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INSPIRE

Be stimulated by thought-provoking and informative feature articles by local academics and visiting professors, who offer views on important educational issues and trends, particularly those with implications for the Singapore system.

Where You Matter

In this issue, Professor S Gopinathan gives us an update of CRPP's developments and what we hope to achieve.

Click here to read more.




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Where You Matter

In this issue, Professor S Gopinathan gives us an update of CRPP's developments and what we hope to achieve.

Greetings, all readers of SingTeach!

I welcome this opportunity to convey CRPP's greetings to all of you in the schools. This is an especially stressful time for many of you as teachers and parents as your schools prepare students for the all-important final examinations. Professor Luke mentioned in his message in SingTeach June 2005 that Singapore is "one of the most education-obsessed places in the world". I would add that we are even more obsessed with assessments and examinations!

But we all know that the work of educators is more than smart examination preparation. As educators, we are all committed to developing in our students a range of competencies and dispositions. This would be difficult even in settled systems as there are really no "best practices" strategies that, like a good recipe will turn out good "dishes" everytime - and we know that even good recipes cannot do that all the time! It is even more difficult in times of rapid change and raised expectations. You need to be sure that the changes you are making as individual teachers, with your peers in your schools, match not only the letter but also the spirit of recent changes in curriculum.

At CRPP, we remain convinced that teachers will benefit from sound research that helps them see where they are succeeding and where more effort is required. And we are certain that teachers would welcome the opportunity to tell "their side of the story". At our inaugural conference in June, we were impressed by the number of teacher participants and their active involvement in the conference activities. SingTeach is for you. Continue to tell us what makes things work for you, what you need help with and more generally, how CRPP can help teachers in schools make teaching more rewarding and professional.

Now, to bring you up to date with developments in CRPP. We have completed the first major phase of our research, mapping the terrain of Singapore pedagogy; and once again we thank you for your generosity in allowing us access to your classrooms and so readily sharing with us your insights. We are now beginning to plan for some selected interventions that will help us see how improvements to pedagogy can be made. We want to ensure that suggestions for improvements take account of existing realities and do not represent a call to do more. And if the new skills require more and relevant professional development activities, we will ensure that is provided.

In this new phase of interventions, SingTeach will continue to be a resource to teachers and schools. We hope you will continue to support us; and do tell your friends to check us out. S Gopinathan Vice Dean, CRPP

For more information about CRPP's research, click here.

____________________

Published in SingTeach, November 2005




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IDEAS

Keep in touch with current educational research. NIE and CRPP staff share findings from their research projects. These succinct and relevant reports offer useful ideas on teaching practices and strategies that you can try out in your classroom.

Tamil Grammar Instruction in Singapore Schools: Implications for Language Pedagogy

Although Tamil is one of the four official languages in Singapore and is part of the curriculum as a second language, extensive research has not been done on it in Singapore. This is especially so in the field of grammar instruction. In view of this, we decided to embark on a research aimed at examining the methods used by teachers to teach Tamil grammar and the rationale behind these methods.


Explorations of Artistic Practices in Singapore Schools

The arts encompass essential components of education for the 21st century because they offer multiple ways for students to perceive and understand the world. Various forms of representations are embedded in our daily lives through the artistic domains (e.g., music, dance and the visual arts), which engage meaningful relationships between different cognitive and emotional processes.


An Introduction to The Sociolinguistic Survey of Singapore

The Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice (CRPP) has undertaken a large-scale language survey. The survey involves 1,000 Primary 4 students from the three main ethnic groups in Singapore. It is hoped that these children's language patterns and attitudes can be documented.





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Tamil Grammar Instruction in Singapore Schools: Implications for Language Pedagogy

Although Tamil is one of the four official languages in Singapore and is part of the curriculum as a second language, extensive research has not been done on it in Singapore. This is especially so in the field of grammar instruction. In view of this, we decided to embark on a research aimed at examining the methods used by teachers to teach Tamil grammar and the rationale behind these methods.

What we wanted to find Research in this particular area was significant as it provided insights into the approaches used by Tamil teachers for teaching grammar and their rationale for using them. In addition, it allowed an assessment of the adequacy of the methods employed. Though the data analyzed in this research was Tamil grammar, the insights gained from the analysis are applicable to other language teaching situations as well.

What we did In order to gain an insight into the approaches employed during the teaching of grammar, teachers from two primary and two secondary schools were observed and audio recorded during grammar lessons. Subsequent to this, the lessons were transcribed word for word and the teaching methods employed by the teachers were noted down in detail. Then the teachers were asked to evaluate the description and provide rationale for the methods utilized by them.

What we found out Though the syllabus emphasized the use of the Communicative Approach, an approach which disposes learners towards communication in the real world, the findings showed that the realities of the classroom resulted in the use of a range of approaches such as the Audiolingual Approach, the Structural Approach, et cetera. The teachers' use of different approaches was dictated by a variety of variables such as: the nature of the grammatical structure, the ability of the students, the mode of assessment, etc.

The variables in operation in the class necessitated the use of different approaches for a variety of contexts and pedagogical purposes. As such it became evident that no single approach, no matter how current it was, could be deemed as the most effective approach. Instead, the different approaches were found to be appropriate for different pedagogical purposes and contexts. At times these methods had to be "localized" or modified for the Singapore context.

Where we go from here Since the findings indicate that there is no single effective method, it would be a good idea for teacher training to equip teachers with a knowledge base of these various teaching methods or approaches. This would allow teachers to select the most appropriate methods for a variety of pedagogical purposes and contexts.

Since the appropriateness of methods is context dependent and there is a need at times to localize methods to suit specific pedagogical contexts, it is recommended that theorists and practitioners work together to come up with pedagogies that are better suited for a specific sociocultural context.

About the Author

Chitra Shegar is an Assistant Professor with CRPP. She holds a PhD in Language Teaching Methodology and has special interests in the professional development of teachers, language teaching methodology and multiliteracies.

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Explorations of Artistic Practices in Singapore Schools

The project Creativity: Representational Praxis in Artistic Domains was conceptualized to examine various artistic practices in selected Singaporean classrooms at three levels - Preschool, Primary and Secondary. Our case study project, which began in August 2004, has focused on students' multimodal meaning-making, particularly in the visual arts, music and movement (that is, the use of visual, spatial, aural, musical and bodily-kinesthetic modes of expression). The emphasis on students' representations has led to an understanding of both the teachers' and students' outlook on the arts and the creative practices that have been undertaken in Singaporean classrooms.

What we did Through an ethnographical approach, over 30 observations were made in these schools to probe the meaning of creativity from the perspectives of students, educators, parents and community members. In addition, an arts coding system was conceived to decipher the modalities of representational praxis within and across different arts media, and this has been implemented in the observations that were carried out in schools.

These observations focused on three key aspects of arts pedagogy:

1. Preschool, primary (P1) and secondary (S1) students' understanding and use of multiple modes of representational thought and expression to generate, communicate and interpret meaning;

2. The processes of representational meaning-making that are involved; and 3. The type and level of support and encouragement that occurs in the learning of

semiotic systems within students' school, home, and community environmental contexts.

We also collected student artifacts, teacher documentation and school brochures and documents to develop an overview of arts practice in the schools, and interviewed teachers about what they saw as the challenges, constraints, goals and opportunities for arts pedagogy and practice. In addition, interviews with students and parents helped us get a picture of their likes/dislikes about education in the arts, and their interest, expectations and participation in the arts in and outside of school.

What we have found so far The project is now complete, and we are aiming to move into a new phase next year. Although the analysis of the data and the writing up of the results are still in progress, some preliminary findings are reported here.

Dance lessons that were observed seemed to have a high emphasis on expressive forms of communication. In particular, the dance teachers used expressive language, including metaphors and similes, as part of their oral instructions. For example, "Stepping on the ants" was used to create imagery in young children's minds and to teach them how to gently dance on the tip of their toes.

The arts encompass essential components of education for the 21st century because they offer multiple ways for students to perceive and understand the world. Various forms of representations are embedded in our daily lives through the artistic domains (e.g., music, dance and the visual arts), which engage meaningful relationships between different cognitive and emotional processes.

Art lessons also included a large emphasis on visual metaphor and other semiotic forms of meaning-making, such as in the example below (left), where secondary students used animals and other images for the letters of their names, to reflect their personalities.

Primary school teachers encouraged children to use their bodies to express stylized forms of movement and encouraged personal forms of expression to represent aspects of themselves or their worlds. In the example above (right), the boy spontaneously gave an enactive gesture to show that he was "Spiderman" who was about to spin a web. Dance teachers also gave oral instructions while physically demonstrating the dance steps for students. However, as class groups moved closer to forthcoming concerts, where students already knew many of the steps, rehearsals centred more on verbal instructions than on physical demonstrations. The teachers were verbally assisting the students to remember and practise what they had learned. Students who were interviewed expressed their passion for the arts. The secondary dance students, for example, said they valued the role of creativity in dance education, but also acknowledged that consistent practice was necessary in honing the basics. A group of dance students (at secondary level) shared their views when they were asked about their rehearsals for the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Dance Competition:

The students also wished for more time for the arts each week at school, and for more time for personal exploration within the various art forms. Similarly, parents who were interviewed commented that they believed the arts were very important. They said they thought the arts should be given a higher priority in schools, and that the teaching and learning of arts should not have to take place outside of school hours.

Where we go from here The current findings are both interesting and promising. The extension of this current

Student: We really put in a lot of effort, a lot of time.

Student: We even come back specially on Mondays to practise.

Student: Extra.

Student: Yah, extra. Saturdays.

Student: Three days...four days a week. We come back four days a week.

Student: And the Secondary 3s, two and a half hours every day. Not every day.

Student: Every session.

Student: Yah, every session. Quite intensive.

Interviewer: Was there any feedback given back to you on the competition?

Student: The vice principal wrote on my report card that we've done well.

[?]

Interviewer: Do you think you learned anything from the whole long period of practising for the SYF competition?

Students: Of course.

Student: Confidence.

Interviewer: Confidence? Anything else?

Student: Work together. 'Cos we always have conflicts and fights, and quarrel.

Student: Encouragement. SYF. The teacher. Choreographer.

project in the development of the arts in Singaporean schools is both exciting and valuable.

Acknowledgements Henderson Secondary School, Hua Min Primary School, CHIJ, Clementi Primary School, Katong Primary School, Shepherd Educare and St. James Preschool.

The Research Team Associate Professor Susan Wright from Early Childhood and Special Needs Education, Professor John Matthews from Visual and Performing Arts , Research Associates Chia Boon Hwee , Shyamala Vhamathawan, Radhi Raja and Fanny Chan, and Research Assistant Jollene Shu and Yong Cheng Khim have carried out the study in collaboration with Dr Stephanie Burridge, Chief Editor for World Dance Alliance Festschrift and world-renowned experts Professor Brian Street and Professor Gunther Kress of the Institute of Education , University of London . Advice was also provided by Associate Professor Tan Ai Girl from Psychological Studies, NIE.

About the Authors

Susan Wright is a Senior Research Fellow in CRPP and Associate Professor in Early Childhood and Special Needs Education in NIE. Her research emphasises the significance of non-verbal, multimodal and somatic forms of development and learning. Jollene Shu is a Research Assistant at CRPP. She is currently pursuing her master's degree and has research interests in children's art, multimodality and early literacy.

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Home Archives Issue 2 Ideas An Introduction to The Sociolinguistic Survey of Singapore

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Page 1 of 2 The Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice (CRPP) has undertaken a large-scale language survey. The survey involves 1,000 Primary 4 students from the three main ethnic groups in Singapore. It is hoped that these children's language patterns and attitudes can be documented. What we know The census is a document that presents the broadest possible view of language use in a nation. In terms of language, the Singapore Census asks what the language most frequently spoken at home is. On the basis of this question, the following decadal trend can be observed:

It is clear from these statistics that English has increased somewhat as a language most frequently spoken at home, especially for the Chinese community, and that there are substantial gains for Mandarin and losses for Chinese dialects. The number of Indian homes where English is the household language has not increased except by 3.3% though this number was high throughout the last decade compared to the Chinese and Malay communities.

What we want to find out However, this is merely the surface of the language situation in Singapore. If Singaporeans were asked what their most frequently spoken language was, they are likely to answer "it depends". Xu and Li (2003) commented that "What is not reflected in the census report is the indecisiveness (uncertainty) of many Singaporeans when asked about what is the language they use most frequently in a specific type of situation, e.g. at home; neither does the report reflect the practice of code-switching among the young people". The Sociolinguistic Survey of Singapore tries to address this shortcoming

Table 1 . Language trends in Singapore. Source: Census of Population 2000, p. ix

with the following in-depth research question:

Who speaks/writes what language to whom in what context with what level of fluency with what communicative ends and with what attitude?

A few similar studies have been done in Singapore (Goh 2001; Xu, Chew, & Chen, 1998). Goh's (2001) findings were that though the younger cohort of Chinese language teachers that had been trained under the current bilingual education system rated their Mandarin as being better than their English, that was not the case in reality. In actual fact, "there is a sharp disparity between their actual proficiency level and their self perceived language competence" (p. 238). The latter, a much larger study of 4000 Chinese in Singapore, found that acceptance and use of English was less than that of Mandarin. Though this is probably the largest sociolinguistic survey done recently in Singapore, it only surveyed the Chinese community.

The following comment by the authors is one of the inspirations for our study: "A pan-community survey reaching all sectors of the population was never attempted by the academics" (Xu, Chew, & Chen, 1998). The Sociolinguistic Survey of Singapore is such a pan-community survey.

What we are setting out to do Our study differs in terms of the age of its cohort, the depth of the survey questions, and the theorizing of the instrument and data. The following table summarizes our research design:

Our sample is stratified by race and socioeconomic status (SES). Due to anticipated difficulties in getting enough families to fill each cell, we have decided not to include the ethnic category "Others" in our study. The four SES groups are based on the following census categories: high, upper middle, lower middle, and low.

Nearly 15 schools from diverse neighbourhoods have volunteered to participate in this study and we hope to involve many more. However, the administration of the survey will take place in the home.

Though both Goh (2001) and Xu, Chew, & Chen (1998) used only self reports without any stimulus, The Sociolinguistic Survey of Singapore uses scenarios in the form of audio recordings that will be played to the children on the basis of which they will answer questions on language attitudes and ideology. These scenarios are in English, Malay, Mandarin, Singlish, and Tamil, and will be administered in keeping with the ethnicity and linguistic background of the children by bilingual researchers who are insiders of the different linguistic/ethnic communities.

How this affects you and me We hypothesize that the languages and registers that children bring to the classroom might have an impact on their educational achievement. For instance, a child who speaks mainly Malay and Singlish at home might deal with the curriculum differently compared to another child who speaks only Standard English at home. One of our concerns is to explore whether this differential linguistic capital that children bring to school leads to differential educational outcomes.

We hope that this study would provide constructive data that can inform Singapore's

Table 2. Ethnicity and socio-economic status of participants

bilingual education policy and language teaching.

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Page 2 of 2

The Two Stages of The Sociolinguistic Survey of Singapore Data collection is divided into two stages which will run without a substantial intervening gap.

Stage 1: Questionnaire We will survey 1,000 students from the primary 4 cohort. The rationale for this is to capture the patterns of language use and attitudes of children before they reach secondary school so as to make suggestions founded on this baseline data for improving language teaching at the secondary level. The survey instrument is divided into the following "social fields": family and friends, religion, school, public space, and media. We also have items on language and literacy proficiency.

The questionnaire is administered in a face to face interview by a bilingual researcher from the same ethnic group and language background as the respondent. At this meeting (or soon after), an observation guide which documents the nature of books and magazines in the home and other artifacts of interest to this project would be filled out.

Stage 2: Follow-up studies This survey will lead to follow-up studies with a smaller cohort of students from the initial 1,000. These follow up studies, which are currently being pre-piloted, will consist of 24 cases across the three ethnic groups and the four socioeconomic strata.

For each ethnic group, we will follow up with two respondents, a boy and a girl culled from those interviewed at the questionnaire stage who have agreed to participate in a follow-up study. We aim to get in-depth documentation of the children?s patterns of language use across the five social fields.

The purpose of the follow-up studies is to verify the findings of the questionnaire and provide documentation of code-switching patterns in the home. These studies involve a series of visits. In the first visit, the researcher shows the social fields, simplified as topics, to the parents and requests for the times that she can observe the child in the relevant situations. After this initial visit all subsequent visits are tape recorded and, if allowed, video recorded. During these visits, the researcher is a methodological omnivore and chooses her strategy from the following options depending on the cultural context:

Observation and participant observation (where the researcher intervenes) in the homes; Elicitation of naturalistic speech through planned activity with the children, e.g. conversation about family photographs; Recording of children's talk in public spaces like the corner store or places of worship; Encouraging the children to keep a language journal which documents TV viewing and provides space for the creation of biliterate texts like stories, poems or journal entries; Encouraging the children to record their own naturalistic speech with a tape recorder that the researcher will leave in the home; and Eliciting artifacts like printouts of e-mails or chats on MSN, copies of birthday cards and notes written to friends in school. This project, which is currently in the pre-pilot stage, extends till August 2007. At the end of the data collection we should have 1,000 completed questionnaires and 24 cases studies.

For more information on The Sociolinguistic Survey of Singapore, click here.

References

About the authors

Viniti Vaish, the writer, is Assistant Professor at CRPP. Her interests are Bilingualism/ Bilingual Education and Comparative Education. She is multilingual/ multiliterate in Hindi, Sanskrit and English.

Norhaida Aman is an Assistant Professor at the Asian Languages and Cultures Academic Group, and currently seconded to CRPP. She currently works on issues pertaining to language acquisition and use, bilingualism and early childhood literacy.

Wendy Bokhorst-Heng is an Assistant Professor at CRPP. Her research interests include language ideology and policy, bilingualism/ multilingualism, literacy, multicultural education, and comparative education.

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Leow, B. G. (2001). Census of Population 2000: Education, Language and Religion. Singapore: Department of Statistics.

Xu, D., Chew, C. H., & Chen S. (1998). Language use and language attitudes in the Singapore Chinese community. In S. Gopinathan, A. Pakir, W.K. Ho &V. Saravanan (Eds.) Language, society and education in Singapore. p.133-155. Singapore: Times Academic Press.

Xu, D. & Li, W. (2003). Managing Multilingualism in Singapore. In W. Li, J.D. Marc & A. Housen (Eds). Opportunities and challenges of bilingualism. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. p. 275-295.



The Sociolinguistic Survey of Singapore

This project attempts a baseline sociolinguistic survey of

language use and users in Singapore. Significant changes have

occured since the last study, done in the 1970s by Kuo (1976),

and it is important to find out exactly what these trends are so as

to inform and influence curriculum and pedagogy in the

classroom as well as language planning at the national level.

This project hopes to use an ecologically balanced mix of

research methods that includes both the qualitative and the

quantitative. Using Panel 1 of CRPP's Core Research Program as

a data source, a large-scale quantitative household survey will be

conducted. The questions in the survey will elicit information on

language use in the major domains and sites in which the family

engages.

Analyses from this data will also be used to estimate the linguistic

consequences of government policies and, in the opposite

direction, the impact of language trends on political, social and

economic conditions. In addition, this project will attempt to

systematically collect data on code switching and code mixing

between the various languages and dialects in the community.

Related Links

Project Brief

Project Number:

CRP 22/04 AL & 23/04

AL

Research Focus:

Language & Literacy

Keywords:

Mother tongue;

sociolinguistics

Start Date: Jan 2005

Status: Completed Dec

2008

Project Team

Principal Investigator

(s):

Viniti Vaish

Wendy Bokhorst-

Heng

Norhaida Aman

Collaborator(s):

Christopher Stroud,

NUS

Lionel Wee, NUS

Contact Person:

Viniti Vaish

Project

Publications


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Home Archives Issue 2 Voices Blogging - Teaching Tool of the 21st Century

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Blogging - Teaching Tool of the 21st Century

Page 3 of 3

Blogging in the Classroom Below are some suggested lesson ideas that teachers may want to try out.

Teachers of General Paper (GP), English, Literature, and even Science can get their students to blog on various topics within their discipline (although not necessarily). Blogs can serve as an extension of what was covered in class or, alternatively, used to cover an entire lesson.

Students can be given some reading assignments, after which they are required to blog their comments on the reading. This will also serve as a quick check to see if the students have indeed done their readings. Blogging might be a better alternative to the traditional book reviews that students are forced to write. Short of putting a knife to their throats, it can be a sheer uphill task to get students to read, let alone to get them to write a book review! BUT blogging can make the whole book review assignment fun. Students would simply love to read what their friends have to say on their blogs; and getting a "go ahead, read this great book" from their peers is a better reason to read a book than just taking their teacher's word for it.

Subjects such as Moral Education and Social Studies which traditionally have been seen as "boring and insignificant" due to their non-examination status can now be given a new lease of life. Issues that might have been seen as too trivial for a classroom discussion can now be blogged. Students are generally interested in what others have to say in their blogs. So, while they might have been mentally "switched off" during the Moral Education lesson, they are more than likely to be alert while blogging.

In fact, it is possible for teachers to collaborate and conduct an entire lesson for two or more classes at the same time using blogs. The focus can be on a single subject or a multidisciplinary approach can be taken. Blogs would even allow for lessons to be conducted across grades where students can learn from their seniors (or vice versa possibly). A blogosphere¹ comprising almost the entire school community or, better still, schools within a cluster or even collaborations with educational institutions outside of Singapore can only but result in a dynamic learning environment.

How to set up a blog? There are various blog hosting sites that make creating your own personal blog a breeze; and they are absolutely free. Some of the more popular blog hosting sites are Blogger, Pitas, LiveJournal, MoBlog and Xanga. These sites do not require any knowledge of HTML or computer programming. For instance, Blogger allows you to create your very own blog in three easy steps. All you need is an Internet connection.

For those of you who are more IT savvy or simply adventurous, try using server-side Web applications such as Antville , bBlog , Nucleus CMS and WordPress to create your blogs (Wikipedia).

What are you waiting for? Start blogging!

Let's put the fun back into learning!

References Böttger, M. & Röll, M., (2004). Weblog publishing as support for exploratory learning on the world wide web. ( http://www.roell.net/publikationen/) [Retrieved September 9,2005].

Downes, S. (2004). Educational Blogging. In EDUCAUSE Review, 39(5). ( http://www.educause.edu/pub/er/erm04/erm0450.asp?bhcp=1) [Retrieved August 8, 2005].

Glogowski, K. (2005, September 12). Participation as Competence. [Weblog entry]. Blog of proximal development. ( http://www.teachandlearn.ca/blog/2005/09/12/participation-as-competence/) [Retrieved September 16, 2005].

Kennedy, K. (2003). Writing with web logs. In techLearning, February. ( http://www.techlearning.com) [Retrieved September 2, 2005].

Oravec, J. A. (2002). Bookmarking the world: Weblog applications in education. In Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 45(7), 616--621.

Vaile, J. E. (2003). Blogs in education. In The Stash. Retrieved August 8, 2005, from http://jilleliz.com/The_STASH/blogs_in_education.html

About the Author Shamala Sundaray was a Research Associate with CRPP. She has a PGDE and has taught at secondary schools for a number of years.

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Find out how teachers, heads of departments, and principals are innovating and improving educational practices. Articles and video/audio clips by and about educators provide a window to the reflections and everyday work of teachers.


In this age of technology, blogging is rampant not just amongst the IT savvy, but even the most "novice" of PC users might have dabbled with blogging. Teachers should try, in fact many have done so, to move away from the traditional pen-and-paper assignments and get their students to blog instead. You will be surprised how motivated students can become and how, by some miracle, they quit complaining about homework.


Community Service with Laughter!

Norman Cousins, Adjunct Professor of Medical Humanities at the University of Columbia and Executive Editor (and then Editor-in-Chief) of the Saturday Review, discovered the healing powers of laughter when he was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease. He watched humour-laden television programmes which helped him overcome his pain and reduced his symptoms. (Columbia University Press, 2003).


Inherently Creative

The "President's Medal for Outstanding Graduate Student" is but one of the many awards won by Suzanna Ramos who has just returned to Singapore after completing her Master of Science Degree in Creative Studies and Change Leadership at Buffalo State College, New York. Her master's thesis is a cross-examination of how Westerners and Easterners define creativity using implicit theories of methodology from the field of psychology.





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Page 1 of 3 In this age of technology, blogging is rampant not just amongst the IT savvy, but even the most "novice" of PC users might have dabbled with blogging. Teachers should try, in fact many have done so, to move away from the traditional pen-and-paper assignments and get their students to blog instead. You will be surprised how motivated students can become and how, by some miracle, they quit complaining about homework.

Blogging— a teaching tool? Weblogs or blogs, as they are popularly known, are web-based publications containing articles of various types, be they memos, diaries or reports by individuals or groups of individuals. Blogs are identified by the inclusion of time and date on their sites, hyperlinks found within them, and their genre (Oravec, 2002).

Blogs allow for exploratory learning. Exploratory learning is a process where learners consult and analyse different sources of information and construct their own meaning (Böttger & Röll, 2004). If we want our students to be independent learners, we should provide them with opportunities for exploratory learning and allow them to construct their own meanings. Blogging is one such avenue.

Presently, one shortfall identified by many teachers in Singapore is that our students lack the ability to think critically. According to Oravec (2002), "Weblog development can empower students to become more analytical and critical...students can define their positions in the context of others' writings as well as outline their own perspectives on particular issues".

The students gain practice in writing (and typing), provided of course, that the teacher sets some ground rules such as use of Standard English. Devoted blogging would hone the writing and literacy skills of our students (Kennedy, 2003).

Blogs are indeed a great platform for discussion and exchange of ideas. There would be greater development of ideas due to the more vibrant discussion platform. Konrad Glogowski, an elementary school teacher who is also pursuing his PhD at the Ontario Institute of Education, summed it up thus on his weblog, blog of proximal development:

Seeing comments being posted on their blog sites would boost the students' sense of ownership of their writing and make them more responsible writers, sensitive to the views/feelings of a real audience (Kennedy, 2003). According to Will Richardson, a high school English teacher from Flemington who has brought blogging into his writing classroom, his students are "more aware of what they're writing and of the potential audience they're writing for" (Kennedy, 2003).

Over and above of everything that has already been said, blogging would get our students to read. For it is only through reading and exploring the world out there that our students would be able to sustain their blogs (Downes, 2004) and reflect on their own writing and learning.


Blogging made me see every one of my students as a writer-not an empty vessel-but first and foremost a writer-a thinker with unique ideas and thoughts, a person who can contribute to a meaningful conversation about our curriculum or, better yet, a person who can co-construct that curriculum through meaningful conversation, meaningful engagement in a class blogging community...

"Participation as Competence", posted on September 12, 2005




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Page 2 of 3

Other Benefits of Blogging

There are plenty of benefits that can be derived from introducing blogging into the classroom of the 21st century.

During class discussions not every student gets to voice his or her opinions, and it is physically impossible for the teacher to listen to and respond to all the students in the class. Blogs solve this eternal problem for teachers all over. Also, the shy or extremely inhibited student now has the opportunity to have his or her say without the added stress of having to perform in front of 40 pairs of eyes and ears.

The fun bit of it all is that they get to read their friends' blogs and comment on them; precious class time is not devoted to reading out their friends' written work in class but instead used to cover other aspects of the curriculum.

The teacher too is able to give feedback a lot sooner (compared to the traditional written assignments). Others, whether teachers or not, can also post their comments on the blog site. The students would be inspired to produce better quality masterpieces given that their audience is an international one.

Teachers could also use blogs as a means of disseminating instructions on assignments and remind students of assignment deadlines (Vaile, 2003). Well, you might say that we could easily announce them during class time or use the e-mail. True, but recalcitrant students now do not have the excuse of being absent for the day or e-mails that were not received; hence, the onus is now on the students to visit the teacher's blog site to retrieve announcements and such. Hence, the students take responsibility for their own learning.


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Page 3 of 3

Blogging in the Classroom Below are some suggested lesson ideas that teachers may want to try out.

Teachers of General Paper (GP), English, Literature, and even Science can get their students to blog on various topics within their discipline (although not necessarily). Blogs can serve as an extension of what was covered in class or, alternatively, used to cover an entire lesson.

Students can be given some reading assignments, after which they are required to blog their comments on the reading. This will also serve as a quick check to see if the students have indeed done their readings. Blogging might be a better alternative to the traditional book reviews that students are forced to write. Short of putting a knife to their throats, it can be a sheer uphill task to get students to read, let alone to get them to write a book review! BUT blogging can make the whole book review assignment fun. Students would simply love to read what their friends have to say on their blogs; and getting a "go ahead, read this great book" from their peers is a better reason to read a book than just taking their teacher's word for it.

Subjects such as Moral Education and Social Studies which traditionally have been seen as "boring and insignificant" due to their non-examination status can now be given a new lease of life. Issues that might have been seen as too trivial for a classroom discussion can now be blogged. Students are generally interested in what others have to say in their blogs. So, while they might have been mentally "switched off" during the Moral Education lesson, they are more than likely to be alert while blogging.

In fact, it is possible for teachers to collaborate and conduct an entire lesson for two or more classes at the same time using blogs. The focus can be on a single subject or a multidisciplinary approach can be taken. Blogs would even allow for lessons to be conducted across grades where students can learn from their seniors (or vice versa possibly). A blogosphere¹ comprising almost the entire school community or, better still, schools within a cluster or even collaborations with educational institutions outside of Singapore can only but result in a dynamic learning environment.

How to set up a blog? There are various blog hosting sites that make creating your own personal blog a breeze; and they are absolutely free. Some of the more popular blog hosting sites are Blogger, Pitas, LiveJournal, MoBlog and Xanga. These sites do not require any knowledge of HTML or computer programming. For instance, Blogger allows you to create your very own blog in three easy steps. All you need is an Internet connection.

For those of you who are more IT savvy or simply adventurous, try using server-side Web applications such as Antville , bBlog , Nucleus CMS and WordPress to create your blogs (Wikipedia).

What are you waiting for? Start blogging!

Let's put the fun back into learning!

References Böttger, M. & Röll, M., (2004). Weblog publishing as support for exploratory learning on the world wide web. ( http://www.roell.net/publikationen/) [Retrieved September 9,2005].

Downes, S. (2004). Educational Blogging. In EDUCAUSE Review, 39(5). ( http://www.educause.edu/pub/er/erm04/erm0450.asp?bhcp=1) [Retrieved August 8, 2005].

Glogowski, K. (2005, September 12). Participation as Competence. [Weblog entry]. Blog of proximal development. ( http://www.teachandlearn.ca/blog/2005/09/12/participation-as-competence/) [Retrieved September 16, 2005].

Kennedy, K. (2003). Writing with web logs. In techLearning, February. ( http://www.techlearning.com) [Retrieved September 2, 2005].

Oravec, J. A. (2002). Bookmarking the world: Weblog applications in education. In Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 45(7), 616--621.

Vaile, J. E. (2003). Blogs in education. In The Stash. Retrieved August 8, 2005, from http://jilleliz.com/The_STASH/blogs_in_education.html

About the Author Shamala Sundaray was a Research Associate with CRPP. She has a PGDE and has taught at secondary schools for a number of years.

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Community Service with Laughter!

Norman Cousins, Adjunct Professor of Medical Humanities at the University of Columbia and Executive Editor (and then Editor-in-Chief) of the Saturday Review, discovered the healing powers of laughter when he was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease. He watched humour-laden television programmes which helped him overcome his pain and reduced his symptoms. (Columbia University Press, 2003).

That was back in the '60s and '70s. Then in 1995, Dr Madan Kataria, a physician from Mumbai, India, set up the first Laughter Club in the world (Laughter Yoga, 2005). Now there are over 800 such clubs all over the world including Malaysia, Singapore and the United States.

Nine years later, in January 2004, the CHIJ Katong Convent (KC) Laughter Club was officially born. Immediately, a partnership with Tampines East Zone 5 Laughter Club was established. Laughter Club sessions were held for four consecutive Sundays in January 2004 at Jamiyah Home for the Aged in Tampines. The therapist from the Home had informed KC Laughter Club that the residents there were not motivated to exercise. So laughter exercises which incorporated "shadow" kicking and boxing were designed to make the residents move their limbs. It was so successful that, as of this year, laughter sessions are now conducted at Foo Hai Elderly Lodge on a regular basis.

For the uninitiated, the whole concept of the laughter club may be mind-boggling or even ludicrous. However, research has shown that laughter helps to reduce stress, boosts our immune system, and lowers the blood pressure besides providing relief from other ailments (Kemp et al., 2004). During laughter sessions, endorphins are released in the brain; endorphins have pain-relieving properties and also affect physiological processes such as feelings of euphoria (Columbia University Press, 2003). That is why after bouts of laughter we feel "high".

The laughter sessions help to exercise the heart, lungs and the abdominal muscles, and promote bonding and a general feeling of happiness. Since laughter has no boundary, people of different races and religions can easily bond. Besides the obvious benefits of laughter, we acquire values such as being caring and kind, and develop a sense of humility.

The KC Laughter Club is the first and only of its kind among schools in Singapore. Groups of students are trained to conduct laughter sessions for the community. Pupils are trained in laughter techniques, to create laughter exercises, and to take the lead in becoming laughter leaders.

The KC Laughter Club had even presented its innovative project "Community Service with Laughter" on Enovation Day 2004, organized by the E4 cluster. It is a simple, fun and innovative service provided to the community by KC students as part of their Community Involvement Programme (CIP). This innovative project was considered unique because it was different from the usual CIPs done by schools. In fact, this project could be extended to other Homes and organisations so that more people can enjoy laughing and be happy. Happy people are "healthy" people which will result in better performances or higher productivity which will ultimately benefit the organization as well as the nation.

Check back to watch the laughter club in action! We are currently in the process of uploading the videos.

Links to more information on laughter clubs: http://www.worldlaughtertour.com http://laughteryoga.org

References Columbia University Press. (2003). The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. New York: Columbia University Press. Encyclopaedia information on Norman Cousins on Answers.Com. Retrieved October 26, 2005, from http://www.answers.com/topic/cousins-norman Kemp, G. et al. (2004). Humor and laughter: Health benefits and online sources. In Helpguide. Retrieved 10 August, 2005, from http://www.helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm Laughter Yoga. Retrieved August 7, 2005, from http://laughteryoga.org

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Inherently Creative

The "President's Medal for Outstanding Graduate Student" is but one of the many awards won by Suzanna Ramos who has just returned to Singapore after completing her Master of Science Degree in Creative Studies and Change Leadership at Buffalo State College, New York. Her master's thesis is a cross-examination of how Westerners and Easterners define creativity using implicit theories of methodology from the field of psychology.

I managed to get Suzanna Ramos away from her busy schedule at Junyuan Secondary where she has just begun her duties as Head of the Humanities Department. Her candid response to each of my questions left me wanting more.

Q: What is this "Master's in Creativity"?

A: The Master of Science in Creative Studies and Change Leadership has been in existence for more than 30 years. Buffalo State College is the only institution of higher education in the world that offers this particular degree. The International Center for Studies in Creativity (ICSC) in Buffalo State College (New York) has its roots from the seminal work of Alex Osborn, who noted a need for creativity in the American education and business spheres in the 1940s. As a result, the Center for Studies in Creativity was established in 1967.

Basically, there are three different strands to this programme. The first deals with CPS, a creative thinking model, and Facilitation, where we learn and practise the principles and tools of creative problem solving. As creativity is a fairly new science, the second strand involves the foundation of creativity studies that incorporates various theories, approaches and literature pertaining to this field. We also learn the application of creativity principles in leadership. The third strand is about how creativity can be assessed through various measures and the literature associated with them.

Q: Why did you choose to do your Master's in this area?

A: I have always been intrigued by the concept of creativity. I realized that as an educator, I was so caught up with the tools and techniques of creativity, which constitute only a miniscule part of this whole field. I decided to pursue this degree to get more acquainted with this field.

In addition to this, I was keen to learn the various creativity theories, principles and models in depth and to be able to apply them.

Q: Do you consider yourself creative? Why?

A: From the literature, creativity has been defined as the production of something novel and useful. These can be ideas, thoughts, actions or tangible products. In that respect, I am creative as I have been able to come up with new and useful ideas in the course of my work, studies and in other areas of my personal and professional life. So, to refer to

your question, it is really thanks to this programme that I realize HOW I am creative.

Q: What were your experiences at Buffalo State College?

A: Students come from diverse professional fields in various countries so it was wonderful to see the application of creativity principles in those areas as well as in different cultural contexts.

Secondly, the faculty has been very supportive in creating opportunities for professional dialogue and research for students so more collaborative enquiry can be carried out. The entire faculty is involved in creativity research, so it was an exciting experience to talk with them on the latest developments in the field of creativity. In addition to this, my husband (he was also in this programme) and I facilitated various groups in creative problem solving as part of our course requirements. Two of these groups were the Bethesda World Harvest International Church, where we facilitated the senior pastor and held a leaders' retreat for them, and the Commission on the Status of Women in Erie County where we facilitated focus groups touching on issues of women under 30 years of age. Furthermore, I made visits to middle schools in Montgomery, Alabama, to learn more about the education system there and also facilitated a group of teachers in West Valley Central on how to create interesting lessons as part of their Innovation Day.

Q: Can you relate what you have learnt in this Creativity programme at Buffalo to your teaching?

A: Yes, definitely. I have become aware of the creative potential of students and the importance of different learning styles. The knowledge of the various theories and approaches that are research-based has made me a more informed practitioner. I am also more able to accept differing viewpoints on an issue with an open mind. All these are multifaceted aspects of the influence of studying creativity apart from simply applying creativity tools and techniques in the classroom. Since I teach Geography, I consciously structure more problem-based activities to enable my students to approach such tasks creatively and analytically. Q: What do you hope to achieve with this MSc. in Creative Studies and Change Leadership?

A: I hope to demonstrate to my students and colleagues that knowledge alone cannot solve problems which are increasingly becoming heuristic in nature. In a world of growing complexity, creative thinking skills are necessary to survive in a knowledge economy. I don't want to teach my students just Geography, but to help my students see that Geography entails certain skills which include the ability to analyse situations that require decisions to be made, to generate innovative ideas with regards to issues like ageing populations and food security, as well as to understand relationships between human and physical landscapes.

Q: Do you think there is enough room for creativity to develop in our schools at the present moment? Why?

A: Yes, as long as you enable teachers to do their work more effectively, they will welcome the training. In order for creativity to be developed in the schools, teachers must be convinced that it is important. Then that training must take into consideration their working practices, time for application and reflection, and their own learning and teaching styles. Training must be in context so that teachers can experience its value first hand.

Q: What would be your advice to teachers in Singapore? A: If you are going to get involved in creative thinking and apply it to your classroom or department in a sustainable manner, take small steps first. For example, instead of coming up with the usual list of class expectations, do it in a poem or song. Creativity involves novelty and usefulness, so this can be a simple guide. Use tools that you already have come across at workshops to help you in your own creativity. I personally like the "Idea Box" where I make random connections with words to help me look for creative ideas in my teaching. It is always good to have an "Ideas Journal" to jot down creative thoughts for teaching, as flashes of insight can occur at any time. Thus, creativity involves more than simply coming up with flashy programmes that will inevitably fizzle off.

The teacher also needs to understand that a child goes through various phases of

creativity. For example, in the post-conventional phase (12 years of age to adulthood), creative thinking increasingly becomes rule-bound as critical and evaluative skills develop. The challenge for any teacher then is to enable students to produce novelty despite external constraints and conventional values.

Interviewed by Shamala Sundaray S. Shamala is a Research Associate with CRPP. She has taught English, Literature and Geography to secondary school students. She has also taught Critical Reasoning Skills to tertiary students in a local polytechnic.

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Overwhelmed by the plethora of educational resources that promises to aid you in teaching? We bring you concise reviews of books, websites and teaching aids, highlighting those relevant to the Singapore context.

William Shakespeare-The Complete Works

Interactive software by Andromeda Interactive Ltd, ©1994-1997


Ring of Fire

The Science Museum of Minnosota, et al. (1991); directed by George Casey; produced by George Casey and Paul Novros.

DVD Length: 40 mins


Reproduction: Designer Babies

Films for the Humanities and Sciences (2004); A Granada production for Channel 4. Produced by Nick Peake. NJ: Princeton. DVD Length: 20 mins


BrainPOP

http://www.brainpop.com


The Teacher's Corner

http://www.theteacherscorner.net/


PBS TeacherSource

http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/


Classroom Management: Creating Positive Learning Environments

By Goh Swee Chiew (2002), Prentice Hall , ISBN 981-4096-82-2, 143 pages


Classroom Management for Beginning Primary Teachers

By Myint Swe Khine, Quek Choon Lang, Angela F. L. Wong, & A. Lourdusamy (2003), Prentice Hall, Pearson Education Asia, ISBN 981-244-516-1, 143 pages.


Thinking About Thinking: What Educators Need to Know

Edited by Jessie Ee, Agnes Chang, Oon-Seng Tan, (2004), McGraw-Hill education (Asia), ISBN 0-00-715133-0, 329 pages





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William Shakespeare-The Complete Works

Interactive software by Andromeda Interactive Ltd, ©1994-1997

Whether you are looking for Shakespeare's more popular plays such as Julius Caesar or Twelfth Night, his lesser known plays such as Cymbeline or Coriolanus, or his poems, they can be found in this CD-ROM.

This interactive software is easy to manoeuvre with limited categories which make it non-mind-boggling. It also includes a category of "commendatory poems and prefaces (1599-1640)" by Ben Johnson, Sir William Davenant and others alike in honour of William Shakespeare.

To help those whose PCs might not allow for the interactive mode, the creators of this CD-Rom had included a main button-bar with relatively easy to understand headings such as "Bookshelf" which contains the list of plays and "Background" which (you guessed it!) provides us with information about Shakespeare's life and career.

You can browse each play by the acts and scenes; this means you get to the exact act and scene that you want and not have to scroll down endlessly to get to a particular part of the play.

The glossary is another plus point. The alphabetical listing of Elizabethan vocabulary is extensive and a definite help to teachers (and students). Another key feature of this software is that it includes a word processor. This software also allows the users to copy the text and paste them onto their documents.

Other features of this CD-ROM are:

1. short commentaries or descriptions followed by some character analyses of the protagonists;

2. suggested activities; 3. structured and essay-type questions; and 4. project work (wherever possible).

However, the above "extras" are only provided for the more popular plays such as Merchant of Venice, Macbeth and others which have been used as ‘O' and ‘A' level texts.

Also, we are not provided with any explanation or translation of the Shakespearean language as done in other study guides. Hence, it would be of minimum help to students who definitely require a translation of Shakespeare. Hence, teachers might find use for this CD-ROM as a teaching resource rather than a teaching tool.

While this CD-ROM had seemed promising, it is but, in the words of Macbeth, "Full of

"...Full of Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing"

Macbeth

sound and fury, Signifying nothing".

Location of CD-ROM: NIE Library

For other resources on William Shakespeare, click here.

Reviewed by Shamala Sundaray S. Shamala is a Research Associate in CRPP. She is a former teacher and has taught English, Literature and Geography to secondary school students.

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Ring of Fire

The Science Museum of Minnosota, et al. (1991); directed by George Casey; produced by George Casey and Paul Novros.

DVD Length: 40 mins

The Ring of Fire is a fantastic docu-movie to show not only to Geography students but also to our young people in Singapore, so as to expose them to the beauty and complexity of seismic activities and how people from different parts of this world embrace these as part of their cultures.

It will not come as a surprise if you feel like you are in the midst of active volcanoes with lava splashing about you given that this 40-minute docu-movie was originally shown in IMAX Theatres. You won't be blamed for thinking that you ARE in Mount St. Helens or Mount Sakura-jima with the brilliant use of live footages of volcanic eruptions.

The Ring of Fire refers to the zone of volcanic activities and earthquakes along the Pacific Rim.

It is not always physically possible to bring our students to places of seismic activity, but we can bring them to our students.

Footages on this DVD include:

1. Mount St. Helens 2. The 1989 San Francisco Earthquake 3. Gunung Agung 4. Mount Sakura-jima

This movie also includes a computerized graphical illustration of tectonic movements and their result. This would really help students in visualizing what exactly happens below the crust.

We are also provided with an opportunity to witness how certain communities in Bali regard the volcanic activities as part of their ritualistic culture, and how the Japanese have accepted earthquakes as part of their reality.

The narrative is both clear and precise, if not entertaining. The visuals and the narrative would keep anyone spellbound to their seats.

Reviewed by Shamala Sundaray S. Shamala is a Research Associate in CRPP. She is a former teacher and has taught English, Literature and Geography to secondary school students.

Location of DVD: NIE Library

Jurong Regional Library

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Reproduction: Designer Babies

Films for the Humanities and Sciences (2004); A Granada production for Channel 4. Produced by Nick Peake. NJ: Princeton. DVD Length: 20 mins

How does reproduction take place? What are some of the more desirable characteristics for humans? Should parents be allowed to choose the traits they want for their children? Who governs the decision of which traits are favoured? Does this lead to different classes of people in the world? The above are just some of the issues explored and questions raised in Reproduction: Designer Babies. This 20-minute docu-movie is part of a series of 10 DVDs on The New Living Body, exploring the complexities of the human body and scientific advancements that have enabled us to better understand ourselves. This docu-movie can be used as a summary upon completion of the chapter on "Reproduction in Man" in Biology.

Reproduction: Designer Babies offers a comprehensive summary of the male and female reproductive organs and the process of reproduction, and is useful for reviewing the topic. It explores the conception process, reasons for infertility, in-vitro fertilisation, and techniques available for monitoring the foetus during pregnancy. Each subtopic is explained with animated illustrations, clear narratives, and electron micrograms. Alternatively, teachers can use this video as a platform for discussion and to infuse critical literacy in class. Students can be asked to research and debate these issues, to substantiate what they are saying, and to take a stand based on what is discussed. The video then offers us a glimpse into the future. It envisions a world where parents-to-be can "design" their babies through the process of genetic selection made possible by the mapping of the human genome. This section provides a platform for further discussion on the many ethical issues surrounding the advancements in biomedical sciences. By demonstrating how science is being applied in real-life situations, the video takes students beyond the scientific content of reproduction in man and helps them understand that science is not just about facts, but also about policies, people's lives, and the society at large. This documentary is strongly recommended for teachers who seek to develop students who are truly scientifically literate. Location of DVD: NIE Library Reviewed by Tan Aik Ling. Aik Ling has been teaching Biology and Lower Secondary Science for 10 years. She is currently seconded to CRPP as a Research Associate, where her research concerns science education and the Normal (Technical) stream.

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BrainPOP

http://www.brainpop.com

BrainPOP is a dynamic online educational tool for teachers, students and parents. It effectively integrates technology into core curriculum subjects, including English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.

Students and teachers alike will love BrainPOP's colourful interface. Designed for kindergarten through to post-secondary level, the range of animated movies, interactive quizzes, comic strips, experiments and other activities make learning enjoyable.

The animated movies are a great way to introduce any topic. The visual presentations quickly engage young learners.

The comic strips serve to illustrate the topics further or to provide examples.

BrainPOP can be used as a teaching aid in the classroom or a supplementary resource at home. The teacher's section contains lesson plans and ideas for using these features in the classroom. Although the curriculum covered is American, teachers in Singapore would still find it a useful teaching resource with its vast content coverage.

BrainPOP is a subscription-based website. Some content is accessible free-of-charge (though access to the "free" content is also limited), or you could sign up for a two-week free trial to try out the full range of activities. There are special discounts for school cluster-based subscriptions which ties in well with Singaporean schools' cluster-based activities for students.

This is one website that is worth both your time, and money.

Reviewed by Shamala Sundaray S. Shamala is a Research Associate with CRPP. She is a former teacher and has taught English, Literature and Geography to secondary school students.

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Depending on the topic, students can Experiment with Bob the Ex-Lab Rat. A step-by-step set of instructions is provided for the experiments, which teachers can easily print out and conduct in class or give as assignments to be done at home.

To make sure your students have understood the concepts, get them to Take A POP Quiz. This multiple-choice quiz can be done online or on paper; students can review their answers at the end of the quiz to find out where they went wrong.

If they have questions, they can Ask Tim & Moby for help with their homework, or Ask Cassie & Rita just about anything.




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The Teacher's Corner

http://www.theteacherscorner.net/

The Teacher's Corner is both fun and easy to access. Created in 1998, it has clearly been an indispensable source of ideas and knowledge to educators with its rich contents. Although it caters primarily to primary to intermediate grades, teachers teaching higher grades would find some useful resources and ideas for use in their lessons.

Some key features of this site are:

Lesson Plans (with printable worksheets); Teacher Resources; The Teacher's Lounge; Book Nook (which contains a list of suggested reading books for children); Experiment of the Week (a definite boon for all science teachers); and Lesson Plan Submission.

The site is very user-friendly as each link directs us to a whole plethora of others to suit our needs and fancies. There are activity-based and programme-based contents which would suit most classroom and teaching environments. On top of it all, the exchange of ideas and resources by educators is very active and engaging.

The wealth of knowledge that the website holds is well organized such that teachers would have minimum problems locating what they want. Albeit the lack of animations or graphics on the website per se (it has clear blue fonts and a nice tint of cream as a background though), The Teacher's Corner makes up for that with its contents. The conversational style of writing makes it easy for both educators and students. This winning website clearly makes learning fun for everyone!

Reviewed by Nurlieja Onnawaty Mas'at. Nurlieja is a Research Assistant with CRPP. She is presently working on the Malay Language Acquisition of Malay Pre-school Children project.

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PBS TeacherSource

http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/

PBS TeacherSource is a resource-based site that provides teachers with sample enrichment lesson plans and activities in seven broad subject areas, namely, Arts & Literature, Health & Fitness, Maths, Science, Social Studies, Preschool to Lower Primary curriculum and Library media. This site contains materials that are suitable for preschool all the way to post-secondary education.

Teachers who want samples of enrichment lessons that relate theoretical content with real world problems and situations would find PBS TeacherSource useful. For example, for a subtopic like "Kids and Chemicals--Facts and Laws", chemistry students are required to identify some of the synthetic chemicals they come in contact with in their everyday lives and consider how toxic synthetic chemicals affect people differently depending upon age, general health, genetics, and exposure levels.

The materials in this site are developed by trained and practising educators. Among the features of PBS TeacherSource, apart from the free lesson plans and activities which teachers can select by grade and topics, are:

a weekly posted column on featured lessons and activities; a monthly posted column on concepts across the curriculum; NewsHour Resources column; and a link to Online Professional Development for educators.

This website is very user-friendly and the site map allows users to locate clearly the headings and links they want to get to. There is a search engine embedded within the website which allows users to zoom in on a keyword, then select a resource type and further refine the search by subject and grade. This website will be useful for teachers who want ideas on enrichment lessons and activities as a follow up to the routine content-based lessons.

Reviewed by Mohd Kamal Mohd Salleh. Mohd Kamal is a Research Assistant with CRPP. He has taught Physical Education to both primary and secondary school students. His interest is in the field of biosciences

in education.

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Classroom Management: Creating Positive Learning Environments

By Goh Swee Chiew (2002), Prentice Hall , ISBN 981-4096-82-2, 143 pages

The author addresses the challenge of creating positive learning environments in a straightforward, practical manner in this easily digestible book. With 20 years of involvement in teacher training that includes teaching and supervising trainee teachers, the author uses her experience in the educational field to great advantage in writing this book on classroom management in Singapore schools. She offers an understanding of the framework of classroom management, and highlights the importance of classroom management and how it can facilitate the work of both teachers and students.

This book is organised in terms of interactions of key classroom elements: the classroom environment, the pupils and the teachers.

It explores the ways that teachers can create positive learning environments which will in turn enhance the teaching-learning process. The authentic case studies and anecdotes help beginning teachers to link theory to practice. By sharing her thoughts, experiences and perceptions, the author provides teachers with a source of useful information and alternative perspectives. Through the descriptions and suggestions shared, this book also stimulates reflection regarding the creation of positive learning environments and effective classroom management.

The scenarios and research findings from Singaporean classrooms make this book noteworthy as there are very few such classroom management books. Although intended for beginning teachers, this book is useful to all teachers in general.

Reviewed by Wong Hwei Ming. Hwei Ming is a part-time Research Associate with CRPP. She holds a PGDE (Primary) and a Master's in Applied Psychology. She is also a registered psychologist in Singapore.

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Classroom Management for Beginning Primary Teachers

By Myint Swe Khine, Quek Choon Lang, Angela F. L. Wong, & A. Lourdusamy (2003), Prentice Hall, Pearson Education Asia, ISBN 981-244-516-1, 143 pages.

In today's school environment, beginning teachers require numerous skills and one of the most important is classroom management. This is because effective instruction cannot take place if pupils are inattentive and not on task. Mastering the basics of pupil management, however, is not particularly easy as the classroom is a complex and dynamic mini-community. The many ongoing interactions require teachers to think on their feet and be able to juggle many tasks at the same time.

This book is written by experienced academics who know the Singapore classroom well. It not only provides useful tips for establishing order and discipline in the classroom, but also gives pointers on creating a positive classroom environment.

Topics include attributes, knowledge and skills of effective teachers, teacher-centred and pupil-centred approaches to teaching, and reaching out to pupils. The book aptly closes with a chapter on the beginning teacher's journey into the real world and it succeeds in creating awareness of the expectations and multi-tasking roles of a teacher in today?s school environment.

Generally, the book is well-organised, written in clear and simple language, and is easy to understand. The objectives of each chapter are listed clearly at the outset, and the bullet-point recommendations make for easy reference. The tables, charts and diagrams are especially useful.

Reviewed by Lee Mei Lien. An experienced primary school practitioner, Mei Lien has a Master's. in Applied Linguistics. She was a researcher working on a special focus project in CRPP. Her interests lie in English literacy, lexicography, project work, and classroom management.

For more information on this book, please go to http://www.pearsoned-asia.com/sprint/

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Home Archives Issue 2 Share Thinking About Thinking: What Educators Need to Know

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Thinking About Thinking: What Educators Need to Know

Edited by Jessie Ee, Agnes Chang, Oon-Seng Tan, (2004), McGraw-Hill education (Asia), ISBN 0-00-715133-0, 329 pages

Thinking about Thinking comprehensively provides the latest theories and applications in the field of metacognition and self-regulated learning.

This book is divided into two parts. The first section opens with Barry Zimmerman and Manuel Martinez-Pons' overview of the effectiveness and extensiveness of students' self-regulatory process in academic learning. This is followed by discussions on aspects of self-regulated learning ranging from how classroom ecology can aid in the learning of self-regulated strategies to about how a community of inquiry can aid in the dissemination of self-regulated learning strategies in classrooms.

The second section looks at the some of the latest applications and innovations of self-regulated learning and metacognition strategies used in classrooms.

A case for teacher education serves as a starting point for enabling new paradigm shifts towards learning more effectively.

This is followed by a discussion on how the choice of teachers can hinder or improve the progress of self-regulated learning. An emphasis on the importance of teachers as facilitators to guide the students through the process of self-regulatory learning is made next.

The book concludes with a chapter on self-regulated learning strategies and youths with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The chapter introduces several intervention strategies that teachers may use in the process of teaching self-regulating skills to them.

Thinking about Thinking is definitely a book worth reading; it is a treasure of useful insights on teacher thinking. The dynamic combination of both theory and practice of self?regulated learning and metacognition and the simple, straight forward style of writing make this book a joy to read.

Reviewed by Jacqueline Au Yong. Jacqueline is a Research Associate with CRPP. She holds a Master's in Applied Sociology and has special interest in the subjective well-being of adolescents and in service learning.

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We link you to related organisations that offer professional development and training courses for teachers. Look out also for research-related seminars organised regularly by NIE and CRPP.

More Learning Pathways

Many of you are keen to upgrade yourselves but have little or no advanced certification to show for your efforts. And while many of the advanced certification programme courses are very useful, they are usually available only to programme candidates. If these situations sound familiar to you, fret not. From 2005, you can upgrade yourself and obtain advanced certification at the same time.


BA Tamil Language and Literature

UniSIM, in collaboration with leading Tamil language scholars from Tamil Nadu, India, is offering an undergraduate programme in Tamil Language and Literature. This Bachelor of Arts (BA) programme is the first of its kind in Singapore.


Langscape: Ways of exploring language and literature

A conference on teaching of English Language and Literature for teachers from the primary to junior college level.


Conference on Philosophy in Schools: Developing a community of inquiry

Teachers are invited to Singapore's first conference on teaching of philosophy in schools.





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More Learning Pathways

Many of you are keen to upgrade yourselves but have little or no advanced certification to show for your efforts. And while many of the advanced certification programme courses are very useful, they are usually available only to programme candidates. If these situations sound familiar to you, fret not. From 2005, you can upgrade yourself and obtain advanced certification at the same time.

The Graduate Programmes and Research Office (GPR) at NIE has put in place the Professional Development Continuum Models (PDCM) to provide you with more options and different pathways to do both.

The new models cater to both graduate and non-graduate teachers who have completed their initial teacher training programmes.

Professional Development Continuum Models Chart

Graduate teachers Pathways available for graduate teachers are as follows:

1. Attain a Master's degree (by coursework or research) by the end of to 6 years, then proceed to complete a PhD by the end 8 to 10 years.

2. Attain an Advanced Postgraduate Diploma (APGD) by end of year 5 to 6

3. Attain a Master's degree by the end of 8 to 10 years using Accreditation Core (AC)[ 1] modules from the APGD for accreditation into the Master's programme; then attain your PhD by the end of 12 to 15 years.

4. Accumulate relevant AC modules offered as in-service courses and apply for accreditation of these modules into specific Master's programmes. Each module has a lifespan of five years for accreditation. In such instances, completion of APGD is not necessary. However, accreditation to any Master's programme is limited to a maximum of 12 Academic Units (AUs).

Non-graduate teachers Pathways available for non-graduate teachers are divided into two categories:

1. Those who qualify for undergraduate degree programmes based on their GCE A- level/polytechnic Diploma or Diploma in Education (Dip Ed) results:

Can attain their basic degree certification by end of year 5 or 6. They can then complete their Masters' certification by year 8 to 10 and then to PhD degrees in 12 to 15 years after Dip Ed.

Accumulate relevant AC modules offered as in-service courses and apply for accreditation[2] of these modules into degree programme later on by merit of their own qualifications without the completion of Advanced Diploma. These AC modules have a lifespan of five years for accreditation to the degree programme.

2. Those who do not qualify for admission to the degree programmes can:

Complete the Advanced Diploma (Adv Dip) certification by the end of year 5 or 6;

Use the Adv Dip grades, together with the Dip Ed grades, to meet entry requirements into the degree programme.

Upon admission to the degree programme, use relevant AC modules in the Adv Dip for some AUs in the degree programme. These AC modules have a lifespan of five years for accreditation to the degree programme. By end of year 8 to 10, these teachers can attain their basic degree certification; and by year 12 to 15, teachers can then work towards their Master's certification.

What the new models mean for you The new continuum models mean more flexibility and convenience for teachers. Enrol in programme courses as long as you meet the pre-requisite requirements (if any). Previously, teachers had to first enrol as programme participants.

Gain academic units (AUs) upon successful completion of your enrolled courses. Once you have accumulated sufficient AUs, you can apply to NIE for relevant advanced certification. These modules have a lifespan of five years for accreditation to specific Adv Dip and APGD. Accumulate AUs from Accreditation Core (AC) modules to degree programmes without having to complete advanced programmes. [Note that these AC modules have a lifespan of five years for accreditation. The BA/BSc (Education) degree programme has a 50% cap on the total AUs that can be accredited from the Dip Ed, Adv Dip and any other relevant modules. The number of AUs that can be accredited to any Master's programme cannot exceed 12.] Plan your learning journey more efficiently as NIE plans to offer modules for each advanced programme on a systematic two-year cycle.

NIE also plans to offer in-service training at school sites for busy teachers, where the facilities, resources and time permit. So if you have always wanted to obtain a higher certification, start checking out the GPR website.

For more information on PDCM, please contact Ms Serena Yuen of GPR at [email protected] or 6790 3870. You can also visit the GPR website at http://www.nie.edu.sg/gprica/pdcm.htm

1 Accreditation Core (AC) modules let teachers accumulate academic units for accreditation into higher levels of certification (i.e., Bachelor's and Master's degrees) in NIE. These modules would also be available as stand-alone professional development modules if you do not wish to pursue advanced certification.

2 The total number of academic units (AUs) from relevant AC modules (together with the AUs from the Dip Ed) and any other relevant modules for accreditation into the degree programme cannot exceed 50% of the total degree programme AUs requirements.

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Home Archives Issue 2 Enrich BA Tamil Language and Literature

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BA Tamil Language and Literature

UniSIM, in collaboration with leading Tamil language scholars from Tamil Nadu, India, is offering an undergraduate programme in Tamil Language and Literature. This Bachelor of Arts (BA) programme is the first of its kind in Singapore.

While the syllabus and standard are on par to that offered in leading Tamil Nadu universities, the content has been modified to suit Singaporean learners.

Professors from Madurai-Kamaraj University which is renowned for its Tamil Language programme and other universities would be teaching this programme. Both non-graduate Tamil language teachers and Tamil enthusiasts would find this programme beneficial.

For more information about the BA Tamil Language and Literature, click here.

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Home Archives Issue 2 Enrich Langscape: Ways of exploring language and literature

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Langscape: Ways of exploring language and literature

A conference on teaching of English Language and Literature for teachers from the primary to junior college level.

Date: 27-28 April 2006

Venue: SEAMEO Regional Language Centre

Organised by the English Language & Literature Academic Group of the National Institute of Education and the Singapore Teachers' Union (STU), this conference is intended for all teachers of English and Literature from primary to junior college levels. It features papers and workshops on scaffolding, children's literature, text types, critical and creative thinking, and drama and media in the English classroom, and many more.

Professor Frances Christie (University of Melbourne), Professor Tara Goldstein (University of Toronto), Professor Allan Luke (Queensland University of Technology), and Professor Graeme Turner (University of Queensland) will be the keynote speakers.

You can download the conference poster. For details about the submission of abstracts and conference registration, please visit http://alvin.myplace.nie.edu.sg/langscape/

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Home Archives Issue 2 Enrich Conference on Philosophy in Schools: Developing a community of inquiry

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Conference on Philosophy in Schools: Developing a community of inquiry

Teachers are invited to Singapore's first conference on teaching of philosophy in schools.

Date: 17-18 April 2006

Venue: Suntec Convention Centre, Level 2

The first of its kind in Singapore, this conference brings together overseas experts and local scholars on the teaching of philosophy in schools, and in particular the Philosophy for Children (P4C) programme that has been used internationally to develop children's reasoning skills. P4C is also the central focus of a CRPP research project on Fostering Critical Thinking in a Primary School.

Schools that are using the P4C or other philosophy-based thinking programmes are invited to share their insights and experiences in the symposium sessions. If you are interested in making a presentation, please send by email attachment a 200-word abstract to Mr Stephen Jayaram of STU at [email protected] .

Discounts are available for group registrations and Singapore Teacher's Union members. You can download the registration form and conference programme. For more information, please go to http://www.stu.org.sg

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RELAX Wind down with wisecracks, inspiring quotations, silly cartoons, and anything reflecting the lighter and fun side of teaching. Who says teachers can't laugh at themselves?

School Blues and The Creator

Wind down with wisecracks, inspiring quotations, silly cartoons, and anything reflecting the lighter and fun side of teaching. Who says teachers can't laugh at themselves?





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Home Archives Issue 2 Relax School Blues and The Creator

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School Blues and The Creator

Wind down with wisecracks, inspiring quotations, silly cartoons, and anything reflecting the lighter and fun side of teaching. Who says teachers can't laugh at themselves?

School Blues

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

The Creator

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Teachers would find these websites both informative and relevant to their profession.

National Council of Teachers of English

The NCTE aims to develop literacy and imrpove the teaching and learning of English and the language arts across all levels. It is a professional organization that advocates "writing as the central tool for learning, thinking and communication". http://www.ncte.org

Redesigning Pedagogies: Research, Policy and Practice

CRPP's first international conference was extremely successful. Teachers and teacher educators alike left the conference with a greater amount of knowledge. The conference site contains the papers that were presented during the three-day conference. http://conference.nie.edu.sg/rprpp

Regional Language Centre

The Regional Language Centre (RELC) is an educational project set up by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) in July 1968. RELC's main function is to aid in the development of language teacher education in this region. SEAMEO comprises of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam with Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway as associate members. http://www.relc.org.sg

Singapore Teachers' Union

The Singapore Teachers' Union was formed in 1946; and today, it is the largest organization for teachers in Singapore. Besides looking into the well-being of teachers, STU also conducts workshops and courses for the professional development of teachers. http://www.stu.org.sg

Teachers College Record

The Teachers College Record, or TCRecord as it is better known, is an online publication by the Teachers College of Columbia University. TCRecord contains articles covering research and commentary in the field of education. http://www.tcrecord.org

Teachers Network

The Teachers Network is dedicated to enabling teachers to contribute to their own professional development via sharing, collaboration and reflection. It is a valuable network for teachers in Singapore. http://sam11.moe.gov.sg/tn



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