Show and Tell is a common teaching tool in Singapore’s preschools to develop our young children’s self-expression as they speak confidently in front of an audience. It is part of the early childhood pedagogy to prepare our children with public speaking skills for future presentations in schools and work.
The concept of Show and Tell is the practice of showing something to an audience and describing it to them. The topic is usually a child’s favourite toy or an age-appropriate subject, such as a favourite activity or family vacation.
How Show and Tell in Singapore Preschools Can Benefit Your Child
Show and Tell is highly beneficial for your child’s development. Not only does it help your child to develop their speech with vocabulary and articulation, but it also fosters being comfortable talking in front of their peers.
It also encourages your child to reciprocate with respectful listening when someone else is talking. Other benefits include a deeper awareness of the use of language to communicate, the ability to express their emotions and to organise their thoughts to convey main ideas in a coherent manner.
The practice of Show and Tell in preschools also helps our children to gain confidence in their speech patterns, experience having the spotlight on them and overcome fears of speaking in public.
Teachers in the best childcare centres coach their children to do the following during Show and Tell:
- Keep their heads up and look around at their audience as much as possible.
- Use a loud and clear voice.
- Keep their feet still and together on the floor.
- Try to use exciting words to describe adventure or object.
Tips for Parents to Prepare Their Preschool Children for Show and Tell
The best childcare centres in Singapore, such as the Little Footprints Preschool, designed their Show and Tell as a home-school partnership activity that encourages parental involvement in the children’s learning journey.
“Tick Tock, It’s Time To Talk” is Little Footprints Preschool’s specialised programme that incorporates Show and Tell, where children get to stand on a mini stage to share their views with their teacher and peers. Conducted in both English and Chinese, the programme is incorporated into the curriculum from the nursery level.
Let us share some tips on how you can work with your children at home to prepare them for Show and Tell in school.
Pick A Familiar Topic
Help your child practice at home with familiar topics that will give them lots of talking points. Some examples are a favourite toy, a recent family vacation, a piece of artwork or craft that your child recently made or items collected from the beach or parks such as seashells or rocks.
Provide Props To Help Them Feel Safe
Show your child pictures or objects like their stuffed toys. Having something to hold and focus on will take away the pressure of the spotlight. Allow your child to bring these items to school as prompts in the presentation. These items may also serve as comfort items that make them feel safe standing in front of their peers.
Ask Questions to Encourage Flow of Presentation
Help your child to formulate what to say with the following questions, and allow your child to answer in their own words:
- Where did you find it?
- How long have you had it?
- How does it work?
- Why is it special to you?
Praise Generously
After the practice rounds, remember to be gracious and generous in praising your child’s efforts.
Here are some areas to praise that will make your child feel good about Show and Tell:
- Good use of language
- Speaking clearly and loudly
- Great use of hand gestures and body language
- Provided good eye contact
Book a tour with Us!
If you want to know more about our programmes and curriculum, come check us out at your preferred Little Footprints Preschool centre. We have centres island-wide in a neighbourhood near you.
Book a tour today at the centre most convenient for you and let us be a part of your child’s early childhood education journey.
Follow us on social media to stay updated on our latest updates and happenings:
