By the end of Senior Kindergarten children will communicate effectively by listening and speaking, will be able to read basic text in English, will be able to use phonic strategies to approach new words, will be capable of using writing strategies appropriate for beginners, and finally, will be able to use and respond to media.
Children will demonstrate curiosity about the natural world, demonstrate knowledge of characteristics of common materials, identify cycles in nature using techniques of observation, and work with others in using the computer in all aspects of their studies.
Children will understand colour, shape and use of media to express ideas. They will be able to describe responses to music, art, drama and dance.
Children will develop physical skills (such as balance and flexibility), an awareness of health and safety rules, an understanding of sharing, taking turns, cooperation and socially acceptable behaviour.
Children will become problem solvers. They will learn about patterns in the environment, number concepts, comparisons, sets, basic formal operations (e.g. adding and subtracting), 2-D and 3-D objects, simple graphs, basic measurements, estimation and basic probability.
Children learn to listen, speak, read and write in English and Portuguese by surrounding them in learning their first language children pass through several stages in predictable order: listening, developing understanding, speaking, reading and writing. Successive stages begin while preceding stages are still in development. When Maple Bear children learn a language their development in that language proceeds through the same stages in the same sequence as in learning their first language. Research shows that learning two languages at an early age offers both linguistic and cognitive advantages.
Immersion methodology is used in Maple Bear schools to develop linguistic competence. This means that children learn to listen, speak, read, and write in English and Portuguese by surrounding them with conversation and instruction in the same language.
Literacy, which includes listening, speaking, reading and writing, is one of the most important goals of the Maple Bear program.