Literature-based approach
The Steps Programme is our bilingual core programme which uses quality literature such as stories, rhymes, poems, newspaper articles, periodicals and journals as the key media to arouse the interest of our young children in learning.
Circle of Friends enables children to gain a critical understanding of themselves in relation to their immediate environment through group interaction. This then provides the impetus for developing a confident persona and core social competencies.
Being naturally inquisitive, children learn best through investigative activities which satisfy their need to touch, manipulate and experiment. Curious Works allows children to discover and understand the physical existence and attributes of objects through exploratory play.
Literacy forms the foundation upon which interactive and cognitive abilities are developed. Through Lit Attack, children will experience systematic language learning amidst an immersive, print-rich environment.
To promote logical thinking and interest in Mathematics, Math Mind exposes children to a handson, exploratory learning journey that meaningfully fuses both arithmetic and literature.
Through the arts, children are presented with visual stimuli that catalyse the creative thought process. Kids Create provides a platform for children to communicate their emotions, thoughts, and ideas in a unique, artistic manner.
For healthy growth and development, it is imperative that children participate in ageappropriate physical activities. Kidzercise constitutes regular teacher-facilitated exercises that allow children to develop and enhance psychomotor skills such as climbing and balancing.
Children at the pre-school age are often egocentric. They see themselves as the most important person in their social environment. Therefore, it is critical that they learn to understand themselves in relation to the people and things around them. Through experiences, conducted in and out of the classrooms, children learn to
- Construct a confident self-identity;
- Be aware of and manage personal emotions;
- And be comfortable and empathetic when interacting with others;
- Accept that they are unique and possesses a variety of abilities and intelligences that are waiting to be developed.
Children are natural investigators and learn by ‘playing’ with materials and acting on objects. Through exploratory play, early Science satisfies children’s need to touch, manipulate and experiment. As they explore and examine how objects react or respond to them, they
- make discoveries; and
- understand the physical existence of an observed object, the boundaries, the weight, the limits of movement and other properties or characteristics of the object.
In turn, these process skills
- enable the young children to generalise newly acquired knowledge from one encounter to a future ones; and
- provide a foundation for scientific conceptual development on which they build for the rest of their lives.
Language and literacy is viewed as the foundation for quality and high level of interaction, thinking and learning. Children will experience the following:
- Systematic and meaningful language learning;
- good modelling of the languages; and
- a print-rich environment where the English language is practised and used daily.
To instil interest in Mathematics and promote logico-mathematical thinking skills, the Steps Programme emphasises interaction with adults and materials, and learning through exploration and self-discovery. Teachers will provide the following to enhance the children’s learning:
- Hands-on, concrete experiences;
- Meaningful learning contexts; and
- Consistency in teaching and learning.
Acquisition of expressive skills is part and parcel of the Steps Programme. Thus, experiences in the arts and the array of art forms are provided to provoke creative thoughts and expressions in all the young children at The Little Skool-House International. Through the arts, children are presented with opportunities
- To communicate their emotions, thoughts, ideas and imagination;
- To represent their life experiences through artistic expressions; and
- For decision-making and problem-solving based on their own cultural heritage and experiences.
Comparing and contrasting the aesthetics with their physical experiences and prior knowledge facilitate new experiences and understanding of abstract knowledge.
Discussing, listening and observing each other’s differences in expressions, opinions and preferences help them learn to understand the world in which they live in better.
To ensure healthy growth and development, children at The Little Skool-House are given ample opportunities to participate in physical activities that are age- and developmentally- appropriate.
Through interesting and creative activities, the development of fine and large muscles and a healthy way of life are promoted. Regular exercises, facilitated by the teachers, allow children to learn skills required of simple games such as climbing, kicking, chasing, balancing, etc.
Physical growth is most rapid and of utmost importance during the early years.
