LETTER | I have been reading about the teaching of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) literacy programmes in Chinese primary schools from the news media.

Since I do not know how the programme is taught as an additional lesson during school hours, I shall refrain from saying too much about it.

However, as a former Education Technology lecturer at a Teachers' Training College, I agree that teacher trainees have been trained in how to integrate technology into different subject areas to make classroom teaching more effective.

By the time they graduate, they should have sufficient know-how to guide their students in using ICT in the classroom. They need not turn to outside vendors for help.

I certainly do not agree that ICT literacy classes need to be taught outside the classroom during the primary school years.

The best approach to ICT is employing an integrated approach rather than teaching it as a separate subject outside the normal curriculum.

Professional bodies such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) strongly advocate the integration of technology into daily classroom teaching and learning.

When these tools are used effectively, they enhance children learning and support educational goals.

Young children need to see technology devices are used in a meaningful content and for real-life purposes; that these are tools that can help to solve problems in the world.

Every trained teacher should be able to guide their students in everyday curriculum to search for information from the Internet, to document their findings through the use of word processing, and to present their findings through the use of presentation software.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.