"Utilizing Play-Based Learning to Foster Your Child's Education"

I feel  incredibly fortunate to be a member of a team that embraces the "Learning Through Play" approach for young learners. This paradigm shift has profoundly altered my perspective and goals regarding teaching younger children. The advantages of Learning Through Play for our little ones are numerous and significant.

Learning Through Play

• It Encourages Communication. Play allows children the opportunity to develop speech and language skills as well listening skills.Children talk and listen while they play, communication take a big part in developing social skills of children when they go to the big world. At school listening to my learners talk to each other always fascinate me. Always give me a wide eye, it is very interesting listening to them. misunderstanding and disagreements are always a part of it. but we teach and guide them how to solve their own problems.
• Play Improves Cognitive Development. refers to how a person perceives, thinks, and gains understanding of his or her world through the interaction of genetic and learned factors. Among the areas of cognitive development are information processing, intelligence , reasoning, language development , and memory. Children who engage in pretend play tend to have more sophisticated levels of interaction with others.Moreover, if children are deprived of play, their long-term capabilities related to problem solving, social skills and academic areas (e.g. literacy, math and science) could be lessened.
• Play Encourages Relationship Building. there are a lot of Social skills benefits for children specially when they go to school. 
•  it helps them on sharing- its can go along way than sharing toys, most important is helping other kids and making friends.
• cooperating kids that can work together with other kids can succesfully get along with other bigger community and contribute a lot from the classroom to the playground in and outside the school.
•  listening does not only mean being quiet. it takes a lot from respecting to absorbing what others are really saying. it takes a big part in communication and important role for his studies academically in future.
  
• following directions , well as part of listening if they can't listen they can't follow directions and vice-versa. It can be a big problem. simple way to practice this is when you talk to your child ask them some follow up question or simply tell them to repeat what you say.
• respect on others personal space some children just crawl up in others people lap, squiz in and break others children's work. practicing simple house rules like knocking it room doors or saying KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF will help a lot.
  
• manners as simple as practicing saying as i so called MAGIC WORDS
•  Excuse me
• thank you 
• please 
• sorry
• Yes (rather than what ,when someone called them)
• no thank you (when they don't want)
• eye contact practicing this at home when you talk to your child take a big part. They will feel more connection and they will understand better.

There are certainly numerous aspects to consider on this topic, and I could undoubtedly delve into it further.

It's essential to always bear in mind that PLAY serves as children's primary means of learning and development. It's inherently self-chosen, self-directed, and highly valued, offering a realm of imagination and endless possibilities for kids to explore.

As guardians, parents, or educators, our role is to guide, assist, help, and support children in their play endeavors. Rather than dictating how play should unfold, we engage them with guided questions, allowing them to maintain autonomy and make decisions within their play experiences.

When it comes to toys, there's an abundance of open-ended options available in today's market. Constructive toys like LEGO are popular choices, but simple loose tools and recycled materials found at home, such as fabrics and large boxes, can also foster creativity and imaginative play.

Books play a significant role in stimulating children's imaginations and nurturing a love for reading. Consider exploring resources like "Children Learning Reading" to support this endeavor. Additionally, if introducing screen time occasionally, opt for educational apps aligned with their learning and developmental needs.

Learning Through Play

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you fancy a Mindfulness Video  About a Brave Fairy

Bella the Brave Fairy

Bella the brave Fairy

With self-belief, the possibilities are endless! Join us for a tale of a fairy with delicate wings and a big dream. Experience this mindful journey crafted and illustrated by Claire Henley. Thank you.









     


Another Mindfulness Story Cross Crocodile

How Bilingual and Multilingual is in Favour?

Bilingual 

Recently I took a 5weeks course about understanding and helping Bilingual and Multilingual Learners (BMLs).

Ever since Ive always have an interest in learning more about how to teach and help English Language Learners at school. I have few courses (maybe about 5) that I took about teaching English.

But my recent study is called Teaching and Understanding BMLs. which is really interesting. and Ive learn how important it is to encourage parent and learners to speak in their Mother Tongue (MT) while learning English Language, as it will help them a lot to progress more and faster in learning new language. And hits me ,when Ive learnt how important MT is, realising that my own children does not know how to speak my MT or my husband MT and now they fall on as English is their MT which is I'm not very proud of now.. Well it is still not too late! They are both 5 years old now and it is not too late , I'm starting to speak Tagalog with them and my husband Tamil, at the same time they are learning Bahasa Melayu at school.

 Mother tongue is the language which a child starts hearing after being born and thus, it also helps in providing a definite shape to our emotions and thoughts. Learning in your mother tongue also is crucial in enhancing other skills such as critical thinking, skills to learn a second language and literacy skills.

And here is an addition article from our friend Jeffrey Nelson  about:
The Benefits of Bilingual Education: Why Bilingual Kids Are Smarter


The cognitive benefits of bilingual education are many. It gives bilingual children a great number of benefits. Many of these same benefits are not noted in their monolingual counterparts, therefore further reinforcing the decision to educate children in two languages. The benefits of bilingual education are apparent in several areas.

I Love You!

The first of these areas I would like to discuss is the ability for the bilingual child to outperform his monolingual peers in certain mental abilities such as distilling information; filtering out unimportant information and focusing on the important information. This leads to a bilingual child being better able to prioritize and manage multiple tasks according to research done at Penn State in February of 2011 and reported in Science Daily magazine. Prioritization, and being able to work on multiple projects at the same time, is a lifelong skill necessary for success in many different areas of life. This is one of the best benefits of bilingual education.

As one can imagine, this could be very helpful in today's world. We have so much information and so many distractions, that it may be helpful to have an advanced mechanism to be able to filter all of this information. This also aids the bilingual child when learning, as they are able to focus on the important or pertinent information and ignore the less important information. The conclusion of the above referenced study done at Penn State is very simple: being bilingual is good for you. By extension, the benefits of bilingual education are worth pursuing.

Another interesting study was done by the Swedish Armed Forces Interpreter Academy as reported in Science Daily magazine. They weren't specifically looking at the benefits of bilingual education, but we can make certain inferences from their study. At the academy, young recruits learn languages at a very fast pace. They are chosen for their aptitude and taught languages, such as Arabic, Russian, or Chinese, over a span of about 13 months; from no knowledge to advanced fluency. The pace is intense, and as such was a perfect incubator to examine the brain, and what happens to it under extreme language learning. This would hopefully serve as a snapshot of what the bilingual brain undergoes in their everyday lives.

The study found that language learning actually makes the brain grow. The language learner's brains developed in size in key areas: the hippocampus, which is responsible for learning new material and spatial navigation, as well as three other areas in the cerebral cortex.This growth lends itself to the bilingual, again, becoming a superior language learner later in life. With improved concentration, a larger and stronger hippocampus, and an increased ability to distill information, the bilingual has the opportunity to maximize further learning opportunities; even ones unrelated to language.

Another of the benefits of bilingual education is that it exposes babies and young children to flexible thinking through the medium of two languages. Bilingual children learn that things and events in the world can be called two different things. They can then flexibly switch between the "labels" which gives the brain a great workout. This constant exercising of the brain is what helps the bilingual make gains in things like concentration and focus, according to a University of Washington study done in August of 2009.

Covered above are a few of the benefits of being bilingual as it relates to children and their ability to concentrate and learn. Hopefully this article has done some good in helping debunk some of the myths that bilingual children are somehow lesser than monolingual children in terms of scholastic performance. While the bilingual child's environment is a huge factor, and must be properly calibrated, the fact that a child is bilingual is certainly not a precursor to a child having a hard time in educational environments; it's actually the opposite.

Bilingual education, in a formal setting, helps support bilingual education at home. Both parts of the equation are necessary for the child to truly realize their bilingual potential. The benefits of bilingual education are greatest when exposure is realized across all channels; social and academic....
  Jeffrey Nelson is an author and father of a bilingual child. He is fluent in Spanish and English and runs the site LivingBilingual.

Another article that may be of interest can be found here: [http://livingbilingual.com/2013/06/12/what-is-bilingual-education/]

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Benefits-of-Bilingual-Education:-Why-Bilingual-Kids-Are-Smarter&id=7788524] The Benefits of Bilingual Education: Why Bilingual Kids Are Smarter



And Reading is one of the key base on learning any language. 

Get your child to read!

 

It is important as a foundation of Education to have a habit of reading. As a teacher and a mother i know the importance of reading in a child's interest of learning.

But how we gonna begin the habit of reading to our child? 
Here is the article of Bella Kahn about the 20 Fun Tips to get your Child Read

Here are 20 tips to get you started:


Words are all around us! Every moment is a potential education opportunity. On a routine grocery trip, point out the words on signs, food items and the like and read them aloud with your child.

Reluctant reader? Make your child want to read by providing him with comic books or graphic novels. In no time he'll be hooked and ready to move on to "real" books. And if not? Hey, at least he's reading something!

Kids love independence. Take a trip to the local bookstore with your child and let her make her own selections. She'll be looking forward to tackle the pile of books she chose herself.

Read, read, read! You already knew this but it bears repeating- read with your child at every opportunity.

Check out what your local library has to offer. There are often story telling times and similar programs on schedule.

Encourage reading fluency by having your child read a passage or sentence several times. Another great strategy is reading and rereading familiar books- the bedtime routine is an excellent time to incorporate this.

Do you look forward to reading the next installment of a serial in a weekly magazine? Keep your child in suspense by setting aside time each week -or day- to read one chapter of an interesting children's chapter book together.

Get a subscription to an age appropriate kid's magazine. It'll give your child something to look forward to and he'll hone his reading skills without even realizing.

Eradicate the fear of long words. (I'm pretty sure there's a word for that, but I'll spare you in case you suffer from said phobia.) Whenever you come across a word that's new to your child, whether during reading or in everyday conversation, take the time to explain its meaning. Make a fun game out of cooking up sentences together using the new word.

Let's not forget the greatest vocabulary builder of all time- the humble dictionary. In our digital age, this idea is unfortunately not a no-brainer. The greatest gift to your child's growing vocabulary is to teach him how to use one, and looking up words together.

Remember the rare and exciting teacher-student day at school? Nothing like some role reversal to get your child into the reading spirit. Have her read you a story and make a show out of listening raptly. This is also a great way to gauge her reading skills.

Children learn by example. The next time you relax with a fat novel or light magazine, enjoy it thoroughly with no guilt. Why, you're busy setting an example!

Show your child that words are fun. Make up various word games to play with your child. Who can come up with the most words that rhyme? How many words starting with an "s" can you list? The sky is the limit.

Swap a regular story book with a script for a play. Your child and his friends or siblings will have a blast putting up a skit. Reading their lines over and over during practice? As far as they're
concerned, that's part of the fun!



Is your child obsessed with wild animals? Enamored with her princess doll collection? Take advantage of her passion by getting her books on the subject. Watch her devour them.

Which child wouldn't jump at the opportunity for a cozy baking session with mom? Especially when there's chocolate chips involved? Bake up a storm, taking turns reading the instructions and doing the work.

Playing a brand new board game is all fun and no work, right? There's no need to point out otherwise as your child reads the instructions to get started. Bonus points if the game involves cards that need to be read throughout the game.

When reading to your child, let him choose the character that he wants to play. When you get to a part where that character speaks, your child reads that part in a fun voice.

Offer great incentives to get your child to read. You might want to allow her to stay up 20 minutes after her bedtime, as long as she uses the bonus time to read.

Summer is here, and it's a perfect time to learn a new skill or complete an interesting project. Imagine how accomplished your child will feel when he reaches his goal, having followed instructions in a how-to book on the topic of his choice.


The possibilities to get our kids to read- and read well- are endless. Not every child will respond to your efforts by becoming an avid reader. But by utilizing these tips, you will be incorporating reading into their lives, and that's what counts.

And if you ever find yourself demanding that your child put that book down and go to sleep already!, pat yourself on the back. You did it!

Did you like this article? If you did-visit   A child who reads will be an adult who thinks 
And  BE YOUR CHILD FAVOURITE TEACHER    for many other AMAZING TIPS that will you be a better
educator and parent! AND BE YOUR CHILD'S FAVOURITE TEACHER

Article Source: [//EzineArticles.com/?20-Fun-Tips-to-Get-Your-Child-to-Read] 20 Fun Tips to Get Your Child to Read