How Your Preschooler Can Benefit from Being Globally Competent

Raising a globally competent child should be your top priority. Here’s how to achieve it

In today’s rapidly changing world, there’s no better time than now to educate our children on world issues and teach them the basics of tolerance. According to the latest Framework for 21^st Century Competencies and Student Outcomes by the Ministry of Education, global awareness is one of the most important competencies that will help our young thrive in a fast-changing world.

What is a globally competent student? As detailed by The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), globally competent students are those who:

• Adapt well
• Know how to reason with information from different sources
• Possess knowledge about the world and other cultures
• Communicate effectively and respectfully
• Understand different perspectives
• Approach conflicts in a constructive manner
• Have attitudes of openness
• Respect people from different cultural backgrounds
• Have global mindedness

Sounds like every parent’s goals for their child, right? We all want our kids to grow up #woke, especially when living in a multi-cultural nation like Singapore where racial harmony is so important. While some schools may expose students to this concept only when they’re older, British Council Pre-school introduces global competence to little ones from the get-go. The curriculum goes beyond teaching students the academic skills required for Primary 1, preparing them to also become globally competent in age-appropriate ways.

Cultural Exposure
Students learn about themes and topics from around the world, to give them exposure to the world around them and embrace its uniqueness. This helps them understand and appreciate different cultures.

Parent Involvement
There’s no one better to share about their cultures and careers than everyone’s first teachers – you, the parents! Mamas and dads of different nationalities and ethnicities are often invited to share more about their varied careers and cultures, such as customs for certain festivals and cultural etiquette.

Immersive Bilingual Curriculum
Give your child the gift of growing up in a language-rich environment! The British Council Pre-school curriculum has a unique, immersive structure that gives children a head start in becoming effectively bilingual. Class sizes are kept small, and two teachers are assigned to each class. One is English-speaking while the other is Mandarin-speaking, working together as co-partners for all three hours each school day, ensuring the learning of both languages comes naturally.

Inquiry-based Learning
Curious little ones who love to ask, “Why?” will be celebrated! Children are given opportunities to pose questions about the world around them as they discover new things. Facilitated by their teachers, students are encouraged to be inquisitive, do research and arrive at a conclusion by themselves.

Can’t wait to start your kiddo on this awesome preschool journey? Visit www.britishcouncil.sg/pre-school for even more info on the curriculum, an insight to a student’s typical day in school and testimonials from British Council Pre-school parents!

British Council Pre-school, 11 Tampines Concourse, #01-02/03/04, Singapore 528729, Tel: (+65) 6807 1573, www.britishcouncil.sg