[General knowledge flashcards] Popular Food in KL, Malaysia

Made a set of flash cards that my kids love. Malaysia is a place with a huge variety of interesting food, so these cards are very useful.

Teaching objectives:

• Increase general knowledge on the food choices available at our city of residence: Our diet is mainly vegetarian at home and healthier choices outdoors, so we haven’t tried many of the food. Yet, it’s important to understand what our peers from different cultures enjoy eating so that we can connect with them socially.

• Learn about the healthier food choices: By understanding how each popular dish is prepared, I teach the kids which are the healthier choices should they need to buy their food outside.  (Vee’s starting Primary One next year and would be buying food at the canteen.)
  • For instance, Pan Mee would be a healthier choice over Maggie Goreng.

• Learn to read menus: Besides pictures, the older kids learn to read the names of the dishes, so that they can order their own food outdoors. An important life skill.

• Enhance essay-writing skills: older children may use the phrases behind the cards to describe the full flavour of food in their essays.
  • For instance, “the fish tasted spicy” versus “the Ikan Bakar (a Malay-style grilled fish) was slathered with a tumeric paste”

When Daniel from PathFinderCity.com approached me to share his article, I immediately thought of transforming his post into this set of flash cards. (That’s what a flashcard-crazy mummy does often!) The photos are either his or properly credited, and he has given me permission to share the information for educating our kids.

I have also edited the information and added a bit more where appropriate.

Here’s a sample of the front of the flash card:

Here’s a sample of the back of the flash card:

Lesson ideas:

• To younger children: flash the pictures in front and say the names

• To older children: flash the pictures and names behind

• Play flash card games: find the correct dish

• Choose a few cards for discussion
  • Describe how it’s prepared and whether it’s a healthier choice
  • Discuss ways to make the dish healthier. For instance, request for less added sugar and salt.
  • Discuss ways to prepare a healthy version of the dish at home

• Sort cards into piles of “healthy”, “moderately healthy” and “unhealthy”. Observe the proportion of healthier versus less healthy choices.

• Let a native speaker describe dishes from her culture in her language (We invited our Malay home tutor to do this.)

• Real-life application:
  • Let the child read the menu and order a dish outdoors
  • Try the dish and experience the full flavour. Encourage her to describe the look, texture, smell and taste.

• Memory practice: memorise and recite description of favourite dishes.

So there are many ways to use a set of flash cards. It is simply a pictorial and word manipulative tool that acts as a springboard to other concrete ways of learning.

Download these flash cards below:

• Flashcards – Popular Food in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) (PDF, 3.1MB)

Have fun teaching and learning!

~ MieVee

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Photo credits for cover photo collage:
http://seasiaeats.com/

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