Giving children a head start
MALAYSIA’S educational policy has gone through some big changes for the past few years.
One of such changes is the Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah (KSSR) syllabus.
This syllabus came to replace the Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Rendah (KBSR) in the primary school system in 2011.
The KSSR focuses more on teaching “Higher-Order Thinking Skills” (HOTS) than “Lower-Order Thinking Skills” (LOTS).
While LOTS lead students to memorise concepts, HOTS train them to synthesise and analyse information and knowledge to solve problems and make decisions.
Students need to be equipped with HOTS for the later stages of their lives after schooling. It is particularly true in today’s society where analytical, critical and creative minds are in demand more than ever before.
Eye Level is an enrichment programme developed by Daekyo, a leading educational service provider that was founded in 1976 in South Korea.
Helping students become problem-solvers, critical thinkers and lifelong learners, Eye Level has come up with robust curricula based on research, thus serving as a model throughout the world.
The Eye Level curricula help students learn both LOTS and HOTS and apply these skills in and out of school.
Eye Level Math trains students to use LOTS and HOTS throughout its 32 levels.
First, students master Basic Thinking Math (BTM) by practising addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
They then learn Critical Thinking Math (CTM) dealing with situation-based questions.
To understand the basic mathematical concepts of BTM, students need to use LOTS.
On the other hand, to apply such basic concepts in CTM, they should develop HOTS.
Eye Level English first helps students develop LOTS.
To develop these skills, they follow instructions to learn basic language skills through phonics and oral fluency exercises.
After gaining a basic level of competence in English, students continue to follow guided instructions to develop HOTS. At this level, they practise reading and writing.
To improve their reading comprehension, students learn to analyse a variety of texts, including literary works.
In this way, they feel more comfortable in dealing with cognitively challenging questions and ideas.
Carrying out linguistic and cognitive exercises that are systematically organised through 14 levels, students gradually become more proficient in English.
Training students to develop both LOTS and HOTS, Eye Level English not only helps them in school but it also lays a strong foundation for their future career, thus encouraging them to be competitive professionals.
As mentioned before, the KSSR emphasises HOTS, which meant students will be encouraged to practise these skills in school.
Consequently, schools will have to change their methodology of teaching and evaluation.
To develop HOTS, students need to become more independent, confident and active in learning, organising and using knowledge and skills. This idea is compatible with Self-Directed Learning (SDL), primary approach of Eye Level.
Throughout the SDL process, students learn to take initiative and responsibility.
Such behaviour is closely linked to HOTS rather than to LOTS.
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