WHY LEARN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE??

Since decades it was thought that teaching foreign languages to pre-school children was in vain. Research indicates quite the opposite. It has been found that speaking two or more languages is a great asset to the cognitive process. The younger the learner, the better they are at mimicking new sounds and adopting pronunciation. 

The brain is open to new sounds and patterns. The thought process of people who speak more than one language is different than single language speakers. We at OES International School strongly believe that learning a foreign language from young age has many benefits. These benefits extend way beyond being able to order a cup of tea in a foreign country. 

We start teaching the Spanish language from the Nursery level. Using the mediums of music and drama, play-like activities, the children can be heard spontaneously singing along to Spanish songs and without even realizing they are learning a foreign language. Children who learn a foreign language outscore in math and language, proving that learning additional language is a cognitive activity not just a linguistic one. 

It enhances critical thinking skills, creativity and flexibility of the mind. It involves memorizing rules and vocabulary, which helps strengthen the mental muscle. It also helps developing empathy for others and a curiosity for different cultures & ideas and prepares them to take their place globally. Furthermore, in later years, it also assists them in career opportunities.

The different advantages in learning a foreign language are: 

• You become smarter  You build multitasking skills 
• You stave off Alzheimer’s and dementia 
• Your memory improves 
• You become more perceptive 
• Your decision-making skills improve 
• You improve your English

DO CHILDREN NEED A SUMMER BREAK??

As schools across the city close their doors this week, children are free for the next two months.

Parents are once again debating as to what is best for their child.

Should they enroll their child in a summer camp with structured activities, or should they allow their child to laze around the house doing nothing and just watch the television and play video games?? 

On this, of course we have various strong debates and opinions.

Summer break is a time for play which is important. Children work hard at school and in their extra-curricular activities all throughout the year. But play with a certain amount of learning collaborated in it during summer would be fun and interesting. 

There are some parents who believe that children should be allowed to be completely free and allowed to do whatever they wish. But simultaneously children should be encouraged to first understand and then analyze what they should do with the free time that they have to overcome boredom. 

On the other hand there are parents who enroll their children in summer camps and tons of other activity classes which have structured activities. Children then barely have free time left for themselves; no time to think what they are truly interested in, no time to reflect, no time to play outdoor games with their peers and no time to get creative.

Parents need to understand that it is important to maintain a good balance. They should not only give the children some free time for themselves, but simultaneously engage the child in some structured activity. This in no way means that the child has to be over burdened with various activities. Play along with some activity which helps enhance a child’s particular skill, is ideal. 

But ensure that the child’s area of interest is kept in mind.

Ensure that you give your child some time for free play. Encourage your child to participate in activities like football, tennis, skating etc. Allow them to watch television, play on their i-pads, video games etc but try to minimize that time. Encourage them to identify, and then decide as to what activity they want to do. 

To summarize, parents need to be more aware, that they should not over burden their child with various activities or give them too much of free time. 

TODAY’S MOTHER……A WORKING WOMAN!!

One of the most important factors in social and emotional development is the ability of a child to bond with the parents, starting from the moment she/he leaves the womb. 

Parental bonding helps a child feel safe, secure, nurtured and loved.

The parent-child bond is one of the strongest predictors of mental, social, physical and emotional health.

Working parents who make family time a priority and are committed to their child's development are just as capable of establishing a healthy bond with their child as non-working parents. Creating a secure, healthy attachment with your child requires more than merely spending time together. It requires love, nurturing, commitment, attending to your child's physical needs and developing a sense of connection to your child.

Most mothers around the world are working mothers. A working mother serves as a good role model for her children.

Women can be good mothers regardless of whether they stay at home or work outside and be a role model for her child.

People still think that a “good mother” is one who gives up her career to stay home and look after her children.

The first few years of a child’s life are very important in shaping up his/her future personality.  The child’s development is influenced majorly by the emotional health of the family. A child who is emotionally stable will thrive regardless of whether the mother works outside the home or not.

In most families with working mothers, each person plays a more active role in the household. The children tend to look after one another and get self dependent. 

In fact today’s fathers are involved in looking after children and taking some of the normal routine burden off the mother. They besides being the bread winner, help with household chores and looking after the children. These positive outcomes are most likely when the working mother feels valued and supported by family and friends.

Working mothers have to manage a plethora of activities. They don’t necessarily spend less time with their children; in fact they spend less time on household chores instead, or organize their work schedules around their children’s school timetables. 

No research says that the development of a child is hampered if they have a working mother. Infact, a recent research found that mothers spend four times as much quality time with their children today as they did earlier.

Children also look forward to spending time with their parents. They do not take their mother’s attention for granted. 

Children get inspired to pursue their dreams and ambition. Mothers who effectively manage work and family can instill good work ethics into their children. 

On the other hand, children of non-working women most of the times get used to their mother’s attention round the clock and fail to acknowledge her efforts. The mother is taken for granted. They are not as independent as compared to a child whose mother is a working one.

When both parents are working, children are bound to be looked after nannies or put in a day care. A high quality, stimulating, and nurturing day care prepares children for school, both socially and intellectually. But it is extremely important to participate in all the activities happening there to enhance growth in the areas of cognitive, social and emotional development.

Taking an active role in your child’s school/day care day to day activities will reduce any guilt feelings about working. Be more involved in all aspects of your child’s life.

Remember:

“BEING A MOTHER IS THE HIGHEST PAID JOB IN THE WORLD, SINCE THE PAYMENT IS IN PURE LOVE!”

Play...A Crucial Part Of A Child's Life

Children learn through play. Play is how children begin to understand their world. It is very essential for the overall healthy development of a child. It is important that children learn that play is important throughout life.

A parent is a child’s first teacher and much of the early teaching happens through play. It is very important for parents to make time to play with their children. It offers a chance to connect with the child. Play begins when a child is an infant and ideally continues throughout his or her life.

When a baby starts to smile and you smile back, you are engaging in play.

Children develop socialization skills by playing with other children. They learn leadership skills by directing the action or by following a leader.

Play helps children to learn solve problems in an environment that is supportive to this process. It also helps develop the critical thinking skills necessary to ask question and figure out how things work. Play also helps strengthen their language development through different activities they indulge in.

During play with others, children learn manipulation of toys and different objects as they try figure out how different objects work and what they can do with them. They also assign meaning to their play experiences when they can use materials in new and creative ways.

In today’s world, with both parents working, they find it hard to have quality time with their children. Children of all ages are exposed to technology such as television, computers, play stations, mobiles etc. They spend most of their time using technology and are not physically active or using their imagination. It is imperative to reduce the time children spend on these gadgets. It is very important that each child spends a minimum of one hour on physical exercise every day.

Children benefit a lot through play. They gain knowledge, learn to think, remember and solve problems. Puzzles and games help increase their problem-solving abilities. Pretend play/role play strengthens their language skills by modeling other children and adults. They also imitate their own family experiences. This helps children learn about the different roles of family members. Children also learn mathematical concepts of size, shape, texture etc through play.

Play is an essential and critical part of the holistic development of a child. Through play a child learns to socialize, think, solve problems, mature and most importantly have fun. Play connects children with their imagination, environment, parents and family and the world.

Parental Involvement Positively Influences Educational Outcomes

The major educational outcomes of the involvement of parents are the child’s development of skills and knowledge, as well as a personal sense of efficacy for succeeding in school.

As a parent, you are your child’s first and most important teacher. When parents are involved, the children do better and have better feelings about going to school. From birth children are goal directed to experiment and learn from each experience.

Just as a scaffolding is put up to support the structure of the building as it is being built and gradually taken down as the building is able to stand on its own, a parent needs to provide the necessary support for a child to allow them to safely and productively explore and learn from their environment. As the child matures and develops mastery, the scaffolding is removed or changed to allow the child to become more independent. In case the child is not yet ready, the support is reinstated and then gradually withdrawn once again.

Parental involvement needs to be the greatest with young children. This involvement not only improves a child’s morale, attitude and academic achievement across all subject areas, but it also promotes better behaviour and social adjustment. Encourage your child to spend more leisure time reading than watching television. Talk with the child and communicate positive behaviours, values and character traits.

To conclude, parent involvement helps children to grow up to be productive and responsible members of the society.