As we approach the end of the academic year, we would like to reflect on the strategic journey our Foundation Years program has undertaken.
This year, we embarked on new goals to enhance learning experiences based on the latest education and neuroscience research. We are proud to share the impact these projects have had on our youngest student’s growth and development.
Mathematics: Fostering Conceptual Understanding through Manipulatives and Bodily Activities
In our commitment to making mathematics accessible and engaging, we introduced innovative teaching approaches that have enhanced our students’ learning experiences. By incorporating manipulatives such as Numicon, Sumblocks, Kapla, Montessori and integrating bodily activities into maths lessons, we provided children with opportunities to construct an informal understanding of mathematical concepts before introducing them to formal symbols. Several studies have found that representation of numerical sets in a child’s mind is necessary for later fluent arithmetic and our goal is to build this strong foundation in mathematics. The children in F3, 4 and 5 have acquired a deeper comprehension of mathematical principles and have also gained confidence and enthusiasm for maths.
Science LAB05: Igniting Curiosity and Nurturing Scientific Inquiry
At our Science LAB05, we aimed to establish a culture of curiosity and scientific inquiry among our youngest learners. Through carefully designed experiments and provocative learning invitations, we encouraged children to question the world around them and explore the marvels of science. We know that the human brain is specially tuned to detect and process information that contradicts and challenges established conceptual knowledge so our goal at the LAB05 has been to establish disbelief in children. Our students have slowly learned to question, reason, hypothesise and problem-solve. Through this scientific reasoning process, we have been teaching children the same cognitive tools that they will later need in nonscientific contexts.
Visual Literacy: Empowering Multimodal Awareness and Appreciation
Visual literacy has become increasingly important in our visually-driven society. To cultivate this crucial skill, we introduced a new visual literacy program within our Foundation Years curriculum. Through picture books that incorporated elements of visual grammar, our students have become sensitive to the nuances of visual communication such as ambience, framing, colours and focus. Not only have they developed a keen eye for visual storytelling, but they have also honed their ability to interpret and analyse images effectively.
