Year 2 is a great time to build solid foundations for literacy and numeracy. By this age, students start to become capable of independent learning, and explore ideas they are interested in. This may include delving into different characters and worlds through stories or engaging in problem-solving.
Our classes are designed to capitalise on their curiosity and thirst for knowledge. We provide a structured format for learning and pushing them beyond the lessons of a traditional classroom.
Here are two simple examples of questions we expose to our year 2 students in their very first lesson with us.
1. Fill in the gap: In some countries people eat strange things when they are sick. In one country, sick people eat _________!
(A) mice (B) soup (C) toast
Most students (and even adults!) will dismiss answer (A) immediately. Most will likely choose (B) because soup is associated with sickness. This is a great example of the importance of paying attention to details when reading and great way of checking understanding. In fact, the answer (A). It teaches students to read based on context. The first sentence indicates that it is about eating strange things, so only a strange answer will be the right one.
2. Nicolas has 4 stickers more than Sean. How many stickers does Sean have if Nicolas has 6? ____
As this question is an open-answer rather than multiple-choice, it encourages students to read the question more carefully. Most students will pick out key information such as “4” and “6”, as well as the word “more”. Some students will associate the word “more” with addition, and add 4 to 6. However, the question is asking about Sean, not Nicolas. From Sean’s perspective, if Nicolas has more than him, then Sean has less. So, students should minus 4 from 6 to get 2 as the right answer.
The above examples encourage students to actively participate in learning. Unlike other tutoring centres who may emphasise mental exercise and speed, our focus is on understanding and creating memorable teaching moments for our students. This allows them to build confidence, foster understanding of the world around them and achieve their academic potential.
Our year 2 classes provide a great foundation for their academic journey. If your child is in year 1 or 2, we would love to hear from you!
