In the resources Zech gets are the textbook, workbook, hanyu pinyin book, file for hanyu pinyin worksheets, reader pen which is a very valuable tool! I like the way the lessons are taught. The textbook is like a reader. Kids learn new words from the story in each chapter. As they progress to other chapters, the newly acquired and commonly used words are repeated. The stories are captivating and engaging. The workbook comprises of a summary of the story from the textbook and exercises related to the story. The resources are great!
What I like about the K2 class:
Ever since Zech started learning the hanyu pinyin in April, he was given a file packed with worksheets on hanyu pinyin. There are certain sounds I find difficult. This is where the reader pen comes in useful. Previously, Zech was using the reader pen to read the textbook. Now he also uses the reader pen to listen to the sounds in the hanyu pinyin book. This is a bonus to me! On weekdays when we do Chinese, we use the reader pen to listen to all the hanyu pinyin Zech has learned so far at Berries.
Recognition of Chinese characters is simple but not writing the hanyu pinyin for some of the words in the story. The teacher usually does an exercise with the kids where she highlights some of the words in the story and the pupils are required to write down the hanyu pinyin above the highlighted words. This is a weekly challenge for Zech.
It's true some kids may get confused between hanyu pinyin and phonics, especially if they are not grounded in phonics first. But I realized later as I teach and learn along with Zech, the brain is an amazing mechanism as it stores different languages in different storage comparments. :) And that is why brain research has shown the brain of bilingual and trilingual young children work differently from those who are monolingual.
Another very interesting feature about the class is sometimes the kids get to take home a little gift related to the story or new words they have learned for the day. Zech has brought home several items - toy camera, woodpecker, mini dustbin, handmade Singapore flag etc. Once I saw the kids from a P1 class eating porridge. They must have learned the new word 'porridge' in Chinese. This is definitely one way to sustain interest.
Posing with his woodpecker...
All the kids walked out with a mini bin of various colours. Super cute!
When Zech first started attending Berries in January, we dreaded going to class each week. Zech was previously at another enrichment centre. He doesn't like changes. It took him almost 2 months to adapt. He loves the resources and would look at them very often. But it took him some time to adapt to the class and the teachers. Now he enjoys his weekly class and will often show his papa and me how many stars he has received from his teachers. His teachers are very encouraging. So encouraging sometimes I wonder if they are too lenient. Haha!
At the back of the workbook, there are pictures for oral practice. The pictures are related to the stories in the textbook so the kids can use the vocabulary learned to talk about the pictures.
The teachers also taught the kids how to do a show and tell. It was a step by step procedure and took about a month or so to prepare the kids. I love the way the class prepares the kids for speaking, which is a very important component in the Pri schools.
Berries also organize seminars. Up and coming for parents is the P1 preparation seminar which Zech's papa and I are both attending. Will be interesting to learn more about the Chinese syllabus in the Pri schools and the challenges that come with it.
Zech's teachers sometimes give me feedback on his learning and progress in class. Not very detailed but just enough for me to know how my child is faring in class. There is a parent-teacher meeting coming up I think. Still waiting for news. This is a problem for big enrichment centres I suppose. I personally prefer more interaction with the teachers but classes are back to back for most of them. There was a test conducted recently. Didn't know till the teacher gave me feedback on Zech's performance. Zech later told me how much he got for his test. Noticed the teacher only gave feedback to parents whose kids either fare well or poorly. Hm...in a way, feedback is not given consistently to all parents.
The other grouse I have about Berries is the total number of lessons per year. In a year, there are only about 4 to 5 weeks of break. Each term consists of about 15 to 16 lessons. It's very intensive. Not just for Zech but for me too. If his class falls on a public holiday, he needs do his home-based learning at home for that week. It works like e-learning in schools. In a way, it's good as the child learns more. Zech's not complaining but I do feel the constraints when planning his holiday schedule.
Both Zech and Mummy are happy with Berries so far. Oh by the way, Zech attends the centre at Bishan and it's new and beautiful! If I were to change Zech to another centre again, he would give me many reasons why he likes Berries. He did so just last week when I casually mentioned I may change to another enrichment centre for him since we are moving house. He's a creature of habit, as you can see.
His favourite bag, which he opens and looks through his books whenever he's free.
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