearing stories about you and your family. When did you lose your first tooth? Who was a favorite teacher? Thinking about Mommy or Daddy as a little kid may spark the imagination. Maybe you want to share the story, passed down to you, about the ghost that lived in your great-grandmother's attic. And there's nothing more delightful than a story about the time a parent did something mischievous and the consequences. Kids delight in these glimpses of a past that is connected to them.

When you tell stories, you show how to put words together to make meaning. You share something new about yourself that your kids may find interesting or exciting and that might be a springboard for questions and discussions. Most important, you nurture a love of language and stories that kids will have for life.

So take a deep breath and begin: "Once upon a time ...."

2011-06-20T10:19:00.006+08:00

Sleep disturbances

Many parents become concerned when their children do not have"enough sleep".They believe that insufficient sleep hinders growth and development. The newborn infant wakes up every 3 to 4 hours and usually takes about 3 months to settle into a day-night cycle. A full day-night cycle is usually established by five years.

Let's look at the average amount of sleep a child needs:

Age Hours of sleep

Night time / Day time

1 Week 8.25 / 8.25

1 Month 8.5 / 7

3 Months 10 / 5

6 Months 11 / 3.25

9 Months 12 / 2

12 Months 11.5 / 2

18 Months 11.5 / 1.75

2 Years 11.5 / 1.5

3 Years 11 / 1

4 Years 11.5 / 0

5 Years 11 / 0

6 Years 10.75 / 0

How children learn language

2011-06-06T14:02:00.004+08:00

You are your children’s first and most important teacher, and you’ve already taught them one of the most complex and difficult skills imaginable- language.

You children learned to talk, listen and to understand language from you. To you, it may be natural for them. It is amazing to realize that if you do the same things you did to teach your children to talk; they will learn to read and write naturally too.

The same conditions that help children learn to talk also help them learn other skills, like reading and writing, a part of language. This can be learned in the very same way that children learned to talk. If we do the same things we did when our children were learning to talk, they can learn to read and write with the same ease.

We say that a child learns to talk naturally, but if you think about what you did to help your child learn to talk, you’ll see that there were certain learning conditions present. For example, from the every moment your child was born, you surrounded her with language. You talked to her while you were feeing her, while you were dressing her, while you were bathing her. We literally drench children in words as we fill every moment with sounds of our language. Even though you know she can’t understand you, you still kept on talking.

Just as you surrounded her with talk, now we need to do the same with reading and writing. This is how children learn language at early ages.

Hugging

2011-05-16T10:44:00.001+08:00

Hugging makes your body produce oxytocin, a 'feel-good' hormone. Research in the USA found that one 20-second hug a day makes children and parents feel happier and less stressed.

It has also been proven that kids who are hugged often are very expressive and warm, while those who aren't hugged very much or aren't shown affection by their family usually grow up putting a distance between themselves and other people.

Hugging shows a child you love them. It's a gesture of affirmation, appreciation, and acknowledgement.

You'll be surprised at what a hug can do:-

1. Opening up the doors of communication.

2. Affirms love and acceptance.

3. Builds self-esteem.

4. Bridges generation gaps.

5. Heads off potential conflicts.

6. Makes people less defensive.

7. Shows kindness and compassion.

8. Demonstrates respect and value.

9. Sets an example of patience and tolerance.

10. Rejuvenates your day.

11. Makes being a parent all worthwhile.

So hug your child today and everyday!

Feed your child right

2011-05-11T12:02:00.011+08:00

Troubled over your sick child?

1) Use familiar and well-liked foods (not to try new food)

2) Use differently coloured foods and pretty dished to make the food look attractive
*Different colored vegetables look nice than one large serving of the same vegetable

3) Serve only small portions. Individual portions more attractive than taking food from the family dish.

4) Straws make milk *drinking fun and also help to prevent spillages.

5) Serve food in convenient bite-sized pieces to avoid child hang to bite or cut.
* Toast can be cut into small fingers ideal for dipping into a soft-boiled egg.

Milk : Any form is suitable ( ice-cream, custards, milk shakes as dessert)

Eggs : Easy to digest , valuable source of protein,iron & other nutrients

Cereals : Infant cereals mixed with milk, liquidised oats

Porridge and noodle soups : Congee, macaroni cooked in clear soups are easy to digest, help to boost fluid and energy intakes.

Fruits : Excellent source of vitamin C and should be given to your child at least once a day.( Freshly squeezed orange juice )

Meat and fish: Lightly cooked liver, chicken or fish can be sieved or blended and added to soups or stews)

Soups : Plain stock can be enriched by adding vegetables or meat purees and some milk.

When your child has been off his food for a long time , it may be advisable to give him mineral supplement, which your doctor can prescribe.

Is your child on the correct track?

2011-05-10T12:35:00.028+08:00

Is your child on the correct track?

Characteristics of a child below 2

3 months: Smiles at any face

Parents should provide familiar faces for the child to smile at.

6 months: Smiles at selective people and they put everything into mouth.

Parents should avoid constantly changing caregivers. Ensure that objects that the baby puts into the mouth are safe and nontoxic.

9 months: Sits up on his own, fearful to strangers but have close mother-child relationship.

Let the toddler sit in places where he can see many things. Avoid having strangers make a sudden appearance on the child. Mother should make a point to spend time with the child especially if they have started working.

1 year: Try to stands and drools less often.

Allow surfaces for the child to hold on to for support such as using walkers and should stop using the baby bib.

18 months: Kids start walking

Make sure the floor is safe and nonslip to prevent falls. Limit the areas where the child can explore safely.

2 years: Learn to talk, self-fed, toilet trained. They will start to develop conscience, resistant and stubborn, notice three-person relationship, sibling rivalry and Ignores danger.

Let the child explore within independence by allowing safe limits. Encourage independence by allowing the child to try things out under supervision.

Child Reading Milestones

2011-04-29T17:00:00.000+08:00

This is a general outline of the milestones on the road to reading and the ages at which most kids reach them.

Keep in mind that kids develop at different paces and spend varying amounts of time at each stage. If you have concerns, talk to your child's doctor, teacher, or the reading specialist at school. Early intervention is key in helping kids who are struggling to read.

Infancy (Up to Age 1)

Kids usually begin to:
•imitate sounds they hear in language
•respond when spoken to
•look at pictures
•reach for books and turn the pages with help
•respond to stories and pictures by vocalizing and patting the pictures

Toddlers (Ages 1-3)

Kids usually begin to:
•answer questions about and identify objects in books — such as "Where's the cow?" or "What does the cow say?"
•name familiar pictures
•use pointing to identify named objects
•pretend to read books
•finish sentences in books they know well
•scribble on paper
•know names of books and identify them by the picture on the cover
•turn pages of board books
•have a favorite book and request it to be read often

Early Preschool (Age 3)

Kids usually begin to:
•explore books independently
•listen to longer books that are read aloud
•retell a familiar story
•recite the alphabet
•begin to sing the alphabet with prompting and cues
•make continuous symbols that resemble writing
•imitate the action of reading a book aloud

Late Preschool (Age 4)

Kids usually begin to:
•recognize familiar signs and labels, especially on signs and containers
•make up rhymes or silly phrases
•recognize and write some of the letters of the alphabet
•read and write their names
•name letters or sounds that begin words
•match some letters to their sounds
•use familiar letters to try writing words

The Importance of Reading to Your Baby from nativereading

2011-04-04T06:39:00.000+08:00

Teaching Your Child Good Behavior

2011-03-14T17:18:00.001+08:00

Every parent wants children who are well behaved and polite, but teaching them these important lessons can be a challenge. Children are impulsive and emotional, and often fail to consider the ramifications of their actions or think before they speak. While some of this will simply improve with time and maturity, there are some things you can do from a young age to encourage good behavior in your child.

“I want parents to understand that although they’re not necessarily responsible for whatever behavior problems their child might have, there is much they can do to develop the behavior they do want.”

Dr. Alan Kazdin, head of the Yale Parenting Center explains. There are a few tried and true methods for encouraging the good behavior, and lessening incidents of poor behavior will follow right along.

A simple but effective method is to be sure to catch your child when they are behaving well and praise or reward them for it. Too often, the focus falls on bad behavior, because that is when parents feel the need to step in. “Positive reinforcement is not only good to motivate defiant children and encourage good behavior, but it also helps them see their own positive behaviors,” says Dr. Jeffrey Bernstein, licensed psychologist and family therapist. Children who recognize good behavior are more likely to repeat it in order to receive the positive attention from a parent. Poor behavior is often attention-seeking; when the attention is given for good behavior instead, it becomes unnecessary.

Another one of the simplest methods of teaching good behavior is to remember to model it. Parents often think that their children should differentiate between appropriate behavior for adults and behaviors that are ok for them to emulate. The problem is, they don’t see that difference, and the “do as I say, not as I do” attitude simply doesn’t teach much of anything. Model the behavior you want to see in your children, and you will be rewarded with better behavior.

Simple steps to better behaved children:
•
Start teaching good behavior from an early age before bad habits can form

•
Recognize and reward good behavior when it occurs naturally

•
Be a model of good behavior for your child

There will always be challenges in your child’s behavior, but setting good standards from the start can make a parent’s job easier. When you provide a good model of the right behavior and use positive reinforcement to encourage good behavior in your child, you are setting the stage for a lifetime of better behavior

Brian facts

2011-03-08T19:13:00.002+08:00

Abused Children Have Smaller Brains

Parts of the brain of a severely abused and neglected child can be substantially smaller than that of a healthy child.

Babies Lose Half their Neurons at Birth

It is estimated that a baby loses about half their neurons before they are born. This process is sometimes referred to as pruning and may eliminate neurons that do not receive sufficient input from other neurons.

Baby Talk Increases Vocabulary

A study showed that when mothers frequently spoke to their infants, their children learned about 300 more words by age two than did children whose mothers rarely spoke to them.

Birdsong Similar to Human Speech
Birdsong and human speech have similar characteristics. Birds, like humans, learn their complex vocalizations early in life and imitate their adult counterparts to acquire these skills. These two species have evolved a complex hierarchy of specialized forebrain areas where motor and auditory areas interact continuously in order to produce detailed vocalizations.

Brain Measurements Are Revealing

Electroencephalogram, or EEG, is a non-invasive technique used to record small changes of electrical activity in the brain with surface electrodes on the scalp. Scientists who study sleep find EEG especially useful. The tiny fluctuations detected with EEG are clear indicators of whether a person is asleep, aroused, or somewhere in between.

Brain Uses 20 Percent of Blood

Approximately 20% of the blood flowing from the heart is pumped to the brain. The brain needs constant blood flow in order to keep up with the heavy metabolic demands of the neurons. Brain imaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) rely on this relationship between neural activity and blood flow to produce images of deduced brain activity.

Brain Uses 20% of Oxygen Breathed

Although the brain accounts for only 2% of the whole body's mass, it uses 20% of all the oxygen we breathe. A continuous supply of oxygen is necessary for survival. A loss of oxygen for 10 minutes can result in significant neural damage.

Child Brain Development

Measures of brain activity show that during the second half of a child's first year, the prefrontal cortex, the seat of forethought and logic, forms synapses at such a rate that it consumes twice as much energy as an adult brain. That furious pace continues for the child's first decade of life.

Early Brain Growth

During the first month of life, the number of connections or synapses, dramatically increases from 50 trillion to 1 quadrillion. If an infant's body grew at a comparable rate, his weight would increase from 8.5 pounds at birth to 170 pounds at one month old.

2011-02-27T23:53:00.001+08:00

Patricia Kuhl shares astonishing findings about how babies learn one language over another – by listening to the humans around them and “taking statistics” on the sounds they need to know. Clever lab experiments (and brain scans) show how 6-month-old babies use sophisticated reasoning to understand their world.

Patricia Kuhl is co-director of the Institute for Brain and Learning Sciences at the University of Washington. She’s internationally recognized for her research on early language and brain development, and studies that show how young children learn. Kuhl’s work has played a major role in demonstrating how early exposure to language alters the brain. It has implications for critical periods in development, for bilingual education and reading readiness, for developmental disabilities involving language, and for research on computer understanding of speech

Reading

2011-02-20T11:16:00.005+08:00

It is a universal axiom that everyone knows and understands - reading is the greatest habit. Reading to younger children is still more effective. A child who inculcates the habit of reading at an early age will be the wisest and intelligent person in the later stages of his or her life. Reading habit should start at your home and by your children's bed side. Bring home great books and read their content to your children, especially when they go to sleep. As you read stories to your children just before they go to bed, the moral of the story will sink in their mind very quickly.

Some examples are:

Reading story books that contain morals and principles.

Reading books that ask children many questions and pose queries.

Reading books that enhance imagination and visualization.

Reading books that promote thinking and deductive skills

Tips: Books are our best friends. Books enhance our image and self esteem. Take your children to a local public library and show them the books, magazines and journals stacked on the racks. Get them a library card if they are above 18 years. Show them how the books are neatly arranged and indexed. Ask them to chose their own books and get it loaned against their name. Allow them to read their own books, recite the stories and morals behind them.

Helpping your child in school

2011-02-20T11:01:00.002+08:00

Nagging and Lecturing

Parents usually don't start nagging children about homework and study habits until there is a problem (e.g., being sloppy with homework, or not wanting to do homework at all). Nagging only makes the problem worse because your child will either get angry at you or tune you out. Instead, try to problem-solve together with your child. Ask them to come up with several ideas on their own for how to improve this situation. Brainstorm about how to make homework more fun. Try out at least one of their ideas and discuss how it worked.

Taking Over

You don't trust your child to get things done right, so you tell them what to do, when and how. This may work in the short run but doesn't teach children to become independent learners who take responsibility for their work. Instead of taking over, help your child figure out what they need to do by asking questions: "What will you do? When will you do it? How will I know? How do you want me to hold you accountable for this?"

Focusing on the Future Benefits of School

As parents, we know how important a good education will be later in life. Just don't expect your children to be motivated by this idea; they are more focused on the here and now and give little thought to the future. To motivate them, focus on the immediate benefits of learning (having fun, developing new skills, and ability to play team sports in school if grades are good.)

Leaving Homework for the End of the Day

If homework is scheduled too late in the evening, with only bedtime to follow and no time to play, children won’t be motivated to be efficient, and also won’t want to go to bed since they haven’t had any fun yet. Increase your children’s motivation to complete homework by giving them something to look forward to afterwards. Favorite TV shows, videogames, talking on the phone, or having a special snack are all great rewards after homework is completed, and may provide the extra incentive your child needs to get through a boring and tedious task.

Insisting on Long Study Sessions

"You will sit here until all your homework is done" - this can feel overwhelming to children and create resistance, resulting in conflict. Instead, schedule 10-15 minutes of study time, followed by a 5-min. break, then another 15 minutes of study. Repeat as often as necessary to complete homework. Children actually get more done that way.

Grounding Children for Missed Assignments and Poor GradesThis is not effective for helping them do better in the future. Instead, use problem solving ("What would help you do better next time?"), offer support, and give them incentives for good performance (extra privileges, special rewards).

Not Communicating With Teachers

This means two-way communication: Let the teacher know early on how they can best support your child's learning (how does your child learn best?) -then ask the teacher periodically, "What's the best thing I can do to help my child with this subject at home?" Don’t wait until parent-teacher conferences to find out how your child is doing, or what kinds of problems need to be corrected.

Over Focusing on Grades and Test Scores

When children get the message that grades are all that counts, they quickly lose interest in the process of discovery and learning, and instead focus only on the outcome. If they can't achieve the expected grade or score, they end up feeling bad which usually does not increase their motivation to do better. Children also need to hear from us that success comes in many forms. Some students will excel in sports, drama, music, or art; some develop excellent leadership skills, good citizenship, become peer mediators, or relate well to animals. Whatever your child's strengths are, be sure you focus on those talents more than you focus on their grades.

Sticking Only to the Curriculum

As long as children learn what's expected of them in school, that's good enough, right? Chances are that this year's school curriculum doesn't exactly match his or her own interests and curiosity (maybe they are into whales and sharks, space travel, jungle life, airplanes, etc). Encourage children's natural love for learning by asking, "If you could learn about anything you wanted to, what would you like to learn?" - then provide them with books, videos, trips to museums, and (most importantly) adult conversations about those topics.

Not Modeling Life-Long Learning

Do your children see you interested and enthusiastic about learning, studying, and achieving? Do you read books at home? Go to museums? Look things up? Talk about new ideas? Remember that our children are always watching what we are doing.

The Importance of Reading to a Child

2011-02-06T17:39:00.001+08:00

The Importance of Reading to a Child -- powered by http://www.livestrong.com

Language education is critical for developing brains.

2011-02-06T17:24:00.002+08:00

Peter Mehegan, a longtime public school French teacher, wrote the following letter to the House Education Committee, which is considering legislation that would remove foreign language from the definition of an adequate education.

We are language-learning machines. Brain study has shown that the greatest amount of the brain activity happens in the earliest years of the child. His primary activity, in which he is practically guaranteed success by design, is language acquisition. The child, without teacher, text or test, succeeds at learning a difficult language in self-initiated, self-directed study. Without help, this is a feat that will never repeat itself. Where success was once guaranteed with absolute assurance when he was little, the child soon learns that learning language is not only difficult but, worse, not essential.

What is the point of learning another language?

As with muscle, that part of the brain most used for language learning will atrophy over time for lack of use. What was used with great success when we were 2 and 3, and what was most productive in us, falls into a state of neglect that gets accepted as normal by a society in which knowing one language is perceived as "knowing enough to get by." But is it?

It is not without reason that, before the 20th century, a child's first experience was not English, math and science but music, art and language, specifically Greek and Latin, because everything important ever expressed was expressed in these disciplines. Grammar, logic and rhetoric were primary goals. These three disciplines, called trivium, were recognized as fundamental to future learning. The questions of generations past generated the curiosity required for inspired study of math and science, which thus flowed naturally from the study of language and art.

Today, enlightenment has too often made light of the contribution language learning played in the early development of the child. You, who have been granted charge of creating choices, choose to demote second-language learning to quaint curiosity, an elective if the funds exist, dedicating at most a few weeks in the first eight years to the study, not of language per se, but of language in context of culture. In other words, the goal is not to teach a new language to use, thus deepening the knowledge of our own, but to inspire respect and tolerance to cultures other than our own, a thing that cannot properly be appreciated without acquisition of the language of that culture.

A language teacher's daunting task is clearly defined. We might well be their last chance to learn that language learning is still essential for brain-development.

Students should know that their study of every discipline is enhanced by the study of another language, and true educators should know why. Through language, a student learns to make connections within the framework of his own language, to its history, his history and the history of language. Students learn new ways to express complex thought, and they learn at last that others, around the world, have felt what they feel, known what they know, and have explored realms and possibilities that their own minds have not yet accessed.

With all of this so evident, it's striking but sadly not surprising that a handful of legislators want to remove the study of language and art from what they call "an adequate education."

If the proof is in the fruit, perhaps it's time these legislators joined us back in the classroom.

(Peter L. Mehegan lives in Pembroke

Handling upsets in life

2011-02-05T10:06:00.000+08:00

" Young children are easily upset. Parents should be aware of this and try to make the environment as child-friendly as possible. Remove obstacles so that he can do many things himself. This will teach him independence and prepare him for growing up. A tired and hungry child may be more prone to upsets so make sure your child is well rested and fed."

Teach your child to accept setbacks by allowing him to experience the setbacks.

Don't allow the child to run away and avoid difficult tasks.

Don't overprotect the child.

Make him understand and accept the disappointments in life.

Be positive and help the child to develop the courage to face setbacks.

Teach him from each setbacks and not to repeat mistakes.

Parents should be objective and not grumbleand nag.

Don't put the child down and condemn him just for one mistake.

How to Teach a Child by Reading Aloud : Demonstrating Reading Aloud to Kids

2011-01-15T06:57:00.000+08:00

Is TV Bad For Your Child?

2010-10-29T16:26:00.007+08:00

The issue of kids watching television has been a hot debate in recent years. Most experts agree that while TV isn’t inherently bad, it should be watched only in small doses. The AAP changed their policy a few years ago to recommend that children under the age of 2 watch no TV at all, and children over that age watch only small amounts, no more than an hour a day.

Still, for better or for worse television is a part of daily life in most homes. Most children do watch some television during the day, and there are benefits to be gained from watching the right programs. Experts agree that educational television is better than mindless entertainment. “If programs are age appropriate, and send children messages that you would want your children to have, then the watching can be entertaining and instructional”, says educational, health, and clinical psychologist Dr. Nancy Mramor.

On the other hand, studies have shown numerous unwanted effects of watching television. It has been linked with poor imaginative skills and can slow language development due to the use of visuals instead of words. “Even the better shows rely on visuals at the expense of talk” says author Jane Healy, PH.D. Children also learn to expect much more entertainment out of anything educational, and find it hard to adapt to school where they are expected to pay attention without the benefit of colorful cartoon characters and music. Their attention spans are shortened as a result.

While some studies show a link between watching television programming like Sesame Street and better academic performance later in life, these studies concerned children who watched the venerable children’s program in the 1980’s, when children watched far less television in general.

Today’s children watch on average of 2-3 hours of TV a day – and it isn’t all Sesame Street.

Experts generally recommend the following guidelines for television time:

-Keep television watching to an hour at most each day
-Select and monitor the programs your child watches and be sure you know the content
-Choose educational programming
-Select channels that do not advertise to children

The bottom line when it comes to television is that it can be bad for your children if they are spending too much time watching it at the expense of time spent reading books, engaging in physical activities or spending time as a family. But as long as your children only watch small amounts of age-appropriate, educational programming, it’s unlikely there will be any long-term problems as a result.

English Time is a good TV Educational program to start with.

Protect, nurture your baby's brain

2010-10-18T10:27:00.002+08:00

While we always have known that a baby's first years were important, we now are learning from many sources how important the early years of a child's life are. One study brings added emphasis to this fact.

The Carnegie Corporation of New York found the following:

_ Brain development before age 1 is more rapid and extensive than previously realized.

_ Brain development is much more vulnerable to environmental influence than suspected.

_ The influence of early environment on brain development is long-lasting.

_ Environment affects the number of brain cells, connections among them and the way connections are wired.

_ Early stress has a negative impact on brain function.

Each of these facts stresses the need to be sure that each child has a good start in life. Opportunities for learning need to begin right away because a baby is ready and needs to be stimulated to keep his capacity for maximum intellectual growth. In reality, if he doesn't use it, he loses it. The study also found that stress has a huge negative impact on the child.

Babies are born with billions of brain cells. During the first months of life, connections between these cells are constantly multiplying. Cells and the connections between cells that are not being used quit working. For this reason, the baby needs to have a chance to be stimulated from his very earliest months. Stimulating the child doesn't mean teaching the child. But it does mean taking time with him, reading to him, putting him on your lap and talking to him.

It means spending time ... "not just quality time but also quantity time."The evidence continues to accumulate. You are your child's most important teacher. What you do today does affect how your child will do tomorrow.

Why should a parent teach his/her baby how to read?

2010-10-15T16:12:00.004+08:00

Because it is much easier to teach a little baby (6 to 24 month-old) to read at home than it is to teach a 6-year-old at school. Also, there are few activities as joyous for mothers and babies as reading ‘play’ sessions.

Reading is the basis of all learning and the acquisition of knowledge and success go hand-in-hand. By teaching your baby how toread, parents can open the door to all that is beautiful in this world insteadof turning the child over to the current educational system hoping that the
teacher will know what a brilliant mind this child has.

“Every child has, at birth, a greater potential intelligence than Leonardo Da Vinci ever used” Glenn Doman, author of ‘Teach Your Baby To Read’.
We expose children to reading too late! By six or seven years of age the ability to take in spoken or written facts without effort is just about gone.

In the same way that it is easier to teach a 5-year-old to read than
it is to teach a 6-year-old, it is easier at 4 than at 5 ...and easiest of all for
babies below one!!

So have you started on you baby? It's never too young to start !

What is multiple intelligence theory?

2010-10-04T00:12:00.002+08:00

Dr. Gardner identified eight different Intelligences that every person would have, to varying degrees. These intelligences are verbal/linguistic, math/logical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical , interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist.

The Eight Intelligences Explained

1) Verbal-Linguistic
- The Writer/Speaker Children with strong Verbal-Linguistic intelligence will have a propensity to produce language and sensitivity to the nuances, order and rhythm of words. These students love to read, write and tell stories. They have good memories for names, places, dates and trivia. Professionals with strong VL intelligence will be writers, public speakers, teachers, and actors. Some historical examples include Abraham Lincoln, T.S. Elliot and Charlton Heston.

2) Math-Logical - The Scientist
Children with strong Math-Logical intelligence have the ability to reason deductively and can recognize and manipulate abstract patterns or relationships. Students who have strong problem-solving and reasoning skills will excel in this intelligence. Adults with this intelligence will work as scientists, mathematicians, computer programmers, lawyers or accountants. Some historical examples include Albert Einstein, Nicolae Tesla, Alexander Graham Bell.

3) Spatial - The Builder
Children with Spatial intelligence have the ability to create visual-spatial representations and can transfer them mentally or concretely. Students who exhibit this intelligence need a mental or physical "picture" to understand the information being presented. Professionals in this intelligence are typically graphic artists, architects, cartographers and sculptors. Some historical examples include Frank Lloyd Wright, Pablo Picasso, and Bobby Fischer.

4) Musical - The Composer
Children with strong Musical intelligence have great sensitivity to the rhythm of sounds (e.g. pitch, timbre, composition). Students strong in this intelligence will enjoy listening to music and may ultimately work as singers, songwriters, composers, or even music teachers. Some historical examples include Ludwig van Beethoven, J.S. Bach, and Mozart.

5) Bodily-Kinesthetic - The Athlete
Children with strong Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence gravitate towards athletics; however, they also may use their bodies to solve problems, or convey ideas and emotions. Students with BK intelligence will be good at physical activities, have good hand-eye coordination and may have a tendency to move around a lot while expressing themselves. Professionals using BK intelligence will include athletes, surgeons, dancers and even inventors. Some historical examples include Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Andre Agassi.

6) Interpersonal - The Peacemaker
Children with strong Interpersonal intelligence work effectively in a group and understand and recognize the goals, motivations and intentions of others. Students with this intelligence thrive in cooperative, group work situations and are skilled at communicating, mediating and negotiating. Professionals in this intelligence may be teachers, therapists, and salespeople. Some historical examples include Mohandas Gandhi, Mother Theresa and Ronald Reagan.

7) Intrapersonal - The Philosopher
Children who are strong in the Intrapersonal intelligence have the ability to understand one's own emotions, goals and motivations. These students have good instincts about their strengths and abilities. This intelligence will be highly developed in professionals who work as philosophers, psychiatrists or religious leaders. Some historical examples include Eleanor Roosevelt and Sigmund Freud.

8) Naturalist - The Earth Lover
Children with strong focus in this intelligence will exhibit an affinity for all things nature. These students will enjoy and thrive when learning about nature topics, such as flora and fauna. Some professions with focus on this intelligence will include forest rangers, botanists, farmers and biologists. Some historical examples include Charles Darwin, John Muir.

Please remember, while we have outlined some of the specific traits, professions and historical examples associated with each intelligence type, everyone has some level of proficiency in each and every intelligence, and it behooves us, as parents, to learn how to cultivate each of these intelligences in our children

5 Tips to Make Learning Math Fun for Kids

2010-08-30T14:16:00.003+08:00

What can you do as a parent if your child develops math phobia? Every day after coming from school your child rants over doing his math homework or complains to you “What good is Math?” Or is it worse than this? He is never able to crack the Math test or thinks “Only nerds are good at sums”. It is undeniably a worrisome situation as numeral literacy is every bit as important as any other skill and you can’t let your kid remain a math phobic for the rest of his life. The more you dilly-dally the problem the worse it will be so you have to tackle the situation head-on. We’ve come up with 5 tips to make Math fun for your kid-

Tip1: Your first step is to assess your math skills: Does calculating percentage still sends you in frenzy? Chances are likely that you are unintentionally passing your math fear to your child. Do you quite often say “I was always bad at Math” and did your kid pick up on that uses it to his advantage? Your negative attitude toward numeric literacy can hamper your child’s progress towards learning math. When you start hearing your own negative words coming out of your kid’s mouth then start exploring alternative ways to make math fun for your kid.

Tip 2: Storytelling in Math: Kids love stories. Tell fairy tales and ask your child to count the characters or you act out the story and count the characters together. Sounds fun, isn’t it? There are many interesting math story books for children that make different math skills enjoyable and easy to learn.

Tip 3: Play Math:Temporarily shift from the text books and math worksheets. Take out some dominoes, blocks, a deck of cards or a pair of dice to practice math skills. Remember that children have to be willing to develop their numeric skills so make the lessons more interactive, interesting and fun. You can also try playing board games that require logical thinking, adding, subtraction and more.

Tip 4: Help your kid notice Math in everyday life: Tell your kid that Math is a part of our daily lives. As you plan meals, clean your house, order food from the local restaurant or keep score during games, emphasize the necessity of math skills to your kid. Make your child understand that Math classes are not intended to make his life boring but they enable him to learn a skill that is a practical necessity.

Tip 5: Study together system: Arrange a weekly study together. Kids can explain things to each other in a way that makes them comprehend the math facts better. It will be learning cum fun activity that kids will definitely look forward to every week.

Preview Learning Math with Albert to help your child to start off with Math.

No Time to Read to my Child!

2010-08-17T15:47:00.006+08:00

Have been meeting parents for the past decade, I realise there is something that is common that I encounter which most of the parents feel that they do not have enough time to read to their child. They may not aware they need not spent long time reading to their children as the child is not be able to concentrate that long.

It's not how long you read to your child and it is how often you read to them.

If we as a parent don't read to our children- Don't expect your child to read.

If we don't buy toys for our children - our children will not play toys.

If we don't on T.V. for our children- our children will not watch T.V.

We need to read often to create the reading habits for our child.

By Adam Khoo: Children of Singapore

2010-08-11T10:41:00.004+08:00

A very interesting and revealing article that Singaporeans and their kids should read ....

By Adam Khoo: The expats will rule Singapore

I have a prediction. My prediction is that in a couple of years, the
expatriates (from China , India , US etc...) will rule Singapore . They
will increasingly take on more leadership roles of CEOs, directors,heads of organizations, award winners etc... If you observe closely, it is
already happening now.

Last year's top PSLE (Primary School Leaving Exam) student is a China
National. Most of the deans list students and first class honours students in the local universities are foreigners and more and more CEOs, even that of go vernment link corporations are expats. The top players in our National teams are expats.

As a Singaporean, I am not complaining. I think that in a meritocratic society like Singapore , it is only fair that the very best get rewarded, no matter their race, religion or nationality. Like Lee Kwan Yew said, I rather have these talented and driven people be on our team contributing to our nation than against us from their home country. The question I have been asking is, 'why are the expats beating the crap out of Singaporeans?

What I noticed is that these expats have a very important quality that many Singaporeans (especially the new Y generation lack). It is a quality that our grandfathers and great-grandfathers (who came from distant lands) had that turned Singapore from a fishing village to the third richest country in the world (according to GDP per capita). Unfortunately, I fear this quality is soon disappearing from the new generation of Singaporeans.

This quality is the HUNGER FOR SUCCESS and the FIGHTING SPIRIT!!!

Expats who come here today have the same tremendous HUNGER for success that our grandfathers had. They are willing to sacrifice, work hard and pay the price to succeed. They also believe that no one owes them a living and they have to work hard for themselves. They also bring with them the humility and willingness to learn.

Take the case of Qui Biqing, the girl from Qifa Primary school who topped the whole of Singapore in last year's PSLE with a score of 290. When she came to Singapore 3 years ago from China , she could hardly speak a word of English and didn't even understand what a thermometer was. Although she was 10 years old, MOE recommended she start at Primary 2 because of her lack of English proficiency. After appealing, she managed to start in Primary 3. While most Singaporeans have a head start of learning English at pre-school at the age of 3-4 years old, she only started at age 10.. Despite this handicapped, she had the drive to read continuously and practice her speaking and writing skills, eventually scoring an A-star in English!

This hunger and drive can also be seen in the workforce. I hate to say this but in a way, I sometimes think expats create more value than locals.

Expats are willing to work long hours, go the extra mile, are fiercely loyal to you and don't complain so much. They also come a lot more qualified and do not ask the moon for the remuneration. Recently, I placed an ad for a marketing executive. Out of 100+ resumes, more than 60% came from expats. While locals fresh grads are asking for $2,500+ per month, I have expats with masters degrees from good universities willing to get less than $2,000! They know that if they can come in and
learn and work hard, they will eventually climb up and earn alot more. They are willing to invest in themselves, pay the price for future rewards. Sometimes I wonder how some of the locals are going to compete with this.

Of course, this is just a generalization. There ARE definitely some Singaporeans who create lots of value and show fighting spirit.

Unfortunately, I have found that more and more young Singaporeans lack this hunger for success. Instead, they like to complain, blame circumstances and wait for others to push them. Some hold on to the attitude that the world owes them a living. I shake my head when I see local kids nowadays complain that they don't have the latest handphones, branded clothes and games. While I acknowledge that
the kids of today are much smarter and well informed than I was at their age (my 4 year old daughter can use my Macbook computer and my iphone), I find that they lack the resilience and tenacity they need to survive in the new economy. Some kids nowadays tend to give up easily once they find that things get tough and demand instant gratification. When they have to work first to get rewards later, many tend to lack the patience to follow through.

So, how did this happen? Why is our nation of hardworking, hungry fighters slowly becoming a nation of complaining softies? I think the problem is that life in Singapore has been too good and comfortable. Kids today have never seen hunger, poverty, war and disasters. What makes it worse is that parents nowadays give kids everything they want and over protect them from hardship and failure. Parents often ask me why their kids lack the motivation to study and excel. My answer to them is because they already have everything! Giving someone everything they
want is the best way to kill their motivation. What reason is there for them to fight to become the best when they are already given the best from their parents without having to earn it?

It reminds me of the cartoon movie MADAGASCAR where Alex the Lion and his animal friends were born and raised in the Central Park Zoo. They were well taken care of and provided with processed food and an artificial jungle. When they escaped to Africa , they found that they could barely survive in the wild with the other animals because they had lots their instincts to fight and hunt for food. They could only dance and sing.

I see the same thing in the hundreds of seminars and training programmes I conduct. I see increasing more and more expats attending my Wealth Academy and Patterns of Excellence programme in Singapore . Not surprisingly, they are always the first to grab the microphone to answer and ask questions.

While many of the locals come in late and sit at the back. The expats (especially those from India and China ) always sit at the front, take notes ferociously and stay back way after the programme is over to ask questions. I feel ashamed sometimes when I ask for volunteers to ask questions, and the Singaporeans keep quiet, while the foreigners fight for the opportunity.

For my "I Am Gifted!' programme for students, I have the privilege to travel &
conduct it in seven countries ( Singapore , Indonesia , Hong Kong , China ,
Malaysia etc...) and see students from all over. Is there a big difference in their attitude and behaviour? You bet!

Again, I feel really sad that in Singapore , most students who come are usually forced by their parents to come and improve themselves, Some parents even bribe them with computer games and new handphones to attend.

During the course, some adopt the 'I know everything' attitude and lack the interest to succeed until I kick their butts. It is so different when I go to Malaysia , Indonesia and once in India . The kids there ask their parents to send them to my programme They clap and cheer enthusiastically when the teachers enter the room
and participate so willingly when lessons are on. I still scratch my head and wonder what happened to my fellow Singaporeans to this day.

So mark my words, unless the new generation of Singaporeans wake up and get out of their happy over protected bubble and start fighting for their future, the expats (like our great grandfathers) will soon be the rulers of the country. At the rate at which talented and hungry expats are climbing up, our future prime minister may be an Indian or China PR or may even be an Ang Moh!

Home Schooling for your child?

2010-07-21T12:40:00.005+08:00

Secrets to homeschooling:
• Homeschooling can be complete fun, if you enjoy learning with your kids. You can try to make boring things more enjoyable like providing exciting examples to your child. Let your child learn the way he/she feels comfortable because that is the way they will love to enjoy learning.

• It is essential to devote your valuable time to your child’s learning. Avoid doing your tasks while they are studying because it will help them to concentrate on their studies. Your concentration towards them will be rewarded later. Keep your child’s learning time sacred and do not involve yourself with your friends when they are studying.

• If your child is not doing well, or you are messed up with some problems at home, don’t give up, just try reading. Reading is the best way for your kids to learn and retain. Reading aloud delights little ones. You can record your reading and the toddlers can listen to them again and again while you complete your household tasks.

• Make use of educational products to enhance your child’s capability to learn faster. Such products help your child to gain self-confidence and have a better learning experience. Moreover, practical learning helps your child to judge better and make them good test-takers.

• Many of us believe that children are empty vessels waiting for the information to be poured into them. This is a wrong perception. Homeschooling parents should sit with their children and explore each of their textbooks to get the bigger idea of the picture. Try to understand the purpose of the textbook, chapter by chapter, heading by heading and word by word. Once your child is doing chapter by chapter work, you can bring them back to the big picture and then relate the importance of the information given in the textbooks.

• It is suggested to keep in touch with home school mentors and researchers. These people are a great help to mothers’ homeschooling their kids for the first time. Involve yourself with a group or some good library. Even a good education magazine can do wonders.

• Get into some social outings and trips to enhance the learning power of your child. But do not overdo it, as it might kill interest of learning at home.

• Observing your child helps you to know your child’s best capabilities and talents. Children thrive in an environment that encourages independence and autonomy. Thus proper surroundings and tools should be provided to the child.

Total Development Program will be a good program to start off to home school your child.

Is your child gifted?

2010-07-15T14:31:00.002+08:00

Signs of giftedness in a preschooler
Your 2- to 4-year-old may be gifted if he:

• Has a specific talent, such as artistic ability or an unusual facility for numbers. For example, children who draw unusually realistic pictures or who can manipulate numbers in their head may be gifted.

• Reaches developmental milestones well ahead of peers.

• Has advanced language development, such as an extensive vocabulary or the ability to speak in sentences much earlier than other children his age.

• Is relentlessly curious and never seems to stop asking questions.

• Is unusually active, though not hyperactive. While hyperactive children often have a short attention span, gifted children can concentrate on one task for long periods of time and are passionate about their interests.

• Has a vivid imagination. Gifted children often create a vast and intricate network of imaginary friends with whom they become very involved.

• Is able to memorize facts easily and can recall arcane information that he learns from television shows, movies, or books.

Other signs of giftedness may be a little harder to discern. By age 3 or 4, for example, some gifted children begin to realize that they are "different" from their peers. This can make them feel isolated and withdrawn; it may also make them likely targets for bullying.

They may begin to experience intense frustration because they can think more rapidly than they can express themselves, verbally or physically. If your child appears unusually angry or frustrated, you may want to consult a mental health professional.

New born babies learn even in their sleep

2010-07-02T19:12:00.002+08:00

New born babies are such fast developers because they keep learning even in their sleep, researchers have found.

Even though infants may stay awake for just a few hours a day, their brains keep working around the clock, scientists said.

They believe that the brain is constantly adjusting and adapting to the physical world despite appearances that they are dozing.

The discovery was made by experts at the University of Florida after simple experiments with 26 sleeping newborns.

Researchers played a tune to them, and then followed it with a gentle puff of air to the babies' eyelids. After about 20 minutes, 24 of them had learned to anticipate the puff by squeezing their eyes shut.

The babies' brain waves also changed.

Dana Byrd, a psychologist, said, "We found a basic form of learning in sleeping newborns, a type of learning that may not be seen in sleeping adults.

"They are better learners, better 'data sponges' than we knew. While past studies find this type of learning can occur in infants who are awake, this is the first study to document it in their most frequent state, while they are asleep.

"Newborn infants' sleep patterns are quite different to those of older children or adults in that they show more active sleep where heart and breathing rates are very changeable.

"It may be this sleep state is more amenable to experiencing the world in a way that facilitates learning."

The results, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could be used to identify babies that are not developing properly such as those at risk of dyslexia or autism, she added.

The ABC's of Good Behaviour

2010-06-12T16:50:00.004+08:00

If there is one desire that virtually all mothers and fathers share, it is the wish to raise a good child. But ask any dozen parents to define “good” and you are bound to get a dozen different answers. One parent cares strongly about manners and politeness. Another will cite responsibility and obedience to family rules as the essence of virtue. A third parent upholds self-control and cooperativeness as the most admirable of character traits, and fourth emphasizes such qualities as honesty, kindness and trustworthiness. But in truth, good behavior is all these things and more, and given the proper opportunity, your youngster will be able to make all of them a part of his own character.

As a loving parent, what strategies can you use to encourage character building? For one thing, you can give your child plenty of reasons to trust you and to feel secure in your care. For another, you can be a good role model, demonstrating the values and types of behavior you want him to adopt. You can also set reasonable limits and positive expectations, appropriate to his age and temperament. You can be firm, fair, consistent and loving disciplinarian without resorting to harsh punishment. And you can help him find his way within the larger community of friends, school and strangers - explaining, interpreting, guiding and lending a sympathetic ear as he meets each new social challenge. But you cannot make your child be good - that in end, is up to him.

Excerpt from "Teaching Good Behavior" - part of " A Child's First Library of Values

Choosing the right reading material for your child.

2010-05-13T00:38:00.004+08:00

So your child has started to read. She may be slow and stumble over a few words but they can manage. Fluent reading will not be far behind. Here are some tips for selecting the appropriate reading matter

Children enjoy reading texts that are aimed at their age and interests, whether it is about football, fairies, ghosts or outer space.
Those with illustrations add to the interest and are often the quickest way into the text.
Your child can choose from different types of text. For example, story books or factual texts, depending on the appeal to his/her imagination and his/her character. Story books provide a way into reading through a combination of words and pictures. Factual texts will interest the curious reader who wants to find out about the world. Some high-quality magazines contain an attractive combination of fiction and non-fiction and create a continuous relationship with a young reader.
It can be reassuring for a child to reread a picture book that is familiar from a very early age.
A good book does not have to be long.
A good book can be put down for a while, but will be easy to pick up again later.
Let him/her choose books which you yourself may not find very interesting

Enhancing Skills for your child!

2010-05-09T10:48:00.003+08:00

Enhancing thinking skills in your kid can be real fun and thrilling. Nothing can be more effective than asking the right type of questions in an easy going manner. Questions that you ask should have simple and proper wordings. When you ask questions that lead to a mental stimulation of your kid’s thought process, it can be really good for you as well as your kid. One of the most important things to remember while asking probing questions to your kid is to creating questions by using different types or levels or platforms of thinking.

Enhancing thinking skills is best performed in a systematic and well calibrated manner. Your kid will not be ready to think on many aspects of life. Your main goal should focus at motivating his or her inner level of consciousness. Experts in human psychology grade thinking skills in humans into six categories. These thinking skills are common to all individuals and you will need to modify or restructure the questions in such a way that your kid will understand and comprehend the meaning very easily.

Knowledge skills include remembering, recalling or retrieving correct, right and appropriate and previously learned information or details to bring or draw out factual and data based answers which may either right or wrong.

To develop this skill:
You will need to use right words, phrases and sentences like: “when”, “how”, “what”, “how much”, “how many”, “where”, “tell me”, “detect”, “identify”, “list” etc. These wording are simple to understand and comprehend and they can help you kid to answer with a fair degree of certainty.

Early Learning Program has 49 skills for your childs.

Wiring of the Brain

2010-04-25T09:43:00.002+08:00

“Wiring of the brain” refers to the explosive burst of the connections between the various synapses of the brain cells after birth. Synapses are the telephone lines that enable brain cells to communicate. Trillions are formed during the First 2 years of life. It is believed that they are overproduced to guarantee that enough are available to form neural networks for vision, speech, thinking, emotions, and other mental capabilities.

Some parts of the brain (example, the visual cortex) are wired rapidly in the First year of life and need little coaxing other than exposure to people, objects, and movement to develop. The auditory cortex, which processes sound, explodes with new connections after birth and maintains this high level of activity until about age 12. Many experts now believe this is the best time for learning music and foreign languages.

The prefrontal cortex, which is involved in processing higher thoughts and motivation, undergoes an initial growth spurt after birth, but it does not appear to be fully developed until early adolescence. This may be the best time to teach such things as calculus. The great explosion of synapses after birth enables the brain to learn how to make it work from the experiences it encounters.

Synapses that are not activated by sounds, touch, sight, smell, or taste are discarded. Nearly half of the connections eventually are pruned away when they are not incorporated into neural networks.

The most formative year are before a child enters school!

2010-04-21T00:38:00.001+08:00

The habit of Reading and the love of Learning are developed at home!

2010-04-21T00:12:00.002+08:00

Your child spent twice at much Time at Home as in School!

2010-04-21T00:06:00.002+08:00

School alone does not prepare your child for an increasingly completitive world!

2010-04-20T23:57:00.001+08:00

Children’s Reading Voyage

2010-04-08T16:14:00.004+08:00

Parents know that reading is important for school success. Sometimes, though, parents aren't clear about the process of learning to read or how to help their child make this reading voyage.

Infants and Toddlers. Children crawl before they walk; they learn language before they read. Talking sets the stage for language development. Even though your child may not understand the words she hears, she's storing up the sounds of language for the day she'll put the sounds and words together and say them herself.

Start developing book habits early. Infants and toddlers often just want to chew on a book; mouthing and exploring are important book behaviors for very young children.

Read to your infant or toddler until he is bored, then put the book away for another time. As your toddler becomes more interested in books, let him make more book choices, hold the book, and turn the pages. Make these book times pleasurable and fun.

Preschoolers and Kindergartners. Preschoolers and kindergartners like to have fun with language. They like silly rhymes and verses, singing a song, dancing, and sharing a story through finger play. These are ways they develop language and literacy skills.

Children at this age are learning more about letters, print and books. They know many letters of the alphabet. They begin to match letters to their sounds, which is important for learning to read.

Many preschool children will pretend to read books, telling the story as they turn the pages, look at the pictures and identify some print on the page. They learn that print in books moves from left to right. Kindergarten children are getting better at matching letters to sounds and know many words from sight.

What makes a gifted child?

2010-03-10T13:55:00.004+08:00

The battle between nature and nurture – at least in terms of how they affect intelligence – is far from over.

An Australian study, which was published in the journal PLoS Medicine earlier this month, found that children born to older men did worse on intelligence and cognitive tests from infancy to seven years of age when compared to children of younger fathers.

Whether the legacy of nature outweighs the latter-day efforts of nurture or the other way round, Dr Joanne Staunton, a cognitive psychologist from the Thomson Paediatric Clinic, identified five things parents can do to help develop their child's intelligence.

Teach your child to approach things in a systematic, or step by step, manner.

Encourage your child to group similar items together so he can learn to discuss and explain their similarities and differences.

Teach your child to follow instructions.

Show your child how to complete patterns.

Develop your child's language skills by reading to him and asking him questions.

A person's intelligence is most commonly measured by an IQ, or intelligence quotient, test.

Average scores for children range between 80 and 119.

Those scoring between 90 and 109 form roughly 50 per cent of the population while children who obtain a test score of more than 130 are described as "of very superior intelligence" and make up the top 2 per cent of the population.

The concept of a gifted child was mooted by Stanford University's Lewis Terman, who developed one of the first tests to measure intelligence, in the early part of the 20th century.

However, paediatricians Mind Your Body spoke to do not advocate putting children through IQ tests unless required.

Dr Chong Shang Chee, an associate consultant in the division of paediatric neurology, developmental and behavioural paediatrics at the University Children's Medical Institute in National University Hospital, said: "IQ is not the best measure or predictor for everyone or for success."

IQ tests measure a child's verbal comprehension, reasoning, working memory and information processing speed.

Dr Staunton said that parents should take their child for an IQ test only if they suspect he or she has learning difficulties, high intelligence or low intelligence.

She said: "At the moment, the IQ test is viewed as the best measure of intelligence although there are many who say that intelligence tests do not fully measure intelligence.

"All IQ test results need to be viewed with caution as they do have a margin error in the score and need to be interpreted in relation to your child and not as an isolated score."

This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times

The Importance of Reading to your Baby

2010-02-23T13:25:00.002+08:00

Once a parent bring home their newborn baby, they should waste no time in helping them learn. A baby will begin learning things right away and parents must make sure that they have the necessary tools to assist their child. One way parents can develop a baby’s learning capabilities at a very early age, is by reading to them.
Reading to your child is a great way for them to hear how words are pronounced. When you begin reading to your child, you may not get much of a reaction from them at the beginning, because they are just hearing the words for the first time. As the child begins to grow and parents continually read to them, they will become engaged in the stories and will begin to respond to the words.

Books that contain pictures are an entertaining way to read to your child, as they will be able to get a visual representation of what is happening in the storyline. Many picture books either depict important life lessons or can focus on academic concepts, like mathematics. These books are a great way for parents to not only spend time with their child, but to also ensure that their child is beginning to form good learning skills. Stories that teach your child how to count or learn their ABC’s are great beginner books.

As you are reading to your child, you will notice an increased interest in their desire to be read to. Eventually your child will begin to read by themselves and will use the skills that you have taught them. If you child has a great interest in reading, consider purchasing interactive workbooks that are designed to increase their learning. These books also provide a parent with the opportunity to spend quality time with their baby.

It is important to read to your child and nurture their desire to read, as it is the foundational block for their future success in school. By reading to your child at an early age, you will notice that they are able to develop the necessary learning skills they need, at a much faster rate

A Reading Environment at your Home!

2010-02-23T13:11:00.003+08:00

Home environment plays an important role in the development of early readers. According to Jim Trelease, author of "The New Read-Aloud Handbook", two major studies (one from the 1966 and one from 1975) have been done on early readers as well as students who respond to early education without difficulty. These studies show that the following four indicators were present in the home environment of nearly every early reader.

The child is read to on a regular basis. This reading included not only books, but billboards, signs, labels, and more. The parents, by example, were avid readers.
Books, newspapers, magazines, and comics were always available at home.
Paper and pencils were also available anywhere because the starting point of curiosity about written language was an interest in copying objects and letters of the alphabet.
Adult in the child's home answered endless questions, praised the child's efforts, used their local library frequently, bought books, wrote stories that their child dictated and displayed their child's work prominently.

Having setup a good home environment for reading, you have to ensure your child has good hearing!

So do you have a reading enviroment for your child?

Rap your ABC song for your child!

2010-01-09T19:55:00.000+08:00

Ms Tan shares how she start to read to her child from young!

2010-01-03T10:50:00.003+08:00

Teach your child to read

2009-12-28T00:25:00.003+08:00

You can start teaching your child the building blocks for reading before they ever step foot in a classroom. Once your child enters school, you can work with your child and their teachers to help aid the learning process. Teaching your child to read will involve dedication and patience.
Make reading an important part of your child’s life before they can even speak. Read to your child as they develop in the womb and when they are babies. When your child is ready, start to read out loud to them while they follow along by looking at the pictures. You can then start to point out words in the book to your child while you read their favorite stories.

Read your children books with rhymes as well. The rhymes are easy for your child to remember and as they grow older they can learn to recognize some of the words in their favorite rhymes.

Start to introduce your baby to the alphabet from a young age. When your baby is just a couple months old you can start singing the ABC’s song to them. Between twelve to eighteen months, your little one will start to sing parts of the song on their own. A few months after that, you can start showing them the letters of the alphabet on a chart as you sing through the tune.

Developing a Reading Habit

2009-11-30T00:17:00.003+08:00

Here are a few tried-and-tested techniques to help get you started:

Before reading a book to your child, read it through once yourself to identify areas you might want to concentrate on.

Point at each word with your finger as you read, and encourage your child to follow along. Even before your child can read, they can be highly stimulated by the pictures they see in books.

A child's attention span tends to be rather short, so choose simple books with plenty of colourful pictures.

If you are concerned about little hands tearing and smudging books, buy sturdy toddler board books that can withstand some 'abuse'.

Parents who show that that they enjoy and benefit from reading will set good examples to their children.

Children are constantly imitating adults, so if you make reading out to be a fun and enjoyable activity, it is likely that your child will as well.

Make reading a treat instead of a chore! Don't just read to your child at bedtime - read to him throughout the day or whenever time allows.

Show enthusiasm and excitement, and vary your reading tone to give characters different voices. Make your own puppets out of household items to use when reading.

Involve your child in the reading process. Let him turn the pages of the book, and give him adequate time to look at the pictures and ask questions.

If your child has developed an adequate level of reading comprehension, ask him simple questions about the story after each reading session.

Most children will have 'favourites'. Read your child's favourite books often, and make them available to your child at all times by placing them on a shelf within easy reach. This allows your child to look at his favourites whenever he desires.

All children have an innate desire to communicate. Write simple notes and letters to your child, and encourage him to do the same to you.

For children who have yet to master reading and writing, simply let them 'read' you their mental notes, and then read your notes to them.

Visit to your local library regularly, and engage the help of the children's librarian to assist your child in choosing books that are appropriate for his age group.

When he is old enough, obtain a library card for your child. This will help him acquire a sense of responsibility alongside an interest of reading.

By making reading fun, and keeping your child's reading experiences positive, you can nurture a child to grow into an avid reader, and one who views reading as an enjoyable pastime.

A Book Is a Child's Companion

2009-11-29T23:48:00.003+08:00

If we want our children to enjoy the companionship of books, we must allow the child's contribution to the relationship to be wholly salient. We want the child to know that he is relevant to the book. So as we look at a book with a child, we are flexible about how that process goes. We forget that we know it has a beginning, middle and end, and we allow the child's pleasure and interest to dictate what it is to which we will attend, and of what the interaction will consist. We attend to the child’s agenda. We do our best to explicate the demands of perspective the illustration demonstrates, and we spend the time we need to cover and uncover, make disappear and reappear, our own faces and hands, until this loses its interest for the child. Only then do we proceed in the book. It is not unlike taking our child to the beach to view the vast ocean or to admire the sunset while acknowledging that the tiny sandcrab that scurries over the toe of his sneaker and totally captures his attention is a wholly worthy competitor for our intent and deserves our closest mutual attention. We are flexible, and we care about what our small friend's interests are because only then can he bring his whole self to the encounter. And that is what we want. We want the child to know that he is relevant to the book.

Babies and toddlers are enriched by books. Even more important, the relationships between very young children and their parents are enriched by books. Books provide a source of mutual pleasure for parent and child that is likely to last a lifetime. We introduce infants and toddlers to books not simply because of what they will learn from them, but so that they will grow to love them. It is a gift beyond measure.

Talk About Books

2009-11-05T18:57:00.002+08:00

Talking about the books you read is just as important as reading them. Discussing a story or a book with your child helps your child understand it and connect it to his or her own experience of life. It also helps enrich your child's vocabulary with new words and phrases.

Here are some ways to help your child acquire skills in comprehension, reasoning, and critical thinking:

Ask your child about the kinds of books he or she would like to read.

Talk to your child about your favourite books from childhood, and offer to read them.

Encourage your child to ask questions and to comment on the story and pictures in a book – before, during, and after reading it.

Look at the cover and the title of a book with your child, and ask your child what he or she thinks might happen in the story.

Encourage your child to think critically about the story. Does he or she agree or disagree with the author? Why?

Think out loud about the story as you read, and encourage your child to do the same. For example, ask, "Does this make sense? Why or why not?"

Give your child time to think about the story, and then ask him or her about it again a few days later.

TODAYonline | Weekend Voices | POV | Once you give the gift of reading, you can't take it back

2009-10-31T22:26:00.000+08:00

TODAYonline | Weekend Voices | POV | Once you give the gift of reading, you can't take it back

Elephant Song for your child!

2009-09-26T23:11:00.001+08:00

Read Every Day

2009-09-23T00:02:00.001+08:00

Children love routine, and reading is something that you and your child can look forward to every day. By taking the time to read with your child, you show him or her that reading is important and fun to do.

Try to read with your child as often as possible. Its the best thing you can do to help him or her learn at school! It also allows you to spend time together in an enjoyable way and to build a strong and healthy relationship.

Start reading with your child when he or she is very young.

Set aside a special time each day when you can give your full attention to reading with your child.

Choose a comfortable spot to read, where you can be close to your child. Make it your "reading place"! Set aside a special shelf in that area for your childs books.

Choose a variety of books.

Vary the length of reading time according to your childs age and interests. For young children, several short sessions (of 10 minutes each) may be better than one long session (of 30 minutes).

Read slowly so that your child can form a mental picture of what is happening in the story.

Praise your child for his or her ideas and participation!

When you and your child are away from home, take along books, magazines, and books-on-tape for your child to read and listen to.

Keep reading to your child even after he or she has learned to read. By reading stories that will interest your child but that are above his or her reading level, you can stretch your childs understanding and keep alive the magic of shared reading.

The important of starting young with Math

2009-09-07T23:20:00.004+08:00

It has been argued that math is the only truly universal language - and it’s easy to see why. Mathematics is the language of logic and reasoning; it is the language of pattern and symmetry. Mathematics brings order out of the apparent randomness of life. Mathematics is beautiful. For those of us who have never studied advanced mathematics, popular science books and TV programs provide windows into a world that keeps mathematicians and physicists enthralled their entire lives.

Even if we may never experience the elegant intricacies of advanced mathematics, it's easy to appreciate how powerful a deeper understanding of mathematics can be. How do people fly to the moon and back? How does a bridge remain stable, even during the fiercest hurricane or typhoon? How does the heating or air conditioning system know when to shut off and start up again in order to keep the room at a constant temperature? All of these things depend on mathematics.

Although we left it till the end, this is actually the most important reason of all for teaching your baby math. Babies love learning about quantity, and they love seeing equations – as long as both of these things are presented in a fun, happy way. If you use your toddler’s favorite animal or cartoon character for your Little Math lessons, it won’t take long for your child to start asking to see them on a regular basis – probably more often than you had planned to show them!

What’s more, children who begin understanding mathematics at an early age are immensely proud of their achievements. All of us feel great when we know the right answer to something. Perhaps no other subject makes such clear distinctions between right and wrong as mathematics.

Mathematics lessons have always been good for babies. The difference now is that these lessons look as fun as they possibly can, and require as little preparation as possible, too. For parents at least, there has surely never been a better time than right now to teach babies math.

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.

2009-08-28T00:00:00.003+08:00

Today there is so much pressure placed on a child from an early age regarding their education. As parents we all want our children to excel in their school but what methods of learning do we use in order to achieve these results.

In many instances we place our children with lessons that they do not like and they are not able to accomplish and this is very discouraging for the child. It would be better if the child was presented with fun tasks which they can do and develop their learning ability that way. This in my opinion is an important key to learning.

Lessons which are happily done are internalized and in this manner talent is grown carefully. Children learn best when they are having fun! Parents are encouraged to create the best possible learning environment and utilize proper tools and materials to allow the child to enjoy learning and feel empowered to learn.

Use this as a tool and give them as much as they can do! Praise them with their efforts and their incentive to learn will become much higher. They will want to do better and in turn they will succeed! That fire has been lit and we as parents can keep on igniting that fire in our children.

Make Reading Fun!

2009-08-19T18:41:00.002+08:00

Reading aloud can be a lot of fun, not just for parents but for all family members. Here are some ways to get the most out of reading to your young child:

Read with drama and excitement! Use different voices for different characters in the story. Use your childs name instead of a characters name. Make puppets and use them to act out a story.

Re-read your childs favourite stories as many times as your child wants to hear them, and choose books and authors that your child enjoys.

Read stories that have repetitive parts and encourage your child to join in.

Point to words as you read them. This will help your child make a connection between the words he or she hears you say and the words on the page.

Read all kinds of material – stories, poems, information books, magazine and newspaper articles, and comics.

Encourage relatives and friends to give your child books as gifts.

Take your child to the library and look at interactive CD-ROMs and the Internet, as well as books.

Subscribe to a magazine for your child. He or she will love receiving mail!

10 Reasons Why Books Are Still Important?

2009-08-17T13:58:00.002+08:00

Has your toddler just learned the alphabet? Then this is the perfect time to introduce him/her to the wonderful world of books. In this time of personal computers and the Internet, many of us consider books to be things of the past. However, they still play a crucial role in the overall development of a child during the early years of life. Those “educational” toys and “pre-school development” shows on TV may look pretty appealing, but nothing can replace good old books. Here are 10 reasons why books are still important for a child’s development:

1. The more books children read, the faster their vocabulary is expanded. Books help them to learn new words and new ways of using the words that they already know. This accelerates preschool child development, and also improves their soft skills in the long run.

2. Reading books to children at bedtime is a wonderful bonding experience that nourishes emotional development. Parents can also help the child relate the incidents in the story to real events in their lives.

3. Encouraging a love of books in toddlers is a great way to prepare them for the school environment and to adapt to the concept of daily schoolwork.

4. Reading books regularly stimulates children’s imagination, accelerates their emotional development and fosters natural curiosity. Children quickly learn to visualize the scenarios mentioned in the stories by reading the text alone. This type of development works even better if a parent assists in the process. According to a recent research conducted by author Jim Trelease, regular reading of books “creates empathy toward other people, because literature values humanity and celebrates human spirit and potential, offering insight into different lifestyles while recognizing universality”.

5. As children read different books, their knowledge on various subjects increases multifold. In addition, everything that they learn at this age stays in their mind for a long time to come. This can help them become better students in school.

6. Reading books improves a child’s attention span. Books with colorful pictures work even better than text-only books.

7. Reading can successfully replace TV as a source of entertainment, especially if the child is introduced to preschool books as soon as he/she learns the alphabet. Reading helps children utilize their time in a more constructive manner.

8. Children who learn to read at an early age have a better chance of getting a job later in life. They also perform much better than those who grew up watching TV and playing games on computers. In a recent speech, renowned author/illustrator Rosemary Wells pointed out that, “a young child's growing mind needs active play and live conversation. Television puts a child into what neurologists call the passive Alpha state. A child cannot learn from screens because programs are meant to sell products not to teach”.

9. A parent reading to his/her toddler often becomes a role model in the child’s mind. In this way, the child learns to be more obedient towards parents.

10. Developing the habit of reading regularly from an early age helps the child to cope better with the rigors of academic education later on. Allowing your child to watch a few pre-school shows on TV isn’t a bad thing to do. However, reading books is a very important activity that no child should be deprived of during the early years of his/her life. Read a book to your child today. It will go a long way in forging a lifelong bond between you and your toddler.

“The most important thing that parents can do is talk and read to their children. During the toddler and preschool years, it is critical to provide children with different language and reading experiences.” (G. Reid Lyon, Ph.D., Chief of the Child Development and Behavior Branch within the National Institute of Child Healthy and Human Development

Parenting Tip: Children Love to Learn!

2009-08-17T02:35:00.001+08:00

Glenn Doman received his degree in physical therapy from the University of Pennsylvania in 1940, and began pioneering the field of child brain development. In 1955, he founded The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential® , whose work with brain-injured children led to vital discoveries regarding well children. Glenn is the best-selling author of 6 books, all part of the Gentle Revolution Series

Why Teach your baby to Read?

2009-08-15T10:31:00.004+08:00

Just read the book on How to Teach your baby to Read by Glenn Doman.
Here is the summary on what he has written-

I think that it is a wonderful thing for a mother (or father) to teach her baby to read for a number of reasons:

1. It is easier to teach a two-year-old to read at home than it is to teach a six-year-old at school. Much easier.

2. Since babies would rather learn than do anything else in the world, and would rather be with their parents than with anyone else in the world, there are few activities as joyous for mothers and babies as learning-to-read sessions.

3. Reading is the very basis of all learning and the acquisition of knowledge, and if mother teaches her baby to read at one, two, or three years of age he will not fail to learn to read in school at six, seven, or eight years of age. Literacy and success go hand-in-hand, and illiteracy and failure go hand-in-hand. This is true in nations, in states, in cities, and in neighborhoods, and is especially true in individuals.

4. It is a wondrous thing for a baby, or child, or an adult to be able to read.

5. Most importantly:

We parents go through all the early years of baby's life, taking care of the running noses, the dirty diapers, the sheer horror of losing sight of the tiny child on the crowded beach for thirty seconds which seems like an hour, the frantic silent prayers on the way to the hospital at 2 a.m. with the five-year-old's temperature rising to a new world record, and all the other prices we pay so willingly for the joy and privilege of squeezing that beloved tiny body and beholding that beautiful little face.

Then when, as custom has had it, at six years of age, it becomes time to introduce him to all the golden and glorious things that have been written in his own language and in others, and thus to open the truly magic door to all knowledge and all that is beautiful in this world, we turn him over to a stranger called a teacher, and pray that the teacher will know what a truly brilliant and eager-to-know mind this most exceptional of all children has.

Having put up with all the loving problems, we are entitled to all the loving fun to be had in teaching our babies to read, and in so doing, to lift our babies on to our shoulders and say, "Behold, my child, the world in all its splendor. It is our gift to you."

The truth is that we expose children to reading too late. By six years of age the ability to take in raw facts, whether auditory (spoken) or visual (written), without the slightest effort is just about gone. If children did not hear words until they were six years old, we would have another staggering educational problem to match the present staggering reading problem and a flood of books with titles like Why Johnny Can't Talk.

It is easier to teach a five-year-old to read than it is to teach a six-year-old. It is easier at four than at five, easier at three than at four, easier at two than at three, easier at one than at two and easiest of all (for the baby) below one.

The superb truth is that babies take in raw facts such as written and spoken words at a rate that no adult could come close to matching.

Babies are linguistic geniuses and no adult who values his ego should get himself into a foreign language learning contest with any baby. To your eleven-day-old baby, English is a foreign language. By three he'll have completely functional use of English, which he'll speak with a perfect American accent. Don't you try to match that three years from now with a foreign language you heard for the first time eleven days ago.

In order for a baby to learn spoken words, there are three requirements from a neurophysiological standpoint. The words must be spoken loudly, clearly, and repeatedly in order for his immature auditory pathway to understand and remember. All mothers understand this instinctually and speak to their babies in loud, clear, repeated words. The result is that all well babies have a functional use of their mother tongue by three. Indeed, it is this very process of speaking to a baby in a loud, clear, repeated voice that physically grows his brain's auditory pathway.

Learning to understand spoken language through the ear is not a school subject, it is a brain function. So also is learning language through the eye a brain function rather than a school subject.

Why, then, do not all babies learn to read spontaneously as they learn to speak spontaneously?

The problem is that we have made the print too small.

In order for a baby to read words, there are three requirements. The print must be large, clear, and repeated. The baby's immature visual pathways are not able to deal with small print. Indeed, it is the very process of showing the baby large words which physically grow and mature his brain's visual pathway.

All that the mother of a two-year-old has to do to prove this to herself is to get a piece of white poster board, with a red marker print the word Mommy clearly in letters six inches high, and show it to her baby a half dozen times an hour apart, saying in a happy excited voice, "This says Mommy."

Don't test him; just tell him. Soon he'll tell you. Hundreds of thousands of mothers have taught their babies to read this way, which is a wonderful thing indeed.

by Glenn Doman,

Founder of The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential

Why is reading to my baby good for him?

2009-08-15T09:04:00.003+08:00

Reading will help build your child's vocabulary, stimulate his imagination, and improve his communication skills. In fact, the more you speak to your child from the get-go, the better it is for his growth and development. Studies have shown that language skills — and even intelligence — are related to how many words an infant hears each day. In one study, babies whose parents spoke to them a lot (an average of 2,100 words an hour) scored higher on standard tests when they reached age 3 than did children whose parents hadn't been as verbal. A running commentary on the state of the neighborhood during your walk and naming your child's body parts as you bathe him are good ways to chat. Reading is one more fun way to add variety to your verbal interactions.

But my baby doesn’t seem interested!”
Newborns may not respond to your reading, so it may be difficult to tell if they’re really even listening or benefiting from your efforts. But, you will see that with time, your baby will begin to understand the routine, be curious about the book you’re holding, show interest in the pictures and generally, begin to enjoy reading time. The advantage of starting early(if you want to) is that by the time your baby is 6 months old or ready to observe pictures and register words, she would already be familiar with the books. She would already have a head start and you will actually have to put in very little effort to get her interested in reading with you

Early Childhood

2009-08-13T00:04:00.002+08:00

Early childhood is an important phase in the life of human beings. It may prove to be a troublesome time for the parents of toddlers since they have to be extremely conscious about the child’s physical care. The biological and brain development of children during the first few years of their lives depend entirely on the quality of stimulation that is evoked by their environment – at all the three levels of family, community, as well as the society.

Studies have indicated that the first three years of a child’s life are extremely crucial for both the emotional and intellectual development.

According to James J. Heckman, “Early childhood interventions of high quality have lasting effects on learning and motivation”.
Early childhood development is actually an umbrella term encompassing a child’s social, emotional, language, literacy, physical, creative, and cognitive development. All these developmental stages are inter-related. They collectively contribute to the all-round development of the child. However, children develop their milestones at their own pace.

Therefore, it is imperative for parents to give special attention to the needs of their children. Early child development is thus a lifelong determinant of well-being, health, and learning skills of the child in the future. Here are some important aspects of early childhood development that parents need to be aware of:

1. The first six years of life are extremely crucial for the growth and development in children. As a matter of fact, their mental growth is accelerated when they receive adequate attention, love and affection, mental stimulation, and encouragement. Preschool child development occupies a pivotal position in the lives of the infants. It is during this phase that parental responsibilities towards the growing child become most important. It has been proved by research studies that children tend to develop a more extensive vocabulary if their parents involve them in frequent conversations.

2. Early childhood is an exploratory age when kids begin to discover their surroundings. It is an imitative age as well. Kids start picking up the mannerisms, speech, and actions of elders around them. Parents therefore should be appropriate in their behavior in front of children. Research has identified the particularly critical areas in early childhood development: vision, logical thinking, language, music, and emotion. These are considered as "windows of opportunity", and should be considered as important aspects of their development.

3. In early childhood, behavior problems seem to be more troublesome and frequent as compared to problems related to the physical care of children. If their actions are unsupervised, they might grow up to be disobedient, obstinate, antagonistic, and stubborn. Parents should pay extra attention to the needs of their children.The social behavior of individuals at a grown up stage is determined by the way they have been nurtured by parents during their early childhood years. Therefore, it is extremely crucial to ensure that children are not only provided with proper nutrition and education, but also protected from abuse, harm, and discrimination.

The state of early childhood development, when measured with a comparable approach, results in the betterment of the child and subsequently, the entire community

How do Get ready for Primary 1?

2009-08-10T01:37:00.001+08:00

Stella shares on the important of starting young on Total Development Program

2009-08-10T00:27:00.006+08:00

5 Ways to Develop Your Child's Curiosity!

2009-08-10T00:04:00.003+08:00

A very important part of childhood is the awareness of the five senses in the body. As children learn to observe their surroundings, they begin to both identify and distinguish between sounds, sights, tastes, smells, and sensations. They develop a sense of curiosity about themselves and the world around them, and this in turn helps them understand their own selves. In fact, curiosity also fosters a feeling of learning, which can prove to be of great help in the future.

Parents may often feel irritated while answering the numerous questions children come up with. But it is necessary to understand that for a child, everything around him/ her is new, and hence exciting. This latent inquisitiveness of children leaves them awestruck at almost everything they look at.

Children are naturally curious from early infancy. From the tender age of eight months, a child’s brain starts posing questions. Physical activities stimulate the curiosity in children, and since they are naturally curious about their surroundings, they explore their environment mostly while playing. In fact, the latest medical trends in child development encourage parents to foster the sense of curiosity among kids.

According to noted pediatrician and author Thomas Berry Brazelton, “As a child becomes more adept at handling their body, their hands become freer, more exciting, and more available for learning”.

How can you develop your child’s curiosity?

1. Games and other physical activities are perhaps the best way to inculcate curiosity among children. They are basically inquisitive about their toys and belongings. Hence, parents must develop interesting play activities that will help your child to quench his/her curiosity. Science toys can be a good tool to develop curiosity in the infant brain.

2. Parents should encourage children to explore their natural surroundings. This external exploration paves the way for introspection which in turn inspires curiosity.

3. Children should be encouraged to ask questions. As we all know, having answers to questions is the first step towards satiating the basic thirst for knowledge.

4. Kids should be encouraged to look for answers to their questions. This will give them more confidence and also enhance their understanding of things around them.

5. Parents must teach children to be good observers. Keen observation is the perfect complement for a curious mind. Parents should also help to improve their child’s attention span. Higher level of attention leads to enhanced degrees of curiosity.

It’s good to be curious!

• Curiosity broadens the child’s mind. A broader mind helps in a holistic development of the child.

• A curious child is always actively seeking answers. This curiosity propels them towards unraveling the mysteries of daily life.

• Curiosity makes children good receptors, and capable of grasping new concepts easily. Thus, curiosity enhances a child’s potential to learn.

Curiosity plays a pivotal role in the mental and intellectual improvement of a child. A child’s inquisitiveness leads to valuable exploration, and exploration is the key to learning. Curiosity should never be suppressed or else it can have an adverse impact on a child’s early development. As John Holt says, "Children do not need to be made to learn" since they are already born with what Einstein called "the holy curiosity of inquiry". So encourage the curious side of your children and watch them grow into knowledgeable and mature individuals!

Start your baby really young on languages!

2009-08-10T00:02:00.002+08:00

How will my child learn to read?

2009-08-09T23:50:00.006+08:00

Learning to read does not happen all at once. It involves a series of stages that lead, over time, to independent reading and to fluency.

The best time for children to start learning to read is when they are very young, usually at the preschool level. This is when they are best able to start developing basic reading skills.

The stages involved in learning to read are listed below.

1. The pre-reader and the beginning reader:

likes to look at books and likes to be read to

likes to behave like a reader – for example, holds books and pretends to read them

learns about words by looking at picture books and playing with blocks that have letters on them, magnetic letters, and so on

learns about words from songs, rhymes, traffic signs, and logos on packages of food

learns how text works – for example, where a story starts and finishes and which way the print proceeds

begins to understand that his or her own thoughts can be put into print

uses pictures and memory to tell and retell a story

2. The emerging reader:

is ready to receive instructions about reading

learns that text is a common way to tell a story or to convey information

begins to match written words to spoken words and to perceive relationships between sounds and letters

begins to experiment with reading, and is willing to try to say words out loud when reading simple texts

finds the pictures helpful in understanding the text, and learns that the words convey a message consistent with the pictures

3. The early reader:

develops more confidence and uses a variety of methods, such as relying on visual cues, to identify words in texts

adapts his or her reading to different kinds of texts

recognizes many words, knows a lot about reading, and is willing to try new texts

4. The fluent reader:

thinks of reading as a good thing and does it automatically

uses a variety of methods to identify words and their meanings

can read various kinds of texts and predict events in a story

relates the meaning of books to his or her own experience and knowledge, and understands what is new

It takes time to pass through each of these stages, and your child will need plenty of attention and support as he or she moves through them. You can play a leading role in helping your child acquire the reading skills he or she needs to succeed!

Gillian shares on how Total Delopment Program has help her son

2009-07-19T14:35:00.006+08:00

Tips for Sharing Books With Babies And Toddlers

2009-07-01T01:11:00.002+08:00

The first—and best—tip for sharing books with young children is to have fun together. If children are engaged and enjoying themselves, they are learning. When children have positive interactions with books, they are developing good feelings about reading, which will motivate them to continue seeking out books and other literacy materials as they grow.

Here are some other ideas for nurturing early literacy skills in your baby or toddler:

A Few Minutes at a Time is OK. And don't worry if you don't finish the story.
Young children can only sit for a few minutes for a story, but as they grow, they will be able to sit longer. Let your child decide how much (or how little) time you spend reading. And you don't need to read every page. You may find that your child has a favorite page or even a favorite picture. She may want to linger there for a while, and then switch books or activities. Babies may just want to mouth the book! That's okay. When you let your child explore books in the ways that interest her, the reading experience will be more meaningful.

Talk or Sing About the Pictures
You do not have to read the words to tell a story. Try "reading" the pictures in a book for your child sometime. When your child is old enough, ask him to read the pictures to you!

Let Children Turn the Pages
Babies cannot yet turn pages on their own, but an 18-month-old will want to give it a try, and a three-year-old can certainly do it alone. Remember, it's OK to skip pages!

Show Children the Cover Page
Explain what the story is about. If you have an older toddler, ask them to guess what the story might be about.

Show Children the Words
Run your finger along the words as you read them, from left to right.

Make the Story Come Alive
Create voices for the story characters and use your body to tell the story.

Make It Personal
Talk about your own family, pets, or community when you are reading about others in a story.

Ask Questions About the Story, and Let Children Ask Questions Too!
Use the story to have a back-and-forth conversation with your child. Talk about familiar activities and objects you see in the illustrations or read about in the story.

Let Children Tell The Story
Children as young as three years old can memorize a story, and many children love to be creative through storytelling.

Create Books Together
Make photo books of family members. Cut pictures out of magazines or catalogs to make word books. Make a color book by having fun with crayons, markers, and paints. As your child gets older, have him or her dictate a story to you and then draw pictures to go with the words.

Make Books a Part of Your Daily Routine
The more that books are woven into children's everyday lives, the more likely they will be to see reading as a pleasure and a gift.

At Meal Times
Sing or read a story during a moment of quiet nursing or to gather the kids around the noisy breakfast table.

In the Car or On the Bus
Keep a few books in the car or in your diaper bag to keep your little ones quiet and busy.

At Child Care Drop Off
Calm a crying child at good-bye time with a favorite story or lullaby. Leave a photo book with pictures of loved family members at child care so your child can flip through it when she is missing you.

At the Doctor's Office
Read or tell a soothing story to your little one in the waiting room and sing or talk through the scary parts of the visit. Before the visit, read books about going to the doctor so your child knows what to expect.

At the Grocery Store
Put a few board books in the shopping cart or tie a cloth book to the shopping cart so you're not cleaning up books from the floor as you go!

At Nap Time
Familiar routines always help babies calm down. Use books and stories to quietly ease your baby to sleep.

At Day's End
You are exhausted, the baby is fussy. Lie down on the floor surrounded by books. Play a book on tape for your baby. Sing a song together while you all try to relax a bit.

At Bath Time
Plastic bath time books are great fun and may help a fussy baby enjoy the tub a little more.

At Bed Time
Soothing books and stories can work magic with babies who fight sleep!

Try this in your child! --- Don't Eat Your Marshmallow,Yet!

2009-07-01T01:04:00.004+08:00

Law of Diminishing Ability

2009-06-13T01:39:00.002+08:00

Intelligence: Nature Vs Nurture

2009-06-13T01:33:00.002+08:00

A person's learning and ability derives from a combination of genetics and environment. Nature may include some form of cognitive inherits from parents, and nurture includes the process of inferential and experiential learning that registers in the brain.

There are many components to intelligence. Memory, comparative behaviour, planning behaviour, classification, choice of inputs and outputs, language etc.

One important element is the use of time, not only "quality" but quantity time. Intelligence involves elements of knowing what is right or neccessary, but without proper guidance or mentoring, this intelligence is applied " selectively" in the face of benefits and threats. Thus, it is important to guide the children in coupling intelligence with values and applications for a healthy individuals, and not intelligence as a unit only.

Song for MUMS

2009-05-24T11:42:00.003+08:00

Genius Starts from 0 age!

2009-03-27T15:09:00.004+08:00

10 Reasons To Read To Your Child!!

2009-03-24T15:16:00.002+08:00

We all know that learning to read is important, but as parents what do we do to facilitate this milestone?

Reading to your child has many benefits one of which is simply having time to snuggle together.

Here are 10 reasons to read to your child.

1.When you read to your child, he/she will learn that reading is important to you, therefore reading will become important to him/her.

2.The more your child hears sounds, the better he/she will process these sounds into words. When a child is preschool/kindergarten age the listening word starts to become the written word.

3.Reading has a calming effect on a restless or fussy baby. Who doesn’t want an easy way to calm a fussy baby?

4.Reading is a wonderful before bed routine. Studies have shown that a child will thrive in an atmosphere in which routines are present.

5.Reading will help to develop your child’s imagination. Have you ever gotten lost in a good book? Your child can do the same while you are reading to him/her.

6.Reading will foster your child’s ability to listen and pay attention. With all the problems we here about concerning attention spans this is a great way to avoid that.

7.Reading to a young child will teach him/her the correct way to hold a book and turn the pages.

8.Reading to your child will develop in him/her the desire to become a reader.

9.Teachers will thank you

10.When a child is read a personalized story book, he/she will be able to recognize his/her name in print at an early age.

Isn’t it exciting to think that you can have such an effect on your child’s ability to read just by reading to him/her? You have the power to develop a life long joy of reading and learning in your child. WOW! Just read.

Learning Buzz!

Approaches to learning: 3-4 years

Baby development

Choosing your child's school

Maximizing emotional intelligence

Reading aloud

Why is reading aloud to your child important

Creative Parenting Ideas

What reading does to your child

How reading makes a differnce

Learning from baby’s body movements

The success cycle of reading

How to Encourage Your Child to Read

What adults can learn from kids

Getting along with others

Living and learning

The seven steps to personalized learning

Tips for busy parents

Setting achievable goals

Dealing with children to do their homework?

The route to success in goal setting and achieving for your child

Reading activities for special times

Characteristics of Infants-Preschoolers

Ideas for getting started on reading

How to Teach Your Toddler the Days of the Week?

10 STEPS in Communicating with preschoolers

Developing Musical Intelligence

Strategies for apologising to kids

Providing your child with confidence

Dealing with Child's frequent tantrums

Understanding Your Child

Storytelling

How children learn language

Hugging

Feed your child right

Is your child on the correct track?

Child Reading Milestones

The Importance of Reading to Your Baby from nativereading

Teaching Your Child Good Behavior

Brian facts

Reading

Helpping your child in school

The Importance of Reading to a Child

Language education is critical for developing brains.

Handling upsets in life

How to Teach a Child by Reading Aloud : Demonstrating Reading Aloud to Kids

Is TV Bad For Your Child?

Protect, nurture your baby's brain

Why should a parent teach his/her baby how to read?

What is multiple intelligence theory?

5 Tips to Make Learning Math Fun for Kids

No Time to Read to my Child!

By Adam Khoo: Children of Singapore

Home Schooling for your child?

Is your child gifted?

New born babies learn even in their sleep

The ABC's of Good Behaviour

Choosing the right reading material for your child.

Enhancing Skills for your child!

Wiring of the Brain

The most formative year are before a child enters school!

The habit of Reading and the love of Learning are developed at home!

Your child spent twice at much Time at Home as in School!

School alone does not prepare your child for an increasingly completitive world!

Children’s Reading Voyage

What makes a gifted child?

The Importance of Reading to your Baby

A Reading Environment at your Home!

Rap your ABC song for your child!

Ms Tan shares how she start to read to her child from young!

Teach your child to read

Developing a Reading Habit

A Book Is a Child's Companion

Talk About Books

TODAYonline | Weekend Voices | POV | Once you give the gift of reading, you can't take it back

More Reasons to Read to your Child!

Elephant Song for your child!

Read Every Day

The important of starting young with Math

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.