With the COVID-19 pandemic still affecting Singapore, the Ministry of Education announced that all schools will fully move to home-based learning until 5th May, or until the COVID-19 situation in Singapore has subsided.

According to Minister Ong Ye Kung, the MOE hopes that students and parents can learn adapt to home-based learning, as there is a chance for an extended period of home-based learning both in the present and in the future.

As a parent, how do you support your child during the home-based learning period?

What should parents expect on home based learning

Home-based learning can be done in several ways, from video lessons, e-lectures, worksheets and assigned resources.

Each learning session can last for 4 to 5 hours per day, with 2 hours used for interactive sessions. If students do not have access to computers or other digital devices, schools will be assisting them by lending them these devices throughout the period.

As parents, you do not have to stand in as their teachers, but ensure that they have all the means necessary to learn at home. If you do not have the time, you can consider hiring our tutor to monitor your child’s progress in home-based learning.

Here below are some tips you can follow once your child starts home-based learning and what to expect during this time.

a) How to support your child

While your child is doing home-based learning, you can do the following things to show your support:

• Give them a space where they can study without distractions (you can check out here on how to create a conducive study area)
• Ensure that their daily schedule and activities stay the same
• Monitor their progress based on their development
• Regularly contact or speak with their teachers like how we highlight it here, especially if you decide to assist in their studies.
• Check with your child regularly to see if they are keeping up with their studies and manage their sessions
• Monitor their online usage and see if they are studying rather than doing something else.

b) Student responsibilities during remote learning

When your child is doing their studies at home, it is important that they still remember that they have responsibilities as students to follow.

If they are unable to do so, it will affect their chances in keeping up with their studies and also jeopardise their future. Learn here on how to instill responsibilities in your child. 

During this time, remind your child to remember these tasks:

• Always checking their e-learning platform or emails to see if there are announcements from their teachers or if their feedback is released
• Do their assignments and projects honestly and do them to the best of their capabilities
• Make sure that they pass tasks on time and stay on track with their lectures
• Regularly contact their teachers for lecture questions and other inquiries
• Actively participate in student collaborations even online
• Stay in their best behaviour even if they are learning online.

c) Establishing routines and expectations

As soon as your child starts learning from home, you should already have a routine setup for them so they can keep up with their classes.

You can do this by doing the following:

• Checking in with them in the morning and night to see if they have done their classes.
• Set aside some time for them to take a break from studying. If you have gym equipment at home, sort out a workout routine for them to follow.
• Give them healthy meals and water everyday to give them the energy to focus on their classes (check out our list of food to boost your child’s immunity.)
• Set a time for their bedtimes

d) Communicating with your child

Checking in with your child every day ensures that you can determine if you need to seek assistance from their teachers. It also ensures that you have regular communication with them and that they are doing ok.

Some of the things you can ask them in the morning can include the topics they will study for the day, how long they will work on it and if they need any help. In the evenings, you can ask them about their classes, how well they did and if they need assistance.

Every child will respond differently with home learning and it is key that you ask them regularly. Your questions will help them see if they understood the course outlines provided by their teachers online and sort out their priorities. This will greatly help them in the future, especially if they have to do home-based learning for a longer period.

If you see that your child is having problems keeping up, reach out to their teachers and see what can be done to improve their situation. You may need to find other ways to inspire your child to learn or materials that your child can understand better.

Conclusion

When asked about the duration of these measures, the minister said that it will depend on how long the outbreak will last.

As parents, we should do our best to support our children during these uncertain times and reassure them that the outbreak will not disrupt their future.

For more learning activities you can do at home with your child, check out these:

How to Teach Your Child Phonics at Home?
How Parents can Support Their Children in the Learning of Malay Language at Home