Singapore students have brought home more glory. They have just emerged tops in a prestigious international benchmarking test, also known as the “World Cup for Education”.
The Pisa test
The Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa), a triennial study run by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), measures how well students use their knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems. Singapore emerged triumphs in math, science and reading.
According to The Straits Times, 15-year-olds from Singapore, a total of 5,825, were randomly selected from all 168 public schools for this computer-based test. 290 students from nine private schools, including a madrasah, also participated.
Mr Andreas Schleicher, director for education and skills at OECD, said: “The modern world no longer rewards people for what they know… but for what they can do with what they know. It is therefore encouraging that Singapore students are not just leading the world in scientific knowledge, but they excel particularly in their capacity to think like scientists.”
MOE curriculum helped
The positive results have been encouraging for The Ministry of Education (MOE), which said that the deliberate curricular shifts made by MOE over the years to trim syllabuses and give more time to higher-order thinking skills have borne fruit.
Minister for Education (Schools) Ng Chee Meng, in a Facebook post, yesterday congratulated Singapore students on their top placing in Pisa and said, “Heartened too that our teachers’ dedication to plan engaging lessons has built a strong foundation for our students.”
How can parents encourage their children to love learning? Go to the next page to find out!
How to encourage children to love learning
While it is good news that Singapore students are doing really well in their studies, many parents do face issues when it comes to their child’s interest in his studies. Let’s examine what parents can do to encourage the love of learning in their child:
- Learning through play : If conventional text book learning is not working for your child, get tech savvy. There are plenty of online games and apps for Maths, Science and English, that are fun and interactive. These are especially effective in arousing an interest in the subject.
- Talk to your child : About interesting issues, news, anything. Listen to his opinion without passing judgement. Try to understand the reason behind his opinion.
- Watch your words: Avoid language that lowers their confidence. Instead assure them that proper practice can help them achieve their goals.
- Lead by example: Pursue hobbies, read books. A child who sees his parents reading is inclined to read more often.
- Help your child grow into a global citizen: Expose your child to a wide variety of experiences like music, plays, sports, museums, travel, reading, dance etc. Stimulation of senses often plays a vital role in encouraging learning and interaction.
- Use real life scenarios : Use everyday scenarios to ease your child’s learning, be it going to the shop or observing nature. The more he practices in daily life, the more he is going to enjoy it during learning.
- Let them know that school is important : Attend school functions, volunteer in the classroom if possible, and communicate with the teacher. Ask the teacher what you can do to help your child.
Also READ: Helping your child focus in school
(Source: The Straits Times)
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