Placement Test To Test Your Child's English Level At British Council Open Day

The British Council Malaysia Open Day is on this week and next at their KL and Mutiara Damansara offices on the following dates and time.

Dates: 

10-11 December 2016 

(Ground Floor, West Block, Wisma Selangor Dredging 142C Jalan Ampang 50450 Kuala Lumpur)

Phone: +60 (0)3 2723 7900

10,11,17,18 December 2016 

(Lot 245A, Second Floor, the Curve, 2 Jalan PJU 7/2, Mutiara Damansara 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor)

Phone: +60 (0)3 2723 7900

Time:

10.30 am to 4.30 pm

Kids and teens can take the placement tests to test their English level during the Open Days. Placement tests will determine your child's level for the new term starting 8 January 2017.

You will also get the chance to learn about their teaching methodology and check out the premise. We did just that today during the Open Day at the KL centre. You can check our Facebook video below to give you a good idea of what to expect at the British Council Malaysia Open Day.

British Council is an international organization. They are in six continents and over 100 countries. The centre in Malaysia aims to help improve children's grammar, vocabulary, listening, speaking and writing skills. Courses start at age 5 right up to age 17. There are 4 terms in a year for each level. Typically classes are 2 hours long per session on Saturdays and Sundays. Each term runs for about 10 weeks. British Council uses in-house materials developed by their own teachers for their primary plus (ages 5-11) and upper primary (ages 10-12) courses while their secondary level (ages 13-17) course uses selected books suitable for Malaysian secondary school students.

At British Council, English is taught in a safe and fun environment. With small classes in a team setting sitting arrangement, kids are encouraged to interact with each other. Team building and creative High Order Thinking Skills are encouraged among the learners. Fitting for those seeking for an environment that gives children the self motivation to learn, helps children think out of the box while learning essential living skills that last a lifetime.

British Council Malaysia (KL centre) Open Day on 10 December 2016

Children sitting for placement tests at British Council Malaysia Open Day

Classes are kept small and students are seated in a setting that encourages team work and interaction

Children are encouraged to work together as a team to present their materials during lessons

Course materials for primary and secondary school students at British Council Malaysia

British Council Malaysia Open Day KL Video. View our FB video below before you visit the rest of the Open Day in December and read our Open Day Tips.

Donations In SJKC

I often hear people complain about donations, sometimes even before the kids have started schooling in SJCK. As a parent who has had two kids in SJKC totalling 8 years, I just want to share this.

First you will need to know this: Quote from Wikipedia

(By degree of government funding, National Schools are government-owned and operated, while National-type Schools are mostly government-aided, though some are government-owned. In government-aided National-type Schools, the government is responsible for funding the school operations, teachers' training and salary, and setting the school curriculum, while the school buildings and assets belong to the local ethnic communities, which elect a board of directors for each school to safeguard the school properties. Between 1995 and 2000, the Seventh Malaysia Plan allocation for primary education development allocated 96.5% to National Schools which had 75% of total enrolment. Chinese National-type Schools (21% enrolment) received 2.4% of the allocation while Tamil National-type Schools (3.6% enrolment) received 1% of the allocation.)

Since SJKC is only partially funded, they have to rely on donations. That is why we often receive donation forms (usually on the first few days of school when paying fees), on PTA or report card days and there may be a couple of fund raising concerts where you are required to pay to watch your children perform.

In our 8 years in SJKC, we have never felt any pressure to donate. Yes, donation forms are given out and teachers may smile politely and request but it is entirely up to us how much we wish to donate or not at all. Usually we do because we want to see improvements in the school where our children are studying.

In the beginning we saw a school with nice facilities, mostly built from donations. There is a nice big hall which can double up as indoor badminton courts, music room, resource room with computers, even a nice auditorium.

At the end of 8 years in the school, due to donations, instead of seeing the school facilities getting run down or looking old, we see improvements instead. Compared to the time when the kids first started schooling, now the school has

• a new coat of paint and it looks brand new
• a covered walkway to the car park
• a cctv at the entrance
• tv screens at the porch and other places
• a water filtering system
• a new road to filter before/after school traffic
• a running track for sporting activities

There may be some other small improvements which I have not mentioned. These are a few I can clearly see. The school is well kept and maintained. So, before you grumble about donations, do think about this. After all, this is the place your children will be studying for a few years. Don't you want to do your small part to make sure the school is well taken care of for the benefit of your children who will be using the facilities? Our small donation is only a fraction of what we have to pay for private or international school fees. However, in some schools, we actually get really good facilities funded in part by donations. If you open your eyes and look around, you will be able to see whether your donation has been put to good use.

4 Family Friendly Movies To Watch This December 2016

I really like Common Sense Media's Movie Reviews because they are really useful for parents who wish to check out whether a certain movie is child friendly. They will first list out the age group for the movie and give ratings on the educational value, positive messages, positive role models, violence and scariness, language and other inappropriate stuff.

Below you will find the official trailers of some of the movies currently playing in cinemas. Do hop over to the common sense media links before each video trailer to find out the suitability of the movies for your kids.

1. Moana 

Moana is an animated Disney adventure about a teenager who navigates the seas on a mission. She meets the demi-God Maui and they go on an action packed adventure amidst great music and a kaleidoscope of ocean views.

What parents need to know about this movie.

Released on 1 December 2016, Moana is rated P13 and is 113 minutes long




2. Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

This is a prequel to the Harry Potter movies. That means it is about the back-story or events that come before the Harry Potter movie series. Set in 1926 (about 70 years before Harry Potter studies his textbooks at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry), the story follows the adventures of Newt Scamander, the author of the Hogwarts textbook. Expect witches, wizards and lots of magical creatures in this prequel.

What parents need to know about this movie.

Released on 17 November 2016, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them is rated P13 and is 135 minutes long.




3. Marvel Comic's Dr Strange

Dr Strange is not your average superhero. He is a brilliant but arrogant surgeon who trains with a mystic known as the Ancient One after his career was destroyed to become a powerful sorcerer who defends the world against evil.

Is Dr Strange suitable for kids?

Released since 27 October 2016, Dr Strange is rated P13 and runs for 115 minutes



4. Upin & Ipin Jeng Jeng Jeng (BM)

We all know Upin & Ipin. In this movie adaptation, they interact with a real world girl, Balqis. Balqis is a 10 year old orphan girl who can communicate with the animated characters Upin & Ipin. She gets Upin & Ipin to help her find struggling rocker Awie to help raise funds and save her orphanage from being taken over by a heartless businessman.

Read Star 2's review on Upin & Ipin Jeng Jeng Jeng here.

Released on 24 November 2016, the movie is rated U and runs for 98 minutes.



UPDATED: MOVIES WHICH WILL BE RELEASED SOON (AFTER THE POINT OF WRITING) HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE POST

5. Sing

The world's greatest singing competition is here. Sing is like a cross between glee, zootopia and American Idol. Sing is an animated comedy about a koala named Buster Moon who tries to save his theatre by running the world's greatest singing competition. Looking forward to the Sing Sountracks.

To be released on 8 December 2016, this movie has a running time of 108 minutes. Since it will be released overseas on 21 December, you will probably have to catch it before you can read the full review for Sing.





6. Star Wars Rogue One

Remember the recent Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope? Rogue One precedes that. All this going back and forth can sometimes be a little bit confusing but when you're a fan of any series, you're a fan and you don't mind watching them in any order. In this part, a group of unlikely heroes unite on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction that can destroy entire worlds.

No review at this time of writing, here's a preview of Star Wars Rogue One instead.

To be released on 15 December 2016, this movie is rated P13 and has a running time of 134 minutes





7. Ballerina

Ballerina is an animated musical fantasy adventure about a poor orphaned girl who dreams of becoming a ballerina. She runs away to Paris and pretends to be a spoiled rich girl to train at the Paris Opera. This is the story about her training and the challenges she has to go through to make her dreams a reality.




To be released on 15 December 2016 and running for approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, Ballerina is rated 7.9/10 at IMDB


You may also like to read:
4 Places To Bring Your Kids Skating In The Klang Valley
12 Klang Valley Malls To Bring Your Kids This Christmas 2016

Other interesting links:
School Holiday Programmes December 2016

Network with Malaysian parents
Malaysia Primary and Secondary School Parents On Facebook

4 Places To Bring Your Kids Ice Skating In The Klang Valley

City kids, preteens and teenagers love to get together to skate these days. You can see groups of them meeting up at the malls for a fun time skating. Parents looking for activities for their kids during the school holidays can also consider skating as a fun school holiday activity. In this post we make a comparison of 4 ice skating venues in the Klang Valley including the entrance fee, opening  hours, price of accessories and whether any school holiday programmes or coaching is available for your kids this December 2016.

Check out some of these venues for ice skating fun for your kids. Information is from the respective websites at the time of writing. Please visit the links provided for detailed and latest information.

1. Sunway Pyramid Ice



About: Sunway Pyramid Ice is the first world class ice sports entertainment in Malaysia
Location: Jalan PJS 11/15 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Opening Hours: Weekday 9am - 8pm, Saturday/School Holidays/Public Holidays 9am - 10pm, Sundays 9am - 8.30pm
Rates (Per Entry): Weekday RM20; Weekend RM25; School Holidays/Public Holidays RM28
School Holiday Package: 6 lessons in 3 days for RM160 (29 Nov - 31 Dec 2016)
Accessories: Socks RM6; Gloves RM9
Resurfacing Schedule: Every 2 hours starting from 12pm and ending at 8pm (Weekends), 12.30pm, 5pm, 8pm (Weekdays)
Rink Size/Capacity: 39m x 22.5m
Website: Sunway Pyramid Ice
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PyramidIce/


2. Icescape Ice Rink, IOI City Mall, Putrajaya

















About: Icescape Ice Rink is the only Olympic sized rink in Malaysia
Location: IOI City Mall, Lebuh IRC, IOI Resort City, 62502 Putrajaya, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 10am - 10pm (Thursday close at 8.30pm)
Admission Fee (Per Entry): Weekday RM30; Weekend/School Holidays/Public Holidays RM35
School Holiday Package: 3 day course, 1 hour lesson per day for RM180 (28 Nov - 31 Dec 2016)
Accessories: Socks RM6; Gloves RM10 Locker RM2 Penguin RM30/hr
Resurfacing Schedule: 2.30pm, 5pm, 7.30pm (1/2 hour each time)
Rink Size/Capacity: 30m x 60m

Website: IOI City Mall

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/icescapeicerink/

3. The Royale Ice Skating Rink at Royale Chulan Damansara


















About: Ice Skating Rink at a hotel
Location: Royale Chulan Damansara, 2,Jalan PJU 7/3 Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 10am - 10pm
Admission Fee (Per Day): Weekdays RM25 (Early Bird)/RM30 (After 12 noon) Weekends/PH/School Holiday RM30 ( Early Bird)/RM35 (After 12 noon)
Coaching Fee: RM60 for 1/2 hour. Booking required 1 or 2 days beforehand
Accessories: Socks RM7, Gloves RM9, Locker RM2/lock, Penguin RM30/hr
Resurfacing Schedule: 1pm, 3pm. 5pm and 7pm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoyaleIceSkatingRink/


4. Like-Ice Asia, Setia City Mall, Shah Alam



About: LIKE-ICE! Asia is a portable Ice skating rink from Germany
Current Location: Setia City Mall 7, Persiaran Setia Dagang, Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor,
Opening Hours: 25 November-25 December 2016
Admission Fee (Per Session/30 minutes): RM10
Coaching: RM15 for 30 minutes
Accessories: Socks RM2, Gloves RM3
Age Limit: 5-15 years old/100cm max height
Rink Size/Capacity: 20 skaters at a time (30 minutes per session)

Website (For Current Location): Setia City Mall

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/likeiceasia/

Go here for list of holiday programmes in the Klang Valley

Join the Malaysia Primary and Secondary School Parents On Facebook 

12 Klang Valley Malls To Bring Your Kids This Christmas 2016

Christmas is an excellent time to visit the malls around town. There will be lots of fantastic photo opportunities for the entire family, not to mention events, activities and promotions.

Here's a roundup of some of the Christmas Mall Activities and Events you can expect at the malls in Klang Valley this December 2016.

1. Be Dazzled By Asia's Tallest Swarovski Christmas Tree At Pavilion KL

15th November 2016 to 1st January 2017

Ride on the world's first Swarovski-Chrystallised merry-go-round and admire the glittering castle like one out of the pages of a story book. The swarovski Christmas tree took more than 180 days to prepare and includes 175,000 stunning clear crystals worth RM3 million! 

Visit Pavilion KL's Enchanting Activities page to view all Christmas performances including Santa's Magical Band, manificent dance shows, spectacular holiday performances and more. 

2.  Christmas at IPC Shopping Centre 
1st December 2016 to 1st January 2017

IPC celebrates Christmas 2016 in conjunction with their 13th year anniversary. There will be DIY snowglobe activity, Mistletoe Crafting workshop and more amidst the sweet sounds of yuletide carolling. 

Go to IPC Merry Giftsmas for the full timetable of Christmas 2016 activities.

3. Have A Mickey And Minnie Christmas At Paradigm Mall

2nd December 2016 to 2nd January 2017

Mark your calendar for Disney's Mickey and Minnie's Meet and Greet sessions at the Paradigm mall this Christmas 2016. Little ones can participate in Minnie's head band making, Mickey's felt bauble making, story telling sessions and more. 

Go to Paradigm mall Happenings to check the dates and times to register for the Christmas workshops and activities.

4. Be Mesmerized By The Royal Princess Anastasia At The Curve

25 November 2016 to 1st January 2017

A royal musical featuring Princess Anastasia awaits you every Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays (accept 13 December). Check out photos and details of the mesmerizing Christmas Gala at the Curve's Facebook page event photos.

5. Have A Topsy-Turvy Christmas At Atria Shopping Gallery

25 November 2016 to 2nd January 2017

Everything's gone upside down at the Atria Shopping Gallery including the decorations and the Christmas tree! Christmas workshops for kids include DIY Wishing Card, DIY Character, Christmas Origami, New Year Wishing Note workshops and more. There will be magic shows, Christmas stilt walker show and a topsy turvy Christmas musical at selected dates and times. Check out Atria's Topsy-Turvy Christmas activities here.

6. Visit Avenue K's Enchanting Christmasville

18th November 2016 to 26th December 2016

Go to Avenue K's Enchanting Christmasville for a train ride, take selfies at the Christmas tree and meet Santa. There will be mini contests including a chance to win prizes up to RM100,000!

7.  Be On The Merry Side Of Christmas At Sunway Pyramid

25th November 2016 to 25th December 2016

Go Rogue this Christmas 2016 at Sunway Pyramid but stay on the merry side. Sunway Pyramid has chosen Star Wars as it's theme this Christmas, right down to the Star Wars Rogue One Christmas tree. Check out the Santa Meet and Greet and caroller's sessions here: merry side of Christmas at Sunway Pyramid.

9. 1 Utama Shopping Complex Christmas Is Here
28 November 2015 to 26 December 2016

There will be lots of music, singing and dancing this Christmas at 1 Utama with performances from little ballerinas, school and church bands, wind ensembles, percussions and orchestras. Get the full dates of performances and kids workshops here at 1 Utama's Facebook page.

9. Mid Valley Megamall Christmas Shows And Performances
24th November 2016 to 1st January 2017

The theme this year is the enchanting Christmas dream. Prepare to be enchanted by magic, illusion, dance performances and character walkabouts, not to mention the mandatory Santa Meet and Greet.

Visit Mid Valley Megamall website What's On: Christmas 2016 and remember to click on "Shows and Performances" to view the full schedule.

10. Santa's Little Helpers Workshops At Bangsar Shopping Centre
25th November 2016 to 25th December 2016

Plenty of workshops have been lined up for kids at BSC including Christmas card making, snowman plaster, candy cane ornament, snowman cup, Christmas bell and more. Check out the Christmas activity schedule for Christmas crafts workshop dates and time.

11. Christmas Winter Adventure At Setia City Mall 

Have a Christmas Winter Adventure at Setia City Mall where kids can skate at the centre court this Christmas for 30 minutes at a time. 20 skaters between the ages of 5 to 15 will be allowed in for each session.  For other festive cheer, check here for the description and location of the live music and entertainment at SCM this Christmas 2016.

12 See Malaysia's Tallest Christmas Tree At Suria KLCC

For more photo taking sessions, check out Malaysia's tallest Christmas tree at Suria KLCC. View more photos of the tree and the festive decor at KLCC here.

Remember to check the schedules so you won't be disappointed because some of them especially those with crafty workshops require early signups or registration. It is also more fun for the kids to go to the malls when the performances and meet and greet sessions are on. However, you may need to go early to get a good parking. Happy Holidays!

UPDATED:

13. Viva Shopping Mall's Holly Jolly Christmas Workshops

12 November 2016 to 26 December 2016

It started with just 12 but here's another one with lots of activities. Viva Shopping Mall. For those who likes crafty workshops, check out the Holly Jolly workshops. Kids can learn how to make wreaths, ornaments, snow globe, Christmas cards and more. Check out the Holly Jolly workshop schedule here. 

Looking for a school holiday programme for bored kids? Check out our list of holiday programmes in the Klang Valley

Join the Malaysia Primary and Secondary School Parents On Facebook