Local in the English-speaking groups<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Preschools and playgroups offer children obvious
\nbenefits in social skills for when they enter primary school, but
\nthere are some in Jakarta that are increasing kids' advantages by
\ninstructing them in English.<\/p>\n
Novita Tandry, the head of franchise operations for Tumble
\nTots Indonesia, said children learn naturally through structured
\nphysical play.<\/p>\n
But not only is the curriculum an active one, it is also all
\nin English, and parents do not have to be apprehensive about
\ntheir child learning a foreign language for the first time.<\/p>\n
"If a child has troubles with English in the beginning, there
\nis a staff member on hand to specially handle it," she said.<\/p>\n
Tumble tots, which has 14 branches in Jakarta and Bandung with
\na total of 3,000 members, accepts children from six months old to
\nseven.<\/p>\n
There are five program levels geared at providing a positive,
\ncaring and challenging environment for children of different ages
\nand stages of development.<\/p>\n
The programs are designed to enhance children's motor skills
\nin agility, balance, coordination and climbing.<\/p>\n
The classes group together six-month-old babies until those at
\nthe walking stage, then from the walking age to two year olds,
\ntwo to three year olds, three to five year olds and five to seven
\nyear olds.<\/p>\n
Classes are 45 minutes each, with the five to seven year olds
\nhaving a full hour to enjoy at the center.<\/p>\n
Classes are every day from Tuesday to Sunday, and from 9:30
\na.m. to 5 p.m.<\/p>\n
Parents are present at the first levels, giving their tots the
\nemotional security to interact with their new friends and
\ncaregivers.<\/p>\n
But after a child enters the three to five-year-old group,
\ntrainers take over, helping the child master the transition of
\nindependence.<\/p>\n
Social and interactive experience through physical activities
\nis achieved through trust and a security bond formed from
\nfriendships with other children and trainers at the centers.<\/p>\n
Over at Bayi Gemes (cute baby) playgroup in the Pejaten area,
\nacross the street from the Australian International School,
\npreschool-aged children are also learning in an English-speaking
\nenvironment under expert care.<\/p>\n
"If a child is scared, but that's not usual, I'd say less than
\n10 percent of them don't understand, our teachers have excellent
\nspeaking skills," the head teacher, Christie, said.<\/p>\n
She said if a child could not speak English or Indonesian, for
\nexample, if he or she just arrived from Korea, ideas could still
\nbe communicated in English with hand gestures and pointing.<\/p>\n
Children from six months old to five years old are split up
\ninto different age groups, and the program is open to children of
\nall nationalities and abilities, Christie, who is from Australia,
\nsaid, adding that they taught children who were speakers of other
\nlanguages as well as those with special needs.<\/p>\n
There are also local teachers, who were qualified in
\nIndonesia, but they do training courses from Australia, she said.<\/p>\n
Christie said they had all sorts of services, including the
\nmother and child group, for participants who were six months old.<\/p>\n
"Although we do have some kids who have been here without
\ntheir mom since they were that young, usually they are on their
\nown from about one and half years old."<\/p>\n
Based on the Australian school curriculum, the playgroup
\ninvolves children in various group activities, as well as
\nallowing them time in several areas of the room set up as a
\nscience corner, math corner and prewriting corner.<\/p>\n
"These corners encourage children's creativity in different
\nareas, for example, in the writing corner, they get familiar with
\nthe letters and language," she said.<\/p>\n
There are also scheduled times for music, gymnastics, poems,
\nstories, art and sports.<\/p>\n
-- Maria Kegel<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/local-in-the-english-speaking-groups-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }