ENGLISH
MATHS
FITNESS
ART
SCIENCE
MULTILINGUALISM
An Active Body is a Learning Body
Fitness is an integral component of the Helen Doron Kindergarten programme. Besides developing motor skills, coordination, flexibility, balance, strength and body control, our fitness programme teaches children healthy habits that can last a lifetime.
Fitness is taught through a unique Helen Doron programme, Ready Steady Move! which combines various movement disciplines and second language acquisition to create a stimulating and fun learning environment for young children. The programme improves flexibility, body strength, balance and relaxation using techniques from dance, yoga, martial arts, theatre and Pilates to enhance language learning.
The major tenet of Ready Steady Move is that “an active body is a learning body.” This is the synergy used to teach both correct movement and language techniques together. In this way the children not only benefit from improved fitness and health but also learn a new language that, because of the use of movement, is retained and understood far better than in conventional teaching methods.
Learning Through Movement
Learning through movement is a joyous experience. Inspired by the research of leaders in the field of mind-body connection and learning, the combination of movement and learning taught in our Kindergartens builds brain connections and plants the seeds for mental growth and development.
Well established research tells us that movement and language learning have a synergistic effect on each other as movement encourages the neural development necessary for intellectual learning. In other words, learning to act while we think and to think while we act is an effective way to think about how movement and activity enable learning
By simultaneously dancing and learning a language, we can improve children’s retention of information and teach the target language in a direct, mother-tongue manner. Our learning through movement programmes engage children’s natural way of learning a language, without the need for translation. The added benefit of this method is that the children also develop physically, as the songs encourage energetic movement, coordination, spatial awareness and balance— all of which are needed to build healthy bodies and minds.
Simply stated, movement and music make learning an enjoyable process. Each class becomes an adventure. Children and teachers share a stimulating experience that encourages positive associations to learning.
Strong, Happy and Healthy
Each day, children participate in activities that provide tremendous physical and mental benefits:
- Exercise helps children achieve and maintain a healthy body weight
- Regular physical activity helps build and maintain strong, healthy muscles, bones and joints
- Exercise aids in the development of important interpersonal skills
- Research shows that exercise enhances academic performance
- Participating in regular physical activity prevents or delays the development of many chronic diseases
- Children who are active report fewer symptoms of anxiety, have greater self-esteem and better self-images
Through yoga, Pilates, song and dance, children easily learn English, French, Spanish, Mandarin, Turkish, German or Russian. This video shows the integration of movement and language learning.