If your child is preparing to make the significant step up to primary school from preschool this year, it is only natural that you will want to find out as much as you can about what they will be learning in Primary 1.
But primary schools do not hand out the full syllabus to prospective students a year in advance, and you can only rely on hearsay from family and friends so much.
That’s where we at The Learning Lab come in: our curriculum is designed to help your child attain the necessary skills at each stage of his or her learning journey, so that you can rest secure knowing your child will be ready to tackle each new milestone.
Here is an overview of what students in Primary 1 can expect to be learning, and how we help students excel:
The objective for Primary 1 and 2 English is to help students develop a strong linguistic foundation in the key areas of reading comprehension, writing and speaking, as well as grammar fundamentals and vocabulary.
Students should be able to systematically identify the main features of a text and learn simple techniques to respond confidently to comprehension questions, as well as how to craft strong narrative plots while using show-not-tell techniques in their writing.
At The Learning Lab, our Primary 1 and 2 English curriculum comprises three key features: Grow What You Know (Exposure), Show What You Know (Analysis and Strategy) and Present What You Know (Answering Techniques).
To grow what our students know and their reading habits, we provide them with specially curated materials containing passages from world-renowned publications such as National Geographic Kids, Scholastic News and Washington Kids Post, as well as a curated book collection including genres like fantasy, humour and mystery.
We also develop comprehensive in-house notes that give our students a step-by-step approach for tackling key examinable language components. The content is just half the equation, however. We also teach students questioning techniques so they learn to be active learners with a curious disposition, always ready to engage in and explore topics further.
We also place a strong emphasis on teaching students to show what they know effectively. Part of this involves the acquisition of question analysis skills: students are taught how to systematically analyse and annotate question requirements, as well as visual texts, to answer comprehension questions.
They are also taught brainstorming techniques to select and develop unique and engaging storylines. Our teachers also introduce memory techniques known as mnemonics so that students can easily recall the steps and skills taught. Students are given regular feedback on common mistakes so that similar pitfalls can be identified and avoided.
Finally, The Learning Lab believes in nurturing confident speakers who can thrive beyond the classroom. Regular teacher and peer evaluation during class helps our students develop effective communication skills, while students can also benefit from individual presentation lessons with the teacher’s guidance.
At Primary 1, students have to build a solid foundation in arithmetic for addition and subtraction, advancing to more challenging concepts such as reading picture graphs and solving word problems involving money transactions in dollars and cents.
In addition, emphasis will be placed on exposing students to various techniques to solve word problems and short-answer questions. The goal is to prepare students for the more abstract concepts that they will encounter at Primary 3 and up.
A key feature of our programme is the explicit teaching of heuristics in problem-solving. Rather than teaching the mechanical application of formulae, our programme emphasises deep conceptual understanding so that students are able to identify concepts, and select and apply the correct methods to successfully solve all types of questions.
At The Learning Lab, we introduce our Primary 1 students to the concepts of ‘sum’ and ‘difference’, and guide them to master addition and subtraction within 100, and mental addition and subtraction within 20, among other skills.
Students are also taught how to form multiplication and division equations based on pictorial representation, and are exposed to basic concepts from counting money in cents or dollars to telling the time using ‘o’clock’ and ‘half past’, two-dimensional shapes, and measuring and comparing the length of objects.
Our Primary 1 Mathematics curriculum also consists of the same three key features: Grow What You Know, Show What You Know and Present What You Know. Our weekly worksheets are completely developed in-house and expose students to a wide range of problems including math vocabulary and explanation questions, and higher-order thinking problems.
Active learning remains our focus, and where possible students learn mathematics through stories, interactive games and puzzles. We also expose students to the real-world context by teaching them how to apply mathematics through projects and thematic revision booklets.
Mnemonics are a fun to use and important tool to enhance students’ recall of key concepts in mathematics too, while students are also taught strategies for optimal problem-solving under time constraints.
The transition to Primary 1 is a significant milestone for both you and your child, and you will want to put him or her in the best position to succeed.
To do so, your child will need to have more than just knowledge — he or she must also have the right disposition towards learning as a journey, and possess the right skills.
At The Learning Lab, we believe in a holistic approach to education that is about nurturing your child’s whole person from an early age. Our curriculum is designed to be relevant to every student and to cultivate the curiosity to learn.
Find out more about how our Early Years programme prepares students for primary school here.
The Learning Lab is now at locations. Find a location that suits your needs.
If you have any questions about our range of programmes or class schedules, you may contact us at 6733 8711 or drop us an email at enquiry@thelearninglab.com.sg.
The Learning Lab is now at locations. Find a location that suits your needs.
If you have any questions about our range of programmes or class schedules, you may fill in the form below or contact us at 6733 8711 / enquiry@thelearninglab.com.sg.