Customised Training for Schools and Organisations
In line with Singapore’s vision of an inclusive society, DAS Academy provides professional development training for educators to better their awareness and support of students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream classrooms. Having provided in-service SEN training for SEN Officers since 2005, DAS Academy advocates contextualised and practical strategies for mainstream educators to adopt.
At the DAS Academy, we believe that if you get things right for learners with SEN, you will get things right for every learner. The effort taken to make instruction accessible to learners with SEN will always improve learning for all learners in the mainstream classroom.
Recognising that the individual needs of each school are unique, our lecturers are able to discuss your training needs before advising on a professional training programme that takes into account the needs and profile of your school’s staff and students.
Customisable to your school’s needs
Schools can specify the subjects that they will like a special focus on. We also welcome your input with regards to areas your teachers find especially challenging to manage and we do our best to address these areas in our training.
Developing Executive Functioning Skills in the Classroom
Executive function is a set of mental skills that individuals use every day to help them pay attention, organize, plan, start on tasks as well as take in and retain information. For students, executive function is a key factor for academic achievement and successful navigation of demands in daily life. Executive functioning difficulties are commonly experienced by children with a range of other neurological conditions which include dyslexia, attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). These children are often labelled as unmotivated, disorganized, scattered, forgetful, inattentive, and lacking in self-awareness. It is crucial that educators understand that these are signs of executive function deficits, and do not attribute or mistake them for a child’s character traits.
This workshop aims to introduce to participants the key components of executive functioning and how executive functioning difficulties may present in students. Course participants will gain awareness of how the curriculum and instruction can inadvertently create barriers for students who have weak executive functioning skills. Participants will be exposed to a variety of strategies that develop executive functioning skills in classroom settings. Participants will also use a three-phase framework to manage more persistent executive function difficulties.
Through this new perspective of executive functioning, this workshop hopes to challenge educators to become more deliberate and thoughtful towards the needs of the varied learners in the classroom so that every learner can be reached.
Workshop content:
- Executive functioning and its various components
- Executive functioning difficulties in students
- Practical strategies to develop the various executive function components
- A three-phase framework to manage more persistent executive function difficulties in students
Universal Design for Learning in the Inclusive Classroom
In an era of inclusive practice, teachers and staff in educational institutes will invariably work with learners with Special Educational Needs (SEN). A teacher’s appreciation of the learning difficulties can be the first step toward making a positive contribution to the wellness of pupils’ development. An understanding of these learning difficulties and the barriers to learning for students with SEN enables teachers to exhibit professional responses and take practical steps to ensure these students enjoy equal access to the broader curriculum, just like their typically developing peers.
The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) provides educators with a framework to structure instruction to build motivated, knowledgeable and strategic learners. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all students can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.
Workshop content:
- Barriers to learning for students with SEN
- The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles
- The UDL Thinking and Lesson Design Cycle
- SEN-friendly instructional strategies for the classroom
Making Math Accessible for All Students
Many students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) including dyslexia and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) struggle with learning math. These students may have literacy difficulties or working memory deficits that implicate the learning of math.
This workshop aims to enable participants to understand and support learners who have difficulties with Mathematics, including those with dyslexia and ADHD. Specifically, these students often have difficulties with basic mathematics skills, algebraic reasoning and problem-solving skills. They also struggle with executive function processes such as approaching math problems, making effective decisions and carrying out the chosen plan.
An understanding of these deficit skills enables educators to appreciate learners’ struggles and devise professional responses to ensure these learners are able to access the math curriculum, just like their peers. Participants will use the Universal Design for Learning to design math instruction for learners, as well as design or adapt strategy instruction for selected math topics.
Workshop content:
- Implications of SEN on Math Learning
- The typical challenges students with math learning difficulties face
- Making math topics accessible for students with SEN using the Universal Design for Learning principles
- Strategy instruction features that make strategies effective for students with SEN
Making Chinese Accessible for All Students
Dyslexia is a language-based learning difficulty that affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. Dyslexia can affect the learning of the Chinese language, in a different way from how it affects English. Chinese is a logographic language that has a large number of visual symbols. Therefore, children are required to learn a lot more symbol-sound association than in English. Children with dyslexia who have difficulties in learning Chinese typically have difficulties processing these sound-symbol relationships.
This workshop will examine the challenges learners with dyslexia face in learning the Chinese language and demonstrate how to help them better manage these learning differences. Participants will learn strategies to improve learners’ reading fluency through the orthographic recognition of words and word formation or morphological awareness.
Workshop content:
- Dyslexia and its impact on the learning of the Chinese language
- The barriers that learners with dyslexia face in the learning of Chinese
- Teaching strategies that enable learners to manage their challenges of reading Chinese: Orthographic recognition and morphological awareness
Typical training package is available for 40 teachers for 2 training hours, with the option of online (zoom) or face-to-face training. Training delivered by two lecturers with significant experience in SEN and keen awareness of the mainstream context.
In line with Singapore’s vision of an inclusive society, DAS Academy provides professional development training for educators to increase their awareness and support of students with learning difficulties in the mainstream classrooms.
At the DAS Academy, we believe that if you get things right for learners with special needs, you will get things right for every learner in the class. Efforts taken to make instructions accessible to learners with special needs will inevitably increase the quality of teaching for all learners in the mainstream.
Recognising that the individual needs of each school are unique, our lecturers are able to discuss your training needs before advising on a professional training programme that takes into account the needs and profile of your school’s staff and students.
Drop us an email at info@dasacademy.edu.sg or call us at 6336 2555 to learn more about the customised training options that we offer.
Feedback from a customised Professional Training Development DAS Academy did with a Primary School in Singapore:
The session was well-received. The teachers gained more insights to SEN, that it is more than just a diagnosis. They are now more mindful of how they should go about planning and delivering their lessons. The vice-principal shared that his two children have dyslexia and had attended classes at DAS previously and he is very heartened with the support DAS has been providing children with dyslexia.
Take a short and simple quiz to learn about how dyslexia-friendly your school or home is!
Take this quiz to find out how dyslexia-friendly your practices are for students with Special Educational Needs.
| CHECKLIST | YES | NO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall School Environment | |||
| 1 | The stall vendors use clear fonts and pictures in their food menu. | ||
| 2 | There are clear signages for the main venues in my school. e.g. general office, canteen, toilets, school hall. | ||
| 3 | My school organises regular SEN awareness training for the staff. | ||
| 4 | There is a special needs department in my school. | ||
| 5 | There are planned sessions in the yearly school calendar to discuss SEN matters. | ||
| 6 | My school is supportive of access arrangements during examinations. | ||
| 7 | My school is supportive of day-to-day accommodations whenever the need arises e.g. availability of disco seat, high tables for students who focus better while standing | ||
| 8 | The learning support personnel and his/her role in the school is made known to all new teaching staff during the staff induction day | ||
| 9 | Heavy subject periods are placed in the morning, whenever possible | ||
| Classroom Environment | |||
| 10 | As far as possible, I supplement verbal instructions and explanations with pictures, diagrams and/or manipulatives. | ||
| 11 | I ensure variety (visual, verbal, kinaesthetic) and levels (Bloom’s Taxonomy) in my learning objectives. | ||
| 12 | I use figurative language selectively and follow up with an explicit explanation. | ||
| 13 | I simplify instructions and avoid unnecessary information overload. | ||
| 14 | I make it a point to check for understanding after giving instructions. | ||
| 15 | I leave important information on the board long enough for students. | ||
| 16 | I make a point to ensure worksheets/ slides are not cluttered. | ||
| 17 | I print comprehension text and questions such that students do not need to flip over to refer. | ||
| 18 | I highlight challenging key curriculum words, break them into parts/ syllables and provide strategies to remember them. | ||
| 19 | I practice having a group read aloud to the class, instead of having a single student read. | ||
| 20 | I take steps to make spelling tests more friendly for students | ||
| 21 | I offer students personal choice in the demonstration of their knowledge, through a variety of questions, a variety of platforms etc. | ||
| 22 | I have the learning support personnel present in periods which require support | ||
| 23 | I highlight students who might have SEN to the learning support personnel in a timely manner | ||
| 24 | I work together with the learning support personnel to support students with SEN in my class | ||
| 25 | I allow time for movement between activities. | ||
| 26 | I use specific colours for specific information on the board. | ||
| 27 | I use a font of at least size 12 and ensure that it does not have extending features called “serifs” at the end of strokes e.g. Calibri instead of Times New Roman. | ||
Total up your scores and check how SEN-friendly your practices are!
| ‘Yes’ Responses | General indication |
|---|---|
| 19 – 27 | Learners with SEN in your school are well supported to maximise their potential. |
| 10 – 18 | Learners with SEN in your school are generally supported but will benefit from more support. |
| 0 – 9 | Learners with SEN in your school may find school life challenging. |
Take this quiz to find out how dyslexia-friendly your home is:
| CHECKLIST | YES | NO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I talk to my child about dyslexia and about people who have dyslexia. | ||
| 2 | I have attended at least one dyslexia talk/course for parents. | ||
| 3 | I practice reading with my child at home. | ||
| 4 | I help my child find ways to work around his or her weakness caused by dyslexia. | ||
| 5 | As far as possible, I supplement verbal and written information with pictures, diagrams or manipulatives. | ||
| 6 | I break down the school’s weekly spelling list into bite-sized components, with revision spread across the week, instead of expecting the child to master the entire list in one day. | ||
| 7 | I break down words in the weekly spelling list into chunks and point out unique features in the words. | ||
| 8 | I help to ensure that worksheets (especially reading comprehension tasks) are printed only on one side. | ||
| 9 | I provide clear and direct instructions in a bite-sized manner. | ||
| 10 | I have routines to help my child get his work done. | ||
| 11 | I inform and communicate with my child’s teachers about his or her learning needs. | ||
| 12 | While I am sensitive to my child’s weaknesses, I am also keenly aware of his or her strengths and I provide support to develop those strengths | ||
Total up your scores and check how dyslexia-friendly your home is!
| ‘Yes’ Responses | General indication |
|---|---|
| 9 – 12 | Your child is well supported to maximise their potential. |
| 5 – 8 | Your child is generally supported but will benefit from more support. |
| 0 – 4 | Your child may find it challenging to cope with an SEN. E.g. Dyslexia |
Lecturers with rich practical experience
Our lecturers have a wealth of dyslexia teaching experiences under their belts. They are able to apply their accumulated knowledge and experience to your context, empowering you to resolve your day-to-day challenges in a school with learners with diverse needs.
