Early Childhood Conference and Carnival 2015 Concurrent Sessions

ECCC15-webimageS (1)

Click on the titles below to download the presentation slides!

Concurrent Session A
Title	Presentor	Synopsis
Celebrating Cultural Heritage through the lenses of Art	National Arts Council(NAC) National Heritage Board(NHB) Ms Wong Seet Fun, Founder and Owner of Art Loft	Did you know that the Peranakan Museum offers an invaluable learning opportunity to experience and appreciate the cultural heritage of the Peranakans? Have a first hand experience of the artefacts/ exhibits (e.g. culture, food, accessories, clothing) through the visual arts. Learn how you can harness the museum's resources to enhance young children's creative and aesthetic development.
Going on an Architecture Adventure	ArtScience Museum(ASM) Ms Cynthia Tan & Ms Sitti Fatima, The Caterpillar's Cove Child Development and Study Centre	With a focus on buildings and architecture, learn about the educational provisions and understand how the Museum experience can help young children acquire learning dispositions like sense of wonder and curiosity, engagement, appreciation and inventiveness. This will be followed by a hands-on Concurrent Workshop on a specially-written and illustrated story about a boy, Ah Teck and his adventure with different animal friends as he takes his journey around Marina Bay Sands to explore the different landmarks. At the workshop, be introduced to the samples of reflections, based on the iTEACH principles. Learn how to construct a sample curriculum unit on "Buildings " weaving in all six learning areas from the Kindergarten Curriculum Framework.
Zoo Alive - A Living Classroom	Ms Rekha Nair & Ms Michelle Tan, Wildlife Reserves Singapore	Fancy a Learning Journey to the Zoo? Why not? Animals fascinate children and the Singapore Zoo makes for a great living classroom. With some 2,800 animals representing 300 species, the Zoo's immensely rich resources offer endless learning opportunities for children. Join us for an engaging and interactive learning journey that will deepen your knowledge and understanding of the educational resources at the Zoo. A the Concurrent Workshop, learn how to effectively use the Zoo's education programmes, animal and plant exhibits, as well as the natural environment to achieve the learning outcomes in the Kindergarten Curriculum Framework (KCF). Engage in small group discussions where you can learn and share ideas on how to plan meaningful and developmentally appropriate learning journeys to enrich the experiences for young children and their families.
Ahoy There! Expanding Learning Opportunities through the Wonders of Marine Life	Resorts World Sentosa	In this Learning Journey, gain an in-depth understanding of the exciting education and public programmes that await youat Resorts World Sentosa (RWS). Learn how to harness the aquarium as a teaching resource to enhance your programmes and curriculum by incorporating pedagogical practices in education such as life skills, inquiry-based learning and many more. Get up-close to some of the most amazing sea creatures such as sharks, Indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins, sea jellies and majestic manta rays. Through experiential learning, discover the world we live in and develop a positive attitude towards conserving our marine environment and respecting animals in nature. Get to know more about Admiral Zheng He's voyage and how you can impart the valuable lessons from history and cultural diversity to young children. At the Concurrent Workshop, learn how you can use the Admiral Zheng He's voyage museum and aquarium as important teaching resources to enance your lessons in your classrooms.
Creating New Frontiers in Early Childhood through Distributed Leadership	Dr James Spillane	PLENARY WORKSHOP Leaders, as agents of change and innovation, play an important role in propelling the early childhood sector forward. In this workshop, understand leadership from a multi-faceted perspective and see how developing a cadre of leaders in the domains of organisational, curriculum, or even moral leadership can help drive quality improvements in your centre. Gain valuable insights on how you can use "Distributed Leadership " to boost your leadership capabilities and expand opportunities - whether you are a centre leader, a curriculum specialist, an educator, or an educarer.
Shared Book Approach: A Cornerstone of Early Literacy Instruction	Azlina & May-Lyn, Pre-school Education Branch, Ministry of Education (MOE)	Exposing children to a rich variety of stories, songs and rhymes challenges their intellect, stimulates their imagination, builds positive attitudes about books and reading, and provides good language models. Shared reading, using age-appropriate Big Books with enlarged print, illustrations and repetitive language structures, models the reading process and draws children's attention to concepts about print. In this session, participants will learn about the Shared Book Approach used in the Starlight Literacy Programme to promote language learning in their work with young children in our local pre-school context.
Creative Movement for Early Childhood	Dr Stephanie Burridge Supported by the National Arts Council	Get ready for fun, creativity, play and learning together! Children can learn about their world through experiencing movement and communicate their thoughts and feelings in non-verbal expression. In this workshop, teachers will learn some fundamentals of creative dance education and pick up methodologies that will assist them in implementing a meaningful creative movement programme for pre-schoolers. Take away practical ideas that will enable you to create interesting lesson plans and activities that will enrich your movement and dance sessions.
Bring Out the Writer in Every Child	Ms Emily Lim Supported by the National Arts Council	This workshop will equip teachers with ideas to undertake writing projects with pre-schoolers from generation of ideas to writing of manuscripts and developing the final product, a book. Participants will also review picture books as mentor texts which they can use as the springboard to creating stories with pre-schoolers. COme and know more about how you can foster early literacy skills and cultivate a positive attitude towards language acquisition in pre-schoolers and develop the potential of our future writers.
Teacher Well-Being: A Healthy Teacher is a Happy Teacher	Ms Chan Siew Eng, Health Promotion Board (HPB)	Feeling overwhelmed? Ever felt that you can't cope with demands at work? This workshop will equip you with simple practical health tips that you can use to make yourself feel good and look good. We will introduce a teaser of skills and simple exercises that you can adopt to navigate daily challenges, and explore different approaches in which you can customise and bring these health practices into your centres too. Discover the way to a happier and healthier you!
Art Viewing with Children: It's More than Meets the Eye!	Dr Jacqueline Chung, St. James' Church Kindergarten, ECDA Fellow	Art viewing offers opportunities to hone children's observation skills and provides a means for children to respond in terms of what they see, think and feel. Find out what sort of artworks teachers should select to unleash a rich variety of responses frm children. Learn about effective teacher facilitation techniques using Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) to elicit children's responses. This workshop also highlights the rich experiences that children gain from viewing artworks and the importance of including this component into the early childhood art curriculum.
Promoting Preschoolers' Socio-Emotional Learning through Multicultural Picture Books	Ms Jacquelynn WongandMs Ng Siew Chin, National Institute of Education (NIE)	An appreciation and respect for diverse cultures in Singapore have become our way of life as Singaporeans. Find out what constitutes multicultural picture books as well as the strategies that educators can use to induce discussions, provoke thoughts and support problem-solving among pre-schoolers in their interactions with others. Get hands-on experience in creating teacher guides for addressing various socio-emotional issues among young children and learn to curate your own library of multicultural picture books to promote socio-emotional learning in pre-schoolers.
The Electric Corner: Creating Sparks and Buzz in Centres!	Participating Mentors and Centres of The Electric Corner Innovation Grant-Guidance Project 2014 and 2015	What forms an electricity circuit? Are pre-schoolers able to grasp the concept of electricity? In this workshop, you will learn from centres that have implemented "The Electric Corner " Innovation Grant-Guidance Project in collaboration with Science Centre Singapore, that it is possible to introduce the concept of electricity to our young. These centres and their mentors wil share how they have engaged children through carefully developed lesson plans, learning environments, family-centre partnerships and community activities. Get the chance to participate in selected scientific inquiry activities too.
Journey of Quality Improvement through SPARK (1, 2)	Ms Anita Lian Kwee Eng, Pat's Schoolhouse Aroozoo Ms Jaslin Neo Hong Choo, PCF Sparkletots Preschool @Chong Pang Ms Pamela Tan Yan Ying, My First Skool (Blk 1 Bedok South) Ms N. Pushpavalli, Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Kindergarten; ECDA Fellow Ms Uma Samadramam, Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Kindergarten	The Singapore Pre-school Accreditation Framework (SPARK) implemented in Jan 2011 recognises centres for their quality in leadership, teaching and learning practices and administration. Through SPARK, many centres have successfully established structures and processes to support its improvement journey and deliver quality pre-school education. Come and learn from principals and supervisors of SPARK certified centres. They will share how they continually improve and maintain quality teaching and learning practices in their respective centres. Be inspired by their journey of improvement!
"Tapestry for 3 " - Strategic Partnerships that Work	Ms N. Pushpavalli, Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Kindergarten; ECDA Fellow Ms Elsie Tan-Chua, Living Sanctuary Kindergarten; ECDA Fellow Ms Dianne Swee-Seet, Ascension Kindergarten; ECDA Fellow	This presentation shares the collaborative journey of learning among three pre-schools - The Ascension Kindergarten, Living Sanctuary Kindergarten and Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Kindergarten. Our collaboration began in 2011 as we shared our challenges and helped each other as we pursued SPARK Certification. In "Tapestry for 3 ", we will share with you some of the collaborative partnerships in areas such as teaching and learning strategies, as well as professional development of staff. We will also discuss the merits and benefits of deepening ties and networks for strategic partnerships and building a strong fratenity of learners tomove the EC sector forward.
Science of Play	Ms Mona Tan, SEED Institute	Science of Play is a joint collaboration between SEED Institute and Lien Foundation. This workshop aims to promote play time as an important learning process for children through an online bank of play activities for parents and educators to use with children aged 2 and above. In this hands-on workshop, participants will create interesting and engaging play activities suitable for pre-schoolers with common materials from our environment. Come and be a part of this learning community!
Building the Capacity of Educarers through Practical Coaching: A Specific and Skills-Focused Learning Strategy	Ms Nancy Lee-Wong, KLC International Institute	This workshop will explore practical coaching as an alternative and yet effective approach in professional development and continuous learning among educarers. This workshop model is also designed to support educarers in using existing abilities and developing new skills to implement quality early years curriculum. Pick up practical coaching tips and learn how you can use coaching techniques to facilitate children's development and learning in the early years.
The Birds, the Bees and Other Works of Nature	Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum	Bring along a sense of child-like curiosity and be intrigued as we find out how our natural landscape has changed over time from the heritage gallery! Open your eyes to the vast array of specimens of dinosaurs, plants, arthropods, birds, mammals, just to name a few. Check out the themed zones such as Rainforest and Marine Cycles in the biodiversity and heritage galleries. Hear from well-informed docents who will share information about selected specimens and exclusive behind-the-scene stories of the exhibits! This power-packed learning journey will be followed by the Concurrent Workshop where the museum's outreach and education officers will share with you tips on making the museum specimens come to live for our children by incorporating the museum gallery into your lesson plans! You also get to play a part in planning a learning kit which is targeted at the kindergarten children.
Picture Book Author Study - A Literature-Based Reading and Writing Strategy in the Early Years Classroom	Ms Lavina Chong & Ms Goh Yu Ling, Singapore Institute of Technology-Wheelock College	An author study is an in-depth investigation and understanding of a selection of books. One of the best ways to 'meet an author' is through his or her books. Through author study, children can develop a deeper understanding of culture, history, genres, content and language. In this workshop you will explore ways to investigate and celebrate the 'stories' behind picture books. Through group discussions, teachers will have the opportunity to reflect upon and assess children's understanding and growth in relation to the development of literacy and a better appreciation of authors and books.
Identifying Children with Additional Needs in the Classroom 在课室里观察和识别孩童的发展需要	Ms Siew Lai Ching, Learning Support Facilitator, KK Women's and Children's Hospital Ms Lee Ching Eu, Learning Support Educator, Development Support Programme, Special Education Needs Team, PCF (Disability Division, Ministry of Social and Family Development in collaboration with KK Women's and Children's Hospital)	This workshop aims to facilitate an interactive learning for early childhood educators in using the Ecological Congruence Assessment for classroom activities and routines. This assessment tool provides educators a quick and effective way to document their observations of children functioning in usual classroom activities and routines, and can be used in progress monitoring. Information gathered about the child will be used to identify goal and intervention practices that will further support the child in the classroom. 学前孩童在发展的过程中，会因着某些因素有不同的需要。这些因素包括孩童的文化和语言经验，家庭背景，生活在复杂或易受伤害的环境，健康状况1，学习挑战等等。及早察觉孩童的发展需要，及早提供适当的教育和辅助是重要的第一步。这个工作坊的主要目的的是让幼儿教师透过互动的方式使用生态学相合性(Ecological Congruence Assessment)做评估，让幼儿教师学习如何在极短时间内，有效的在自然的课程情况下，观察和识别孩童的发展需要，并把所观察和记录的资讯，与家长，老师和专业人员分享和讨论如何在课堂里给予有关孩童适当的辅助。
A Well-Balanced Math Experience: Body Competence Affects Conceptual Understanding of Measurement	Ms Peggy Zee, Early Childhood Consultant	Young children are natural problem solvers and we should provide them with as many opportunities to engage in meaningful measurement problem-solving experiences. Come ready to participate in a dynamic perceptual-motor measurement adventure. You will gain an understanding of how movement promotes children's formation of measurement quantities and learn how to create opportunities for children to develop a strong foundation for math skills such as (a) Using hands-onor concrete materials; (b) Promoting discovery through exploration; (c) Posing questions that sparks intellectual and verbal involvement; and (d) Promoting problem solving skills. It will be a whole-body math experience for participants!
River Safari Expedition - A Watery World Exploration	Ms Vera Yang & Ms Jessica Sum, Wildlife Reserve Singapore	Explore mighty rivers and 'swim' in a watery world that teems with a rich abundance of resources, which you can use to excite children about learning. Let the endearing manatees capture the imagination of the children and inspire them to explore the world of freshwater ecosystems. Connect children with conservation issues through the stories of the most-loved bears Kai Kai and Jia Jia. Dive deep to gain insights into the world of River Safari and learn how these can achieve the six learning areas in the Kindergarten Curriculum Framework (KCF). 河川生态园特别出版了《凯凯嘉嘉对你说》和《凯凯嘉嘉儿歌》两本华文读物，作为学前华文学习之旅的辅助教材。在河川生态园，幼儿除了能观赏到形形色色的河川生物之外，还能在大熊猫竹林亲眼目睹凯凯和嘉嘉的可爱动作，实地了解熊猫的特征和习性，让幼儿在欢愉的气氛中学习华文。《河川生态园工作坊》将于老师分享： - 如何以《凯凯嘉嘉对你说》和《凯凯嘉嘉儿歌》作为华文教学资源 - 如何安排于设计有效的熊猫馆华文学习之旅 - 如何共享教学资源与心得
Expressions through Book Making	Ms Lee Ee Ling & Ms Cindy Yew, Ngee Ann Polytechnic	This workshop will provide educators with a practical perspective of how picture books (fiction or non-fiction) and the creation of these books can foster children's cognitive, language and social-emotional development. Participants (and the children they will teach) will "start small " by learning how simple picture books can be created within a short time span, "dream big " by seeing themselves as ABLE, as AUTHOR & CREATOR and so "reach for the stars " by being empowered to express their imagination in new ways.
Expanding Possibilities: Accounting for Young Children's Learning & Development	Dr Nirmala Rao, The University of Hong Kong	PLENARY SESSION Early years experiences play a critical role in shaping young children's learning and development. In this plenary session, going beyond planning and implementing curriculum experiences, educators will learn how to support the child's learning in sensitive, stimulating and empowering ways, and in areas that are critical for development and better outcomes in later years in school and life. Find out how you can account for the principles and practices in the Early Years Development Framework (EYDF) and the Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework to bring the desired outcomes to fruition.
Unleasing the Creative Confidence in Children through Play and Maker-Centred Learning	Dr Kiruthika Ramanathan & Mr James Chen, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA)	This workshop will enable you to unleash the creative instinct and confidence in young children. Learn how to support the overall development of children and prepare them for the 21st century world where creativity is highly valued and recognised. At this workshop, you will gain a better understanding of how Play-based education and the Maker Movement can provide interesting and authentic learning environments that will allow the children to discover the great power of making, building, playing and creating.
Trampoline Fun: Now and Forever!	Ms Sim Ker Ling, BearyFun Gym Pte Ltd	Trampolines are great for physical fitness of children. In this workshop, participants will get to experience Trampoline FUN by following the instructor who will be demonstrating: - Animal movements - Frog jump, Kangaroo hop, Rabbit bounce, Horse gallop and Bird fly - Action songs - The wheels on the bus & The Hokey Pokey Song - Counting - Five little monkeys jumping on the bed - Colours - Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see? - Game - Hot potato & "Simon Says " Once you have started introducing them, creativity is further enhanced! Trampoline FUN: it is not just now, but forever!
Building Community through Music	Ms Doreen Leong and Ms Grace Ter, Our Music Classroom Pte Ltd	In this workshop, participants will experience 'Creating Community through Music and Movement' to explore team building through listening for the appropriate entrance, timing the participation, accomplishing the steady beat and collaborating with others. These activities will engage and allow participants to deepen the knowledge of a scaffolding process and the value of implementing such activities in an early childhood classroom. The workshop aims to connect the community in a kindesthetics, experiential, meaningful and fun-filled way beyond music notes.
EQ for Educators: Help Children Reach for the Star through EQ	Ms Victoria Carlton, Director of the International Centre for Excellence (ICE), Western Australia September 21 Enterprise Pte Ltd	Emotional Quotion is a major component of successful pre-school learning. Weaving it into the daily curriculum will help to transform children's futures! This workshop will help participants to understand the importance of self-care when teaching young children. It will focus on practical techniques to recognise stress and explore effective ways to deal with the demands in the classroom and increase personal emotional intelligence. It also offers opportunities for participants to try some simple physical exercises and mindfulness practices.
Let's Explore Workshop - Magical Magnet	Ms Brenda Yeow, Science Centre Singapore	Want to learn to create magic with magnets? Come to the workshop to check out the list of exciting experiments in the "Let 's Explore" kits. The Magnetism Kit is specially tailored to the MOE Science syllabus to assist children in the learning of science in a fun way.
Children as Creators: An Urgent Need to Re-imagine and Re-define Play in Singapore	Ms Sumitra Pasupathy, Playeum	What do you understand from the word "play"? This workshop will take a closer look at play and re-emphasise the idea of "unstructured free play". Educators will learn about the pedagogical principles that will guide them in the design of activities, environment and interactions with children so as to support and interact with them during their play. Practical examples of case studies in formal and informal learning environments wil also be shared with participants.

Concurrent Sessions B
Title	Presenter	Synopsis
Celebrating Cultural Heritage through the Lenses of Art 学习之旅：土生华人博物馆	Ms Wong Seet Fun, Art Loft Supported by National Arts Council(NAC) and National Heritage Board(NHB)	Did you know that the Peranakan Museum offers an invaluable learning opportunity to experience and appreciate the cultural heritage of the Peranakans? Have a first-hand experience of the artefacts/ exhibits (e.g. culture, food, accessories, clothing) through the visual arts. Learn how you can harness the museum's resources to enhance young children 's creative and aesthetic development. Join us at the Concurrent workshop where you will share, exchange and learn with other educators on how to draw out the fundamental elements of arts (e.g. colours, lines, textures) and plan a curriculum web as well as enriching art experiences for children to celebrate cultural heritage. 学习之旅分为以下两个部分： 1）艺术鉴赏 - 学员将通过文物增进对新加坡文化及历史遗产的了解。此外，学员也可以发觉文物的艺术元素。 2）个别文物鉴赏 - 学员将以深素的方式，针对文物进行一系列的发问，加强对文物的了解。之后，学员将所有问题的答案进行拼凑与综合，建构出文物背后的故事或含义。博物馆导览之后，学员将有机会参与实作活动，从中思考导览活动中所学的技能，构思将所学运用在教学策略中，为幼儿设计适合的相关艺术活动。学员也能从中体验与文物相关的艺术创作过程。
Going on an Architecture Adventure	ArtScience Museum Ms Lee Xin Yi Cara & Ms Tan Ee Teng Eudora, St James' Church Kindergarten	Find out what's in store in this exciting Learning Journey which focuses on buildings and architecture. You will also get to visit one of our touring exhibitions. Learn about the educational provisions and understand how the Museum experience can help young children acquire learnign dispositions like sense of wonder and curiosity, engagement, appreciation and inventiveness. This will be followed by a hands-on Concurrent Workshop on a specially-written and illustrated story about a boy, Ah Tek and his adventure with different animal friends as he takes his journey around Marina Bay Sands to explore the different landmarks. At the workshop, you will be introduced to the samples of reflections, based on the iTEACH principles. Learn how you can construct a sample curriculum unit on "Buildings" weaving in all six learning areas from the Kindergarten Curriculum Framework (KCF).
The Magic Jungle: Unpacked	The Esplanade Co. Ltd Ms Lavina Chong, Wheelock College International	In this Learning Journey, be enchanted by the mesmerising performance of "The Magic Jungle" which is part of Esplanade's Playtime! Series. Join us in the exclusive post-show chat with the Director of "The Magic Jungle" himself, Mr Ian Loy and the music directors, Stan X Soap. Hear how they develop learning objectives onto the stage for young audiences, and the use of music in theatrical experiences. The learning journey programme will also include a guided tour of the Esplanade where you will be entertained with stories about the centre's beginnings, the inspiration behind its unique architecture and Esplanade's crown jewel - its 1,600 seat concert hall, designed with the best acoustics in mind. Translate the magical experience in to practical classroom ideas as Lavina, educator, trainer and curriculum specialist of music and drama, brings you through a series of hands-on activities at the Concurrent Workshop.
Ahoy There! Expanding Learning Opportunities through the Wonders of Marine Life	Resorts World Sentosa(SEA Aquarium)	Gain an in depth understanding of the exciting education and public programmes that await you at Resort World Sentosa (RWS). Learn how to harness the aquarium as a teaching resource to enhance your programmes and curriculum by incorporating pedagogical practices in education such as life skills, inquiry-based learning and many more. Get up-close to some of the most amazing sea creatures such as sharks, Indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins, sea jellies and majestic manta rays. Through experiential learning, discover the world we live in and develop a positive attitude towards conserving our marine environment and respecting animals in nature. Get to know more about Admiral Zheng He's voyage and how you can impart the valuable lessons from history and cultural diversity to young children. At the Concurrent Workshop, learn how you can use the Admiral Zheng He's voyage museum and aquarium as important teaching resources to engance your lessons in your classrooms.
Wonderment of Nature - Connecting Children with Nature	PUB, the National Water Agency Teachers and Curriculum Specialists from Pat's Schoolhouse	Learn how you can evoke young children's sense of curiosity and wonderment of nature. Learn how you can nurture young children's appreciation and respect for organisms that inhabit the same world as us. Learn how you can help maintain our fragile ecology. In collaboration with PUB, the national water agency, teachers and curriculum specialists from Pat's Schoolhouse will take you on an outdoor inquiry-based learning journey for a first-hand sensory-rich experience of Sengkang Floating Wetland. The learning journey comes to a full cycle at the Concurrent Workshop where the team from Pat's Schoolhouse will share their curriculum plan on the theme of water, their success stories, challenges and follow-up activities. Create your own rain garden assisted by personnel from PUB and learn how these play an understated yet important role in our ecology.
WoW! Let's Investigate with Mother Tongue Language!	Juliet and Shiao Wei, Pre-school Education Branch, Ministry of Education (MOE)	Children are naturally curious and they wonder, question and explore to make sense of the world around them. Engaging children inin-depth investigations in Mother Tongue Language (MTL), provides them with the opportunity to use their MTL in authentic settings, making MTL a living language. In this session, participants will learn about the WoW (Weeks of Wonder) Projects, piloted in the MOE kindergartens in the 3 MTLs (Chinese, Malay andTamil) through examples drawn from MOE Kindergarten @Blangah Rise. Come and learn more about how children are provided with opportunities for them to make their own decisions and choices, in corporation with their peers and in consultation with their teachers.
Joy in Creative Dance	Mrs Ruby Kavanagh, Kavanagh Dance Supported by National Arts Council (NAC)	Dance is an expressive tool for learning. Come experience the joy in creative dance! In this introductory course, we will be taking a peek into the four elements of Creative Dance Movement; movement, space, time and energy. In this workshop, participants will gain understanding of creative dance and the value and purpose of each movement. Participants will also learn how they can encourage artistic creativity and the active use of their imagination in pre-schoolers through creative dance experiences.
Designing Play and Learning Environments	Ms Rosemarie Somaiah, Asian Storytelling Network Supported by National Arts Council (NAC)	Pre-school educators understand that creative child-led play involves pretending. However, not all children are intuitively good 'players' and most would benefit from conscious role-modelling by the teachers to extend the possibilities of play. This workshop will stimulate teh conditions of play and explore the rich learnign possible in playful environments. Revitalise your perspective on the use of play! Learn more about how children play, creating enriching learning activities around both child and teacher-led play.
Neuroscience and Child Development - What's the Connection( 1, 2)	Dr Padmini Yeleswarapu and Dr Yang Jinghui, KK Women's and Children's Hospital	There is a complex inter-play between genes and environmental factors that influences a child's brain development. Research indicates that Early Child Stimulation results in better development and academic outcomes. A stable and loving environment is critical to child development. When educators work in partnership with the parents using effective communication and sharing of practices, they promote a stimulating and nurturing environment in the centre and at home. Participants will learn about the early identification of developmental delays and practical strategies in early child stimulation.
Identifying Children with Additional Needs in the Classroom	Jennifer Tan Huey Li,KK Women's and Children's Hospital Justine Felicita Ho May Lin, Development Support Programme (DSP), NTUC First Campus	This workshop aims to facilitate an interactive learning for early childhood educators in using the Ecological Congruence Assessment for classroom activities and routines. This assessment tool provides educators a quick and effective way to document their observations of children functioning in usual classroom activities and routines, and can be used in progress monitoring. Information gathered about the child will be used to identify goals and intervention practices that will further support the child in the classroom.
Navigating through Social Media Platforms - How can Children use Media & Technology Safely	Media Literacy Council, Media Development Authority (MDA)	In this day and age, children have easy access to mobile devices at a very young age. How do we teach young children about the use of media platforms wisely? In this session, participants will learn of the various resources that are available to introduce this topic to children in a developmentally appropriate manner. There will be a sharing of practical tips on how participants can teach children to be safe when they use digital devices.
Kitchen Science: Whipping Up a Storm	Participating Centres of Kitchen Science Innovation Grant-Guidance Project 2015	Ever wondered how the kitchen can be transformed into a classroom with rich learning experiences for pre-schoolers? "Kitchen Science", an Innovation Grant - Guidance Project in partnership with Science Centre Singapore, focuses on developing children's curiosity, imagination and creativity through a child-centric, inquiry-based approach. Come and participate in key "Kitchen Science" related activities! Join the educators as they share their learning journey, from developing lesson plans, setting up scientific inquiry environments, to involving families and the community.
Networked Learning Community	Networked Learning Community Facilitators Mrs N. Pushpavalli, Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Kindergarten Ms Uma Samadarman, Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Kindergarten Ms Gladys Chew, Living Sanctuary Kindergarten Ms Esther Koh, PCF Bedok Reservoir-Punggol Branch Ms Casumpang Joanne Francia, MY World Yishun Ms Anna Wu, Kinderland Educare (Revenue House) Ms Yoke Cheng Woo, PCF Keat Hong Ms Kattie Koh, Ascension Kindergarten Ms Fadslianie Binte Yusof, PCF Sparkletots Childcare Centre 3	Not sure how to solve an issue you face in the classroom? Or, do you have an area of interest in early childhood education that you wish to explore further? An initiative by ECDA, Networked Learning Community (NLC) aims to encourage active contribution and co-creation of knowledge and skills. In this workshop, various groups of NLCs represented by different preschools will bring you through their process of addressing issues through critical dialogues and action strategies.
EmbracingMulticulturalism in Classrooms	Ms Yeo May Ling and Ms Angeline Lim, Asian International College	The acceptance and recognition of multiculturalism in our society is important and should be introduced in the early years. Building this foundation is essential to achieving a peaceful, respectful multiracial and multi-ethnic society in the future. We invite you to join us as we learn and apply different strategies in the teaching of cultural understanding and diversity to the young children. Get ready to delve into an array of hands-on activities including songs, games and books, while exploring ethnic groups and culture in Singapore.
The 7 Cs Well-being Programme to Promoting Well-being and Developing Resilience in Preschool Children	Ms Yvonne Chan Yoke Yin, Ms Nursuryati Bte Mohemed Jasani, Ms Rina Lin, Ms Fatimah Wee, SEED Institute	'Well-being' is related to the characteristics that prevent illness and psychological problems. It also encompasses capabilities that enable people to cope effectively with challenges and stress. The 7 Cs Well-being Programme focuses in building resilience and the capacity to cope with academic and other stressors. The 7 Cs include competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping and control. This workshop will provide participants with practical ideas on developing resilience and promoting well-being in preschool children.
Designing Lesson Plans to Teach Chinese Language to Young Children 如何设计适宜的幼儿华语教学方素	Dr Chen Shi and Ms Peng Jun, KLC International Institute	Want to know how you can design activities that heighten and enrich children's interest in Chinese Language? Join Dr Chen at this workshop where she will share the process of designing and facilitating children's learning through "Listen, Speak, Read and Write". Through case studies of Chinese Language thinking curriculum design, curriculum design principles and teaching methods, participants will pick up techniques and strategies on how to conduct Chinese Language activities that they can readily implement in their classrooms. 本专题主要以案例分析的方式来说明华文课程设计的思路，华文课程设计的原则，华文教学计划的制定方法。旨在让新加坡华文老师能够了解如何“顺应主题，创出新意”。在教学中提高华文的“教学情趣”。在执行计划时的家长理解支持十分必要，要有与教育计划“相关易备”的材料1，此课程要达到以下的目的： 1）学会评析课程设计，制定教育计划 2）明确以“听说读写”为主要目标，进行幼儿园主题教学 3）学会分解目标，选择适宜材料
Hey! Are you Listening? (1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6, 7, 8, 9, 10 , 11)	Dr Lily Wong, Advent Links-SAUC Education Centre	One of the building blocks of effective communication lies in the art and science of listening. How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your relationships with others. Attend this interactive workshop to be equipped with specific skills on listening. Learn how to model good listening behaviour for children so that they may come away feeling valued, cherished and important. Better listening encourages growth and promotes a safe environment that incubates creative thinking.
Thinker Tinker Little Stars: PlayMaker Pilot Study atPLAY@TP	Mr Ang Teck Hua and Ms Karen Tan, Temasek Polytechnic Ms Ava Wang, PLAY@TP	PlayMaker pilot study was a collaborative project between PLAY@TP and IDA. The pilot phase of the study involved children from 4 to 6 years old as they explored new ways of enhancing their skills through the introduction of specific materials in their centre. At this workshop, you will learn about the interesting learning experiences and preliminary observations from the first phase of the project. We will also discuss how the 6 learning areas of the NEL Framework were integrated into the project.
Building Trusting Relationships with Young Children - an online resource for educarers	Ms Puspa Sivan, Early Childhood Consultant Ms Tiffany Lim and Mr Abu Bakar Osman, ECDA	Come and learn more about this new and exciting learning resource developed for educarers working with children under 3 years of age. 'Building Trusting Relationships with Young Children' is an online resource developed to illustrate the principles outlined in the Early Years Development Framework. It contains useful tips and ideas to help educarers nurture the social and emotional development of young children. Learn how you can use this resource package to promote meaningful professional development discussions at your workplace to cultivate respectful, responsive and reciprocal practices for infants and toddlers.
Building Team Work with Stretchy Bands Parachute 建立团体合作精神，乐在其中	Ms Doreen Leong, Our Music Classroom Pte Ltd	This workshop provides teachers the use of parachute and stretchy band in a safe and fun way by combining it with music and movement. Participants will explore and improvise creative and fun movements in connection to nursery rhymes and classical music and plan more enriching experiences for young children. With the use of demonstration, group discussion and hands-on activity, this workshop meets learners with various learning styles (VAK - Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic) using visual aids, listening skills and movement for different learners. 工作坊宗在培养学员的团结精神。学员将学习以彩虹带和彩虹伞两种教具吸引儿童，帮助他们透过歌曲来经历音乐的不同玩法，也会从歌唱，律动，游戏和创作中体会到多种教学方法。主要学习成果： 1）学员将熟悉教具的不同用法，如何安全使用并达到讲习的目标。 2）专业提升－学员在对音乐有初步的了解后，在课堂上以音乐律动作为教学的工具。
Take Reading in Your "Stride": A Storywalk for a Rich Reading Experience	Wheelock College Sherlyn, NTUC First Campus Bryant, PLAY@TP Laboratory Preschool	Come and join the team comprising the seniors and graduates from Wheelock College as we take you on a virtual Storywalk to the Asian Civilisation Museum and the Peranakan Museum. Inspired and guided by their lecturer Beth C. Fredericks who will be appointed as Executive Director, Wheelock College in January 2016, the Storywalk concept was inspired bythe work done at the Boston Children's Museum. A Storywalk provides an enriching opportunity to not only explore the outdoors and harness community resources and spaces around us, it gets you to enjoy a good read as the story unfolds while literally walking the book from page to page. But the experience goes beyond this! For young children, a Storywalk fuses elements of social and emotional development, creativity and aesthetics while instilling a love and interest in reading, all while bonding with peers and family. At this workshop, find out how you can bring a book or a story alove by organising a Storywalk experience for your children and even their families, and bring the learning beyond the classroom and into community spaces around you!
What Makes an Effective Mentor: Mentors' and Mentees' Perspective	Dr Christine Chen, Ms Gladys Tan, Ms Ruth Chong, and Ms Lily Ong, Association for Early Childhood Educators (Singapore)	Effective mentoring relationships are based on trust,mutual respect and empathy. Highly effective mentors possess the dispositions of openness, positivity, non-judgement, and demonstrate a sincere interest in their mentee's development. Mentees, on the other hand, view effective mentors as their guides and advisors who provide constructive feedbacl based on knowledge and experience. From this session, participants will learn about the benefits and challenges of mentoring and practical tips on how they can develop effective mentoring relationships in their settings.
Expanding Possibilities: Accounting for Young Children's Learning & Development	Dr Nirmala Rao, University of Hong Kong	PLENARY SESSION Early years experiences play a critical role in shaping young children's learning and development. In this plenary session, going beyond planning and implementating curriculum experiences, educators will learn how to support the child's learning in sensitive, stimulating and empowering ways, and in areas that are critical for development and better outcomes in later years in school and life. Find out how you can account for the principles and practices in the Early Years Development Framework (EYDF) and trhe Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework to bring the desired outcomes to fruition.
Supporting Young Children's Social-Emotional Development and Mental Well-Bring intheir Early Years	Dr Daniel Fung, Medical Board, Institute of Mental Health	PLENARY SESSION The positive development of social, emotional and mental well-being of young children has a profound impact on their confidence and resilience to cope with challenges in their later years. In this plenary session, learn more about appropriate and inappropriate child management practices, the importance of building warm and nurturing relationships, as well as some practical strategies and support systems you can use to support young children's socio-emotional and mental well-being. In addition, understand why and how you could communicate positively with parents when there are concerns with their children's behaviours.
Trampoline Fun: Now and Forever!	Ms Sim Ker Ling, BearyFun Gym Pte Ltd	Trampolines are great for physical fitness of children. In this workshop, participants will get to experience Trampoline FUN by following the instructor who will be demonstrating: -- Animal Movements: Frog Jump, Kangaroo Hops, Rabbit Bounce, Horse Gallop and Bird Fly -- Story: We're on a Bear Hunt -- Action songs: The wheels on the bus & The Hokey Pokey Song -- Counting: Five little monkeys jumping onmy bed -- Colours: Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see? -- Game: Hot potato & "Simon Says" Once you have started introducing them, creativity is further enhanced! Trampoline FUN : it is not just now, but forever!
Optimising Learning and Attention	Dr Kang Yin Qi, National University Hospital (S) Pte Ltd	This workshop will look at the various factors that affect a child's learning and attention. This will be especially relevant to preschool educators as they play a vital role in a child's learning. Topics to be covered include sleep hygiene, screen time, and the concept of temperament. Presenter will also briefly share about some of the barriers to learning, including developmental disorders and learning disabilities. Through this workshop, participants will be able to appreciate the various factors that contribute to learning and attention, and be aware of strategies to optimise these.
Music Library to the Rescue	Ms Roberta Anne Goh, Music Factory Singapore	"Help! I'm running out of materials for my music lesson!" Does this resonate with you? If you are running out of music repertoire and are looking for more materials for your music lessons, then this workshop is for you. Be refreshed and inject new song materials for your music lessons through this interactive workshop, which will cover singing games, different genres of music, cultural and world music and sound scapes.
Tinkering with Scribbling Machines	Ms Chew Ling Ling and Ms Seah Jian Xing, Singapore Science Centre	Come and join this workshop for a fun tinkering session where all participants will have the opportunity to "think with their hands". Participants will learn about the tinkering activities, and gain ideas for activities which they can try with children. Tinkering is based on a constructivist theory of learning, where knowledge is not simply transmitted from the teacher to the learner, but is actively constructed by the mind of the child or learner.
FUNdamental Movement Skills (1, 2)	Mr Mohammed Azhar Yusof, National Institute of Education Hong Seng Sports Industries Pte Ltd	This 2 parts workshop aims to share about FUNdamental Movement Skills (FMS) and the factors leading to its acquisition as well as establishing a common FMS language and understanding. Participants will gain insightful knowledge of some strategies, such as using stories, cartoons and creative imageries as a basis for fun activities to develop FMS in young children.

Concurrent Session C
Title	Presenter	Synopsis
Unleashing Children's Appreciation for Art in the Early Years	Singapore Arts Museum National Arts Council Ms Wong Seet Fun, Art Loft	Come and join us in this Learning Journey as we seek to find out if there is a place for modern and contemporary art in the early years curriculum. Learn how a visit to the museum can unlease a child's appreciation for art. Learn from Seet Fund, an art educator on how you can use artworks through an inquiry-based approach to help children identity the elements of art. Be amazed at how discussions and the collective responses to questions may be pieced together towards developing a conherent story or idea behind the artworks. You will also get the opportunity to discuss how artist Jason Wee's portraiture of our founding Prime Minister, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew was created and conceptualised. At the Concurrent Workshop, educators will come together to develop curriculum experiences and strategies for children to not only develop an appreciation for art but learn about the elements of art.
Have Fun with Photograms	ArtScience Museum Ms Kalavathi P, Sarada Kindergarten Ms Theresa Maria Enriquez, Ascension Kindergarten	Join us at this Learning Journey to learn more about using photography to document the world we live in. You will produce an image (photogram) without the use of a camera in a darkroom environment. You will also get to visit one of the touring exhibitions at ArtScience Museum and go through the learning cycle of awareness, exploration, acquisition and application. Find out more about the educational provisions and understand how the Museum experience can help young children acquire learning dispositions like sense of wonder and curiosity, engagement, appreciation and inventiveness. At the Concurrent Workshop, be introduced to the samples of reflection based on the iTEACH principles. Learn how you can construct a sample curriculum unit on "Photograms" by weaving in all six learning areas from the Kindergarten Curriculum Framework (KCF).
Supporting Young Children's IEP (Individualized Education Programme) goals in Integrated Child Care Programme (ICCP) Settings	Ms N. Kannigadevi, Ms Gomathey Veeramari, Ms Khatijah, Ms Toh Xiu Yong, Presbyterian Community Services (PCS)	In Integrated Child Care Programme (ICCP) settings, one of the challenges teachers face is addressing children's IEP goals within daily routines. To address this, early childhood professionals have recommended embedding instructions into existing classroom activities and routines. We will be discussing the three steps of ELO (Planning, Implementing and Evaluating) through various case studies. Participants will then adopt these steps in tackling the case studies presented. At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to list and describe the three steps of ELO to support children's IEP goals in their individual classrooms.
Teacher Well-Being: A Healthy Teacher is a Happy Teacher	Ms Chan Siew Eng, Health Promotion Board	Feeling overwhelmed? Ever felt that you can't cope with demands at work? This workshop will equip you with simple practical health tips that you can use to make yourself feel good and look good. We will introduce a teaser of skills and simple exercises that you can adopt to navigate daily challenges, and explore different approaches in which you can customise and bring these health practices into your centres too. Discover the way to a happier and healthier you!
Read with Me: Nurture Your Little Ones to Love Reading!	Ms Azizah Binte Osman and Ms Aslin Harminah Anuar, National Library Board	Reading is the passport to education and education is the key to your child's success. In this interactive workshop, you will learn how to select appropriate reading materials to complement your child's learning in school and at home. Be introduced to books and stories that focus on values and character building and discover various techniques on how to engage children in the joyful practice of daily book-sharing through songs, rhymes and reading activities.
Principals and Supervisors as Curriculum Leaders	Ms Lim Meow Hwee and Ms Fuziah Taha, Pre-school Education Branch, Ministry of Education	"The more leaders focus their relationships, their work and their learning on the core business of teaching and learning, the greater their influence on pupil outcomes." The mission of Principals and Supervisors is to bring about effective teaching and learning. This session focuses on enabling participants to understand and reflect on their roles and practices as curriculum leaders. Participants will learn how curriculum leaders drive effective teaching and learning, set up structures for teacher learning, and lead curriculum planning and implementation.
Creative Dance in Practice	Danz People National Arts Council	Come prepared to take part in a lively, fun and interactive arts integrated workshop that brings creative dance to life in your classroom! Learn ways to facilitate safe and creative movement experiences for your students. This workshop focuses on practical approaches in the teaching of creative dance, and shares with you practical ideas, strategies, and content which we hope will inspire you in your own practice as you plan creative dance experiences with young children.
Learning from Pre-schools in Osaka and Kobe, Japan	Winners of 2013 and 2014 ECDA Awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Development, who participated in the ECDA-organised study trip to Japan	Ever wondered what the pre-schools are like in Japan? Join us in this workshop and hear from principals and teachers as they come together to share their learning and outcomes of the new initiatives they have put in place upon their return from the study trip to Japan. Not only will you gain insights on the Japan pre-school landscape but you will also glean ideas from the presenters' practical applications, with a focus on children's social emotional development, child-initiatied play experiences, building of children's independence, and the role of teachers as faciliators of children's learning.
Connecting Families and Fostering Community Engagement in Infant Care Centres	Ms Rajni Parasurum and Ms Grace La, KIDS 0-3 KKH Women's and Children's Hospital	Various empirical research suggests that home visiting programmes are associated with improvement in the quality of home environment. This potential for positive child outcomes by professional home visitors also applies to early childhood education and care settings. In this session, participants will be introduced to KIDS 0-3, a community outreach pilot programme with professional home visitors called Community Health Visitors (CHVS). They will learn how to promote child development with hands-on activities and pick up tips to foster collaborative partnerships and facilitate parent engagement.
River Safari Expedition: A Watery World Exploration	Ms Vera Yang and Ms Jessica Sum, Wildlife Reserves Singapore	Explore mighty rivers and 'swim' in a watery world that teems with a rich abundance of resources, which you can use to excite children about learning. Let the endearing manatees capture the imagination of the children and inspire them to explore the world of freshwater ecosystems. Connect children with conservation issues through the stories of the most-loved bears Kai Kai and Jia Jia. Dive deep to gain insights into the world of River Safari and learn how these can achieve the six learning areas in the Kindergarten Curriculum Framework (KCF).
Navigating through Social Media Platforms - How can Children Use Media & Technology Safely	Media Literacy Council (MLC), Media Development Authority (MDA)	In this day and age, children have easy access to mobile devices at a very young age. How do we teach young children about the use of media platforms wisely? In this session, participants will learn of the various resources that are available to introduce this topic to children in a developmentally appropriate manner. There will be a sharing of practical tips on how participants can teach children to be safe when they use digital devices.
Singapore's Little Treasures @National Museum of Singapore (SLT@NMS)	Participating Mentors and Centres of SLT@NMS 2014 and 2015	The Singapore's Little Treasures @National Museum of Singapore is an Innovation Grant-Guidance Project in partnership with the National Heritage Board. Interested to try out fun heritage related activities? Attend this workshop! Learn from educators involved in this project on how they have led pre-schoolers to discovering Singapore's rich heritage and history through purposeful activities and engaging museum experiences with a customised learning kit. Mentors of these educators will also share how they have sustained this project within their centres.
Practitioner Inquiry - What You Can Do to Change Your Classroom Practices Positively!	Ms Daphne Yip and Ms Samsiah Binte Misnam, Agape Little Uni Ms Priscilla Toh Oi Leng and Ms Anna Wong Chian Horng, PCF Sparkletots (Hong Kah North,Blk 345) Ms Anisah Sultan Ali and Ms Ritchelle Bautista, Learning Vision@Work(NCS)	Practitioner Inquiry (PI) provides a platform for educators to probe into classroom issues and 'wonderings' they might have. Hear from participating centres on how the PI framework has guides them to be more intentional and systematic in reflecting on their teaching and learning practices. One centre, Agape Little Uni, will be sharing on "The Positive Movement" where various strategies were explored to encourage children's positive behaviours. Discover how you too can begin your PI journey through this workshop.
Thinker Tinker Little Stars: PlayMaker Pilot Study atPLAY@TP	Mr Ang Teck Hua, Temasek Polytechnic Ms Karen Tan, Temasek Polytechnic Ms Ava Wang,PLAY@TP	PlayMaker pilot study was a collaborative project between PLAY@TP and IDA. The pilot phase of the study involved children from 4 to 6 years old as they explored new ways of enhancing their skills through the introduction of specific materials in their centre. At this workshop, you will learn about the interesting learning experiences and preliminary observations from the first phase of the project. We will also discuss how the 6 learning areas of the NEL Framework were integrated into the project.
A Cognitively Oriented Curriculum for Children in Community-based Childcare Centres: Measuring Learning Outcomes in Children	Dr Kok Siat Yeow and Ms Wendy Toh Hwee Bin, SEED Institute	This research study examines the effects of an intervention - The Bright Start Cognitive Curriculum for Young Children, on Kindergarten One children's cognitive and social competence. The study found a greater improvement in children's cognitive and social competence among the weaker children who had undergone the intervention. In this workshop, teachers will learn how they can apply some strategies from the Bright Start Cognitive Curriculum in their classrooms to support children's cognitive and social competence.
Crafting Infant and Toddlers Curriculum	Ms Miriam Q. Abasolo and Ms Radiah A. Razak, KLC School of Education Ms Debbie Madhavi Tiwari, National Institute of Education	This workshop is designed to help familiarise educarers with the concepts of the EYDF Framework. Educarers will be guided through a 4-step approach to assist them in curriculum planning. Step 1 - Conceptualising the EYDF Framework Step 2 - Monthly planning for the target age group Step 3 - Weekly planning for the target age group Step 4 - Daily planning for the target age group With these steps in place, educarers will be able to make connections to daily practices and plan progressively to ensure that the desired outcomes of the EYDF Framework are met.
Zoo Alive - A Living Classroom 新加坡动物园学习之旅	Ms Rekha NairandMs Michelle Tan, Wildlife Reserves Singapore	Fancy a Learning Journey to the Zoo? Why Not? Animals fascinate children and the Singapore Zoo makes for a great living classroom. With some 2,800 animals representing 300 species, the Zoo's immensely rich resources offer endless learning opportunities for the children. Join us for an engaging and interactive learning journey that will deepen your knowledge and understandin gof the educational resources at the Zoo. At the Concurrent Workshop, learn how to effectively use the Zoo's education programmes, animal and plant exhibits, as well as the natural environment to achieve the learning outcomes in the Kindergarten Curriculum Framework (KCF). Engage in small group discussions where you can learn and share ideas on how to plan meaningful and developmentally appropriate learning journeys to enrich the experiences for young children and their families. 新加坡野生动物保育集团积极与学校配合，通过互动让学生吸取动物的知识，并提升他们对保护野生动物与环境的意识。新加坡动物园出版了两个系列的《动物园的故事》华文读物，故事内容是关于我们的饲养员‘保育员，以及我园动物的真实故事。优教老师可配合书中的故事，带学童走出课室，来到新加坡的生活习性，让学童五官并用，达到寓教于乐`轻松学习语文的效果。《动物园工作坊》将与老师分享： -- 利用《动物园的故事》丛书辅助学前华文教学 -- 如何安排与设计有效的动物园华文学习之旅 -- 如何共享教学资源与心得
The Science of Math: Strengthening Early Math and Science Skills through Spatial Learning	Ms Peggy Zee, Early Childhood Consultant	Spatial Literacy is the ability of the learner to perform mental rotation, perspective taking, coordinated use of space and reasoning. Teaching spatial thinking to young children lays the foundation for learning science and mathematics through their academic years. Research demonstrates a co-relation between spatial development and mathematics performance. The development of a firm spatial cognition is also closely related to using the senses to make observations about the environment in life, physical, and earth sciences. Improve your spatial thinking skills and learn how to develop it in your children. Participants will walk through a myriad of experiences involving shapes, patterns, map reading, direction, location and distances to find their pot of goal.
Building Trusting Relationships with Young Children - an Online Resource for Educarers	Ms Puspa Sivan, Early Childhood Consultant Ms Tiffany Lim and Mr Abu Bakar Osman, Early Childhood Development Agency	Come and learn more about this new and exciting learning resource developed for educarers working with children under 3 years of age. 'Building Trusting Relationships with Young Children' is an online resource developed to illustrate the principles outlined in the Early Years Development Framework. It contains useful tips and ideas to help educarers nurture the social and emotional development of young children. Learn how you can use this resource package to promote meaningful professional development discussions at your workplace to cultivate respectful, responsive and reciprocal practices for infants and toddlers.
Learning Mandarin the Interactive Way! 华语可以这样“动”	Dr Connie Lum, Pre-school Education Working Group of the Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL) Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism	Language development and literacy is one of the most visible and important achievements of early childhood. According to Vygotsky, adult-child and peer interactions are essential in supporting children's language development and literacy skills. Through this workshop, you will learn unlimited ways to stimulate children's interest and learning of the Chinese Language through fun and simple finger rhymes, interactive games, songs and props. 口语发展是学前儿童的关键时期。根据维果斯基(Vygotsky)的鹰架理论，成人与儿童`同伴与同伴间的互动有助于儿童的语言发展。这个座谈会，通过有趣`易玩`简单的手指谣`互动游戏`儿歌`玩具，不受场地的限制，激发儿童学习的兴趣。
Jurong Bird Park - A Flight of Opportunities	Ms Stephanie Ng and Ms Magdalene Lim, Wildlife Reserves Singapore	Don't miss the opportunity to come on board our Learning Journey to a feathered gem - The Jurong Bird Park. It is often overlooked by those who are unaware of the great learning opportunities the Bird Park offers to engage and educate young children. Gain more than just knowledge about birds. Immerse yourself in this interactive and multi-disciplinary learning approach to plan for meaningful and developmentally appropriate experiences for young children. Further deepen your learning at the Concurrent Workshop as we come together as a fraternity of learners to network, learn and share how your children's learning can take flight at the amazing opportunities at the Jurong Bird Park.
Developing the Power of Making, Building, Playing, and Creating with the Drinking Straw!	Mr James Chen, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA)	Modern toys are often related to films or television shows and come with a clear storyline, which stifles the creativity ability of children in crafting their own stories. Find out how children can benefit from engaging with open-ended play materials. In this workshop we will demonstrate how something as simple as straws can become a useful toy in the hands of a playful child. Come and learn how to enhance children's learning through projects, inquiry and hands-on experimentation.
Supporting Young Children's Social-Emotional Development and Mental Well-Being in their Early Years	Dr Daniel Fung, Medical Board, Institute of Mental Health	PLENARY SESSION The positive development of social, emotional and mental well-being of young children has a profound impact on their confidence and resilience to cope with challenges in their later years. In this plenary session, learn more about appropriate and inappropriate child management practices, the importance of building warm and nurturing relationships, as well as some practical strategies and support systems you can use to support young children's socio-emotional and mental well-being. In addition, understand why and how you could communicate positively with parents when there are concerns with their children's behaviours.
When Science Becomes Child's Play (1, 2)	Dr Muhammad Nazir Amir, Ministry of Education	Keen to find out how you can innovate to cultivate young children's curiosity and interest in science through play? In this highly-experiential workshop you will learn how to make toys from simple and recycled materials that work on scientific principles and concepts. This approach harnesses young children's kinaesthetic learning styles and their sense of playfulness. In this workshop, exchange and share ideas with other educators, and pick up practical tips on how you can capitalise on such toy-making approaches to present fairy tale stories and nursery rhymes to enrich young children's science experiences.
Trampoline Fun: Now and Forever!	Ms Sim Ker Ling, BearyFun Gym Pte Ltd	Trampolines are great for physical fitness of children. In this workshop, participants will get to experience Trampoline FUN by following the instructor who will be demonstrating: -- Animal Movements: Frog Jump, Kangaroo Hops, Rabbit Bounce, Horse Gallop and Bird Fly -- Story: We're on a Bear Hunt -- Action songs: The wheels on the bus & The Hokey Pokey Song -- Counting: Five little monkeys jumping onmy bed -- Colours: Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see? -- Game: Hot potato & "Simon Says" Once you have started introducing them, creativity is further enhanced! Trampoline FUN : it is not just now, but forever!
Children as Creators: An Urgent Need to Re-Imagine and Re-Define Play in Singapore	Ms Sumitra, Playeum	What do you understand from the word "play"? This workshop will take a closer look at play and re-emphasise the idea of "unstructured free play". Educators will learn about the pedagogical principles that will guide them in the design of activities, environment and interactions with children so as to support and interact with them during their play. Practical examples of case studies in formal and informal learning environments wil also be shared with participants.
Music Library to the Rescue	Ms Roberta Anne Goh, Music Factory Singapore	"Help! I'm running out of materials for my music lesson!" Does this resonate with you? If you are running out of music repertoire and are looking for more materials for your music lessons, then this workshop is for you. Be refreshed and inject new song materials for your music lessons through this interactive workshop, which will cover singing games, different genres of music, cultural and world music and sound scapes.
Let's Explore Workshop - Magical Magnet	Ms Brenda Yeow, Singapore Science Centre	Want to learn to create magic with magnets? Come to the workshop to check out the list of exciting experiments in the "Let's Explore" kits. The Magnetism Kit is specially tailored to the MOE Science syllabus to assist children in the learning of science in a fun way.
Building Community through Music	Ms Doreen Leong and Ms Lavina Chong, Our Music Classroom	In this workshop, participants will experience 'Creating Community through Music and Movement' to explore team building through listening for the appropriate entrance, timing the participation, accomplishing the steady beat and collaborating with others. These activities will engage and allow participants to deepen the knowledge of a scaffolding process and the value of implementing such activities in an early childhood classroom. The workshop aims to connect the community in a kindesthetics, experiential, meaningful and fun-filled way beyond music notes.

Concurrent Session D
Title	Presenter	Synopsis
Learning Goes Wild	Mr Haniman Boniran and Ms Michelle Tan, Wildlife Reserves Singapore	This workshop provides you with insights into how you can leverage on the Nature's masterpieces (animals) to ignite children's curiosity. It not only highlights the rich educational resources at WRS parks (Singapore Zoo, River Safari and Jurong Bird Park) but also guide educators in plannign enthralling and meaningful Learning Journeys for your children. The interactive workshop will also enable educators to curate rich curriculum experiences for young children using the education programmes and animal exhibits at the three WRS parks and put into practice the learning outcomes of the 6 key areas in the Kindergraten Curriculum Framework (KCF).
Painting with Lights	ArtScience Museum Ms Nur A'qilah Binte Abu Saiere, Preschool for Multiple Intelligences	In this Learning Journey, be fascinated by the history of photography and how prints were made in the early days. Have you heard of the term "Blue Print"? Well, in this learning journey, you will learn how to produce a photograph using one of the oldest photographic techniques and processes. You will also get to visit one of the touring exhibitions at ArtScience Museum. Find out more about the educational provisions and understand how the Museum experience can help young children acquire learning dispositions like sense of wonder and curiosity, engagementm appreciation and inventiveness. At the Concurrent Workshop, be introduced to the samples of reflections based on the iTEACH Principles. Learn how you can construct a sample curriculum unit on "Photographs" weaving in all six learning areas from the Kindergarten Curriculum Framework (KCF).
Supporting Young Children's IEP (Individualised Education Programme) goals in Integrated Child Care Programme (ICCP) Settings	Ms N. Kannigadevi, Ms Gomathey Veeramari, Ms Khatijah, Ms Toh Xiu Yong, Presbyterian Community Services (PCS)	In Integrated Child Care Programme (ICCP) settings, one of the challenges teachers face is addressing children's IEP goals within daily routines. To address this, early childhood professionals have recommended embedding instructions into existing classroom activities and routines. We will be discussing the three steps of ELO (Planning, Implementing and Evaluating) through various case studies. Participants will then adopt these steps in tackling the case studies presented. At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to list and describe the three steps of ELO to support children's IEP goals in their individual classrooms.
"Pre-School Educational Resources on Singapore, a City in a Garden, and its Biodiversity" - Teachers' Training Workshop	Ms Nicky Ng, National Parks Board	Singapore is known as a City in a Garden. In this workshop, you can learn more about bringing biodiversity right into your classroom. NParks has produced a set of educational resources that consist of a picture book, posters, videos, picture word cards and a card game. Find out what you can do in the classroom with these interesting set of educational resources. After this session, you will be in a more informed position of spreading the love of nature and an appreciation of greenery to pre-schoolers.
Read with Me: Nurture Your Little Ones to Love Reading	Ms Azizah Binte Osman and Ms Aslin Harminah Anuar, National Library Board	Reading is the passport to education and education is the key to your child's success. In this interactive workshop, you will learn how to select appropriate reading materials to complement your child's learning in school and at home. Be introduced to books and stories that focus on values and character building and discover various techniques on how to engage children in the joyful practice of daily book-sharing through songs, rhymes and reading activities.
Purposeful Play: Engaging Little Children in Learning	Ms Chua Huay Wen and Ms Chua Pin Chin, Pre-school Education Branch, Ministry of Education	Engaging children in purposeful play is one of the 6 principles of iTeach in Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) curriculum framework. In purposeful play, teachers intentionally plan experiences, select resources and organise the environment to enhance children's learning. While children are playing, teachers observe and facilitate to reinforce or extend their learning towards the intended objectives. In this session, participants will learn about how purposeful play is planned for, and enacted at MOE Kindergarten @Farrer Park.
Let's Play and Learn! Discover the Rhythmic Art of Drumming	Mr Syed Ibrahim, Mr Aden Firdaus Jam'an Ms Vicky, Ms Yumi, OneHeartBeat Percussions National Arts Council	Ignite your inner creativity as you explore and experiment with rhythmic drumming techniques introduced at this workshop. Discover useful tips and strategies on how you can engage children to Explore, Discover, Experience, Experiment, and play rhythmic patterns in your very own classroom. Through hands-on facilitated and experiential learning, participants will learn basic techniques ofmusic making with melodic and rhythmic percussion instruments as they introduce young learners to the world of percussion instruments.
Innovation: A Key to Quality in Early Childhood Education! (1, 2)	ECDA Innovation Award Winner(s) 2015	Innovation enhances quality in early childhood. Come and be inspired by winners of the Early Childhood Innovation Award and their journey of innovation. Glean insights on how their innovative projects have improved existing programmes, practices, processes and services in their centre, and more importantly benefitted the children they work with. Learn from their experiences and take awat techniques, tips and ideas to implement in your own centres and make a difference in the lives of young children and their families.
Teaching of Information Technology to Preschoolers	Ms Jeannette Ling and Dr. Chen Fong Peng, Asian International College (AIC)	So how do you as teachers teach young children such technical "mysteries" such as using internet websites or "beebots"? In this workshop you will re-examine your beliefs about teaching technology to young children and appreciate the importance of such technological tools to enhance and support learning. As you engage in the session, you will also explore and learn how to use these available technological resources such as digital cameras, audio recorders, computers, etc. in your centres to enhance and support children's development and learning.
Voices of Children: On Childhood and Early Education in Singapore	Dr Christine Chen, Ms Nor Aisah Zainal and Ms Rebecca Au, Association for Early Childhood Educators (Singapore)	The "Voices of Children" capture the views of 5 and 6 year olds about their childhood at home and in school. In this study, 44 children were interviewed and asked to draw what they wish they could do on their free day. The findings will be shared during the session and participants will be invited to take part in this research. They will also gain insights into how they can apply the same method to know the children in their setting.
Project SELECT: Resources and Strategies to Engage Children with Mild Developmental Needs The Impact of Zippy Friends on Socio-Emotional Development of Children	Project SELECT 2014 Centres	If you have pre-schoolers with mild learning needs in your classroom, this workshop offers you useful tips to better engage them positively. Learn from educators involved in the Early Childhood Development Agency - KK Women's and Children's Hospital Innovation Grant-Guidance Project, the resources and strategies they have used to engage children with difficulties in communicating and/or regulating their emotions. In this workshop, you will also gain insights on how positive classroom experiences for both educators and children can be successfully created. Do you know that Positive Functioning, Social Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence are key domains of mental health well-being in Singapore? Through the Early Childhood Development Agency-Health Promotion Board research guidance project, 6 preschools investigated the impact of the evidence-based Zippy* Friends programme on the socio-emotional development of children. Hear how these educators were enriched professionally in their knowledge and skills of research and socio-emotional learning for children. Learn how the children involved increased their repertorire of coping skills and ability to manage emotions. Source:www.coloursofthemind.sg; * Zippy Friends is an international evidence-based mental well-being programme for young children, developed by Partnership for Children, IK, and licensed to HPB in Singapore
Journey of Quality Improvement through SPARK ( 1, 2)	Ms Anita Lian Kwee Eng, Pat's Schoolhouse Aroozoo Ms Jaslin Neo Hong Choo, PCF Sparkletots Preschool @Chong Pang Ms Pamela Tan Yan Ying, My First Skool (Bedok South Blk 1) Ms N. Pushpavalli and Ms Uma Samadramam, Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Kindergarten	The Singapore Pre-school Accreditation Framework (SPARK) implemented in Jan 2011 recognises centres for their quality in leadership, teaching and learning practices and administration. Through SPARK, many centres have successfully established structures and processes to support its improvement journey and deliver quality pre-school education. Come and learn from principals and supervisors of SPARK certified centres, they will share how they continually improve and maintain quality teaching and learning practices in their respective centres. Be inspired by their journey of improvement.
Hey! Are you Listening? (1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6, 7, 8, 9, 10 , 11)	Dr Lily Wong, Advent Links - SAUC Education Centre	One of the building blocks of effective communications lies in the art and science of listening. How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness and on the quality of your relationships with others. Attend this interactive workshop to be equipped with specific skills on listening. Learn how to model good listening behaviour for children so that they may come away feeling valued, cherished and important. Better listening encourages growth and promotes a safe environment that incubates creative thinking.
A Study on the Development of English and Mandarin Vocabulary for Chinese Pre-Schoolers in Singapore 新加坡学前华族儿童英语与话语汇量的发展	Ms Gina Ng Sok Hoon, SEED Institute	Bilingualism is a cornerstone of Singapore's education system. This workshop focuses on a study of the development of receptive and expressive vocabulary in English and Mandarin for pre-schoolers aged 3 to 5 years in Singapore. The impacts of the child care centre and home language environment on bilingual development of pre-schoolers will also be discussed. Through facilitated sharing and learning, participants will pick up practical ideas and strategies to effectively promote pre-schoolers' English and Mandarin vocabulary development. 本专题主要以采用横断研究并应用语言测试工具对新加坡7间托儿所的位3至5岁学前华族儿童的英语与华语接收性词汇量发展的研究结果，分析和比较不同家庭语言背景学前华族儿童的英语与华语词汇量的发展趋势。这个工作坊的主要目的是让幼儿教师： 1）了解本地学前华族儿童英语和华语词汇量发展的特点及其影响因素 2）讨论学前教育机构和家庭的语言环境对学前儿童语言能力发展的影响。
Promoting Language Development in Infants and Toddlers 如何在婴幼儿的动作中促进语言发展	Dr Hu Rong, KLC International Institute	Come and learn more about the developmental characteristics of infants and toddlers across the developmental domains at various ages and stages. Learn through case studies how educarers put together activity plans for infants to facilitate their language development. This workshop will also explore key strategies on developing infant-toddler language training programmes and enable participants to hone their observational skills. 在0-3岁这个时期，我们很容易观察到婴幼儿语言表达的需要十分强烈。往往当婴幼儿有这样的表现时，也伴随着大量的动作出现。因此在研究婴幼儿语言发展时，也应该关注发展对其产生的影响。作为学前教育工作者和婴幼儿的家庭教养者，均应关注此现象的存在，由此达到以婴幼儿动作发展促进其语言发展的目标。基于上述理论，本专题将对婴幼儿时期的动作和语言发展之间联系进行案例分析，在早教机构开展语言教育活动时要充分考虑动作发展因素，指导早教人员学习利用婴幼儿动作的发展制定活动计划。本专题课程的具体目标是： 1）会制定婴幼儿语言培训计划 2）会根据婴幼儿的动作进行及时指导
Reflective Practice and Professional Dialogue	Ms Ambika Perisamy and Ms Asyriawati Binte Mohd Hamzah, NTUC First Campus Limited	The focus of this presentation is to discuss teacher professional development (TPD) through the use of technology. TPD is necessary to prepare teachers for future challenges they will face throughout their careers and to develop new skills and good teaching practices. We will also be discussing current issues in embracing technology in the field of early childhood education and the impact on the professional development of teachers. Participants will also learn to apply teaching and learning practices throught the use of technology.
Using Drama as a Strategy in Teachers Training: Building Communication between Parents and Teachers	Ms Lavina Chong, Singapore Institute of Technology - Wheelock College	Drama is an excellent tool for expression and communication. It provides the perfect opportunity for teachers to engage in conversations to sharpen their communication skills with children, peers as well as parents. In this workshop, you will experience 'dramatic' but safe atmosphere where you will gain insights and learn new and creative ways to improve communication between parents and teachers through dramatic expression.
Creating an Inclusive Environment Within the Preschool Classroom	Ms Lau Vi-vian, Ngee Ann Polytechnic	This workshop aims to increase teacher's awareness on the importance of creating an inclusive environment for all children. To enrich their classroom practices, participants will engage in experiential activities through simulated role plats to understand and to guide children who may have attention and/or social difficulties. Participants will also engage in group discussions to highlight lesson accomodations, class schedules and classroom activities that stimulate and enhance children's responses.
Building Teamwork with Stretchy Bands Parachute 建立团体合作精神，乐在其中	Ms Doreen Leong, My Music Classroom	This workshop provides teachers the use of parachute and stretchy band in a safe and fun way by combining it with music and movement. Participants will explore and improvise creative and fun movements in connection to nursery rhymes and classical music and plan more enriching experiences for young children. With the use of demonstration, group discussion and hands-on activity, this workshop meets learners with various learning styles (VAK - Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic) using visual aids, listening skills and movement for different learners. 工作坊宗在培养学员的团结精神。学员将学习以彩虹带和彩虹伞两种教具吸引儿童，帮助他们透过歌曲来经历音乐的不同玩法，也会从歌唱，律动，游戏和创作中体会到多种教学方法。主要学习成果： 1）学员将熟悉教具的不同用法，如何安全使用并达到讲习的目标。 2）专业提升－学员在对音乐有初步的了解后，在课堂上以音乐律动作为教学的工具。
Home-School-Community Partnerships: Understanding and Supporting Diverse Families	Ms Candice and Ms Hannah Dass, KKH Women's and Children's Hospital	Worldwide and local research studies tell us that young children from disadvantaged families are at risk of developmental and learning delays. Social Workers from KIDS 0-3 will share on how early childhood educators can effectively engage 'difficult to reach and engage' families through family-centred approaches and reflective practices. Participants can learn about how to engage these families with relevant community resources to develop school-home-community partnerships that will enhance and optimise the young child's learning and development.
Making Family and School Connect	Ms Rebecca Jaclyn Smith and Mrs Bala, Learning Vision and Busy Bees Pte Ltd	Strong partnerships between home and the pre-school are an essential cornerstone of quality care, development and education of young children. While such research suggests how such partnerships ultimately serve to support children's learning and development, this workshop aims to present a fresh perspective on family-school collaboration, recognising efforts to connect with families and how schools can focus on boosting parental and professional self-efficacy. Learn about a pre-school's experience in adopting an innovative approach to promoting family-school collaboration, encouraging parents' feeling of empowerment while fuelling a pre-school's strong sense of collective efficacy.
When Science Becomes Child's Play ( 1,2)	Dr Muhammad Nazir Amir, Ministry of Education	Keen to find out how you can innovate to cultivate young children's curiosity and interest in science through play? In this highly-experiential workshop you will learn how to make toys from simple and recycled materials that work on scientific principles and concepts. This approach harnesses young children's kinaesthetic learning styles and their sense of playfulness. In this workshop, exchange and share ideas with other educators, and pick up practical tips on how you can capitalise on such toy-making approaches to present fairy tale stories and nursery rhymes to enrich young children's science experiences.
Trampoline Fun: Now and Forever!	Ms Sim Ker Ling, BearyFun Gym Pte Ltd	Trampolines are great for physical fitness of children. In this workshop, participants will get to experience Trampoline FUN by following the instructor who will be demonstrating: -- Animal Movements: Frog Jump, Kangaroo Hops, Rabbit Bounce, Horse Gallop and Bird Fly -- Story: We're on a Bear Hunt -- Action songs: The wheels on the bus & The Hokey Pokey Song -- Counting: Five little monkeys jumping onmy bed -- Colours: Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see? -- Game: Hot potato & "Simon Says" Once you have started introducing them, creativity is further enhanced! Trampoline FUN : it is not just now, but forever!
Inviting Learning	Ms Judy Goh, Learn Well International	In this workshop, there will be live demonstrations, with the audience's active participation on the sensitivity of selecting appropriate learning tools and educational aids which are specially designed to enhance children's learning. Through the workshop, the participants will not only enhance their understanding of children's style of learning but also learn how to develop children's learning potentials and how to mediate children's learning risks.
EQ for Educators: Help Children Reach for the Star through EQ	Ms Victoria Carlton, International Centre for Excellence (ICE). September 21 Enterprise Pte Ltd	Emotional Quotion is a major component of successful pre-school learning. Weaving it into the daily curriculum will help to transform children's futures! This workshop will help participants to understand the importance of self-care when teaching young children. It will focus on practical techniques to recognise stress and explore effective ways to deal with the demands in the classroom and increase personal emotional intelligence. It also offers opportunities for participants to try some simple physical exercises and mindfulness practices.
Tinkering with Scribbling Machines	Ms Chew Ling Ling and Ms Seah Jing Xing, Singapore Science Centre	Come and join this workshop for a fun tinkering session where all participants will have the opportunity to "think with their hands". Participants will learn about the tinkering activities, and gain ideas for activities which they can try with children. Tinkering is based on a constructivist theory of learning, where knowledge is not simply transmitted from the teacher to the learner, but is actively constructed by the mind of the child or learner.
Role of Play in Early Childhood Development Significance of Language Stimulation in Early Childhood	Dr Mythra Mahesh and Ms Charlotte Pou, National University Hospital (S) Pte Ltd	Through teaching segments, video clips, case scenarios and interactive activities, the workshop will promote an understanding in the area of play and language development, impart play and language stimulation strategies, as well as develop confidence in parents, caregivers, and educators in interacting with their children. Presenters will share speech and language development milestones and demonstrate strategies to encourage interaction with the children, including applications of these strategies on common daily routines and the use of toys.

Early Childhood Conference and Carnival 2015 Concurrent Sessions

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