Theme: Nurturing Literacy through Diverse Media

The AFCC Parents Forum offers parents, teachers, and other related professionals the opportunity to get support, information, and advice on nurturing early learning and bilingualism at home. 

Delegates from Teachers Congress can also attend the sessions for Parents Forum.

10:00 am – 11:00 am
Pre-school
[PANEL] Working Together: Fostering the Teachers-Parent Alliance (L16 THE POD)

Allan Menagh (General Manager, Kumon Asia & Oceania Pte Ltd), Jacqueline Chung (Senior Principal & Academic Director, St James Kindergarten), Kiyomi Akita (Professor, Graduate School of Education at The University of Tokyo)

In this panel, the speakers from Lorna Whiston, Kumon and St James Kindergarten share their views on how teachers, schools and parents can come together to build their children’s literacy skills and show that there is strength in unity.

Primary
Why Parents Shouldn’t Say No to Comics (L5 IMAGINATION ROOM)

Leonard Marcus (Historian, Writer, Book Critic, Exhibition Curator)

Comics have long been viewed with skepticism by the adult world. Yet these days, graphic novels and other kinds of comics-style storytelling are proving to be as educationally beneficial to children as they are entertaining. Join writer and book critic, Leonard Marcus, as he tells you more.

11:00 am - 11:15 am
Break for Room Change

11:15 am - 12:15 pm
Pre-school
Pop-up Books Facilitate Children’s Literacy Skills at Home or in Class (L5 POSSIBILITY ROOM)

Hans Hartung (Retired teacher and journalist)

Hans will speak about the quality and the thematic selection of movable books for children in preschool and primary school age. The diverse relationships in pop-up books increase brain activity and a sustainable long-term effect in learning. Hans will illustrate his speech with book examples.

Primary
It Starts with a Line (L5 IMAGINATION ROOM)

Nicola Choo (Co-founder & Lead Instructor, Drawing Right), Tricia Goh (Co-founder & Director, Drawing Right)

A fun workshop that will have you drawing in no time at all. But more importantly, learn how we can use drawing to enrich your relationship with your child and nurture positive perceptions of themselves for greater self-confidence.

12:15 pm - 1:15 pm
Lunch

1:15 pm - 2:15 pm
Pre-school
Being Honest About Difficult Issues with Stories (L16 THE POD)

Ruth Wong (Associate Professor, English Language and Literature, NIE), Melanie Lee (Author)

Why do writers and illustrators use animals with human characteristics in children’s books or use stories to talk about difficult topics? Melanie will share how different children’s books deal with adoption, while Ruth will share how anthropomorphism in children’s books eases the tension for children who are going through challenging experiences such as divorce, illnesses and death.

Primary
Dads, You Count Too (L5 POSSIBILITY ROOM)

Allan Menagh (General Manager, Kumon Asia & Oceania Pte Ltd)

Dads are as important as mums in raising book worms. As Mr Allan Menagh, the General Manager of Kumon, has found that dads often just don’t know what they can do to help their children build literacy skills. In this session, Allan will offer tips on “Maximizing Your Brand as Dads – Literally” which are all the small things their children will love them for.

2:15 pm - 2:30 pm
Break for Room Change

2:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Primary
[WORKSHOP] My Child Can Write! Can He/She Write A Book? (L16 THE POD)

Catherine Khoo (Managing Director/Publisher, Janus Education)

Target audience include parents and teachers
Catherine Khoo will share insights on her techniques to mentor children to write stories. Participants get to create their own stories (with help from her invited young authors) in this interactive workshop!

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Pre-school
Bilingual Books: Killing Two Birds with One Stone (L5 IMAGINATION ROOM)

Li Li (Research Associate, Singapore Centre for Chinese Language, NTU)

Reading is a fun and challenging pathway towards bilingualism for both children and educators. Dr Li Li will share some recent findings about the effects of reading in two languages, and how you can help children to become bilingual readers.

Pre-school
Choosing the Right Book for a Child – Is That Possible? (L5 POSSIBILITY ROOM)

Shirley Lim (Librarian, National Library Board)

How do parents decide what their children read? Shirley offers insights into book selection by parents and the support available to them in nurturing reading habit for young children.

Pre-school Primary
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty Through Stories (For Parents and Teachers) (B1 MULTIPURPOSE ROOM)

Saleemah Ismail (Director and Co-founder, New Life Stories )

Breaking the cycle of poverty through creative reading sessions for children of incarcerated mothers, Saleemah will share how together, mother and child are able to rewrite the stories of their lives and chart a more positive future.

3:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Tea Break

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Pre-school Primary
Breaking Grounds with Films (B1 MULTIPURPOSE ROOM)

Ken Mizusawa (Teaching Fellow, National Institute of Education)

Ken Mizusawa explores how film as a highly dominant and appealing form of visual storytelling can help support young language learners.

Pre-school
Puppets, Tools not Toys (For Parents) (L5 POSSIBILITY ROOM)

Brian Zimmerman (Puppeteer)

Kids will listen to a puppet before they will listen to you. Recognising the art form of puppetry and learning to use it as a tool to interact with children.