Recognising the limitations of purely theoretical learning, EtonHouse International School actively seeks to bridge the gap between theory and practice, cultivate critical thinking skills and prepare students for an increasingly globalised world.

In an exclusive interview, Mr Robert Randall, the school’s principal, delves deeper into the challenges of crafting a well-rounded curriculum and how student publications play a crucial role in overcoming them.

What are some of the challenges faced in ensuring a holistic curriculum?

We strive to ensure our curriculum is not just informative but also relevant and engaging. Traditionally, curriculums can struggle to keep pace with the dynamic nature of the real world. We’ve identified several key areas that we wanted to address:

· Relevance and Application: Ensuring students see how their learning connects to real-life situations.

· Engagement and Motivation: Making learning dynamic and interactive to capture student interest.

· Diverse Learning Styles: Catering to different learning preferences through a variety of teaching methods.

· Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: Equipping students with the skills to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information.

· Global Perspective: Providing students with a broader understanding of the world around them.

How do student and news publications from SPH Media address these challenges?

We were impressed by the variety available catering to different age groups and learning styles. These publications (The Straits Times Little Red Dot, Thumbs Up and The Straits Times) provide students with access to real-world examples, current affairs and diverse perspectives – elements that can often be missing from textbooks.

Business Studies in the Upper School (aged 14-16) provides a fantastic opportunity for students to incorporate current news affairs with the knowledge they have acquired from the curriculum.

Students are often tasked with sourcing articles from The Straits Times to find relevant business examples in which they can apply their understanding of business activities to relevant industries. This could include the impact of changes in the external environment on business decision making, the effect of globalisation on marketing strategies or the ethical impacts upon business operations. Overall, this real world context supplements their learning, engagement and understanding within the classroom.

“Our teachers are eager to integrate the media in lessons and classroom practices. These new approaches promise to enhance student engagement and foster deeper understanding of the subject matter.”

How do you decide which student publication is best suited for each grade level?

It boils down to a combination of content and format. For younger students, publications like Little Red Dot are fantastic. They are visually engaging, use simpler language, and often focus on local topics that resonate with the students’ lives. As students progress through the grades, we advance to more complex publications such as The Straits Times, reflecting their growth maturity and ability to handle heavier topics.

How do you integrate student publications into your curriculum?

In our primary levels, we use Little Red Dot to introduce students to printed media. It’s a fantastic change from the online content they typically consume and connects with writing genres we teach.

In our upper school business studies class (aged 15-16), students use publications like The Straits Times to find real-world examples of business concepts. This helps solidify their understanding of these concepts.

In our sixth form (aged 16-18), we use The Straits Times for weekly discussions on current affairs during Life Skills lessons. Students delve into different sections, fostering critical thinking and global awareness. They also compare and contrast news coverage across various countries, which is an invaluable exercise.

“We had a professional development workshop by SPH Media that equipped our teachers with strategies for incorporating publications into their lesson plans. These new approaches promise to enhance student engagement and foster a deeper understanding of the subject matter.”

What is the feedback from students and parents?

The feedback has been very positive. Students appreciate the opportunity to engage with current events and learn beyond the confines of a textbook. Parents value the exposure to print media as an alternative to the digital world.

“It is a good opportunity to expose students to reading about current affairs on a print medium, something that is hard to come by these days with digital media being so prevalent.”