Cubs Mandarin Early Years & Daycare Centre USJ 20, Subang Jaya

In most cases, children have a natural ability to pick up new things especially languages they hear around them. For parents, having your child have the ability to speak more than their mother tongue and English is an asset that will see your child open more career opportunities. Kiddy123 managed to catch up with Ms Elizabeth Tan, the Academic Manager of Cubs Early Years USJ 20 to learn what earned her and the school the excellent reputation they have now.

Parents today recognise the importance of having their child master as many languages as possible to give them a lead in their future. No matter if they live in Malaysia or overseas, Mandarin has become one of these most sought-after languages. Large corporations, MNCs etc look for candidates that are proficient in Mandarin. The future is brighter for children who are proficient in Mandarin, English and Bahasa Melayu.

But is Mandarin really that difficult to learn? As pointed out by Ms Elizabeth Tan, that simply depends on the type and quality of a child’s early education. That being said, parents of children who attend Cubs Mandarin Early Years (CMEY) USJ 20 can vouch for the success of the curriculum here in ensuring their children receive an enriching learning experience which prepares them well for entry into any Chinese primary school of their choice.

Cubs Mandarin Early Years USJ 20

As a preschool that is immersed in Mandarin, many opportunities are provided to students via their subjects and activities that allow for the use of the language to better enhance their communication skills in Mandarin. Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological theory of learning is applied that allows students to learn in the environment they are in. “Students develop based on their surroundings and experiences,” states Ms Elizabeth Tan.

“If their entire learning environment is kept positive and conducive, the outcome will be profoundly better,” she stated with conviction. “At Cubs Mandarin Early Years, the whole learning environment from the classrooms, to the teachers professionalism and enthusiasm as well as their caring nature, and the predominantly Mandarin-speaking surroundings offer a rich and conducive environment for children to pick up and master the language with ease.“

Simply put, Cubs Mandarin Early Years is a Mandarin academic-based programme designed to help young children to build as well as to improve their Mandarin proficiency. The USJ 20 branch is in a double story house, designed specifically for the best outcomes of children ages between 4 years to 6 years to pick up and master Mandarin. Once they have graduated and entered primary school, they are able to enroll into the after-school care center just opposite the preschool, for additional Mandarin classes. This arrangement is especially beneficial for parents who are planning to enroll their children in Chinese primary school, for it offers a sense of continuity in terms of building their children’s Mandarin proficiency.

The learning atmosphere makes a difference!

“Despite Mandarin being a tough language to master, our loving and immersive learning atmosphere will help ensure that students thrive and develop fluency in the language, and the confidence to use it more naturally and comfortably,” Ms Elizabeth stated.

She went on to explain that the mastery of English and Bahasa Malaysia as well as other core subjects will be emphasized as well to ensure that preschoolers from Cubs Mandarin Early Years receive a well-rounded early education and are well-prepared for primary school. “However, as Mandarin is the main focus as well as medium of teaching, the language is spoken throughout the day at the preschool. It is also incorporated into many other activities in the preschool, in line with its reputation as a Mandarin immersion preschool.”

The small-sized classrooms are helpful in coping with the current pandemic as it allows the teachers to better observe and maintain the protocols required under the directives from the MOE. “The class numbers are controlled at this time to ensure safety protocols are met and the disruptive leaning experience of the last two years is mitigated,” says Ms Elizabeth Tan. Teachers are providing the much need attention to the areas the students have missed and in turn is also preparing the students to master Mandarin, Bahasa Melayu and English. Furthermore, the programmes allow the child to improve their public speaking skills thus building their self-confidence.”

The Curriculum And Development Editorial Team (CADET) is the department responsible for teacher’s training and assists the centres in the continual development of the teachers quality and delivery. Regular trainings and improvements to the programme, ensures that the students get the best possible education at this time.

Parents of young children who understand the importance of Mandarin and would like to give your child the head start, should take that crucial step of enrolling your child at the nearest Cubs Mandarin Early Years and rest assured that your child is in capable hands, ones that will provide a stable foundation for learning and developing for your child.