Impacts of Pre-school Teachers on Brain Architecture for Children from Low-Income Malay Families

This paper discusses the impacts of preschool teachers on brain architecture among children from low-income 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 balance between children from different backgrounds. The paper also discusses the challenges faced by low-income families and the interventions put in place to improve the development of children's brains.

Running head: Impacts of Preschool Teachers on Brain Architecture
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Impacts of Pre-school Teachers on Brain Architecture for Children from Low -Income
Malay Families
Name
Affiliation

Impacts of Preschool Teachers on Brain Architecture
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Impacts of Preschool Teachers on Brain Architecture
Introduction
Poverty is a global issue which is considered a high-level matter. Some researchers
have stated that, Malays in Singapore is facing some serious problems which includes high
literacy rate. Without forgetting that, the Malay population is also the unhealthiest in
Singapore. In terms of population size, Malays represent 13.5 percent of the population which
is regarded to be around 24.4 percent of the people on dialysis (Conkbayir, 2015). However,
the primary factors which both leaders and government officials focuses on is education in
order to reduce some of the problems facing the Malay community at large. The research
have concluded that, reducing illiteracy in the community helps in dealing with numerous
issues and it is also considered as a practical task for broadening the public's mind. To do
well in education one needs to have skills in making a decision (Li T. , 2014). The process of
decision making among human beings mostly depends on how the person’s brain developed
when he or she was a child. Besides 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 early childhood experiences have significant impacts on 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 (Klingberg,
2013).
Early childhood experiences 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 (Bruer, 2011). For instance, children born
and raised in urban setup may have a very different view on how to invest a fortune from a

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counterpart brought up in rural life. Some studies indicate that central 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. Those who handle children in the community make a
significant impact on their brain development because most parents in the Malay community
support children to follow their dreams, which unfortunately do not play well in the country.
Singapore education system is designed in such a way that children attend preschool
up to the age of six years. This is followed by primary education that takes six years, the
secondary school 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 (Rodney King, 2016). This study
focuses on the preschool period in the Malay community in Singapore and the impacts the
period has on the development of brains among children, mostly from the low-income
population. 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 (Ho & Wong, 2011).
The preschool period in Singapore runs for three years and is divided into three parts
namely nursery, kindergarten one 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

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children learnings involved various activities ranging from the development of personal,
interpersonal, and social skills such as outdoor plays, music, and games. 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 official mother tongue, Malay in this case although there are
other two languages which are Mandarin and Tamil (Sabapathy & Education, 2014). 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 low-income 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 (Soon, 2016).
According to the research, the country education system is considered one of the best
in the whole world. This is mostly because of its nature and set-up at the early stage. In 2017
during the national rally day, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong highlighted some of the move
were critical on uplifting the early childhood (EC) sector, additionally, for one to give every
child a good start in life and support families with young children ensuring families those
40,000 new full-day pre-school places by 2020 (Marilyn Fleer, 2018). Also, the Early
Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) in the year 2012 also agreed with government
effort in developing and regulating some of the factors thus indicating the government's
commitment to uplift the affordability, the quality and the accessibility of the education given
to the young kids. Also, the Abecedarian Project which includes those kids who were born
between the years 1972 to 1977 was randomly assigned as infants to either the early
educational intervention group or the control group. Continuously, the research also stated
that, the long-lasting benefits which is associated with high-quality early childhood program,

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mostly the one concerning the power of early intervention to surmount some of the pros
associated with the poverty through supporting families in order to get better children's early
development as well as their school accomplishment. In continuation, the research also stated
that the relationship between the different activities which are carried out at the preschool and
the development of brain to the concerned individuals attending the system is examined and
analyzed fully.
Previous studies confirm 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. The smaller brain regions present in
children from low-income families could be as a result of the high level of anxiety and stress
that the children undergo (Sebastián J. Lipina, 2016). 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.
According to Smith (2013), the preschool in Singapore need to help low-income
Malay families in trying to solve such challenges. Children from the low-income 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

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as compared to the way they would be if they grew at home just with their low-income,
uneducated parents (Mukhopadhaya, 2017). 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 low-income Malay families. 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 low-income kids view
and perceive things (Robert Harris, 2016).
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 (Natalie Drew, 2010). 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. 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 challenges (Natalie Drew, 2010). The programs also create an enabling
environment for parent and doctors to review 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 low-income Malay families have benefited from the

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program, improved academic performance among the children and ignorance among mothers
has 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. 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 (Li, Park, & Chen, 2018).
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 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 (Collins,
2016). Children from low-income families living in rented HDB units are exposed to the
polluted environment regarding language usage. If not accorded proper guidance, such young
souls 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. By playing together and attending the same lessons, such children with different
backgrounds learn from each other, and with the preschool teachers present, they only teach
one another morals of good value (Vicki Cohen, 2012).
The research done by others has shown that, some factors such as the differences in
the speech that children are exposed to some things can lead to differences in their literacy,

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language and cognitive development. As a result, this may at sometimes affect subsequent
success at school and the overall individual performance. 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 Staff and
Amsel (Staff, Amsel, & Byrnes, 2014). 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. Further studies indicate that
children who do not get enough playing time lead to a life with some defects mostly in how
they interact with others and how they choose and apply a conflict resolution strategy at their
adulthood age. 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
(Mayesky, Neuman, & Wlodkowski, 2017).
Children undergo many developments and therefore need handling by qualified
professionals to enable them to achieve maximum benefits. To optimize children's
development, teachers need to understand and know how to implement current theories of

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learning and teaching and child development. Ideally, a degree in early childhood
development will provide early childhood educators with the knowledge and expertise to
implement quality programs and optimize children's development. However in Singapore due
to manpower crunch, the Early Years educators only need to complete WSQ Higher
Certificate in Infant Care which is a three hundred hours course designed to prepare educators
who are keen to work with infants and toddlers from two to eighteen months or an Advanced
Certificate in Early Years which consists of 399 classroom hours and 101 practicum hours.
These educators are guided by the Singapore the Early Years Development Framework
(EYDF) one must understand that, in many cases standards for quality and developmental
practices mostly emphasize on the corporation between the family and community (Siraj-
Blatchford, 2016). This framework was invented after a research study which was conducted
by some important stakeholders some including child care, parents, supervisors, operators
and practitioners who in most cases collaborates with National Institute of Education. One
must understand that, the above framework was designed in such a way to help the said
educators in planning and delivering culturally and development the required experiences,
which in return creates a safe and enriching learning environment. In the long run safe and
enriching learning environment foster a strong partnership with the said families as well as
the targeted community which at long last it helps in enhancing the professional
development. While this is the silver lining in standardization and more centers are adopting
an “inside-out " process. At this inside-out process majority of individuals helps in retaining
some or all of the responsibility to direct their ongoing growth and improvement through
continued study of current best practices which mostly reflects on the reflective personal goal
setting in collaboration with respected colleagues. In many cases one needs to examine as
well as plan the required teachers who teach infants and toddlers which in terns equip them

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better with the required skills which helps them to embark on the most important career
(Collins, 2016).
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 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. 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 a
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. This project has 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 (Collins, 2016).
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 assist and
bridge the gap between the government's target when it comes to the reduction of illiteracy
and what it has achieved so far. The practicality of this research will be more evident when

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the preschool teachers finally understand 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. This research would show the government of
Singapore the right direction to take concerning the improvement of preschool education
(Vicki Cohen, 2012).
From the various research studies covered in this literature review, it is learned that
several factors affect the development of a child's brain. These determining factors range
from environmental, social to economic influencers. 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 (Marilyn Fleer, 2018). Another parameter influencing the mental growth of
children is the environment they live in that expose them to varying effects. 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 low-
income Malay community leaves us with the desire to understand 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
low-income Malay families?
What improvements can be made to better the situation of the low-income Malay families?
Conclusion

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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 (Li T. , 2014). 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. She now knows where the gaps lie and the right
people to seek information. This would reduce the time used in doing the research and
minimize expenses that would accrue from making uncertain trips in search of data.

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