The landscape of early schooling is drastically changing.

More and more children are attending school at an earlier age. At the same time, early childhood and kindergarten programmes are increasing focus on academic content.

But are these children ready for school?

Most parents and teachers will tell you that children’s abilities to “self-regulate” – that is, follow directions, pay attention, sit still and minimise disruptive behaviours – are among the most important skills necessary.

And with good reason: Such early behaviours predict academic success throughout school and even later educational attainment.

We are researchers who evaluate what skills prepare children to succeed in school.

The problem that our work has identified is that most children are still learning to manage their own behaviour at the start of kindergarten.

Many are simply not ready for the behavioural demands of kindergarten.

And some are already two years behind their peers at kindergarten entry.

HERE’S HOW WE FOUND OUT

To look at differences in how children develop self-regulation, we tested nearly 1,400 children from diverse backgrounds.

Children were tested multiple times in pre-school, from pre-school to kindergarten, and pre-school into first grade.

We used a game-like assessment called the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task to measure children’s developing self-regulation skills.

Every time the experimenter said “touch your head”, the child had to remember to touch her toes instead, and when told to “touch your toes”, the child had to touch her head.

Sounds easy?

Perhaps for the first part.

The assessment became a lot harder as we added shoulders and knees.

This task required children to engage their ability to remember the rules, do a different action than what the experimenter said, and keep focused throughout the task.

LEVELS OF SELF-REGULATION

We found that children had three different patterns of development: Some children entered pre-school already demonstrating higher levels of self-regulation compared with their peers and quickly gained higher skill levels.

For example, if most children start at “zero” on a scale of zero to 40, then the early developers started approximately 10 points ahead.

But most children started with lower self-regulation skills and gradually developed during pre-school until they were ready for kindergarten.

The most troubling finding was that around 20 per cent of children hardly showed any gains in self-regulation skills – such as remembering complex directions, raising their hand before speaking or taking turns with others – during their pre-school years.

These children were attending pre-school programmes, usually four days a week, for one or two years, and yet they were lagging behind their peers in the self-regulation skills they would need in kindergarten.

The ones who had the most difficulty were more likely to be children from families where mothers had lower education levels, and children with lower levels of English vocabulary.

They also tended to be male children.

For example, in our study, even though we had slightly fewer boys than girls (about 49 per cent), when we looked into who the later developers were, up to 58 per cent of them were boys.

That is a noteworthy difference.

Other researchers who recently studied the same question as ours found remarkably consistent results.

Specifically, researcher Michael Willoughby concluded that at least 10 per cent of children showed few or no gains in self-regulation across pre-school.

This had devastating consequences during their kindergarten years related to behaviour and academic achievement.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

Children who develop self-regulation later are generally the same kids who lag behind their peers in the academic skills we value and target.

There is some evidence that the children who start kindergarten with lower self-regulation not only do not catch up by first or even second grade, but in some cases also may be falling even further behind.

For example, a child with lower self-regulation in kindergarten is likely to have lower maths skills throughout elementary (primary) school.

What is worse, in early elementary grades that skill gap could further widen.

Our ongoing research evaluating literacy skills among children until second grade echoes these findings.

Just as with maths, later developers do not appear to catch up when it comes to letter and word recognition, awareness of word sounds and reading comprehension.

In fact, the gaps grow wider across kindergarten and first grade.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO?

Does this mean that early childhood programmes should eliminate their academic focus?

We are not arguing for this.

Research shows that the early introduction of academic material does help prepare children for school success.

Rather, what we are arguing for is what teachers have been observing for at least two decades – that programmes that value children’s early social emotional development, and particularly their self-regulation skills, are critical.

The development of these skills requires individualised focus along with academic materials.

Teachers need to make sure children are not overtired or hungry, or that there is not some other physical need.

Research shows the body and brain work together to self-regulate.

Parents can set strong routines including bed time, other rest times and consistent snack times.

Such routines ensure children’s brains are ready to engage in tough academic work.

After that, children need practice.

It is important to understand that paying attention, remembering directions and avoiding disruptive behaviours are all skills that can be practised through daily interactions.

Games that require rules can be used for practising these skills.

If children are to get the most out of early academic content, they need to be prepared for it.

As it turns out, some of us need both a little bit more practice and a lot more help in order to be ready to succeed.

This article was first published on Jan 02, 2017.
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Dutchman Guus van Bladel, who helped introduce local superstar Fandi Ahmad to Dutch professional soccer but gained prominence here for 24 years of social work involving death row and drug inmates, has died.

He was 85.

A death notice was placed in The Straits Times on Saturday informing of his death in Malacca, where he had lived since 2001.

“He died in the car as I was driving him home on Nov 2 after one of his frequent trips to the hospital,” said his caretaker and long-time friend David Tang, who looked after him for 28 years.

Mr Tang, 52, said yesterday Mr van Bladel could not walk and suffered from several “old age illnesses”, which meant he required help with daily routines.

“Two days before he died, he shook my hands and said ‘there will be no more next time’ for me to attend to him personally and he was happy… But I was very sad.”

Mr Tang said Mr van Bladel was buried on the grounds of a Malacca church.

His sister and nephew in Holland were notified.

After he came to Singapore in 1976, Mr van Bladel worked as a freelance journalist and introduced a young Fandi to Dutch football.

The striker signed with Dutch football club FC Groningen in 1983.

Mr van Bladel became a voluntary after-care officer with Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (Sana) in 1977 and served till 2001 as one of its longest-serving counsellors.

His work in Sana impressed then chief probation officer K.V. Veloo, who got him to become a volunteer probation officer as well as to deal with young offenders.

Mr Veloo, who was with the then Ministry of Social Affairs, said yesterday: “Guus gave so much of himself to the rehabilitation of offenders and drug addicts.

Not only did he give his time, but he helped families in financial crisis out of his own pocket.

“Parents of those placed under his care spoke with love and admiration for Guus. Those who knew Guus must have shed a tear, for he was more than a legend. His fusillade of personal values of love, care, and assistance for those who had fallen between the cracks, is legendary and will live on in our memories.”

Mr John Wee, 55, was a Lion City Cup player when he met Mr van Bladel around 1978.

“Without his guidance, support and counsel, I would not be where I am today. I owe a lot to him. He paid for me to study French in Singapore for two years and I went on to work in SIA, retiring as chief steward after 23 years,” said Mr Wee.

Mr van Bladel, a former human resource director in Holland before he came to Singapore, was on the Dutch Probation Service’s list of counsellors to deal with Dutch cases abroad.

In 1992, Mr van Bladel was awarded the Public Service Medal on Singapore’s National Day for his social work.

Three years later, he was knighted by the Dutch Queen on Holland’s national day.

In 2011, the Dutch Probation Service organised an occasion in Singapore to mark his official retirement and honour his  contributions.

Said Mr Veloo: “Guus was a collector of Chinese classical paintings and kept expensive birds. His early-morning activity was to be among bird-watchers at a coffee shop in Tiong Bahru.”

vijayan@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 02, 2017.
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Working as a freelance contractor, Mr Lim Ka Hock was earning barely enough to support his elderly father and teenage son, when misfortune struck in November last year.

On Nov 12, his 64-year-old father, Mr Lim Chwee Leong, fell backwards while riding an escalator at Bishan MRT station.

He suffered serious head injuries and went into a coma.

Almost two months later, the elder Mr Lim remains comatose, with chances of a full recovery still uncertain, Mr Lim, 46, told The Straits Times.

Mr Lim’s father, who has diabetes and high blood pressure, underwent surgery immediately after the accident to remove a blood clot in his brain.

He later went through a tracheostomy to enable him to breathe on his own and has since been transferred out of intensive care.

The elder Mr Lim’s case was one of 63 accidents involving escalators in November and December, according to figures in a Building and Construction Authority (BCA) media release last Thursday.

Nearly four out of five such accidents involved those above the age of 60, like the elder Mr Lim.

The BCA also asked the public to use escalators safely during the holiday season. There are more than 6,000 escalators in Singapore.

Mr Lim, who visits his father at the hospital about once a week, said: “My father is able to open his eyes only sometimes, but just for a few seconds. He is still unable to recognise others.”

Over the past month, he has had sleepless nights worrying about his father’s medical costs and his son’s school fees and expenses.

“We were already living from hand to mouth, but now, life has been much tougher,” he said.

Mr Lim, who is divorced, lives in a four-room HDB flat in Bishan with his retiree father, two siblings and 15-year-old son.

He said that with the help of a government subsidy and insurance payout, the family is able to afford the hospital fees for now.

But without freelance projects to work on in the past weeks, Mr Lim has seen his savings quickly depleting.

Last Wednesday, he started working for a friend as a delivery driver, which will earn him about $1,400 a month.

He hopes the money will help cover the cost of housing his father in a nursing home in the future.

“Doctors have told me not to give up hope, as there is a chance my father will wake up,” he said.

“But even then, he may not be able to take care of himself. My siblings and I are working so there won’t be a caregiver at home.”

His father is eligible for a 50 per cent subsidy at the nursing home, but it will still cost the family about $2,000 a month, Mr Lim said.

The family has also had to make other adjustments to its lifestyle.

Instead of eating takeaway meals, Mr Lim sometimes turns to instant noodles with eggs or plain rice with eggs.

He said: “I just want to focus on earning enough money for my family first.”

nghuiwen@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 02, 2017.
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The Malaysian couple who were hurt two weeks ago in an ill-fated crash along the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) will have to live apart as they recover from their injuries.

Mr Teh Tze Yong was riding a motorcycle with his wife Janice Choo as a pillion rider when a Mercedes- Benz came hurtling towards them.

The couple, both 34, have been discharged from hospital but will be living apart for at least six months so that family members can continue to care for them.

Madam Choo, who works as an administration officer, left National University Hospital last Wednesday while Mr Teh, a driver at a logistics company, was discharged on New Year’s Eve.

Read also: AYE accident: First glimpse of each other, days after crash

Madam Choo fractured her left leg while her husband had fractures on both hands and injuries to three fingers.

The couple, who have been working in Singapore for 10 years, will not be returning to their flat in the Pioneer area just yet.

Speaking to The Straits Times yesterday, Madam Choo said she has been staying at her aunt’s flat in Pioneer since leaving the hospital, while her husband has moved in with his uncle in Woodlands.

“After our check-up this week, I will be going back to Ipoh and my husband to Yong Peng to recover. It’s easier for our families,” she said.

They hope they will both be well enough in about six months’ time to attend a relative’s wedding in Malaysia together.

Mr Teh has not yet seen the video footage of the incident, which was captured by a motorist’s dashboard camera and later went viral.

“I can’t bring myself to watch it. I still feel scared and in shock,” he said.

But Madam Choo said: “I don’t want to let the incident stop me from living here. I definitely hope to return to Singapore to work, as my colleagues and the people here have been very nice to me.”

On Dec 20, businessman Lim Chai Heng, 53, was charged with causing death by reckless or dangerous driving for his role in the accident that claimed one life.

nghuiwen@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 02, 2017.
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Reunion dinners this year look to be more expensive, thanks to the rising prices of traditional Chinese New Year favourites like abalone, fish maw and scallops.

Prices for abalone, which have fallen in the past two years, are now back to 2015 levels, retailers said.

A can of New Moon abalone from New Zealand now costs $39.80 at the Giant supermarket chain, similar in price to 2015 – compared to $33.80 last year.

At Teck Yin Soon Chinese Medical Hall in Temple Street, for example, a can of Calmex abalone from Mexico now costs $160.

It was $158 in 2015 and $145 last year.

These prices were taken from around the same period before the New Year.

Prices of delicacies usually peak a month before the festival.

“There’s just less supply in general due to poor weather and overfishing. It’s not just abalone; all kinds of seafood are affected too,” said Teck Yin Soon’s general manager Chow Chew Yong, 33.

Prices of fish maw and dried scallops at the medical hall are also up by 15 to 20 per cent.

The Straits Times reported last Tuesday that mandarin oranges, a New Year staple, are also set to cost 10 to 15 per cent more this year.

A spokesman for the Victoria Street Wholesale Centre Merchants’ Association said the reduction of abalone production, especially in China and Mexico, affected overall prices.

“Abalone production in the past two years fell by around 10 per cent, which is why the cost also went up by 10 per cent,” he told Shin Min Daily News.

A depreciating Singapore dollar has also contributed to the higher prices, he added.

Retailers said they will offer more package deals in the hope that customers who buy the delicacies will purchase more.

Madam Sun Da Jie, manager of Chang Bai Shan Ginseng Medical Hall at Lucky Chinatown, said she will bear the additional cost of the seafood to avoid discouraging customers.

“With the prices and the economy this year, I won’t dare to import so much. Otherwise, I will make a big loss,” said Madam Sun, 75.

Likewise, supermarkets here said prices of abalone, fish maw and scallops will be comparable to last year’s. Said a Sheng Siong spokesman: “We have absorbed the price increase (of abalone) in some measure, so that our customers can continue to enjoy affordable abalone during the festive season.”

NTUC FairPrice’s senior director of purchasing and merchandising, Mrs Mui-Kok Kah Wei, said it has continued to work closely with its suppliers “to ensure stable prices and supply of these items”.

But people are likely to continue buying these delicacies, a Giant supermarket spokesman added.

“As Chinese New Year is still a traditional celebration about abundance, we do not see that consumers will buy fewer items or buy replacements for traditional delicacies.”

But some families will be making adjustments for the festive period.

The first day of Chinese New Year falls on Jan 28.

Mr George Toh, 41, a flight attendant, said he will reduce his reunion dinner budget this year because he received a smaller bonus.

“That, or the kids get less hongbao (red packet) money,” he said.

Retiree Koh Hui Fun, 70, told The Straits Times her family will just have to make do with fewer cans of abalone this year.

Her solution? Poultry.

“I’ll feed them more chicken instead. Since it will be the Year of the Rooster, I hope they won’t mind since it’s traditional after all,” joked Mrs Koh.

ngjunsen@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 02, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.