As the new year begins, many of us embrace the tradition of setting New Year’s resolutions—a chance to cultivate positive habits or achieve personal goals. In that spirit, why not create a list of books for your child? Whether they are books they can enjoy independently or stories you can share together, reading is a wonderful way to inspire a lifelong love of learning and exploration. Research highlights the importance of reading at home. A study by Logan et al….
As the holiday season approaches, it is a great time to explore ways to make reading both fun and enjoyable for your child. Why not discover reading apps that offer an exciting, interactive way to encourage your child to read while celebrating the holiday season? One of the most valuable skills children develop during childhood is reading, but acquiring the ability to read is complex and takes time. As a critical lifelong skill, reading ability predicts a child’s future academic…
Watching children develop pre-writing skills such as learning to recognise alphabets, and using a crayon or pencil to draw or write for the first time is a proud milestone for parents and caregivers to see and be a part of. Some studies found that such skills are the initial foundation for an individual to be able to learn (Dove, Neuharth-Pritchett, Wright, & Wallinga, 2015; Senechal & LeFreve, 2002). Pre-writing skills are early literacy skills that start to develop after the…
As parents, we all love talking to our children and even more so, hearing our children talk to us. Research shows that parent-child talk contributes to language ability in early childhood. Language ability is identified to be among the best predictors of school readiness and later school success (Hoff 2013, Burchinal et al. 2016). Language ability in early childhood is also influenced by exposure to language used by caregivers. Why is parent-child talk important? The parent-child talk relationship has received…
Developmental dyslexia is a common learning disorder that you may have heard of and may arguably be the most prevalent learning disability today. In this post, we will be learning more about the whats (what is dyslexia, and what is the prevalence of dyslexia in Singapore), and the hows of dyslexia (how does dyslexia manifest, and how does dyslexia impact children). Afterwards, we will delve into available resources and support for children with dyslexia in Singapore. What is Dyslexia? Dyslexia…
Have you ever wanted to start writing your own journal? Or maybe you already have one? Regardless, this post will give you some tips on how to start (or continue) your very own journal. But first, why should you write a journal? Why Write a Journal? Writing journals can be very useful! Regardless of the topic, journal writing helps with writing and communication skills. Looking back on your journal entries after a while is one way you can see how…
Why Read With Your Child? Reading with your child aids in the development of literacy skills that form the foundation for successful reading in later years (Children’s Bureau , 2023). Moreover, through reading, your child can learn skills to better manage their emotions, and further develop their social skills (Schoppmann et al., 2023). Storytelling entails an immersive experience of fantasy and fiction, thus stimulating the child’s imaginative thinking (Niland, 2023). Reading is an excellent method in spending quality time with…
As parents, we all want our children to excel in school and develop a love for learning. However, children can sometimes encounter reading difficulties that may make this journey a bit more challenging. In this post, we will explore what reading difficulties are, their prevalence rates in Singapore, how these difficulties can impact your child’s learning in school and provide insights on how to support them effectively. What Are Reading Difficulties? Reading difficulties are challenges that children may face when…
Reading fluently and knowing the meaning of what you are reading involves various skills such as phonemic awareness (i.e., knowing how to read the sounds in words), phonics (i.e., knowing how letters sound like), vocabulary (i.e., knowing the meaning of words), reading fluency (i.e., the ability to read smoothly), and comprehension (i.e., understanding what you are reading) (National University Hospital, 2023). These are some of the main skills that would help one become a fluent reader. Reading difficulties may occur…
Singapore’s 58th birthday is just around the corner! Check out some of our team’s favourite National Day songs below while soaking in the celebratory atmosphere this August! Let us know what’s your favourite National Day songs are in the comments below! For a compilation of NDP songs over the decades, visit this link: Singapore NDPSongs (1969 – 2023) Lastly, we wish everyone a Happy National Day! Happy Birthday Singapore! Content by: Beatrice, Marilyn, Michelle, Phoebe and Serena Reviewed…