Nurturing Continuous Learning in Our Children – Eye Level

Learning should be not be limited for the purpose of academic success. It should translate into a constant pursuit of knowledge and skills in life. Mathematics, science and language are just one facet of knowledge. Cooking, fixing pipes, treating others well are some examples of mundane activities that require knowledge and learning process.

Continuous learning is necessary to be nurtured into our children. This will transform them into having the ability to think for themselves, express themselves and achieve self-fulfillment. Why exactly? That is because learning is equivalent to the development of mind. For our growing children with young minds, the more they learn, the sharper they are.

Now, some of us may not be too familiar with the term “continuous learning” but it does synonymize with the term “lifelong learning”. Many parents out there are realizing in importance of making their children lifelong learners. Then the question became, how can we encourage continuous learning for children? There are few steps that you can start with.

1. – Engage in their curiosity. Learning biggest obstacle is boredom. While, curiosity is a cure for that. From this curiosity, blooms their passion. It can be something unrelated to academic. Like sports, coding, music or acting. The point being is letting them invest their mind, energy and time. Let them experience failures within while chasing success.

2. – Wide-range of interaction. Interaction here refers to children taking actions like reading, writing, communicating and observing. For example, bringing your child to the zoo and letting them observe various animals. Or play badminton with them and give them tips on what they can do better. These interactions that encourage our children to be hands-on will open them the beauty of learning new things.

3. – Bringing togetherness. Engaging in these activities is good and all but do not underestimate the power of doing together with the whole family. Parents should definitely try to do more with their children even if it’s doing the homework together. For instance, completing the jigsaw puzzle together. This can bring out their sense self-satisfaction more. Achieving learning goals alone is satisfying but what if you achieve them together with family.

4. – Opportunity to teach others. Learning is all well and good but teaching is just as important. Teaching others can help your children retain the knowledge/skill they learned better. Always allow them the opportunity to teach you or their siblings about something they learn. Be patient and let them explain the concepts using their own words which would train them to be more expressive.

5. – Do not focus on grades. This is the most important step. Never ever should you push nor emphasize on grades for your children. It’s not that these academic grades aren’t important but rather it should not be a point of great concern. We want our children to gain interest and understand concepts as well as appreciate the process of learning and education. 

Continuous learning is an ongoing venture with your children. Patience and perseverance are key to achieving this. Eye Level revolves around continuous learning as we focus on our students to complete our programs rather than scoring in our programs. We have no grading system for students rather just levels for them to climb higher in English or Math. We want them to truly understand concepts step-by-step at their own learning pace.

Our classes are just 45 mins long in a weekly or bi-weekly basis since we don’t want our students to see learning as a burden but rather as an opportunity. Check out Eye Level during our promotion where you can get 1 FREE class and 100% registration fee waiver. Hurry up! Because this offer is ending at 15 th August.

Visit us at www.myeyelevel.com or call us at 1300-88-0909 for more information!

Read More

Continuous Learning – The Eight Keys to Success

Eye Level is a supplemental education program focused on developing our students to be critical thinkers and lifelong learners which originated in South Korea for over 40 years. Throughout the years, Eye Level has nurtured millions of students in 20 countries worldwide and what makes us different is our educational principle starts with understanding a child's individual learning needs, enabling them to master concepts and progress at their own pace, building academic confidence and self-directed learning habits.

The development of oneself starts with learning. Continuous learning is a form of motivation or persistence to learn new skillsets and knowledge be it temporarily or ongoing. 

Here are eight benefits of Continuous learning that can bring a huge impact:

1. Personal Growth: 

Continuous learning allows individuals to expand their knowledge and skills, which can lead to personal growth and self-improvement. It helps individuals stay mentally stimulated and engaged, and provides opportunities for self-discovery and self-development.

2. Professional Development: 

Continuous learning is essential for staying relevant and competitive in today's dynamic job market. It helps individuals acquire new skills, stay updated with industry trends, and enhance their expertise. This can boost their career prospects and increase employability.

3. Adaptability: 

Continuous learning promotes adaptability and resilience, as it enables individuals to learn and adapt to ever-changing circumstances, technologies, and environments. This is particularly crucial in this fast-paced and evolving world we live in today.

 

4. Increased Confidence: 

Acquiring new knowledge and skills through continuous learning can boost individual's confidence, as it equips them with the tools and abilities to tackle challenges and solve problems effectively.

5. Personal Fulfillment: 

Learning is a fulfilling and enriching experience that can enhance an individual's sense of accomplishment, satisfaction, and self-realization. It fosters a curious and growth-oriented mindset, which can lead to a more gratifying and meaningful life.

6. Improved Cognitive Function: 

Continuous learning has been shown to improve cognitive function, including memory, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. It helps keep the brain active and engaged, which can potentially reduce the risk of cognitive decline in our later years.

7. Social Connection: 

Learning provides opportunities for social interaction and connection with like-minded individuals, creating a sense of community and fostering meaningful relationships. It can also promote cultural understanding and empathy by exposing individuals to diverse perspectives and experiences.

8. Personal Innovation: 

Continuous learning encourages creativity and innovation, as it inspires individuals to think critically, explore new ideas, and develop novel solutions to problems. It nurtures an innovative mindset that can be applied in various aspects of life, including work, personal projects, and problem-solving in everyday situations.

At Eye Level, our goal is to provide an optimized learning environment in which students develop a love of learning and a strong sense of responsibility. With 1-on-1 coaching and guidance, students will know the strengths and weaknesses of their study habits and try to bring positive results.

Spark The Learning this July with Eye Level by enrolling in any our programs and enjoy 100% 
registration fee waived and 1 Free additional class. Promo end 15 August 2023. 

Visit  www.myeyelevel.com or visit your nearest Eye Level learning centers for more information.

Call us at 1-300-88-0909 today!

This post was brought to you by Eye Level Malaysia.

Read More

The advantages of private English tuition classes for young learners

This post was brought to you by British Council Malaysia.

English enrichment classes can support young learners to develop their confidence both in and out of the classroom. For children and teens with specific goals, private tuition can be a fantastic option, providing flexibility and assurance of maximum individual attention. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the key benefits.

Learn more on 1:1/Small group private lessons for kids and teens

Personalised support

Our premium lessons are highly specialised and fully customised. Not only do students receive the undivided attention of a highly qualified and carefully matched British Council teacher, but we will work with you from the start to understand your child’s unique learning needs. Whether they’re struggling in a particular subject area or preparing for important exams, we can design a program that will build their confidence and help them to succeed.

Learning at their own pace

Because every child is different, we cannot expect all children to progress at the same rate. We also know that children can become disinterested in their school subjects if they feel they are not keeping up. Private English tuition is a great way to tackle this early on and take the pressure off students who have fallen ‘behind’, allowing them the time they need to grasp challenging topics and find the joy in learning.

Convenience

You know your child best. Will they be most able to focus straight after school, or will they be tired and thinking about what’s for dinner? Private tuition enables you to set a lesson schedule that works for you and your child, so you can get the most out of every session. You can also choose exactly where you would like your lessons to be delivered – meaning you don’t need to factor in any travel time if you don’t wish to.

Help with other school subjects taught in English

One misconception about English enrichment is that it is purely focused on English language skills. In fact, learning English with the British Council is an opportunity to improve your child’s all-round academic performance. Our experienced teachers can support children in any school subject taught in English, helping them to understand and respond to questions effectively, and to feel confident expressing their own ideas.

Beyond the curriculum, we also believe in developing the whole child, nurturing 21st century skills and proficiencies like creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, resilience and independence. Our aim is to address short-term goals while supporting children to become passionate and lifelong learners.

Learn more on 1:1/Small group private lessons for kids and teens

More about our One-to-one or Small group private lessons

The British Council offers One-to-one or Small group private lessons led by specialised tutors from a range of backgrounds. Available for learners of all ages, these premium lessons are tailor-made, with custom course content and the highest level of flexibility. We will partner with you to understand your child’s needs and assign the best-possible teacher, before developing a bespoke lesson schedule that can be delivered at any of our centres or a location of your choice.

Learn more about what you can expect from a private English tuition class and discover first-hand from parents how our One-to-one or Small group private lessons offer a rewarding learning environment for children of all ages.

Learn more on 1:1/Small group private lessons for kids and teens

Read More

Encourage confidence and creative thinking with Primary Plus English lessons

This post was brought to you by British Council Malaysia.

As a young learner, your child experiences a lot of exciting – and sometimes daunting – new things in their daily life. By helping to build their confidence in communicating, and by encouraging creative thinking, you can better prepare them to take on whatever challenges they may face with greater ease. One way to do this is through improving their English language skills with our English tuition for primary course.

At the British Council, we offer Primary level English courses, for children aged five to eleven years. Our highly qualified, passionate teachers provide a safe and nurturing environment in which your child can build their confidence, while also working towards helping them succeed in school and nurturing a love for learning.

In our Primary Plus English course, your child will focus on literature, helping them to grow as a passionate reader. They will also build their written and communication skills through targeted individual and group practices, while learning new concepts, new ways to express themselves, and ways in which to apply their creativity to solve problems in and out of the classroom.

It's important not to underestimate the value of building your child's confidence in communicating. As a confident and competent communicator, your child will be able to more successfully interact with the world around them, helping them to become more successful at school as well as in their everyday life. Increasing the level of their English language skill from a young age will set them up for future success, too – strong English skills can help to enhance further education and career prospects later in life.

Alongside developing their English language capabilities, it's equally as important to foster a love of learning and the ability for creative thinking. Children who love to learn are more keen and eager to engage in lessons, which naturally will help them to thrive in a classroom environment. Creative thinking is important as it encourages your child to think beyond what's immediately in front of them – it promotes imagination, prompts them to think of new solutions to problems, and can help build their confidence across many aspects of their daily life as well as in their education.

The Primary Plus English course at the British Council is designed to develop the above skills, while working to improve literacy and writing. Our teachers will help your child to become confident enough to speak out in communicative classrooms, and to learn to take pride in their work. Our course will also encourage students to become curious about the world they live in, with teachers prompting plenty of questions about what the students learnt in class.

We aim to encourage students to become keen readers and thinkers with lessons based on children's literature. Your child will become a more confident communicator by learning to refine their ideas and articulate them fluently, both verbally and in writing. The Primary Plus English course also teaches students to become team players and reflective learners, who understand that errors aren't failures, but rather the road to improvement and a vital stepping stone to academic success.

As a student on one of our Primary Plus English courses, your child will learn these skills, traits and behaviours in a nurturing environment designed to help them thrive not only now, but well into their future life.

To find out more about our Primary Plus English language course, visit our website or book a free consultation with our friendly consultant

About our Primary Plus courses

Developed by our team of English experts, our Primary Plus courses will spark your child’s imagination, so they can express themselves with confidence that goes beyond their English language skills.

Your child will also develop leadership, collaboration, and critical thinking skills in a relaxed environment where they can be themselves and do independent study on the Learning Hub before and after class.

About The British Council in Malaysia

The British Council in Malaysia offers a wide range of English classes for young children - including group courses and customised one-to-one courses. Your child will learn more than just language, they will develop skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, and making connections. Our aim is to nurture our students to become creative thinkers and confident communicators, so that they may thrive both inside and outside of the classroom.

Read More

How to use text to image AI to encourage your child to write

Today we will explore text to image AI, namely the one offered by Bing and powered by Dall-E by Open AI, ie the same developers as Chat GPT.

It is text to image AI, so where does writing come into it, you might ask.

Well, as parents, we should embrace technology and think of ways to use technology to teach our kids. Technology has many pros and cons. We can be blissfully unaware if our kids use it to generate art and pass it off as their own by copying it or we can use it in creative ways to teach our children. Here is one way you can use it positively.

Text to image AI requires you to describe the pictures in your mind and the AI will generate it. The better the description, the better the output. 

With this in mind, here's how we can encourage our kids to write by using the text to image AI.

1. Describe the real thing. Real people, real places etc that children remember. Encourage your kids to describe the pictures in their mind. Remember, the better the description, the better the output. Ask them to describe things around the house, describe each individual around the house including you, their parent (eg a lady cooking in the kitchen, with yellow tiles and brown kitchen cabinets and a pot of flower on the centre table) if this is how they imagine you to be. You can ask them to use adjectives, colours and put everything in their mind into words. This is suitable for younger kids to help them express the things they see into words and then see the picture in their minds being rendered into art.

2. Describe something in their imagination. Now this is really fun and creative. For kids who love to write stories and novels, here is something slightly more advanced you can do. Unlike the above where the kid is supposed to describe into words something real that they observe around the house or when they are out, ask your kid to describe something in their imagination. Ask the AI to render the art from their imagination and then ask them to use the pictures as prompts to write a short story or a novel if they so fancy. This is great for aspiring young writers, preteens or teens.

Important Tip: Use words like digital art, 3-D rendition, origami art, watercolor painting, cinematic landscape, Japanese anime, pop art, retro, geometric, ukiyo-e style, black and white pencil drawing, cartoon, futuristic, abstract macro photography, vintage, Chinese brush painting and many other words to render different genres of art.

Here are a few examples.

"space scene with man in spacesuit, rockets and planets futuristic cinematic"

"girl in a magical library with flying books japanese anime"

"door leading to secret garden"

"enchanted fairy tale house cinematic landscape night time winter"

"boy with a dog in a summer field vintage style drawing"

Now time to try it out here: https://www.bing.com/create

This is something you can do with bored kids at home during the school holidays.

You may also like: Using Chat GPT for school, what parents should know

Here are more fun stuff for kids to do at home during the school holidays:

Arts and Crafts.

Get from Shopee: https://shope.ee/LH2C1jIZM

Puzzles, Activities and Books 

Get from Lazada: https://c.lazada.com.my/t/c.cHluux

 

Get from Lazada: https://c.lazada.com.my/t/c.cHluuI

Read More

How to help your Lower Primary child if they struggle with reading

This post was brought to you by British Council Malaysia.

The ability to read can widen your child’s world – opening up a new and lifelong source of enjoyment as well as supporting their language development in all areas. 

Primary years are crucial for nurturing reading confidence, and there are many ways that parents can help. It’s important not to worry if your child appears to be making slower progress than their peers; some grasp reading and comprehension skills quickly, while others may learn more gradually. Either way, with your support at home, they will be well on their way to becoming independent readers by the time they are approaching secondary school.

How to support your child’s English reading at home

Read together daily

Make reading a regular activity. Consider when they will be most able to focus quietly (being hungry, tired or distracted will work against your efforts!) and try to stick to this same time each day. This way, they will begin to expect reading sessions as a part of their daily routine. Keep sessions short and positive so that it doesn’t become hard work – children always learn best when they are enjoying themselves.

Play to their interests

Allow your child to choose their own books whenever possible to make learning as fun as it can be. Presenting them with a selection of library books (or other materials, such as comics) that align with what they are excited by will help them to develop a love of learning. Not only will they be more motivated to read, they are also more likely to expand their reading interests going forward. If they select books that are too challenging for them, you can help them by reading to them, or by breaking down longer segments. Remember to chime in with praise and encouragement whenever they ask a question or attempt something tricky.

Reread the same stories

Variety is key to keeping these daily sessions stimulating. But repetition can also be incredibly effective as a learning strategy. If your child has a favourite book, read it together over and over to boost their confidence and comprehension skills. You can try reading the same text in different ways (such as in different voices) to keep the story fresh.

Sound it out

If your child is struggling, simplify reading as much as you can by gradually building up the letter patterns and sounds. When they get stuck on a word, help them to break it down, then blend the sounds together. As you are reading, track the words with your finger to prevent them from becoming overwhelmed by the overall task, and always take a break if they begin to get frustrated or tired. One other tip to note is to give them the space to attempt difficult words before prompting them – they will feel a greater sense of reward and make further strides in their learning this way.

About our Primary Plus courses

Developed by our team of English experts, our Primary Plus courses will spark your child’s imagination, so they can express themselves with confidence that goes beyond their English language skills.

Your child will also develop leadership, collaboration, and critical thinking skills in a relaxed environment where they can be themselves and do independent study on the Learning Hub before and after class.

About The British Council in Malaysia

The British Council in Malaysia offers a wide range of English classes for young children - including group courses and customised one-to-one courses. Your child will learn more than just language, they will develop skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, and making connections. Our aim is to nurture our students to become creative thinkers and confident communicators, so that they may thrive both inside and outside of the classroom.

To find out more about our courses for kids and teens, visit our website or book a free consultation with our friendly consultant.

Read More

Unlock Your Child's Potential with Eye Level's Self-Directed Learning (SDL) Approach

 This post is brought to you by Eye Level Malaysia

Hi parents, it’s back to school season and many parents are hunting for enrichment lessons for their children to supplement or enhance their learning. Today’s blog post is on self-directed learning (SDL) and how Eye Level Malaysia uses SDL to focus on each child’s individual learning needs, helping them to master concepts at their own pace. With Eye Level’s SDL method, your child will develop independent learning skills and academic confidence, while becoming a problem solver and critical thinker.

Enrol into any of Eye Level programs by 31 March 2023 and enjoy RM50 off on registration fee, additional 200 points and a Free Eye Level backpack. Call 1300-88-0909 or visit www.myeyelevel.com for more information.

About Eye Level and SDL

Eye Level is a supplemental education program from South Korea which focus on developing our students to be critical thinkers and lifelong learners, established for over 40 years. Throughout the years, Eye Level has nurtured millions of students in 20 countries worldwide. and what makes us different What sets us apart is our educational principle which starts with understanding a child's individual learning needs, enabling them to master concepts and progress at their own pace, building academic confidence and self-directed learning (SDL) habits.

Under the Self-Directed Learning (SDL) method, students will develop independent learning skills in our Eye Level learning centers. Instructors will provide guidance to students as they move throughout their individualized program. To find out where a student stands, we conduct a Diagnostic Test (DT) to provide insight into the student’s ability and learning needs. This step is important to determine the best place to start the student in the Eye Level curriculum.

Why does Eye Level promote SDL?

Eye Level aims to nurture each Eye Level student who enrol in our program as problem solvers, critical thinkers and lifelong learners. In order to achieve this, it is very important to develop each student with self-directed learning ability. Through SDL, students are more self-motivated and willing to take the initiative to achieve their study goal in both Eye Level and school. This is the main reason why Eye Level aims to instil each student with SDL ability.

How to achieve this?

In order to instil SDL, firstly we need to understand the process of SDL as shown below;

First, a goal needs to be set for each student. The goal can be short, medium or long term. For example, we can set the completion of certain level in a year or aim for student to study equation before going to secondary school. This will help students to have a clear goal and always strive to achieve the target.

Secondly, the right study planning should come in place by the instructor after careful observation upon enrolment and during study session in the center. Continuous parents’ feedback is crucial to ensure the study plan goes smoothly.

Thirdly, SDL with will provide the right amount of academic coaching needed by students during the study period while still emphasising creative thinking and proactive learning. Instructor need to will determine the right amount of study and the necessary coaching needed by students during the study period. If students had difficulty in attempting the question in the booklet, instructor must guide student properly like using the example provided in the booklet to let them understand the relationship of with the topic. Instructor need to make the child think and not simply give answer to them in order to help students develop their SDL ability.

Finally, the whole process will be reviewed and the students’ performance will be analyzed. Instructor will go through the completed booklet and carefully analyze carefully the booklet result recorded in the progress booklet. If certain adjustment is needed, then instructor will adjust the students’ progress accordingly to ensure effective learning by students.

If we are able to instil each student with SDL ability, they will be able to become proactive learners and self-motivated students. These are the important factors to be successful in learning. Together with the instructor, parents will also need to play their role at home. With SDL ability, we believe that each student can achieve higher in life. Together, let us nurture our children to become SDL and independent learners!

Back to School promotion is currently happening this March. Enrol into any of Eye Level programs by 31 March 2023 and enjoy RM50 off on registration fee. Additional 200 points will be rewarded to newly enrolled students plus Free Eye Level backpack. Visit our website at www.myeyelevel.com or visit your nearest Eye Level learning center to find out more!

Call us at 1300-88-0909 today!

Read More

Simple tips to prepare your Lower Primary child for the new school year

After the fun of the holidays comes the first day of term. Some children will be excited to rejoin their peers in the classroom, while others might need a little help readjusting to the school routine. Either way, here are some tips you can try to prepare your Lower Primary child for the new school year ahead.

Gradually adapt their routine

If the usual routine has been put on pause for the holiday period, now’s the time to start moving towards a more structured schedule. Dial back late nights and leisurely starts to ease children back into the demands of the school day. Consider planning meals and any reading or TV sessions around school timings.

Nurture your child’s love of reading

Set aside some quiet time for reading each day to build consistent learning practice into their routine. If they are reluctant readers, let them choose books or comics that reflect their interests, and ask them questions as you turn the pages. Keep sessions short and sweet to foster enjoyment.

Encourage independent learning

Enable your child to take an active role in their learning. Whether by setting small goals and rewarding improvements, or by resisting the temptation to step in too soon when they are grappling with new skills, you can start to develop their independence so that they are ready for future challenges.

Get to know your child’s curriculum

Familiarise yourself with what your child is expected to learn this term and think about any areas where they may benefit from additional support. You may wish to begin exploring new topics at home, so they have some prior knowledge when they start school.

Build their social skills

Especially if you’ve been travelling or relaxing as a family at home, arranging playdates will help your child reconnect with their school friends. For those making the transition to Primary 1, this is a good time to develop their social and emotional skills so that they feel happy and confident participating in group activities.

Have fun getting organised

One sure way to generate some excitement is by organising their school bag. Allow your child to pick out some of their own school supplies and set out what they will be wearing on their first day back.

Consider an English enrichment class for primary

If you are nervous about the transition to the next learning stage or you feel your child lacks confidence in certain areas, now might be the time to think about extra tuition. English enrichment classes will focus on communication skills as well as helping with a range of subjects taught in English. Aside from complementing their academic education, they can teach many valuable life skills, from creativity to teamwork.

About our Primary Plus courses

Developed by our team of English experts, our Primary Plus courses will spark your child’s imagination, so they can express themselves with confidence that goes beyond their English language skills.

Your child will also develop leadership, collaboration, and critical thinking skills in a relaxed environment where they can be themselves and do independent study on the Learning Hub before and after class.

About The British Council in Malaysia

The British Council in Malaysia offers a wide range of English classes for young children - including group courses and customised one-to-one courses. Your child will learn more than just language, they will develop skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, and making connections. Our aim is to nurture our students to become creative thinkers and confident communicators, so that they may thrive both inside and outside of the classroom.

To find out more about our courses for kids and teens, visit our website or book a free consultation with our friendly consultant.

Read More