Impacts of Preschool Teachers on Brain Architecture for Children from Poor Malay Families

This paper discusses the impacts of preschool teachers on brain architecture for children from poor Malay families in Singapore. It highlights the importance of early childhood experiences on brain development, the Singapore education system, and the role of preschool teachers in creating a balanced growth and development rate among children from different backgrounds. The paper also emphasizes the significance of playtime in brain development and the need for qualified professionals to handle children to optimize their development.

Running head: BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AMONG CHILDREN 1
Impacts of Preschool Teachers on Brain Architecture for Children from Poor Malay Families
Student’s Name
Institution Affiliation

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AMONG CHILDREN 2
Introduction
The main difference between human beings and other animals is the ability of human
beings to think, reason, and make a rational decision regarding their day to day activities.
This ability makes human beings responsible for their actions, given that they have the
opportunity to reason out before deciding on what they do. The process of decision making
among human beings mostly depends on how the person’s brain developed when he or she
was a child (Bower, Catroppa, Grocke, & Shoemark, 2014). Several research studies have
shown that people from different backgrounds with varying experiences, mainly at a tender
age are likely to make different decisions when they face similar circumstances. This fact
makes researchers believe that the early childhood experiences have significant impacts on
the brain development among children, effects that would affect their reasoning even when
they are adults. This paper focuses on a detailed literature review on brain development
among children.
These early childhood experiences that affect brain development among children
include the environment they live in, the people they interact with, the nature of parental care
they face, and the type of education system they go through (Barnhart, Huff, & Cotte, 2014).
For instance, children born and raised in urban setup may have a very different view on how
to invest a fortune from a counterpart brought up in rural life. Some studies indicate that main
brain development takes place between the age of five and seven years, and whatever a child
learns at this age is somehow permanent. The children brought up in the Malay community in
Singapore are not an exemption; the influence of preschool teachers in the development of
brain among the Malay community cannot be ignored (Eve Siu Ling Chen, & Rao, 2013).
Those who handle children in the community make a significant impact on their brain

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AMONG CHILDREN 3
development because most parents in the Malay community support children follow their
dreams, which unfortunately do not play well in the country.
Singapore education system is designed such that children attend preschool up to the
age of six years. This is followed by primary education that takes six years, secondary
education for four years then post secondary that takes between one to three years. Educating
a child in Singapore is expensive, as the country is ranked third among the 98 states where
research was done on the number of school fees paid. As illustrated by SoJung Seo and
Hyukjun Moon (2012), averagely, a parent has to part with $31,400 annually to take a child
through the thirteen years of Singapore education system, resulting to approximately
$589,900 from reception to the end of the thirteen years. This study focuses on the preschool
period in the Malay community in Singapore and the impacts the period has the development
of brains among children, mostly from the poor population (Barnhart, Huff, & Cotte, 2014).
The study tries to understand the processes that take place in this period and the possible
influence they bring on to the thinking, arguing reasoning, and decision making capability of
the children involved.
The preschool period in Singapore runs for three years and is divided into three parts
namely nursery, kindergarten 1 and kindergarten two respectively. This level of education in
the country provides an environment where children learn how to interact with one another, a
fruitful stage to prepare them for the formal primary education. At this stage, the children
learn are involved in various activities ranging from the development of personal,
interpersonal, and social skills such as outdoor plays, music, and games (Bower, Catroppa,
Grocke, & Shoemark, 2014). However, the main aim of the preschool stage in Singapore
education system is the learning of languages that would be used in the formal primary
education. They learn both oral and written words which mainly include English and the

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AMONG CHILDREN 4
official mother tongue, Malay in this case though there are other two namely Mandarin and
Tamil. It is worth noting that most private and church-based kindergartens do not offer Malay
and Tamil though this fact does not affect the many poor Malay communities whose children
mostly attend the kindergartens run by the ruling party, People's Action Party. This level of
education in the Singapore education system provides the basics to the more advanced
learning in the country. The country's education system is ranked among the best systems
globally due to the nature of its set up mostly at an early stage (Grant, Gracy, Goldsmith,
Shapiro, & Redlener, 2013). In this research, the relationship between the activities at
preschool and the development of brain among the children attending the system is examined
and analyzed.
Previous studies explain that poverty influences the development of brain among
children. According to researchers who conducted surveys in various countries, children born
and brought up in families with the tight financial flow and lacking some basic needs tend to
have some deficiencies in their brains, a symptom of inadequate growth and development. It
is believed that there are physical differences between the minds of a child from a wealthy
family and that from relatively less fortunate family (Eve Siu Ling Chen, & Rao, 2013). The
smaller brain regions present in children from low-income families could be as a result of the
stress and high level of anxiety that the children undergo. Another study in the same subject
matter indicated that poverty leads to lower maternal education hence lower-resource
environment to raise the children which in turn leads to poor sound processing in the brains
and poor reading skills. Another study illustrated that low or no frequent verbal interactions
between children and their mothers might lead to difficulties in sound recognition a factor
that has adverse effects on learning and attentiveness of the child.

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AMONG CHILDREN 5
According to Smith, (2013), he teachers in preschool in Singapore help poor Malay
families in trying to solve such challenges. Children from the poor Malay community whose
parents may not have enough parental education and face the risks of developing a deficiency
in brain development interact with their counterparts from more prosperous families in
kindergartens. The interaction creates an improved brain development as compared to the
way they would be if they grew at home just with their poor, uneducated parents. The
teachers at the preschool help in creating the balance between children from the two extreme
ends, an optimal point that helps in improving the brain architecture of children from poor
Malay families (Barnhart, Huff, & Cotte, 2014). The reasoning and exposure exhibited by the
rich kid's challenge and motivate the counterparts from the low-income families, this
situation, in turn, helps in enhancing how the poor kids view and perceive things.
Preschool system has helped in changing the growth and development of children
from less fortunate families through interventions and holistic nurturing of the emerging
issues among them. This project that has so far incorporated many schools brings together
teachers, social workers, and education therapists. It has so far identified some causes of the
difficulties and challenges that slow the development processes among children from low-
income families. The doctors from various institutions including National University Hospital
have managed to detect development delays, social and emotional health defects, and general
health inefficiency and then present different interventions depending on the challenge
(Bower, Catroppa, Grocke, & Shoemark, 2014). In cases of serious concerns, the doctors take
time to talk to the parents, discuss possible remedies and educate the parents on the potential
long-term solution to the challenge.
Apart from just detecting health challenges among children at an early stage, the
doctors also educate the parents and the concerned parties on the healthy habits that may

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AMONG CHILDREN 6
prevent any problem in the future. The programs also create an enabling environment for
parent and doctors to discuss and update each other on the progress of existing situations
under control. According to the studies, several children under such programs have been
referred to specialists for further treatments and checkups on various issues like hearing
difficulties, slow literacy development, hyperactivity, and asthma.
Studies indicate that this program has led to increased enrolment and attendance in the
preschool system. Many children from poor Malay families have benefited from the program,
improved academic performance among the children and ignorance among mothers have
been experienced. Parents are the leading experts in matters to do with their children, and
they are the best people to handle any arising cases with their kids; educating the parents on
healthy habits is a milestone step in improving the malfunctions in brain developments
among the children (Grant, Gracy, Goldsmith, Shapiro, & Redlener, 2013). The decision to
send doctors to preschools has helped in bridging the physical and psychological barriers that
low-income families face when seeking professional and improved medical intervention on
their challenges.
Another study indicates that the differences between cognitive developments, literacy,
and success in school among children can be as a result of differences in their parents'
professional backgrounds. Professionalism influence the choice of interaction strategies,
mechanisms of conflict resolutions and the communication styles and even the selection of
languages used. Study among families from different backgrounds regarding
professionalism and culture shows that children whose parents are professionals have better
brain development that their colleagues whose parents are not involved in any profession.
Children from low-income families living in the slums are exposed to the polluted
environment regarding language usage. If not accorded proper guidance, such young souls

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AMONG CHILDREN 7
may end up adopting the use of vulgar languages they learn at home from some
unprofessional parents and neighbors. Preschool setups help bridge this gap by enabling such
children of varying backgrounds to interact and have a balanced growth and development rate
(Ng, Griva, Lim, Tan, & Mahendran, 2016). By playing together and attending the same
lesions, such children with different backgrounds learn from each other, and with the
preschool teachers present, they only teach one another morals of good value.
Previous research has shown that differences in the speech that children are exposed
to can lead to differences in their language, literacy and cognitive development, and may
even affect subsequent success at school. Informed by Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of
language learning in early childhood and Sigel's Psychological Distancing Model, this
ethnographic multiple-case study analyzes maternal interaction strategies in four Chinese
families in Singapore — two local and two immigrant families — to explore factors that
influence the choice of interaction strategies as explained by Li, Kirby, Sigler, Hwang,
LaGory, and Goldenberg (2010). Cross-case comparisons are made regarding the mothers'
professional and cultural backgrounds, and within-case comparisons are made along the lines
of contextual factors. The comparisons reveal both important similarities and differences in
the mothers' use of interaction strategies which was shaped by an array of social, cultural, and
contextual factors.
Parents need to know that playing among children is an essential requirement that
engages their brains and improves the brain development. When children are confined at
home with their parents or keepers who may be not playful, the children lack the brain
engagement through play. Studies show that when children are left alone at any given point
they play, or they will always search for someone to play with. Further studies indicate that
children who do not get enough playing time lead to a life with some defects mostly in how

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AMONG CHILDREN 8
they interact with others and how they choose and apply a conflict resolution strategy at their
adulthood age (Eve Siu Ling Chen, & Rao, 2013). Children with more play time tend to have
open minds and critical thinkers when they grow due to the interaction they developed when
playing at their childhood.
Some research studies have indicated that children in Singapore who attend preschool
systems have better interactive skills due to the exposure they acquire when at schools. It is
said that after enough playing time, children tend to have a peaceful sleep which provides a
conducive environment for brain development (Hollar, Messiah, Lopez-Mitnik, Hollar,
Almon, & Agatston, 2010). During play, ideas and skills become meaningful tools that are
practiced. Concepts are understood, and qualities are developed that are the same required to
succeed in school and life, such as thinking, problem-solving and communicating. Children
who enter primary school with strong oral communication skills, developed through play, are
confident, able to make friends, persistent and creative in completing tasks and solving
problems, and excited to learn and thus have pathways set for academic success (Li et al.,
2010) The early years, from birth to age eight years, lay the foundation for all learning and
development that will take place over a child’s lifetime. High-quality early childhood
education can play a critical role during this important period of growth.
Children undergo a lot of developments and therefore need handling by qualified
professionals to enable them achieve maximum benefits. To optimize children's development,
teachers need to understand and know how to implement current theories of learning and
teaching and child development (Mulder, Cate, Daalder, & Berkvens, 2010). A degree in
early childhood development provides early childhood educators with the knowledge and
expertise to implement quality programs and optimize children's development.

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AMONG CHILDREN 9
From the above-illustrated studies, there exists a gap in understanding the exact role
played by preschool teachers in the development of a child's brain. The studies show that
there are several points of difference between children who attend preschool systems in
Singapore and the ones who do not have the chance to do the same. The children are exposed
to various facilities and environments that they lack when at home in their low-income
families. The researches show that the Malay community consists mostly of people below the
poverty line (Barnhart, Huff, & Cotte, 2014). This condition creates many challenges that
discourage mental development among the affected children which in turn change their
thinking, reasoning and decision-making process when they grow old. The lack of proper
brain development may also lead to the low academic performance in schools.
Preschool system has helped in changing the growth and development of children
from less fortunate families through interventions and holistic nurturing of the emerging
issues among them (Pite, Wedi, Borrego, Kapp, & Raap, 2013). This project that has so far
incorporated many schools brings together teachers, social workers, and education therapists.
It has so far identified some causes of the difficulties and challenges that slow the
development processes among children among children from low-income families.
According to Li Ren and Guangwei Hu (2014), these studies continue stating that parents are
the leading experts in matters to do with their children and they are the best people to handle
any arising cases with their kids; educating the parents on healthy habits is a milestone step in
improving the malfunctions in brain developments among the children.
This study would help bring in and explain the role that teachers at the preschool level
of education in Singapore in the enhancement of children's brain. It would also help bridge
the gap between the government's target when it comes to the reduction of illiteracy and what
it has achieved so far (Singh, Iacono, & Gray, 2015). The practicality of this research will be

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AMONG CHILDREN 10
more evident when the preschool teachers are finally understood regarding their roles, the
challenges they face and the adjustments needed for the full realization of the mission.
Singapore’s education system is considered one of the best in the world and this study intends
to elaborate the role preschool teacher's play in the entire achievement (Hampton, Qiong &
Denninger, 2015). It is believed that the findings of this research would show the government
of Singapore the right direction to take concerning the improvement of preschool education.
From the various research studies covered in this literature review, it is learned that
several factors affect the development of a child's brain (Lai & Zhang, 2014). These
determining factors range from environmental, social to economic influencers and change the
child differently. For instance, being born and raised in a low-income family contributes to
the poor performance in academics, reasoning, and final decision-making process even after
becoming an adult. The professionalism of the parents affects how a child behaves and
interacts with others as he or she learns communication skills from the parents. Another
parameter influencing the mental growth of children is the environment they leave in that
expose them to varying effects depending on who they live with and where they live (Moate,
2011). A child will acquire the habits of the elders irrespective of whether the patterns are
moral or immoral.
The improved mental development among children in the areas inhabited by the poor
Malay community leaves us with the desire understands the role played by teachers in
preschool institutions in the area, hence the research questions;
 What role do preschool teachers play in encouraging brain architecture for children
from poor Malay families?
 What improvements can be made to better the situation of the poor Malay families?

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AMONG CHILDREN 11
Conclusion
This literature has enabled the researcher to acquire in-depth knowledge of the traditions
and cultural practices of the Malay community in Singapore. The experience would be of
help when carrying out the actual research in that the researcher understands their culture and
would be in a good position to interact with them. The literature review in the subject matter
has also equipped the researcher with the knowledge of the right direction to take when
carrying out the study. He or she now knows where the gaps lie and the right people to seek
information from. This would reduce the time used in doing the research and minimize
expenses that would accrue from making uncertain trips in search of data.

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AMONG CHILDREN 12
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