XN000022-1984-05-19 — Page 3

SATURDAY, MAY 19, 1984

HE ADDED THAT IN PRACTICE, THESE COURSES LASTED MUCH LONGER AS PARTICIPANTS WERE REQUIRED TO UNDERGO A SIX-MONTH POST-COURSE PERIOD OF SUPERVISED TEACHING PRACTICE, DURING WHICH THE IR TEACHING WAS CLOSELY MONITORED AND ASSESSED.

THE TRAINING PROGRAMMES, HE SAID, HAD BEEN CAREFULLY STRUCTURED TO GIVE COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF BASIC ASPECTS OF KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION.

THESE BASIC ASPECTS INCLUDE THE MAJOR PRINCIPLES OF KINDERGARTEN PRACTICE, THE TECHNIQUES OF ORGANISING ACTIVITIES AND PLAY ACCORDING TO THE CHILD'S ABILITY AND INTERESTS, AND, IN PARTICULAR, THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A CURRICULUM BASED ON THE THEMATIC APPROACH.

THIS APPROACH IS RECOMMENDED BY THE KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION COMMITTEE IN ITS GUIDE TO THE KINDERGARTEN CURRICULUM TO BE PUBLISHED SHORTLY.

EDUCATION WAS A LIFELONG PROCESS, AND EACH STAGE OF EDUCATION HAD ITS OWN OBJECTIVES, MR HAYE SAID.

+CHILDREN SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO PROGRESS SMOOTHLY FROM ONE STAGE OF EDUCATION TO ANOTHER WITH CONFIDENCE AND FULFILMENT, AND NOT WITH A SENSE OF CONFUSION AND FRUSTRATION.+

THE ACTIVITY APPROACH PROVIDED THE MOST EFFECTIVE BRIDGE BETWEEN KINDERGARTEN AND PRIMARY EDUCATION BY ENSURING A SMOOTH AND ANXIETY-FREE PROGRESSION FROM ONE STAGE TO THE OTHER, HE SAID.

+CHILDREN NEED TO BE GUIDED INTO THE PRIMARY CURRICULUM THROUGH A LEARNING SITUATION WHICH IS COMPLEMENTARY TO, AND COMPATIBLE WITH, THAT OF THE KINDERGARTEN, RATHER THAN HAVING TO FACE AN ABRUPT CHANGE IN ATTITUDE AND REQUIREMENTS AFTER A SHORT BREAK IN SUMMER.

+THIS IS PARTICULARLY SO WITH YOUNG CHILDREN, AN INCREASING NUMBER OF WHOM HAVE GONE THROUGH THE IR FIRST STEPS IN EDUCATION IN THE FORMAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT WE ADVOCATE IN OUR TRAINING PROGRAMMES,+ MR HAYE SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW PRIMARY ONE ADMISSION SYSTEM, PRESSURE RESULTING FROM COMPETITIVE ADMISSION INTO PRIMARY ONE HAD BEEN CONSIDERABLY REDUCED.

+THIS LEAVES MORE ROOM FOR YOU, AS KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS, TO PURSUE A CURRICULUM AND TEACHING METHODS WHICH ARE GEARED MORE CLOSELY TO CHILDREN'S NEEDS,+ HE TOLD THE GRADUATES.

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