KiasuParents.com Independent Review
Located in the housing estate of Punggol– the area is conducive and quiet, the centre is done up well, clean and airy, well-lit and welcoming, makes one feel happy to be there. It is near to Waterway Point and the closest MRT is Punggol.
Funta*stic Chinese Education Hub is an enrichment and tutorial centre that specializes in the Chinese Language. They have programmes, specially designed by the centre’s Academic Researchers, for children from pre-school to secondary school levels. Adding credibility, the programme is endorsed by Professor Kenneth Dean, Head of Department of Chinese Studies, NUS and Dr. Ong Yong Peng, Associate Professor, National Institute of Education.
A huge plus for Funta*stic Chinese Education Hub is that all their teachers are Singapore MOE-NIE trained, so they know the curriculum like the back of their hand. I also liked that the teacher: student ratio is kept at a very manageable and effective 1:8 maximum. They also have a Homework Club – where they provide a well-equipped space – as well as wifi, learning resources, and computers. Guidance from teachers to programme students offers help with homework, group projects, or preparation for upcoming tests and examination.
My review is based on a Primary 2 class that I had the opportunity to observe. On that day, it was a small class of 2 students (which is the minimum to start a class) for a 90-minute session. During the time I observed, the students were offered continuing review, as well as learning new vocabulary on Games-Toys. It was a full immersion experience for the students – even when they offered responses in English, the teacher would reply in Mandarin, and she encouraged the students to repeat and reply in Mandarin. The teacher also corrected them in their pronunciation and did repetition to ensure retention of knowledge. She covered the 4 learning pillars of the language: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. There was also experiential learning done, where the teacher used different toys/ games for the students to play with.
The room had fixtures that are set up for role playing too. The teacher was firm but nurturing – the students were participative, there were lots of questions from the students, conversations, and laughter. To my mind, an ideal learning environment: cultivating the love for learning through fun and play.
Funta*stic Chinese Education Hub runs their programme on 11-week terms and offers holiday programmes too.
Overall, I would recommend Funtastic Chinese Education Hub.
