Early childhood learning resources - books and CD-ROM titles to teach K1 children word recognition and learning to read in a fun way or through games

Thank you for your enquiry received at Woodlands Regional Library.

Your enquiry was on "early childhood learning resources - books and CD-ROM titles to teach K1 children word recognition and learning to read in a fun way or through games".

We would like to recommend the following:

Books (please check for the availability of the individual titles via our online catalogue at vistaweb.nlb.gov.sg)

Chinese Titles

1) Title Wo hui zhao gu zi ji / [zhuan wen, Changdao Qianhuizi].
Author Nagashima, Chieko.
Subjects Early childhood education.
Early childhood education Activity programs.
Call Number J P Chinese 372.21 NAG

2) Title Xue xi hao xi guan gu shi / Feng Ye bian zhu.
Author Feng, Ye.
Subjects Early childhood education.
Early childhood education Activity programs.
Children's stories, Chinese.
Call Number J P Chinese 372.21 FY

3) Title Ni hui jiao hai zi ma? : 101 ge nian qing fu mu bi zhi de jiao zi zhao fa / Qitian Zhen zhu ; Wang Runfang yi.
Author Shichida, Makoto, 1929-
Early childhood education.
Call Number Chinese 649.1 SHI -[FAM]

You can find more books under the call no.: Chinese 372.21 in the chinese section of the libraries.

English titles

1) Title: Early childhood curriculum : incorporating multiple intelligences, developmentally appropriate practice, and play / Rae Ann Hirsh
Publisher: Boston : Pearson Allyn and Bacon, c2004
Call No.: R English 372.21 HIR

2) Title: Fundamentals of early childhood education / George S. Morrison
Publisher: Upper Saddle River, N.J. : Merrill/Prentice Hall, c2003
Call No.: R English 372.210973 MOR

3) Title: Introduction to early childhood education : a multidimensional approach to child-centered care and learning / Francis Wardle
Publisher: Boston : Allyn and Bacon, c2003
Call No.: R English 371.21 WAR

4) Title: Teaching and learning in the early years / edited by David Whitebread
Publisher: London : RoutledgeFalmer, 2003
Call No.: English 372.210941 TEA

5) Title Equality in early childhood : linking theory and practice / Jennie Lindon.
Author Lindon, Jennie.
Publisher London : Hodder Arnold, 2006.
Call no.: 372.0117 LIN

6) Title Early childhood care and education : the challenge / Walter Barker.
Author Barker, Walter.
Publisher [Amsterdam : Bernard van Leer Foundation], 1987.
Call no.: 372.21 BAR

Internet resources
http://www.ecd.govt.nz/publications/research.html
This New Zealand Ministry of Education has supplied some useful papers for public access on their website.

http://www.earlychildhoodrc.org/papers/catalog.cfm
The Early Childhood Research Collaborative (sponsored by the Center for Early Education and Development at the University of Minnesota) also has a catalogu of papers that you may find useful. Do also take a look at the link under "Resources and Links" -- some do point to very interesting research projects.

Audio-visual
1) Title: Learning basic skills through music [videorecording] / Backyard Productions
Publisher: Freeport, NY : Educational Activities, 1986
Summary: Live action, time-lapse cinematography, animation, and video wizardry are combined as outlandishly costumed and
exotic substitute teachers visit a classroom and deliver lively lessons on primary colors, capital letters, and fundamental arithmetic.
Hap Palmer's music and songs accompany the action as children are seen dancing, cavorting, and playing with hula hoops.
Call no: J AV 22-01-07 English 372.19 LEA

2) Title: JumpStart kindergarten reading [interactive multimedia] / Knowledge Adventure, Inc.
Publisher: Glendale, CA : Knowledge Adventure, 1996.
Summary: Provides essential reading skills for school, aimed at the kindergarten level.
Call no: J AV 372.4 JUM

3) Title: Schedules and routines [videorecording] : why bother?
Publisher: Lubbock, TX : C.E.V., [1997?]
Summary: A discussion on the importance of adhering to set schedules and rountines in the operation of a child care center; the enviornment thus
created is better for the childern as well as being better managed from the standpoint of a business operation.
Call no: AV 649.1 SCH -[FAM]

4) Title: Preparing your preschooler for success in school [videorecording]
Publisher: Huntington, NY : Bureau For At-Risk Youth, 1997, c1996.
Summary: Shows how a child's imagination works, how play and having fun are essential to learning, the limitations of what should be taught to
preschoolers, way to motivate children to learn, and how to ease preschoolers' transition into kindergarten
Call no: AV 649.1 BUI -[FAM]

5) Title: The whole child [videorecording] : a caregiver's guide to the first five years.
Publisher: S. Burlington, VT : The Annenberg/CPB Collection, c1997.
Summary: Teaches the latest in the fields of child development and child care for the critical years from birth to the age of five. Outlines essential
information about children's physical, emotional, and cognitive development. Presents practical developmental activities and techniques to use
in difficult situations. Shows real children and teachers in Head Start classrooms, a private urban infant center and preschool, an in-home family
child care program, a suburban preschool and two university child care centers.
Call no: AV 372.21 WHO

You can check the availability of our resources via our website www.nlb.gov.sg


Thank you for using our service. I hope that the above resources are useful. We hope to hear from you again should you have any other enquiries.

Banned books

Your enquiry was on what books are banned in Singapore so that you can know whether or not to buy them from Amazon.com

There is no single list of banned publications in Singapore. However, as a general guide, you can refer to this link which provides a list of prohibited items: [ https://www.vpost.com.sg/vpost/vshop/d_usajapan.jsp?option=9 ]
In summary, it states that seditious and treasonable materials are prohibited, as well as obscene articles and publications, among others. The list of controlled and restricted items by law in Singapore include pre-recorded cartridges and cassettes, Newspapers, books and magazines, films, video tapes/discs, laser discs, CD-ROM and video games.

In addition, the local customs website [ http://www.customs.gov.sg ] states that import of controlled goods (eg. video tapes, video discs and publications) will be sent to the Media Development Authority for approval.

You may wish to contact the Media Development Authority (MDA) for queries on licensing and censorship of books in Singapore. The MDA regulates publications under the Undesirable Publications Act, and they can be reached via email at mda_input@mda.gov.sg.

You can read more about the various media legislations at this page: http://www.mda.gov.sg/wms.www/actualTransferrer.aspx?c=7.1.&sid=153&eid=-1&fid=-1


I hope you have found this information useful. Do not hesitate to email us at ask@nlb.gov.sg should you have any further enquiries.

Expat pay package

Originally asked on 4/11/2007:

I am doing a project on determining the expat pay package for Japanese plant managers in Singapore. Basically I would like information on the market pay for plant managers here on long term assignments, as well as a breakdown of their expenses eg housing, food etc.
Thank you!

Thank you for using our ASK! service.

Your enquiry was on the market rate for Japanese plant managers on long-term assignment in Singapore.

To aid your research, you may wish to refer to the following sources:

Online
According to a report by recruitment agency Kelly Services, managers in the engineering field earn between S$5,500 to S$9,000 monthly. You can access this report by following this link: (last accessed 5 November 2007)

ECA International, a HR organization with a global network of over 4,000 HR professionals, have done several salary surveys. You can access their Local Salary Survey by going to , click the "Tell me about" drop-down box and choose "Compensation/Salary Surveys".

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has published a document on their website: http://www.mom.gov.sg, which I think might be helpful for you.
It is entitled National Wages Council's Wage Recommendations 2007/2008 (see http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal/en/general/NWC_Guidelines_07-08.html)
In addition, the MOM website has a wage search function and their median monthly gross salary for an engineering manager is S$6,261. This is based on a survey of private sector establishments with at least 25 employees.

More information on wages of different countries an be found in U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
http://www.bls.gov/

Database
According to a report by the Straits Times, Singapore is one of the best places in the world for Asian expatriates:

Source:
Prime News
S'pore's the best place for Asian expats: Report
Krist Boo
333 words
15 March 2007
Straits Times
English
(c) 2007 Singapore Press Holdings Limited

"SINGAPORE has once again been named the best place in Asia to call home, in a ranking that claims to influence the hiring of foreign talent.
The island has also been crowned the world's most desirable place for Asian expatriates, ahead of Sydney in second place, Tokyo and Hong Kong. "

(accessed from Factiva - accessible at Multimedia stations in all public libraries)

This document details the cost of living in Singapore:

Expatriate Living Costs in Singapore. Singapore: 2003/2004.
Source:
Chapter 1 LIVING IN SINGAPORE. (2003, January). Expatriate Living Costs in Singapore, pp1-13. Retrieved November 5, 2007, from ProQuest Asian Business and Reference database. (Document ID: 973743081).

(accessed from ProQuest - accessible at Multimedia stations in all public libraries)

Books
Title Executive compensation.
Publisher [Singapore] : Watson Wyatt Worldwide, [199-]-
Available for reference at:
Lee Kong Chian Reference Library
RSING English 658.4072095957 EC issue A

Title Report on wages in Singapore.
Publisher Singapore : Research and Statistics Dept., Ministry of Labour, [1987]-2004.
Available for loan at:
- Central Lending Library SING English q331.22095957
Available for reference at:
- Geylang East Community Library RSING English q331.22095957
- Lee Kong Chian Reference Library RSING English q331.22095957

Title Expatriate localisation survey, 2004 : Singapore.
Publisher [S.l.] : PricewaterhouseCoopers, c2004.
Available for reference at:
Lee Kong Chian Reference Library
RBUS English q658.30095957 EXP


We hope the above resources will aid you in your project.

Do contact us again if further assistance is required.

Thai musical instruments

Originally asked on 03/09/2007:

i would like to gather info about both vietnam musical instruments where one I was told is a fiddle.they are don bau and don gao. THANK YOU.

Thank you for using ASK!

The Dan Bau or Ðàn bau is a string instrument of the plucking variety. There is only one string which when plucked produces notes in a tonal range up to 3 octaves. It is commonly made of wood or bamboo.
You can read more about the instrument via the following links:
- http://www.dantranh.com/danbau.html
- http://www.vnstyle.vdc.com.vn/vim/english/music_instument/chordophone_Bau_monocord.html
- http://www.viettouch.com/vnmusic/vietnam_music_instruments.html

The Dan Gao or Ðàn gáo is a string instrument of the bowing variety. It has two strings and you are not wrong to say it is similar to a fiddle. This instrument is made of wood or bamboo for its bridge and coconut shell for its resonator.
You can read more about the instrument via the following links:
- http://www.vnstyle.vdc.com.vn/vim/english/music_instument/chordophone_Ho_fiddle.html
- http://www.viettouch.com/vnmusic/vietnam_music_instruments.html
- http://dantranh.com/dannhi.html

(all above sites last accessed 04 Sept, 2007. For the above weblinks, you are advised to please click through to the respective site's main page to read their Terms & Conditions for use of the site before continuing.)

You may refer to the following titles available at our Public Libraries for further reading.

Title Musical instruments / by Judy L. Hasday.
Author Hasday, Judy L., 1957-
Publisher Philadelphia : Chelsea House Publishers, 1999.
Call number: J 784.19 HAS

Title Musical instruments around the world / Meryl Doney.
Author Doney, Meryl, 1942-
Publisher London : Franklin Watts, 2002.
Call number: J 784.19 DON

Title Musical instruments around the world / Godfrey Hall.
Author Hall, Godfrey.
Publisher Hove : Wayland, c1995.
Call number: J 784.19 HAL

You can check availability of the above titles via our online catalogue http://vistaweb.nlb.gov.sg

We hope your query has been answered.

Do contact us again if further assistance is required.

I have recieve an email from my friend telling me that the planet Mars will be at its closes to earth in this Aug to Sep. Is it true? (via Stomp)

Thank you for your enquiry. This phenomenon of close encounters between Earth and Mars is what astronomers call "perihelic oppositions". When this happens, Mars appears 6 times larger and 85 times brighter than it ordinarily does. This last happened on 27 August 2003 and the next time it will occur is in the year 2287.

Every planet orbits the Sun on its own elliptical path. As Earth is closer to the Sun than Mars, its path is shorter and hence it moves around more quickly than Mars (Earth takes 365 days while Mars takes 687 Earth-days). According to space.com, "Earth is catching up with Mars each day, like a race car driver heading into Turn 1 on the inside, preparing to lap a sputtering competitor for the umpteenth time. When the pass occurs, Earth and Mars will be on the same side of the Sun, all three objects lined up in a row..... These orbital points slowly change their directions in space over thousands of years. They are presently evolving toward alignment, so, when they do get nearly aligned and when Mars and Earth pass near the key points at the same time, then a truly close approach occurs. " (Source: http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/mars_orbit_030121-1.html)

You can find out more about this phenomenon at these websites:
(i) "Approaching Mars", from NASA.gov - [http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/watchtheskies/18jun_approachingmars.html]
(ii) "Mars, Earth Drawing Closer Together", from FOXNews.com - [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,294138,00.html]
(iii) ""Mars Closest to Earth in 50,000 Years", from space.about.com - [http://space.about.com/cs/mars/a/marsclose.htm]
all sites last accessed 04 Sept, 2007.
(For the above weblinks, you are advised to please click through to the respective site's main page to read their Terms & Conditions for use of the site before continuing)

With regards to the email you received, it has been widely documented as a hoax usually sent out every year in the month of August.
Reference: "Mars Close to Earth Email", from space.about.com - [http://space.about.com/library/weekly/blmarsclose.htm], and
"Mars, Earth Closest Approach in Recorded History", from hoax-slayer.com - [http://www.hoax-slayer.com/mars-earth-close.html]

I hope this answer satisfies you. Feel free to email us for further queries.
Thank you for using ASK! service.

Why do MRTs have an extra set of tracks in between the ones used? (via Stomp)

Thank you for your enquiry.

According to the Wikipedia entry on Mass Rapid Transit, the "Ang Mo Kio, Jurong East and Tanah Merah stations were built with a third middle track for off-service trains to stop at before they return to their depots, but the last two are now used as termini for the North South Line and the Changi shuttle, respectively." (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_Rapid_Transit_(Singapore) ) , last accessed 03 Sept '07.

In addition, according to SMRT, the stations with three tracks are interchange stations. For example, Jurong East station has three tracks - one heading towards the north (Marina Bay via Woodlands), one to the east (Pasir Ris) and one to the west (Boon Lay). For the Ang Mo Kio station, it acts as a holding stop for trains which are faulty and hence withdrawn to the Ang Mo Kio train depot.

You may also wish to contact SMRT via their general enquiries hotline 1800-3368 900 for further clarification.

Thank you for using ASK! service.

What does the national anthem mean? (via Stomp)

Thank you for your enquiry. Please find the following information for your reference.

(taken from Singapore Infomap at http://www.sg)

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

The national anthem, together with the national flag and the state crest, reflect Singapore's identity as a nation. The anthem echoes the enduring hope and spirit of Singaporeans to make progress. It rallies us together to succeed.

The Origin
The national anthem was written in the wake of nationalism during 1956-57. Its composer, the late Encik Zubir Said, had written it on the basis of two words, "Majulah Singapura" which means "Onward Singapore". It was launched on 3 Dec 1959 together with the national flag and the state crest, at the installation of the new head of state, the Yang di-Pertuan Negara. Upon Singapore's independence in 1965, "Majulah Singapura" was adopted as the republic's national anthem.

Its Meaning and Lyrics
The national anthem was originally written in Malay. The lyrics are provided as follows.

MAJULAH SINGAPURA
Mari kita rakyat Singapura
Sama-sama menuju bahagia
Cita-cita kita yang mulia
Berjaya Singapura
Marilah kita bersatu
Dengan semangat yang baru
Semua kita berseru
Majulah Singapura
Majulah Singapura

ONWARD SINGAPORE
(English Translation)
We, the people of Singapore
Together march towards happiness
Our noble aspiration
To make Singapore a success
Let us all unite
In a new spirit
Together we proclaim
Onward Singapore
Onward Singapore

[source: http://www.sg/explore/symbols_anthem.htm], last accessed 03 September 2007.

Thank you for using our ASK! service.

What cause us to wear glasses when we look or use the computer or television for a long period of time

Thank you for using our ASK! service.

You asked what causes us to become short-sighted when we use the computer or television for a long period of time. The short answer to this is because of increased time spent focused on a close object, which causes the eye to get "stuck" in the close-up focus position and can no longer focus on distant objects. Therefore it is not just computers or television that causes short-sightedness but any form of activity that involves focusing the eye on a close object, for example, reading in poor lighting.

You may refer to the following titles available at our Public Libraries for a more in-depth understanding of myopia.

Title Clear vision : childhood myopia, a guide for concerned parents : & myopia lasik surgery, your questions answered / Dr Tony Ho.
Author Ho, Tony, 1958-
Publisher Singapore : I Care Publishing, 2001.
Call number: q617.755 HO -[HEA]

Title A patient's guide to myopia and myopia treatment / [chief author, Gerard Chuah ; contributors, Monica Lim ... et al.].
Author Chuah, Gerard, 1964-
Publisher Singapore : Effective Health Corp., 2004.
Call number: 617.755 CHU -[HEA]

Title 18 steps to myopia control / by Tony Ho.
Author Ho, Tony, 1958-
Other Title Eighteen steps to Myopia control
Publisher Singapore : I Care Pub., c1997.
Call number: 646.726 HO

Title The eye book : a complete guide to eye disorders and health / Gary H. Cassel, Michael D. Billig, Harry G. Randall.
Author Cassel, Gary H., 1953-
Publisher Baltimore, MD : Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998.
Call number: 617.7 CAS -[HEA]

You can check availability of the above titles via our online catalogue http://vistaweb.nlb.gov.sg

We hope your query has been answered.

Do contact us again if further assistance is required.

Ventriloquism in Singapore

Originally asked on 03/09/2007:

Dear Sir/Madam

I have tried to search for 'Ventriloquism' on singapore's yahoo web but the results for it was quite limited. May i know where in singapore do offer 'Ventriloquism' as a course?

Also, what are the special needs oraganisation in singapore besides Dyslexia and Autism? is there any central portal that collates all the information about this area and the relevant organisations' websites?

Thank you very much and have a nice day! =)

Thank you for using our ASK! service.

You enquired on, (i) whether there are any ventriloquism courses available in Singapore, and (ii) special needs organizations in Singapore.

For the first part of your query, we were not able to find any trainers providing ventriloquist training in Singapore. However, we would suggest the following:
(a) Approach any of the leading entertainment companies in Singapore to enquire if they would be willing to take in an apprentice to train;
(b) Make use of the following internet resources:
- http://www.ventriloquism101.com/
- http://www.ehow.com/how_2063606_become-ventriloquist.html
- http://www.ventriloquists.net/ (all sites last accessed 3rd Sept 2007)
NB1: For the above weblinks, you are advised to please click through to the respective site's main page to read their Terms & Conditions for use of the site before continuing
NB2: Do note that NLB is not in any way promoting any of these vendors or in collaboration with them.

(c) Refer to the below book resources, available at our Public Libraries:
Title: Ventriloquism made easy / Kolby King
Author: King, Kolby
Publisher: Mineola, N.Y. : Dover Publications, c1997
Call Number: 793.89 KIN -[REC]
(Copy is only available at library@esplanade and status as of now is not on loan).

Title: Extraordinary jobs in entertainment / Alecia T. Devantier and Carol A. Turkington.
Author: Devantier, Alecia T.
Publisher: New York, N.Y. : Ferguson, c2006.
Call Number: Y 791.023 DEV

You can check availability of the above titles and make reservations via our online catalogue http://vistaweb.nlb.gov.sg


As to the second part of your query, if by "central portal" you mean government organizations, these special needs group would fall under the purview of the Ministry of Community, Youth and Sports. Their website [www.mcys.gov.sg] links to the Disability Portal [www.disability.org.sg] which is jointly run by MCYS and the National Council of Social Services (NCSS).
The official websites for Dyslexia and Autism are [www.das.org.sg] and [www.autism.org.sg].

We hope your queries have been answered. Appreciate if you could fill in the feedback form appended below.

Do contact us again via ASK! if further assistance is required.

Voltages of light bulbs

Thank you for using ASK! enquiry service.

You enquired about the various voltages of light bulbs in Singapore.

There are different types of bulbs for different lights or lamps. Some examples include halogen bulbs, incandescent, Light-emitting diodes (LED) and xenon bulbs. Hence, there are many variants of bulbs available depending on the device it is for.

As to your question on the voltage of light bulbs, you may find this explanation useful:
"One watt is the power produced by a current of 1 ampere under a pressure of 1 volt. When you buy an electric light bulb, you may notice that it is marked with a voltage number and the number of watts- indicated as W100 or W60 or W25 as the case may be. A 100-watt bulb will give you more light than a 60-watt bulb. It will also use up more electrical power."
(Taken from e-database go.grolier.com, last accessed on 01 August 2007.)

Perhaps you would like to clarify what device or electrical equipment you are referring to before we can narrow down the light bulb voltage/wattage.

Meanwhile, you may wish to refer to the following resources for detailed explanation on light bulbs:

Online
1) "How Light Bulbs Work", from home.howstuffworks.com/light-bulb.htm

2) "Incandescent light bulb", from Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incandescent_light_bulb
[please note that wikipedia can be edited by members of the public and so information found there may not be entirely accurate.]
(both sites last accessed on 02 August 2007)

Books
1) Title The science of a light bulb / Neville Evans.
Author Evans, Neville.
Publisher Hove : Wayland, 1999.
Call no.: J 621.32 EVA

2) Title The lightbulb / Joseph Wallace ; foldout illustration by Toby Welles.
Author Wallace, Joseph E.
Publisher New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1999.
Call no.: J 621.32 WAL

3) Title Electricity and the lightbulb / James Lincoln Collier.
Author Collier, James Lincoln
Publisher New York : Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, c2006.
Call no.: JR 621.32 COL For Reference Only (only available at Bishan, Jurong and Woodlands libraries)

To check the availability of the above titles, please use our online catalogue at http://www.nlb.gov.sg/

I hope the above satisfies your enquiry. If you need further information, please do not hesitate to email us.