KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 3, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via PRWEB - Premier child development centre, Scholar Base, today introduces a new reading initiative designed to combat the 'Trojan horse' effect of electronic devices on children. The initiative promotes reading for enjoyment in order to prevent the destructive effects of responsive devices, which can impede children's interest, development and behaviour - More information is available at http://scholar-base.com/.
Devices that are present in children's daily lives at home entice them with animated characters and other stimulating visuals that respond with a single touch; however, persistent use of these electronic devices has caused a decline in reading and literacy in children. In fact, in a recent study, paediatricians from Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York found that young children who played non-educational games on touch-screen devices had lower verbal scores on developmental tests (Source: Forbes).
"Trojan horse" technology describes these seemingly innocuous devices--including computers, tablets and smart phones--which have a harmful effect on children's development. Scholar Base representative and programme director, Poh Lee, commented:
"The electronic devices deemed essential in every household are, in reality, posing an immense threat to children's imaginations, creativity and curiosity." She continued:
"As parents become increasingly aware of the destructive effects of Trojan horse technology on their children's literacy and even social interactions, they feel at a loss about how to steer their child's focus away from responsive devices and on to books."
Poh Lee explains that the high enrolment in Scholar Base's Summer Literacy Programme this month is indicative of the large number of parents who want to occupy their children's spare time with books rather than computer games. She added:
"These parents feel that developing readers at home is a war lost."
This is where Scholar Base comes in, introducing an initiative to counter the threat of Trojan horse technology by immersing children in an environment of books where computers are used only for research purposes. Scholar Base's initiative coincides with other efforts to promote reading and English literacy in children through fun and educational activities. These efforts include the recent Outreach Carnival, held by the English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC) Malaysia in conjunction with the Unesco World Book and Copyright Day.
Scholar Base's new reading initiative engages children with literature in an enjoyable and memorable way, presenting them with an alternative to responsive devices and teaching them that reading can be fun. Scholar Base's teachers encourage children to develop the power of their imaginations through storytelling, performances and interactive activities, as they are guided through classic books such as Tom Sawyer, Treasure Island, Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland.
William Chin, director, commented:
"More parents must recognise the danger that computer games, social media and other online entertainment pose to their child's development and encourage their children to form positive reading habits from a young age." Mr. Chin concluded the interview by saying:
"Where Trojan horse technology deprives children of important secondary experiences, reading books enriches their vocabulary, develops their imaginations and improves their creative thinking skills as they read."
More information about Scholar Base's fun reading initiative is available at http://scholar-base.com/.
About Scholar Base:
Founded in Malaysia in 2005, Scholar Base takes a holistic approach to learning, offering children supplementary English Literature education with an emphasis on the creative side of literacy.
Scholar Base's teachers use a range of faculties to ensure that children enjoy learning and developing reading, writing and thinking skills. Now with three chapters, Scholar Base is gaining reputation in Kuala Lumpur as an enrichment centre, which develops skills in children for long-term academic success.
More information can be found at http://scholar-base.com/.
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