18.08.10 / Pre-school, Primary, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (9)
Tags: e-xra, eclectic-Express reading approach, odonata books, Odonata Chinese books, Peter and Jane, speed reading, sukukata help
Finally I found the right books to help QQ with her BM!
When a blog buddy, Hanz (who is currently homeschooling her 2 sons) first told me about the teaching of Bahasa Melayu using the e-xra way (eclectic-Express reading approach), I was a bit skeptical because I have asked around many, but none seems to know about the e-xra teaching. But after reading on all the convincing homeschool programs Hanz has lined up and shared in her blog, I decided that I need to get hold of the e-xra speed reading books to find out myself.
QQ’s relatively lower standard
You see, I was really desperate as QQ’s standard is somehow behind all her peers although her school’s standard is already low compare to many advance preschool. From my recent guidance and observation, QQ definitely isn’t low in IQ. It might be due to her LOST FIRST 4 YEARS OF LEARNING, when she lived in the darkness as she can’t see the world with her extremely serious rare high degrees of Hypermetropia, which we only discovered when she goes to school at Age 4. More details about the diagnose of her vision here, here and here.
Since she is going to the Chinese Primary School next year, I want to at least try to build her foundation to master the suku-kata.
How E-xra works from my understanding
Conventional reading:
- “ba” is taught as “bi-e-ba”
- “meng” is taught as “m-e-n-g-meng”
E-xra Reading:
- “ba” is taught as “ba”
- “meng” is taught as “meng”
(no spelling or reaching of alphabet is required, thus recognition of suku-kata becomes very quick each time a new word is introduced)
As you can see there is a lot of Suku-kata revision after each new suku-kata is introduced. Although most of the words in the page does not make sense or having any meaning, the repetition of suku-kata (no matter if it is placed at in front / middle / back of a word) seems to help the kids to recognise the word as a whole immediately.
I bought the e-xra sets directly from their website which consist of:
- Set of 3 reading book (consists of 7 Reading Modules) @ Rm39.90
- Set of 3 activity books (consists of 7 Worksheet Modules) @ Rm35
- 1 CD (7 Modules reading and games) @ Rm35
I just tried it today with QQ and it seems fun when she can read each word so quickly. Hope this could work magic on her to brush up her suku kata as soon as possible.
For Mandarin, its books from Odonata
For English, it is the Peter and Jane Books
For BM, its E-xra!
Thank GOD that we see lights in our dark tunnel now!
03.08.10 / Health, Pre-school, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (13)
Tags: de-worm medicine, Zentel, zentel deworming, zentel dosage
“Dancing Queen” dancing to the beat with her brothers
Born at 36weeks+, she was a very tiny baby. She vomits easily when she over ate, and being a so small eater, and she was so skinny until we all got so worried about her. But early this year, her appetite suddenly increased a lot after I fed her with a dose of Zentel de-worm medicine while feeding my 2 skinny boys. And at only at only 6 years old, she already weight 24kg!!
QQ is now being one of the BIGGEST size children in her class and luckily she is one of the tallest too, so she do not really look fat at this weight. Anyone who had not seen her in ages loves to pinch her now whenever they see her. Her face is so round now and everyone said she looks like Mini-Me!
29.07.10 / Family, Pre-school, Primary, QQ, Tags / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (23)
Tags: chinese books for children, hong ching ting, odonata books, Odonata Series, Peter and Jane, peter and jane book series, peter and jane kindergarten, peter and jane ladybird books
Due to my laziness, QQ is still not as good in her study like most children at age 6. She gets ZERO during BM Ejaan and Chinese Ding Xie beginning of this year. No English spelling yet until now. But well, its all past. Hence, it’s time to do something now, one by one and we have got 6 full m0nths to go, before she goes to Std 1 in Primary school next year.
English
I notice that the books her school using (Sunshine Books) is not very effective for my slow learner. Therefore I started her on Peter and Jane a few months back, starting from the lowest level. QQ now completes Level 3 (although a friend of hers can already read up to Level 5!). Ok, not comparing (BUT I JUST CAN”T HELP IT!!!!), but at least I am glad to see her enjoying reading English now compare to previous.
Peter and Jane Series (Rm9.90 per book)
Where to buy: Popular (10% off for members, and sometimes 20% during sales)
Chinese
I speak very fluent Mandarin, but you will be surprise I cannot read a single word. Not even my own kids’ names. Chinese is the most helpless subject for me as I cannot understand to guide her on her homework. Again, the books used in her school isn’t effective enough for a slow learner like her.
Many good friends in Facebook (even her school teacher!) recommended the Odotana Pre-school Series (I understand that many pre-school are using this) and I must say the books are FANTASTIC in teaching Mandarin. Even I learned a lot Chinese words recognition from the Odonata Series.
Odonata Series consist of Reading Books (word recogniti0n), CD, Story Book, CD Game, Flash Card
Where to buy: It’s cheapest at their website
Chinese Strokes /Pinyin: http://www.nciku.com/ (I use this whenever I need to guide QQ on her school Chinese Writing)
How it works
Peter and Jane and Odonata shares the same method, repetition. From the lowest level, the page introduce a new word and it slowly goes into a short phrase, then sentences. Each time you flip the book, you will see lots of words repetition PLUS A NEW WORD (stated below). For Chinese, there is also guide on stroke writing. So its all REPEAT and REPEAT, simple right?
For the Odonata Series, I did not buy the complete set. Just the reading books and some stories, level by level. I do not want to buy the revision book, as I do not wish to test QQ this way (Glenn Doman is totally against testing the kid, remember?) Kids hate homework, hate test and since they will be tortured badly in our education system later anyway, why not spare them at home? I feel that it is good enough to cultivate reading and she will recognise the words slowly by reading.
Oh yes, I also bought the CD GAME and it is very interesting! Tell you, if the kids cannot recognise the words, she won’t be able to play it. That’s what I want, FUN LEARNING!!!!
Appreciate if you could share some links to online games your kids are enjoying (pre-school level) if you think it can helps QQ to improve. Also, I need recommendation on BM books to brush up her BM, please.
p/s: I was very surprise when Hui Sia told me that pre-school kids in China is not being tested in preschool. Eh, we are talking about CHINA ler! The most competitive community in the world and yet they spare their young kids, how surprising right? And yet in Malaysia, we are torturing our little ones, at such young age (if you have read the recent change, for eg. Entry school at Age 4, LINUS for primary kids, heavy bags with tonnes of home work, bla..bla..bla…and ALL KIND OF NUTS!!
29.07.10 / Parenting, Pre-school, Primary, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (6)
When I was a student myself, I was pretty relax with my study. Tomorrow exam, tonight study. If no electricity, then go sleep (in peace some more). Just wake up earlier next morning. That’s me. No wonder my mum was so tense and grow old so quickly.
When I was in Uni, I see similar study trend among all peers from Kebangsaan primary school. We behave totally different compare to our friends with Chinese primary school background. Despite all the laziness and “tidak-apa” attitude, still, there is not much difference in the examination results. I gather that study SMART counts, not study HARD. Or I am just pretty lucky?
And now I am a mother, and I shall enroll my kids into Primary Chinese School. If it is not for the Chinese language that I want them to master, I would not send them there. I know, it’s like a DEEP DEEP HELL for little kids to be in there for 6 crazy long years!
As QQ has been attending a “relaxing” preschool, I am getting very tense with her weakness now. I totally cannot imagine how she is going to cope when she gets into Primary School in another 6 months time. All peers her age can already master Suku-kata and Ejaan in BM, simple English Reading, and Simple Chinese. Even my mother (still a primary teacher) found that she is a bit lack behind….*SOB..SOB*
Am I being too relax on her? I can’t help but blaming myself a lot. For giving too much freedom to play at home, from morning till night. Unlike other mothers, I do not follow strict time table for revision, not much books to revise. I did not perform my duty as what a SAHM should do. Aiyo…only 6 yrs old ler, wanna kill them meh??
It’s just another 6 months and we are as if going to hell (read my next post). I am getting tense now and started working on something recently. Wonder if most mothers out there with kids going to Std 1 are feeling the same like I do….. :’-(
26.07.10 / Family, Pre-school, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (0)
Tags: Mini sports day
It was Mini Sports Day at QQ’s pre-school last Saturday. Although a very simple one, I think the way of organizing was really fun and meaningful in introducing the kids to all different kinds of sports. All the games are pretty simple, for instant, where the kid will have to
- learn using the racket to hit the shutter cock into the many square bins (badminton)
- kick the football into cupboard-made holes (football)
- hit the ping pong ball with the ping pong paddle into any of the many cups arranged on the table (ping pong)
- roll the balls on the floor to hit down the bottles (bowling)
- throw basketball into net (basketball)
Each kid were given a recycle handmade paper bag and they have to visit class by class to participate on the games to win and collect as many little gifts (pencil, eraser, pin, etc..) as they can with their paper bag. There were also team activities for parent and kid so the above is what we won, HOORAY!
13.06.10 / Celebration, Child's Play, Family, Just info, Pre-school, QQ, Twins, remember me / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (4)
Tags: picnic, Taman Tasik Permaisuri
June is a fun month for us. It is either a birthday celebration at home, or fun time out for everyone.
During the first week of the school holiday, my neighbourhood friends and I enrolled our preschoolers into a holiday program, at a nearby preschool. Unlike previous sessions done, they have lots of outing this time. On the first day, the teachers brought them to a Fruit Farm. On the 5th day, they organised a picnic and all parents are invited to join along.
Hence, hubby took leave, so we could bring the boys along.
We reached there at about 9.30am. Surprisingly the whole place were so shady. We were so amazed with the fantastic playground there, seriously! There are so many sections and the playground is really HUGE. If you have kids age 5 and above, it is really worth visiting to this park as the climb up and down playground is even BIGGER than any of those in 1Utama or Mid Valley Megakidz!
Also, there are a few suspension bridges and a good cycling track. Best part of it, everything is situated just at the entrance so you can actually leave everything in your car and fetch it only when you need it.
Boys on simple tunnel slide
Korkor’s hand looks tired from holding the food! This park is really a great picnic place as there are many seats and table around. I would say amenities here is the best as compare to many parks in Klang Valley. Even their public toilet (20sen per entry) is clean and nice.
QQ with her friend, Audrey. QQ was incredibly timid as she dare not climb up anywhere 
With their father around, they were either confined to the seat or being held closely (too many red ants la….too dangerous la…bla..bla…bla…). Besides simple swing and see-saw which is suitable for little kids their age, they can only an sit there to watch people play instead of wandering around (too dangerous as the playground is too huge).
We went off early and proceed to Mid Valley as I wanted to check out the Thomas Wooden Railway series at Choo Choo Train, The Garden. It was an extremely tiring day, but fun for everyone.
p/s: Check out what I finally got for the boys for their coming birthday soon….Also, posting soon, where QQ got her birthday present real LATE and she’s REAL MAD too…
05.01.10 / Chin Nee, Family, Parenting, Pre-school, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (24)
Tags: Cheras, montessori, Pre-school, preschool, sri soka, tadika sri soka
I definitely cannot operate pre school, if all parents out there behave so fussy like most of us do, hehe…
At end of year 3, I began my search for my favourite pre school. I found Sri Soka at Cheras and love this “kid’s university” tremendously! Unfortunately I was heavily pregnant then and will not be able to transport my girl to and fro school daily.
Then QQ was then enrolled into a nearby small Montesori preschool but unfortunately QQ does not like one teacher there. (Take note preschool operators, you need to have sweet smiling teachers who also know how to sweet talk to attract parents).
Finally she goes to another established preschool which is also situated nearby. QQ was given a week of trial and I took the opportunity to “monitor the teachers in every class like a hawk“. Finally I found the “suitable teacher” and inform the school that I want QQ to be in her class. And off she went, being pulled out from the car on her first official school day by her class teacher while I just driving away immediately crying myself in the car. Surprisingly she did fine and got settle down very quickly.
Mummy’s search for the “right teacher” continues when she got into year 5 and now year 6. See how fussy and horrible parents like me can be! Wonder if most parents out there are just the same like me?
Related post:
3rd Pre-school: Final choice
2nd Pre-school: Enroll to another nearer school
1st Pre-school: I found my dream school
06.11.09 / Parenting, Pre-school, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (21)
We usually hear, “Uncle, Aunty”, greeted by your friend’s children.
“Dear, quick, say hello to Uncle, Aunty!“. But my girl would usually just keep her mouth close and shy away.
Familiar to the above scene? That’s what happened to QQ and it lasted for as long as four years. No matter how much I ask her to greet my friends or relatives, she will just stare at me blankly, as if cannot understand what I am talking about. Worst till, I was even blamed by my in-laws that I did not teach my girl manners!
Early this year in her Kindergarden’s teachers-parents meet, all her teachers told me that she would just not open mouth, no matter what question was posed to her. I was so upset and tension. Must really make appointment and go relax at my facial treatment, enjoying facial and eye massage with theirbest eye cream again!
It was only until recently QQ starting to open her golden mouth to greet people whenever I ask her to. After 4.5 years of waiting!! Can you believe how relief I was? ….*phiew*….
One of her ex-teacher said some children just need take so much of time to warm up themselves. So, if you have a child who is like QQ, try stay calm, k. And tomorrow will be QQ’s school concert at KLCC theater and I cannot believe how quickly my little baby girl is going to be in the final year in her kindergarden next year!
(Posing in a sarong wearing a pair of wooden shoes, effect from watching too much of Little Nyonya series)
19.08.09 / Parenting, Pre-school, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (15)
Tags: excursion, maggi
(Korkor who loves to play cooking, holding a spoon, and *Umm..Ummm…Ummm* pretending to eat all day)
“Not me, it’s my sis!”
QQ had great fun today going to the Maggi Masak-masak studio. Organised by their pre-school, each child only has to pay Rm10 and they get a good experience on the hands-on pastry making.
Chicken puff done by the kids
Each child wore back a red apron and brought back a bag of Maggi goodies (packs of cooking ingredients to please their mummies). QQ mentioned that they were served with yummy chocolate cakes, nuggets, biscuits and little Milo packs as their morning snack. Not bad for a RM10 paid hor….
22.05.09 / Chin Nee, Family, Parenting, Pre-school, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (27)
“I am also your daughter!”
She said this to me lying on her bed last night while I was whispering the boys’ name, patting them to sleep. Sad words, isn’t it?
Am I really neglecting my kids? Am I taking on too much time online, with Mama Patch, activities I love like baking, and such?
She loves snuggle close to me, asking me to hug her when I am hugging the boys, one in each hand, each night on bed. The boys are tough to handle, as they need to be bf to sleep, on arms. I wish I could have another hand for her, but most of the time she just lie there on her bed, drifting herself to sleep. When the boys are knocked out, she sleeps too.
This morning I attended the parent-teachers meet in her school. All teachers commented that, she looks very reserved and not much of confident in herself. She cannot express herself well, and do not want to respond to her teachers, when they ask her. She is not initiative like other children, and only mingles with her few close friends.
Teachers suspected that she has been neglected at home, thus lack of confidence. Her class teacher ask me if it is because of the boys, that I hardly communicate with her. Or was it I had too high expectation on her, that I gave her less attention, expecting her to behave like a grown up immediately after the boys are born?
Although I sense her strong jealousy, at least she still shows strong affection to her brothers. Whenever they move in their sleep, she will act just like me, quickly go and pat/rock their sarong helping me to put them back to sleep. I admire her for this, for I was much a lousier eldest sister when I was young comparing to her.
I know I did the best I can, however it always seems not enough. I guess most mothers out there feel the same way too. *hugz hugz to all mothers out there*
Sorry about this sad post, as today is suppose to be a happy Friday for most.
P/S: Oh yes, hubby read my previous post and all comments. He came back laughing, amaze to see how we all so supportive of each other. Thanks for helping out, ladies, all your words well said and went into his ears. Now he knows that his “yellow-face” wife is not easily being bullied although sitting at home with the kids 
27.02.09 / Bento, Bento Kits, Parenting, Pre-school, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (10)
Top: flowery cut sausages
Left: Egg sandwich with a decorative doll on top
Right: Cut apples
I almost laugh my head off when I look at my creation in the above picture. Seeing so many nice bento creation from other bloggers out there, I decided to try to make a little girl for QQ using cheese and sausage. Since I do not have a cutter for body part, I just had to do freehand. It ended up look like those Chinese paper dolls for prayers instead. (I think you know what I mean)
My poor girl, I am not sure if she still have the appetite to eat what I have created for her! I tell myself I should improve and I did. Done with all my interim and will post some of them later on….*going to zzzzz now*
27.02.09 / Bento Kits, Pre-school, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (1)
Tags: Egg, Tart
After getting the wrong egg tart, poor hubby went to buy egg tarts again the next day. This time he got it correctly for his little girl, after rushing to renew for our car insurance. As this Mr Egg Tart has got a smoother face, I decided to play around by making some a face and hair to it. I cut out some seaweed since I do not have a puncher to do it. Quite ugly, I would say, but at least she is excited. No more additional bread this time. Instead I gave her some peeled oranges.
Will be getting myself a nice puncher from CP very very soon, so that those faces will look more presentable in future.
27.02.09 / Bento Kits, Parenting, Pre-school, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (0)
Tags: container, Egg, Monkey, Sauce, Tart
Kids are easily influenced. When QQ saw one of her friend brought egg tart to school for snack, she requested the same too. However hubby got her the Portugis egg tart instead of the normal ones. She was not very happy when hubby brought it back. Luckily she forgot about it the next morning, until she saw Mr Egg Tart who flown all the way from Portugis to her school.
She can really eat like a crocodile when she is hungry. Since she does not like vege or fruits (that’s why you don’t see any fruits or vege appear in her box), I added some cut out flower shape bread for her. Instead of applying jam for her, I gave her some strawberry jam and placed them into the little Monkey Sauce container.
Probably it is too difficult for her to handle such delicate small item. She asked me to apply the jam in advance for her instead, really lazy hor? sigh…
Am going to take a break in decorating my girl’s lunch box this coming holiday. Am going to check if I can find a good bargain in one of the Dallas Texas hotels for our vacation.
27.02.09 / Bento Kits, Family, Pre-school, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (3)
Tags: face, Kitty, Pooh, sandwich
Cut out bread skin was used to cut Kitty’s eyes and nose. For the ribbon, I add a chocolate chips in the middle surrounded by some blue and purple heart shape sprinkle. I added some little Pooh Sandwich on the left.
After getting her first Kitty Face sandwich for the first time, she wants the same too on the second day. She asked me to add in more bread for her, saying that one set is not enough. Since the Kitty lunch box is too small, I used this Mickey and Friends lunch box since it is bigger. Instead of putting two sets of Kitty sandwich in it, I cut some smaller sandwich using my Pooh vege cutter. I am surprise to see how much I have invested to make my children happy. Nothing for poor Mummy, but definitely worth investing than to let hubby buy his tv stand for his plasma :p
18.02.09 / Parenting, Pre-school, QQ / Author: chinneeq / Comments: (11)
Tags: dance, lion, Pre-school
Unlike most children who are afraid of lion dance, QQ fancy the Lion Dance very much ever since she was young. She has a mini head and she used to perform lion dance with her father behind her. She even stay up late at night now to watch the NTV7 local drama series just because of the Lion dance.
This year her school organised one during their CNY celebration. I was there too, taking videos with my camcorder with one hand while another hand closing my son’s ear (well, by wearing by baby in a sling close to me, he will not be startled so easily). At least I am hands free!
It is indeed difficult to bring the Bumbo Boys out to crowded area like that without hubby. I even had to reach school 30mins earlier, just to make sure I get a good parking right in front of the school so that I would not have to go round in the housing area looking for a space.
Every children wore her best clothes for the function. Light refreshment was also being served so I do not have to cook lunch on that day!