Kindergarten level:

Lertlah School has developed the pre-primary curriculum by providing integrated theme learning appropriate to the community's condition and the age of learners. The activities provided emphasize the child-centered methodology. The process of curriculum development of pre-primary children of Lertlah School is as follows:

Pre-Primary Level

Lertlah School has set up its own curriculum for the pre-primary level by studying and categorizing the process to provide learning themes that focus on the child. The process is as follows:

1. Study the National Education Act B.E. 2542
2. Study and analyze the pre-primary curriculum B.E. 2540
3. Study the requirements and satisfaction of the parents and community in regard to educational management
4. Provide academic, virtues and ethics instruction in the curriculum in accordance with the philosophy of the school.
5. Set up an annual instructional calendar divided it into 2 semesters.
6. Provide integrated instruction plan by emphasizing child-centered methodology.
7. Analyze lesson plans each time before teaching.
8. Teach the students, record the student's behaviour, activity participation and the outcome of activities provided each time.
9. Teaching supervision by the level supervisors.
10. There are 2 types of evaluation as follows:
     - Evaluation of result of activity participation
     - Evaluation of the student development in all aspects, 2 times a semester
11. Accumulate the results of learning in the form of marks, per cent, grades. There is no grade order classification.

Educational Management for Pre-Primary Level

1. Education for Pre-Primary Level The school provides integrated instruction for the students. Integrated instruction means the integration of learning by combining science and arts including various relevant subject matters so that there will be a meaningful and varied knowledge that can be applied to daily real life situations. The instruction focuses on child-centered methodology. The students can participate in planning their learning activities in line with their needs, interest and aptitude. They have an opportunity to express themselves freely and exchange learning with each other. The students can work in groups utilizing several kinds of learning materials. They can also learn from real circumstances. They can develop their creative ideas that will enhance the development of emotional quotient (E.Q.) so the students can be good (well behaved), competent and happy according to their circumstances. In addition, Thai culture, tradition and customs are instilled in the students.

2. Lertlah School organizes education according to the National Education Act B.E. 2542. The school provides instruction based on the most important part of learning reformation and the emphasis is placed on the students so that they can develop themselves to their utmost potential. They are able to learn by themselves while developing their physical, emotional-mental, social and intellectual aspects (total 4 aspects). They know how to search for knowledge as part of lifelong learning. To achieve the above, the school proceeds as follows:

1. Provide subject matters, content and activities to the interest and needs of the learners.
2. Practice the students on the thinking process skills and management skills.
3. Provide activities to enable the students learn from direct experience using the 5 senses.
4. Practice the students to think and analyze reasonably including solving problems creatively according to their age.
5. Provide teaching activities by combining various subject matters on a balanced basis.
6. Practice the students on knowing how to be a leader and a follower. Practice them to work in groups by providing them the following 6 activities:
     6.1 Movement activities
     6.2 Activities to broaden experience
     6.3 Creative activities
     6.4 Free activities
     6.5 Educational games activities
     6.6 Outdoor activity
7. Provide the atmosphere, environment and teaching materials to facilitate learning.
8. Provide every possible learning opportunity by applying multidisciplinary activities in every theme.
9. Consider individual diversity in order to develop the learners to their utmost potential.
10. Provide instruction in English language, taught by the foreign teachers. For Thai language, it is taught by Thai teachers. The proportion of instruction between foreign and Thai teachers is 50 : 50.

Philosophy for Pre-Primary Educational Management Ministry of Education

The 1997 Curriculum for pre-primary level has been organized to provide both good education and cultivation of the mind of the very young children up to 6 years old, to meet their needs for love, warmth, care and understanding. Moreover, it is very important that the physical, emotional, social and intellectual developments are also consistently given to them in a balanced manner. The experiences provided for these children should be a variety of direct experiences which are appropriate to their ages, individual differences and the communities where they live. For this reason, they will learn happily and enjoy their daily activities. With the cooperation among the home, school and community, the children will be educated and developed to become good and quality adults in future.

Pre-Primary Curriculum B.E. 2540 (3 to 6 year-old Children)

The educational management for the children aged 3 to 6 years old is based on the principles of standard child care with consideration of children's individual physical, mental, emotional and intellectual abilities and developments. All of these are fundamental factors for them to stay in society happily and peacefully.

Principles

1. To arrange the levels of learning appropriate to the characteristics of children aged between 3 and 6 years.
2. To look after the progressive development while educating the children.
3. To teach children by knowledge integration and give proper activities to them so that they can develop their physical, psychological, emotional, social and intellectual abilities appropriate to the ages , maturity and individual differences.
4. To organize quality experiences for the individual child so that he/she is able to stay happily and peacefully in society.
5. To develop the children by qualified and experienced personnel who have the expertise in pre-primary educational management.
6. To develop the children in cooperation with their families and communities.

Objectives

To gradually shape the character development of the children aged 3 to 6 years

Character development needed are as follows:

1. To demonstrate good physical health and hygienic habits appropriate to age.
2. To demonstrate balance and stability of gross and fine motor skills.
3. To express a feeling of happiness about self and others.
4. To demonstrate good manners, morals, discipline and patience in carrying out duties.
5. To handle routines appropriate to age.
6. To get along with others happily and be good members of the community under the democratic regime with the king as the head of the kingdom.
7. To retain and preserve the natural environment, local culture as well as Thai traditions.
8. To use language for communication appropriate to age.
9. To be able to think and solve problems appropriate to age and show a positive attitude in learning.
10. To use imagination and have creative ideas.

Guidelines for Providing Learning Experiences

In order to achieve the objectives of providing learning experiences and activities the following guidelines are designated:

1. Enhance the development of the students in every aspect on a progressive basis.
2. Provide experiences in harmony with the psychological development and learning level of the students.
3. Focus on child-centered method to respond to the needs, interests and individual differences of the students. In addition, to give an opportunity to the students to initiate their own activities with the teachers acting as supporters and facilitators.
4. Provide an atmosphere and environment that facilitate learning so that the students are happy to learn.
5. Set up integrated activities based on all aspects of development.
6. Provide direct experiences for students to learn by 5 senses. Give an opportunity to students to notice, survey, play, do a research and try to solve problems by themselves.
7. Prepare activities for students to have interaction with other children, adults and materials/things.
8. Set up activities on a balanced basis such as activities that are initiated by students, teachers, classroom activities and those out of the classroom. The proportion of the said activities should be on a balanced basis.
9. Provide various individual and group (small and large) activities for student to learn through playing.
10. Have students develop by emphasizing the importance of process more than the product.
11. Provide activities in harmony with the environment, local culture and suitable for daily use.
12. Prepare activities to help children be independent, be responsible for themselves, be responsible in group, love nature and local town.
13. Provide children opportunity to participate to plan, do activities and be able to tell the results of activities of themselves and others.
14. Set up development evaluation on a continuous basis and include it as part of experience provided.
15. Give opportunities to parents and communities to take part in the development of children.

Provision of Daily Routines

For children 3-6 years old, we do not provide activities by subject matter but in the form of integrated activities through playing. This is to help children gain direct experiences from learning. In addition, the students can experience development in physical, emotional, mental, social and intellectual aspects. Therefore, the activities selected to provide in each day cover the following:
1. Gross Motor Development The gross motor skills of the children will be stronger and better. The children can move their body parts with agility. Therefore, the activities provided should be for the students to play outside freely. Play structures should be provided for them. Besides, there should be body movements with music for them, and so on.
2. Fine Motor Development The fine motor skills of the children will strengthen. The children's hands and eyes can work simultaneously. Therefore, the activities provided should be playing the touching machines, doing jigsaw puzzles, practicing on dressing up themselves, holding a spoon and a fork as well as using art utensils such as crayons, scissors, a painting brush, clay, etc.
3. Encouragement of Creative Ideas to encourage the students to develop their creative ideas. They can express their emotions, feelings and appreciate beauty around them. The activities may be provided by using arts as the medium. Activities may be provided by using movement and rhythm according to their imagination. Have students provide several things freely according to their creative ideas. Have them do role playing at several play corners, play water, sand and wooden blocks, etc.
4. Development of Ideas to help children develop concepts, observation, classification, comparison, grouping, sequencing and problem solving skills. The activity provided for the students is discussion so that they can exchange opinions with each other. In addition, experts may be invited to talk to children or have children research from several information sources, do experiments, go on field trips, do cooking or provide various educational games that are appropriate to age. Practice solving problems in daily life and problems in activities of small group, big group or individual should be provided.
5. Encourage children to make choices and decisions giving them opportunities in choosing activities or things to play with according to their interests and needs. Play activities are provided for them at several experience corners or educational centers both in and out of the classroom.
6. Systematic Evaluation The evaluation is done systematically. There are planning, tools selection and recording for evidence.

Appropriate methods of evaluation that apply to 3-6 years old children are observation, doing a conversation, doing an interview and collecting the students' work or work sheets which show their highest attempt and utmost ability in each aspect of their individual development. Children's information and work are collected in the portfolios.

Provision of Daily Activities Timetable

Activities for 3-6 years old children can be provided in daily timetable in many forms. This helps both teachers and students know what activities they are going to do in each day, when and how. Activities are provided as follows:
1. Establish daily routines appropriate to the age of children.
2. Provide activities both in and out of the classroom in appropriate proportion.
3 1. The activities that need thinking should last not more than 20 minutes both in small and big groups.
4. Activities that children can select freely such as playing at centers or outdoor playing may last about 40-60 minutes.
5. There is a balance between activities that use the gross and fine motor skills such as individual activity, small or big group activities, activities that are initiated by children or teachers whether quiet or moving activities. There should be a varied selection of activities as some activities need exercising, but some do not need much strength or energy. These kinds of activities should be alternated so that the children will not be too tired.
6. Enhance the good character and daily life skills to help children develop good health habits. The children display appropriate behaviours and are able to live happily with others. They can help themselves with their daily routines. The children have a habit of loving to work. They know how to be careful and make themselves be safe and be aware of the safety of others. Therefore, the activities provided are those that help children do their daily routines on a regular basis such as eating, sleeping and relaxing, urinating and evacuating, bathing or cleaning parts of the body, playing and working with others, following the rules, agreement with the majority, keeping things at their proper places after playing or finishing work, etc.

Besides, the school provides the additional activities such as computer, music and swimming for pre-primary students. These activities are established in the curriculum and weekly teaching timetable.