There are three  classes in Kindergarten this year.  Each class is taught by one English-speaking homeroom Teacher and one Chinese-speaking homeroom teacher. The classes are each supported by a full-time assistant, ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers, CSL (Chinese as a Second Language) teachers, and Learning Support teachers.  Children also have specialist teachers for Visual Arts, Music, and PE. 

Our team members come from Australia, China, Guyana, and the United States.

We place a strong emphasis on the development of the children’s oral (spoken) language, both in English and Chinese.  Children are given many opportunities to talk to each other and to adults, either in small group situations, to one or two other children, or to the whole class.  We encourage confidence and risk-taking in speaking.  Children also learn songs, rhymes, and repetitive stories to help them practice fluency and expression in their speech.

 

 

Our reading programme provides a balanced approach to literacy. Children participate in:

Modelled Reading	Shared Reading	Guided Reading
(being read to)	(choral, repetitive reading of big books, rhymes, and songs)	(small group reading lessons using levelled books)
Independent Reading	Language Experience	Mechanics
(quiet reading of a variety of texts)	(being involved in exciting activities to talk or write about)	(Activities to help children master knowledge of the alphabet and sight words. )

 

Reading Level

Children’s rate of reading development is very individual, but in Kindergarten our target reading level for the end of year is PM Level 10.  Many children will progress above this level, and we will extend them to their full potential.  Other children will need extra support with their reading, and this will be provided both in-class, and by our Learning Support teachers. 

This is a copy of a page of a PM Level 10 book.  By the end of the year, we aim to have all our non-beginner-ESL students reading at this level or above.

 

Children develop the ability to write independently during their Kindergarten year.  They participate in:

Modelled Writing	Shared Writing	Guided and Interactive Writing
Independent Writing	Language Experience	Handwriting and Spelling
	(being involved in exciting activities to talk or write about)

 

Writing Level

Children’s writing progresses at different rates.  In Kindergarten, our emphasis in on students becoming confident, risk-taking writers whose writing can be read by others easily .  We teach the conventional spelling of high-frequency words, but expect children to be confident enough to just try to spell unknown words, rather than being too worried that a word might not be ‘right’.  If children are fearless writers, they will write more , and therefore get more practice at spelling and writing, helping them to improve faster than those children who are too afraid of making mistakes to write anything substantial.

This is a copy of a piece of writing written by a Kindergarten student at the end of the year.

 

Chinese Program We are very fortunate in Kindergarten to have two homeroom teachers per class: one who is responsible for teaching in English, and one for teaching in Chinese.  Teachers plan and teach the class together to ensure that children use both languages for natural purposes throughout the day.  In addition, the Chinese teachers teach one specific ‘Chinese Lesson’ per day, to focus on Chinese language skills.  Activities include singing, arts and craft, games, stories and rhymes, and an introduction to Chinese characters and Pinyin. Children who need extra support with their Chinese attend CSL (Chinese as a Second Language) class at this time.

 

Our mathematics programme places an emphasis on children developing strong mathematical and number concepts through hands-on learning.  Children sing songs, play games, work with equipment and manipulatives, solve mathematical problems, and talk about their thinking.

 Children are exposed to the six different strands of mathematics:

Number	Data Handling	Measurement
Shape and Space	Pattern and Function	Problem Solving