Using mnemonics to unlock spelling commonly misspelt words! By Lim Jia Hui Educational Therapist & RETA Associate Member   As an educational therapist for students with dyslexia, I often encounter students who struggle with spelling. Given that dyslexia affects letter-sound correspondence abilities, it can be exceptionally challenging for students with dyslexia to grasp the spelling of some words, especially those that do not follow phonetic rules. Homophones (words sounding similar to each other), can definitely be a tall order, even for those without dyslexia! Thankfully ..read more

   Speech & Drama Arts Student Spotlight! - Muhammad Ziqry Bin Muhd Irfan, 13 Muhammad Ziqry Bin Muhd Irfan joined the Speech and Drama Arts (SDA) programme in July 2018. When he first joined the programme, he was only 9 years old and had a hard time making friends and unable to manage his emotional responses towards his peers. He is diagnosed with Dyslexia, GDD, ADHD and Autism. Despite all that, Ziqry is fortunate to have a very strong support system - his parents – Mr Irfan and Mdm Siti Jamaliah. They oversee his every aspect of growing and learni ..read more

Drama & Reading Comprehension Have you ever read a scientific paper? Did you feel the need to reread it a couple more times? Did you feel lost? Did it take you some time to understand the terms and jargons used? This experience happens to people when they are not familiar with a scientific paper, hence being a challenge for them. Similarly, many students do face similar experiences, where they find it a challenge to comprehend a story that they had just read. They may be able to read the passage fluently, but would not be able to tell you much about the passage after reading. So how can a ..read more

The International Conference on the Teaching and learning of Chinese as a second language is the largest conference held by the local organizer on Chinese teaching. The conference is held every two years by Singapore Centre for Chinese Language(SCCL) and provides a platform for local and worldwide scholars and educators to share their latest research findings on teaching and the participants are mainly MOE teachers and local educators. The Chinese team attended the conference in 2016 which was very fruitful and impressive for us, therefore we decided to attend again this year. It is also our f ..read more

Student motivation has always been closely linked to academic achievement and success. Even in the field of learning disabilities (LD) research, motivation has been found to exert significant effects on academic functioning. Here are 5 ways to help SPIKE your child’s motivation in his/her learning: Structure Your Child’s Learning Set your child tasks that are challenging yet within his/her capability to successfully complete as repeated success is the best way to increase your child’s confidence. If the task is too easy, your child may not gain any satisfaction or self-confidence from completi ..read more

The bright spotlight is shining on the princess. Her hands and legs are trembling. Her mind goes blank. It is so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Her partner whispers, “Come on, say your lines!” However, she just freezes with an expressionless face. Her partner prompts her by narrating to the audience, “Where were you going, princess?” She suddenly remembers her lines, “I was going to the castle,” she murmurs. The show carries on! Her partner manages to save the act by improvising the lines. Although they may not have followed the script, they definitely kept the show going. So, what do we ca ..read more

The 3rd Enabling Masterplan is a five-year roadmap for the community and the Singapore Government to work together as a caring community. It paved the way for a diverse proposal for students with dyslexia in mainstream schools and institutes of higher learning (IHLs) to receive the support and guidance they need as they go through the various educational and life stages. In line with this plan and the Dyslexia Association of Singapore’s (DAS) belief in professional development as an essential practice amongst their staff, it has continued to ensure that the tradition of continuous learning is ..read more

“You’re last again!” the boy jeered. Tom’s heart started to beat wildly and his insides began to churn. He clenched his fist, about to retaliate, but he froze instead. What followed next was an overwhelming sense of failure. Speechless and not knowing how to defend himself, he leaves the scene, with his head hung low. Three words were all it took to send Tom’s day on a downward spiral. Being able to manage one’s emotions and navigate social interactions are essential skills for all children. An argument can be made that children with dyslexia require these skills even more. They have been docu ..read more

  Talk-O-boTics programme aims to educate DAS professionals in the area of social and emotional support. The program is influenced by the elements of Counselling, Psychology and Psychotherapy. The program aims to help staff and students in the following areas: Improve personal development Develop interpersonal skills Build on decision-making & problem-solving skills Provide support on mental and social-emotional issues This most important effort is led by Ms Madinah Begum, Educational Advisor and Senior Educational Therapist who has a Master of Counselling from Monash Un ..read more

One might ask: Why would an English teacher/educational therapist attend a graphic design course? Well, here are three main reasons why I did just that.    Firstly, we are currently living in the digital age. When I started teaching more than 10 years ago, my teaching world involved me creating worksheets or games on the computer and then printing them out on paper. Since then, the world has evolved and using educational technology in classes has become the norm. The world has transitioned to the world of video, colour and interactivity. My students are now able to do quizzes or thei ..read more