Early Childhood Education
Duration: 3 weeks (negotiable)
Location: Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Originally piloted with Victoria University, this program is delivered in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, in East Malaysia. TGS works with a consortium of five ECE centers that provide a variety of practicum experiences, including:
one placed within a private school
a faith based center
a disadvantaged center catering to stateless kids
an ethnic-indigenous run center
The EC culture is not well established in Sabah and the network of centers have largely been established as a result of one woman who has developed training programs for EC teachers from her own centers and helped others establish their own. Datin Rahimah is very keen for engagement with staff and students from Australia as it allows them to learn and incorporate new methods and activities into their practice.
This program provides the opportunity for PST’s to not only experience teaching in a different culture, but within different pedagogical environment than they would experience at home. Some of these younger children may have little to no English but the opportunity for play-based learning means this is only a small hurdle.
In this model, the students usually spend 4 days a week in their own allocated center, and on Fridays they visit each of the other centers, and a center for deaf preschoolers. PST’s are accompanied by staff from their home institution to ensure requirements are met for accreditation purposes.
What’s included?
Compulsory pre-departure session
Orientation to Malaysian schools and EC practice
Bahasa Malaysia Language and Culture class
Professional development sessions with academic staff
Visits to each of the program centers and a center for the deaf
