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It is great that MOE has put in much efforts to help SEN children. The number of such cases that are diagnosed or undiagnosed is still increasing and it is important for people, especially parents, to be more aware of SEN and identify their children with special needs earlier so that interventions  can be taken to help improve the children's conditions. I have encountered a few parents who were not able to accept their children's conditions and refused to have their children tested for learning difficulties or behavioural problems, and rejected whatever suggestions given to them to help their children early. In the end, their children refused to go to school and could not sit for the PSLE. Finally, their mothers accepted the facts and decided to put their children in the SPED schools. It is a pity that 4 years were wasted with the children not progressing but regressing instead in the mainstream classroom, with little help. Now that more teachers are trained and the provision of AED(LBS) in schools, I hope that proper advice can be given to such parents so that early interventions can be given more promptly. I have learnt from the video on Disability Sensitivity that these SEN people are also people and they have feelings. Hence, we must show them respect and care for them.

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I cannot log into the zoom session

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1) How do we identify students with special needs (especially some children exhibits traits but more due to age, usually ADHD and dyslexia)?
2) How do we manage, in terms of teacher-child with autism and peer-peer relationship ?
Autistic - especially when they act up (running around, hurting other children)?
Dyslexic - especially when I am teaching Chinese (it seems to me, that some children do not have dyslexic in EL, but seem to be "dylexic" in CL; those who are dyslexic in EL, will somehow have more difficulties in CL)

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What resonates with me the most are:
1. These individuals with 'special needs' are in fact still people, with feelings and aspirations. Having a different need to help them live with everyone in the society, does not negate the fact that they have something to offer--- they may be good at certain sports, arts or aesthetics, or simply being themselves.

2. The issue with diagnosis- while it could be for the interest of the child (so as to provide them with the intervention and opportunities to thrive), what can schools do to ensure that these children are not labelled as 'special needs' and therefore, they should go to an SEN school instead of a mainstream one.

3. Most importantly, we need to work towards providing a supportive environment. And having skills to provide differentiated learning.

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I am reminded of two things:
1. Every child innately desires to learn, and every child is teachable.
2. While medical diagnoses can serve to help educators better understand the needs of special students, the onus is still on each educator to come to know each child as a unique individual.

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My take away from the videos is that I have learnt that I need to focus on the strengths of my students instead of their weaknesses. As teachers, we must always remind ourselves that we are supposed to help develop our students who are different in many ways. It serves as a reminder for me that I have to help create the appropriate learning environment for them. We cannot assume that every student is the same. Just like many others, students with disability have their challenges. Hence, we should not stereotype students with disabilities and treat them as equal as the other students.

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Some questions that I have:
1) How do we identify students with special needs without labelling them / viewing them in a special light? How much of support is the right amount of support?
2) How do we engage the parents of the SEN students?

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The first video in lecture really strike a cord in my heart as some of the simplest instructions we often give to the students "sit up tall", "eyes on me", to the students with Special Needs, it is not as simple as we thought.

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1) Looking forward to learn more about APIE and PSP methods - the difference and why the need for two different models.

2)  Inclusion vs Integration
This is an interesting food for thought.  And I had not thought much about it previously.

Inclusion would require more differentiated support for the different tiers of needs and would like to find out more how we can mindfully, carefully be more inclusive in terms of delivery of lessons and school wide programmes.

3)  With various level of needs, would it be fair to "hold them up to the same expectations" as others? For example, a pupil with ADHD, would it be right to expect them to sit down quietly for a 40 minutes lesson.

Thank you

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I believe the importance of creating an ecological framework may help us to better support students with special needs.
1. Differentiated Instruction for an inclusive classroom. Like Yuyuan, I am curious on connecting with our students using the appropriate DI approaches and strategies in such a way that no labels is created amongst those who needed the extra tender loving care.
2. Connect with classroom routines :Additionally, I like to know more about adopting positive strokes in aiding our colleagues for their daily classroom instruction. The challenges that we faced, they will also face them too. More specifically, some students may exhibit ADHD, dyslexia and other special needs symptoms that are undiagnosed, so what can we do to help ourselves and our peers in the daily classroom routines.
Thank you!

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I agree on the part that we have existing experiences and views that we hold onto before coming into this course.

My earlier interaction with some of the pupils with autism and ADHD involves rudeness and aggression. As such I find myself having mental barriers when I interact with such pupils for fear of personal safety. How should we help pupils to better cope with their emotions so as to ensure safety towards their peers and teachers? How can schools deal with meltdowns more effectively? Preferably a more preventive approach than a remediation approach.

I also second the earlier post from Yuyuan regarding assessment for SEN pupils in mainstream schools. How can we do DI for SEN kids with learning disability more effectively in the classroom?

Thank you.

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To what extent can/should we differentiate and modify learning tasks and assessments for children with SEN as eventually, they would be taking the same final assessment as their peers.

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The two videos reminded me of understanding the needs of those with special needs be it our students or members of the public. Indeed, "respect" and understand their needs as unique individuals can help us better connect with them. At the same time, we can all move together to learn how to be inclusive :)

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To be able to create an inclusive classroom, the mindsets of teachers have to change. Watching both videos, it is only through putting ourselves on the other side of the fence that we can recognise and acknowledge the barriers that these children who SEN face in their learning. One of the quotes that struck me was, "focus on the PERSON, not the disability". this is such a simple phrase yet it is very difficult for most of us to do us. It is a reminder to me to look beyond their disabilities and treat as what we want others to us as.

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TSN course (19&20 May)

Video 1
A plea from students with different learning abilities to accommodate them, modify our lessons to help them learn and ease off traditional learning structures.

A network of support for our SEN students to allow for integration in education.

Video 2
See the person for who he is and not the disability he has.

Schools may like to think that they are inclusive, but actual day-to-day practises may indicate integration.

6 Key Principles of SEN support (WISDOM)

Work towards independence progressively, by removing scaffolding gradually.

Intervene based on needs, not diagnosis.

Strive for Equity, Aim to be Inclusive (remove barriers to learning)

Document student profile and support plans

Organise a community around the Child

Monitor progress regular (response to intervention), and whether adjustments need to be made

Lecture 2 (Ecological framework)
Child is affected by the settings in which he spends time. His devt is determined by wt he experiences in these settings

The preferred learning styles of a student:
visual, aural, physical, etc.

Intervention measures can be short term (e.g. classroom layout) or moderate term (teach skills) and long term (change of attitude)

“If students can’t learn the way we teach, then we must teach the way they learn”

Lecture 3 (Planning support)
The APIE Cycle (Assessment, Planning, Implementation & Evaluation)
Rationale: Reflective practice and Increased accountability

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My takeaway:

The first video is touching because it reminds me that children are unique beings that have unique needs and as teachers, we are responsible for reaching and sculpting these young minds. As educators, it is important to listen and hear our students out in order to understand their learning needs.

It is important that we focus on our students, not their disability. Learning disabled students are not students who are incapacitated or unable to learn. Rather, they need differentiated instruction tailored to their distinctive learning disabilities.

I’ve learnt that I need to focus on what the child can do instead of what the child cannot do. Diagnosis will definitely help us understand the student better but we must not allow the diagnosis to lead to labelling or stereotyping. Most teachers know what the major SEN types are – their common terms and basic representations. However, these terms can distract us from thinking of the student as an individual. Therefore, it is important to focus on what our students can do/ can do well and what their strengths are. We should shift our mindset and attitude – from thinking of the barriers of SEN to considering the strengths and skills that SEN can give students. The attitudes that we have as teachers, towards our students are the vehicle for conveying belief in them. If our view of our students increases in aspiration and positivity, then, our students’ self-concept and esteem will in turn rise.

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My takeaway from Lecture 1
1) When the word 'Disabled' is viewed from a different perspective of 'Differently-abled', there is a whole shift of mindset to see this special group in a more positive light.  As a teacher, I will be able to see what these SEN students are capable of instead of focusing on what they are unable to do.
2) There are currently many models on how schools can integrate these students in the classrooms. However, moving beyond 'Integration' and being able to achieve 'Inclusion', all teachers should be given sufficient skills and training, and of course shift in their mindsets.

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My take away for the videos in Lecture 1 is that students with SEN are have different needs. They would be deemed to be different, underperforming and most important misunderstood due the the societal norms and expectation place upon them by the parents and teachers. It is a clear reminder for me to help them success by building the right condition to help them succeed, building their esteem up.

The 5 areas mentioned in the article, Exploring Disability in Singapore, under the additional additional reading underpins the importance of;
Understanding the child through collaboration, building the child self esteem, behaviour management, instructions and classroom environment.

The above points are critical for SG teachers to help our students with SEN to succeed in our school environment.

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Takeaway from Lecture 1:

1. The video 'Disability Sensitivity Training Video' was quite enriching for me. I particularly felt the last part was very meaningful as it highlighted the simplicity in the way in which we could interact and approach people with special needs / challenges. (Be human)

2. Focus on what the child can do, rather than what the child cannot do. A timely reminder for us educators to view every child as unique individuals, rather than viewing them in a negative light.

Expectations for the course:
I hope to be equipped with more simple yet effective strategies to support children with SN in my class when there are also others in the same class who have a myriad of learning/behavioural needs. (Especially when the children have no diagnosis but portray evident traits of certain needs.)

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Takeaway from Lecture 3
(Audio on Inclusive Education):

1. Recognise all students as having individual differences, but how to cater to the needs of students with SEN and at the same time ensuring that the learning of the rest of the class is not discounted?

2. Good opportunity to train peer supporters in the class who can help to support classmates with SEN. However, still need to have a delicate balance to ensure that these supporters do not suffer from 'burn-out' or their own learning being adversely affected.

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Takeaway from Lecture 1
The video on disability sensitivity training reminded me to always check in with my students. Just like any other students, they have their challenges, preferences and moods of the day. Often, I would assume I already knew what they need because of their earlier diagnosis. However we should not stereotype and label them as having a common need like others having the same disability.

This is an assumption that I would remind myself not to make next time.

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My takeaway:
Recognize and treat all students as individuals; respect their different styles of learning.
*If students cannot learn the way we teach, then we need to adapt and teach the way they learn*.

One part of the video strike me a lot, which is the girl saying "you made me sad when you tell me to try harder when I have already tried my best". I felt guilty as I had told the same thing to many students. This coming from the girl made me realise how much I have undermined and not recognized their efforts.

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My takeaway from Lecture 1:
1) the idea to view the disabled as differently abled resonated with me
2) we must constantly remind ourselves to focus on the person and  not the disability
3) It takes a whole school approach  to include these kids in the mainstream schools in order for them to develop to their fullest potential