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The Key to Learning: Vygotsky’s Insights and Our Classroom Approach

By Ms. Femia Ong

Parents are always striving to support their children’s learning and development. One of the most influential figures in early childhood education, Lev Vygotsky, provides valuable insights into how children learn, emphasizing the importance of social interaction, language, and guided learning. At ISMILE Family of Schools, we’ve integrated these principles into our classroom through the Key to Learning program, which includes specific modules designed to enhance cognitive, social, and creative development.

Let’s explore how Vygotsky’s theories, combined with our unique curriculum,
can help your child thrive.
Learning Through Interaction

Vygotsky believed that learning is inherently social. Children learn by interacting with those around them—whether through conversation, play, or collaborative activities. In our classrooms, we emphasize this through various modules such as Story Grammar and Developmental Games, where children work together, sharing ideas and learning from each other. These activities not only boost communication skills but also foster a sense of teamwork and cooperation.

Parent Tip:
Encourage your child to engage in conversations at home. Simple discussions about their day or favorite stories help build their language skills and their ability to think critically.

The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) highlights the space between what a child can do independently and what they can achieve with guided support. Our Sensory Mathematics and Logic modules are designed to push children just beyond their current abilities, encouraging them to solve problems with assistance from peers or teachers. This helps develop both critical thinking and confidence.

Parent Tip:
Challenge your child with tasks slightly beyond their comfort zone, offering just enough help to support them without taking over. This might involve activities like completing puzzles together or trying a new math game at home.

Scaffolding: The Bridge to Independence

Scaffolding refers to the temporary support provided to help a child learn a new skill. In our classroom, scaffolding is incorporated into the Mathematics and Creative Modeling modules, where children first receive guidance and gradually work towards independent problem-solving. Whether they’re experimenting with shapes or building complex structures, this approach builds their ability to tackle challenges on their own.

Parent Tip:
When your child is learning something new, offer assistance in the beginning, but slowly encourage them to try it on their own. For example, if they’re constructing a model, help them start, but let them experiment with how to finish it.

Language as a Tool for Thought

According to Vygotsky, language is crucial to learning and cognitive development. Our Story Grammar and Artographics modules harness the power of language, encouraging children to express their thoughts, explore stories, and engage in creative expression. These activities help children organize their thoughts, build their vocabulary, and develop narrative skills.

Parent Tip:
Ask your child open-ended questions that prompt them to explain their thoughts, like “What do you think will happen next in the story?” or “How do you feel about that?” These types of conversations help your child articulate their ideas and think more deeply.

Play as a Powerful Learning Tool

Vygotsky recognized the importance of play in cognitive and social development. Play allows children to explore new ideas, roles, and solutions in a safe, imaginative environment. In our Creative Modeling and Construction modules, children engage in hands-on play where they experiment with materials, shapes, and structures. These activities not only stimulate creativity but also build problem-solving skills.

Parent Tip:
Encourage your child to engage in imaginative play at home. Open-ended activities like building with blocks or crafting with different materials allow children to explore their creativity while reinforcing important cognitive skills.

Visual-Spatial Learning

Our Visual Spatial module focuses on helping children understand and navigate the space around them. Through puzzles, building activities, and visual games, children learn to think critically about spatial relationships and improve their visual perception skills. This ties into Vygotsky’s belief that learning should be multi-sensory and interactive.

Parent Tip:
Introduce visual-spatial challenges at home, like mazes, building projects, or games that involve organizing and manipulating objects. These activities strengthen their ability to see and solve spatial problems.

Collaborative Learning and Logic

In Vygotsky’s view, collaboration is key to learning. Our Logic and Developmental Games modules emphasize the value of working with others to solve problems. By engaging in these group activities, children develop logical reasoning and learn how to approach challenges from different perspectives.

Parent Tip:
At home, encourage cooperative play and problem-solving by working together on tasks like board games or group projects. These activities help your child learn to work with others while developing their reasoning and teamwork skills.

Conclusion: Supporting Your Child’s Learning Journey

At ISMILE Family of Schools, we are committed to creating an enriching environment that fosters both cognitive and emotional growth through the Key to Learning modules. By integrating Vygotsky’s insights with structured, hands-on activities in areas like Artographics, Sensory Mathematics, and Story Grammar, we’re helping your child build a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

As parents, you can continue to reinforce these learning strategies at home. By supporting their social interactions, providing scaffolding during challenging tasks, and encouraging imaginative play, you’ll help your child reach new milestones. Together, we can foster a love for learning that will serve them well throughout their educational journey.

Nafas To Install Clean Air Zones in 7 iSmile Pre-School Campuses in Indonesia

As pollution in Jakarta and many other Indonesian cities continues to get worse, Nafas has been appointed as the air quality partner for iSmile Family of Schools in Indonesia and is tasked with bringing healthy air quality to 7 campuses in Permata Hijau, Menteng, Kelapa Gading, Pantai Indah Kapuk, P. Antasari (for Alam Atelier & BazGym) and Bandung. As part of the partnership, Nafas will be providing healthy air quality management, analytics & reporting as well as leading educational programs for parents across iSmile, iShine, Alam Atelier and BazGym  to continue to raise awareness about air pollution and public health.

Over 800 students attend iSmile Family of Schools, one of the top pre-schools in Jakarta, Bandung and Bali. The dedication of iSmile administration to providing the optimal learning environment for its students extends to ensuring that healthy indoor air quality levels are always maintained. 

For their schools that already have a Clean Air Zone, Nafas successfully reduced indoor air pollution by over 80% in classrooms at the Kelapa Gading campus in April 2024.  Unhealthy indoor air quality in schools provides a sub-optimal learning environment for children and long term exposure to PM2.5 reduces concentration, focus and can impair cognitive development. Nafas even published an article about this – The Smog Effect: How Air Quality Could Be Affecting Test Scores.

Clean Air Zones by Nafas are a subscription based B2B service which provides companies with air quality diagnostics, healthy air management, data analytics and real-time reporting of indoor pollution levels. The end to end service is the first of its kind in Indonesia, and already serves over 100 clients in offices, schools, small businesses and residential locations.

Interested to learn more about turning your business into a Clean Air Zone – click here. 

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