jasminetang
New Member
Has anyone sent their child to 'The Learning Lab' @ United Square? If yes, can I have some feedback please. Thot of sending my children there.
Hi singratmum,
OK, I didn't knowNo wonder they've leased the opp side of its old space at United Square...Mine is in K1. As for the class ratio, it's indeed 1:3 or 1:5 currently, cos they just opened these junior classes. But the teacher told me their max can go up to 1:8.
Your kid won't be bored for sure, cos they will get little treats every other week and balloons at the start of the term. My kid loves his teachers and the learning environment.
As for homework, yup, if you're referring to the Eng prog, they will have to read 3 storybooks borrowed from their library each week and record key words or personal thoughts abt the books in a journal. Also, they need to refresh their memory on the new vocab, idioms and grammar acquired in another book.
Weekly, they take home 3-4 worksheets covering a variety of stuffs- grammar, vocab, compo, compre, cloze passage...
Hi faithgurl,
Are you asking about the Eng or Math? The duration for either subject is 1h45min but it could stretch to 2hrs. I can't tell if my kid has benefited yet, cos it's still too early and there are no tests or spelling :=P Btw, don't expect them to teach your kid basic phonics and reading skills like Learning Point's 'Read for Success', Mindchamps or I Can Read. This is a P1 Headstart prog so they zoom right in to the stuffs I outlined above. I personally find the vocab introduced very "cheem". If the kid is laid back and doesn't revise at home, all that knowledge will go to waste. But if the kid is very driven and his parents also supervise closely after each lesson, the kid will benefit greatly...My kid belongs to the former. I need to be stricter I guess!!
As shared by singratmum above, they just started N1,N2 and K1 classes (this Aug to be exact), so prior to 2013, they only had a K2 prog to prepare kids for P1...I was also pretty surprised to be contacted 6 mths before my kid turns K2. PS: the reason why I said it's P1 Headstart is cos I saw these words printed on my kid's K1 worksheets...
At K1 level, they should be able to read Peter & Jane's level 3 books...The storybooks from TLL library are around levels 3-4, but their compre/compo cloze worksheets are pitched at a higher level (i dare say it's beyond Level 10).
The kids need to be able to read so that they can do the cloze passages, recite the compre passages in front of the class and answer compre questions. For Math, it's impt they can read to understand what the questions are asking for.
No worries, my friend, I think by next year, your girl will be able to read. Mine couldn't read in N2 also...
Once your girl can read, she is ready to take their placement quiz. If she clears the placement quiz, you'll get the invitation to enrol her in the prog.
My kid was taught phonics and how to read by his preschool. If yours doesn't you can try I Can Read or Learning Point that guides the child step by step how to blend phonics and read storybooks.
Hi faithgurl,
Hmm, "only start end of this year" - that means your DD#1 would be enrolled in their K1 class or N2 class? To be honest, I hvnt seen any nursery tots there, so I'm not sure if the N1/2 classes hv opened...I wonder how their teachers can manage the tots (like pacifying sobbing tots and taking them to the toilet), cos TLL targets at older kids traditionally. Also, I'm not sure how they're going to assess the aptitude of nursery tots. I guess preschool education is a new foray they are entering into...
I dunno if other pp's kids at N1&2 can read Eng books, but mine sure couldn'tTo enhance your girls' reading skills, u can first try LP's Read for Success which I heard from friends & relatives is very effective. It'll reinforce the basic phonics that your kid has learnt in her preschool, before guiding her to read and answer questions about the story. I suggest LP becos it's known to be very effective, esp with the fundamentals and it's only half the price of TLL per term. TLL, if u want me to compare, offers you the icing of the cake. Based on my observation, TLL teacher won't go thru phoneme by phoneme: /th/+/i/+/s/ = /this/ nor read with your kid, word by word: "This is my cat." TLL will probably (my own e.g.) teach them "The frisky feline purrs incessantly."
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Hi flos, does your kid attend the math program too? My kid is in K1 too and he will be going for the quiz next week. I'm just wondering what will they be learning exactly in the Math class?
Thanks Flos. Knowing more about your DS and your experience really helpful and assuring
I have submitted a form to TLL United Square last weekend. On Monday, they acknowledged with an SMS, indicating that placement assessment will be held in early Oct. The reception lady told me that, its either a Tuesday or Friday afternoon.
To brush up my boy reading skill, we have a new rule at home. Before bedtime reading, he will read me one simple English book and i will read him one laterhmm...the consonant blending and long sounds still need more practices and time to see improvement. At least, he willing to try.