Taylor’s International School, Kuala Lumpur invites students to experience educational excellence at the heart of the nation’s capital city. The school offers exceptional facilities such as a well-stocked up double storey library for the secondary students and a single storey library for the early years and primary level students, science labs for both secondary and primary level students, multipurpose hall and performing arts rooms such as music room.

 

        To promote the best in health and recreation, facilities includes a sports field as well as badminton and basketball courts. A large cafeteria serves nutritious meals and students also have access to an infirmary and bookstore. Taylor’s International School Kuala Lumpur provides a conducive learning environment equipped with modern day facilities and comprehensive student support amenities. With a greater array of facilities and modern learning spaces, students are able to benefit in their learning to reach their full potential.

The facilities provided by Taylor’s International School Kuala Lumpur can generally be divided into three main classifications namely;

 

1. Academic Facilities

2. Co-Curricular Activities

3. General Additional Services

 

Academic Facilities

 

            Academic facilities in the Taylor’s International School Kuala Lumpur are capitals and amenities predominantly used in carrying out educational teaching and activities. Taylor’s International School Kuala Lumpur topographies, approximation of 85 fully air conditioned classrooms, 2 libraries (Primary section and Secondary section), 7 science labs (Primary section and Secondary section), 4 IT workrooms, 3 art rooms, 2 drama rooms and 3 music rooms.

         Throughout the duration of my observation at Taylor’s International School Kuala Lumpur, I (Jaeshinthaa Kaur Uppal) and my companion Krissie Tan have been consigned to a year 3 primary class of which we had been able to observe how these academic facilities were put into use. Consequently most of what will be presented here will primarily feature usage of facilities by Key Stage 1-2 (Year 3 - ) learners. The focus of this write up would be principally on the use of the structures and practise of the classrooms, Information Communication Technology (ICT) tools and the school Primary library.

 

Classroom 

 

            Each primary classroom at Taylor’s International School Kuala Lumpur is well-appointed with a smart board, surrounding sound system, tables, chairs, teacher’s desk, mini library (reading corner), compartments for students to keep their bags, water tumblers and lunch boxes and lastly a whiteboard. Moreover, each classroom accommodates about a maximum of 26 students. I was assigned to Year 3O during the course of the observation period. Tables are arranged in groups of 6, and there is unoccupied space in front of the classroom to allow students to sit down facing the front of the smart board and whiteboards. A reading corner is also located at the back where students can read and play games while waiting for class to begin or once they’ve completed in class work and given the permission by their teacher.

           

             The classroom is where most of the education takes place and where students would classically spend more time in all the way through the day. The vacant floor space in front of the class is where students would sit when the teacher gives the instruction to do so. Teachers would deliberately delivery teaching and learning content to the students using the smart board or the whiteboards. Furthermore, students would gather and sit on the floor, then the teacher would then sit with her students to carry out some minor stretching and breathing or mind-challenging activities. These activities allows students to settle down and “get ready” before beginning a lesson. During the lesson, students would remain seated on the floor where they would participate in the lesson via question and answer session by the teacher. The floor space, being close to the front of the classroom stretches students to have better visual and audio reception, thus reducing individual learner commotion and cumulative visibility and audible range as well as directing learners’ focus onto the whiteboard or smart board. The teacher would also be able to monitor students more meritoriously due to the closer immediacy of the students setting. Conversely, the area may also seem a little too compact and might restrict movements of students which would lead to student’s discomfort.

 

            Students would then return to their respective desks when the instructions is given out by their teacher. The arrangement of tables in 3O are in groups of 6 in each rows. This arrangement aids in facilitated collaborative learning as pupils can effectively interact with one another in their corresponding groups with limited movements required. Students are also taught to share resources provided by the teacher or their personal resources such as pencils, rulers, papers or other helpful materials amongst their group members. The teacher holds the priority to assign where each student sits. According to the class teacher Ms’ Keren Bala, each group in the classroom encompasses learners with mixed abilities. Based on observation, weaker students have a tendency to pursue for help from the more students with higher abilities. In addition, this set of seating arrangement permits students to actively collaborate and engage with one and other while instilling teamwork and core values. Due to the environment of the classroom arrangement, the teacher is able to monitor students in an easy manner during individual or group work time.

 

            The reading corner or also known as the mini library at the back end of the classroom is a space for students to sit, read and play games. This area is mainly used by students sometimes before a lesson begins when they arrive to school early and after they have completed their classwork and is permitted by the teacher to do so. The reading corner has a variety of books supplying diverse reading echelons as well as an assortment of play sets and toys. In the students’ perspective, this area is seen as a place where they can spend time and have fun. This aptitude delivers a positive allocation of spending student’s free time, thus averting disruptive behaviour caused by boredom. Moreover, it fosters reading and productivity as idle for students’. Through my observation in classroom, the culture of the students is such that they are always engaged in some activity, either on their own initiative or instructed by their teacher. This constant engagement allows learners to interact and observe their peers. Some of the available play sets include play-dough, building blocks, and other equipment. Students relish role-playing using the available toys. This constantly allows students’ to receive and give positive feedback from and to peers as they engage themselves. This motion reflects the objective of Bandura's theory of social learning whereby learners learn based on their observation of people and environment around them.

 

Information and Technology Information (ICT Infrastructure)

 

            Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities in the classroom are used widely throughout lessons as in almost 9/10 of the lessons conducted. The ICT facilities in the classrooms includes Wi-Fi access, a laptop, a smart board unit and a basic sound system surroundings.  The smart board is linked to the teacher’s laptop via wireless connection, located at the teacher’s table. The teaching and learning content projected on the smart board can be operated without using the laptop. The smart board is almost like a large smart tablet mounted to a wall that allows the teacher and students’ to engage with the smart touch-pad on the screen. Teachers have access the internet which allows them to utilize a variety of online teaching and learning applications. Based on my observation, the teacher mainly is contingent on the use of Prezi to display her teaching slides to the students’ for her lessons and as well as to show educational YouTube videos relevant to the lesson taught in class. The primary application used for the smart board is an interactive whiteboard that uses touch detection for user input (for example scrolling and right mouse-click) in the same way as normal PC input devices. The Smart Board 800 series interactive whiteboard introduced a 'flick and scroll' feature. 

 

            Supplementary ICT facilities provided in Taylor’s International School Kuala Lumpur for teachers is access to a shared resources or a network share their work with other teachers and the school’s management for instant year leaders. All academic related documents (lesson plans, resources, and materials) created by teachers in the school is shared in this local shared network, known to all as the Lesson Drive Folder. Generally, each teacher is appointed or selected to focus on planning specific subjects for the entire year group for particular subjects throughout the semester. My mentor, Ms’ Keren Bala is in charge of Year 3 Literature. Furthermore, this system allows teachers to be actively involved in lesson planning which effectively focuses on explicitly planning one subject throughout the defined system as disparate to have a stretch across various expanses during planning. Such system also facilitates cooperation amongst teachers which would lead to exchange of ideas, teaching methods and approaches which can potentially improve teaching as a whole.

 

Library

 

            The Primary level library is located in the academic building of the school. The library consists of an estimated 5000 books in its collection. The library operates on weekdays from 8.30a.m. To 5.00p.m during school hours. The Key Stage 1 library offers a variety of reading materials ranging from different levels of reading ability across multiple languages. Students in the primary level usually enter the library during their library period in the timetable. Each class also has an assigned period to 'library time' of which the main focus is to improve reading literacy skills. Literacy teachers would conduct reading activities in the library based on the students’ capacity. Students are sorted into groups according to their reading abilities. Appropriate reading materials would be assigned to each group which the teacher would take turns working with each of the groups to either work on improving or evaluating each child's reading ability. The layout of the library is such that there are multiple sitting areas all around which allows these groups to sit in different areas of the library without distraction from other groups during lessons. Students are also allowed to borrow two books from the library at a time for the duration of two weeks. During my observation, Ms’ Keren Bala conducted a library session which encompassed her to relate the previous literature lesson which was conducted on settings of the classic fairy-tale “Jack and the Beans Stalk”. She deliberately asked her students’ to read the book in their assigned respected groups first and afterwards she read aloud to the students’. It was a fun-filled and interactive reading time followed by a short question and answer session about the storybook.

 

Co-Curricular Activities

 

             Co-curricular refers to activities, programs, and learning experiences that complement, in some way, what students are learning in school for instance, experiences that are connected to or mirror the academic curriculum. Co-curricular activities are typically, but not always, defined by their separation from academic courses.

 

             Co-curricular facilities available at Taylor’s International School Kuala Lumpur can be categorised as indoor and outdoor facilities. Indoor facilities include the school hall and the badminton hall. Outdoor facilities include the basketball court and the multipurpose field.

 

Indoor facilities 

 

 Badminton hall 

 

           The badminton hall is an indoor facility which instils 10 full sized badminton courts. This hall is sometimes used for large scale assemblies, physical education (PE) activities and play time periods for primary levels. During unfavourable weather conditions, other sporting activities are conducted indoors. Students are usually not allowed into the hall without an accompanying teacher.

 

Outdoor co-curricular facilities 

 

Basketball court, volleyball court and multipurpose field.

 

            The basketball court is located outside, opposite the administrative building and considered part of the multipurpose field. The multipurpose field has track lines for running in athletics and also has football goal posts. The multipurpose field also acts as the safety evacuation zone of the school. There are also water dispensers around the field area.

When asked if the Taylor’s International School Kuala Lumpur campus is competitive to other international/private schools around the city, Mr.Victor the year leader of Year 3, mentioned that the school lacked a swimming pool. According to him, there are plans to build a half size Olympic swimming pool in the near future. 

 

General Additional Services

 

            General amenities are facilities that are generic in every school setting which have not been mentioned in the Academic facilities or Co-curricular facilities section. Some of the main facilities focused in this section are the school hall and the canteen. Other available facilities include the prayer room (surau), book shop and staff room. 

 

School Hall  

 

          The school hall is a shared facility in the whole school accommodating an estimated 500 pax at a time. At the front end of the hall lies a stage. There is a five piece drum set on the left of a stage and a large projector screen as the stage backdrop. The remainder of the space in the hall is vacant and moveable chairs are arranged to suit the needs of the event. Most formal events which are organised in school is carried out in the hall. Some of these events include weekly assemblies, examinations, seminars, workshops and staff meetings. 

 

Canteen 

 

        The canteen accommodates an estimate of 200 pax at a time. There is an 'indoor' and 'outdoor' area of the canteen although both areas are shaded areas. The canteen is operated by Sodexo, one of the world leaders in catering business. There are three food counters where customers can queue up to select their food and proceed to pay, these counters are located in the 'indoor' area of the canteen. Boiled water and a selected juice of the day is also available for teachers that too for free. There is a set menu whereby the menu contains similar food selection and sometimes a change of food selection that is served daily at all the three counters. The options of food served promotes a healthy balance of nutrition - a variety of meats, vegetables, carbohydrates, and fruits, and seems to be prepared well. All food served is complies with the halal standard and there are vegetarian options available. Based on my observation, most students bring breakfast, lunch or both packed from home or subscribe to the prepaid lunch scheme.