Hear what our student says about the Postgraduate Certificate in Special Educational Needs, University of South Wales

By Sha Lan, Post Graduate Certificate

Like many of my classmates, I came for the course to learn more about children with learning difficulties with the hope that I can help them more. We have learned so much along the way. It did get tough sometimes, when we tried to balance study, work and family.

However we’ve pulled through and I think we have reasons to be proud of ourselves. We have gained more knowledge about learning difficulties, and we started to understand that complexities are in the nature of learning difficulties.

The programme has exposed us to western perspectives in addition to the Singapore perspective and enabled us to think beyond the traditional special school classroom. I think the concept inclusion is deeply instilled in our minds. The course not only increased our academic knowledge, but also fostered the consideration of the best interest of each individual learner with special needs.

Two years ago, I joined DAS. Before teaching at DAS, I thought I knew how to communicate with my students, but my dyslexic children taught me that I shall not only listen to their words, but also observe their body language and learning patterns. They have also shown me that clear communication is a skill that needs to be developed. I have grown up with them. From them, I’ve learnt that learning should be a life style. Special education is a diverse and changing field, and we need to be constantly learning to keep ourselves updated in our teaching practices.

I would like to thank all of you who accompanied us through this valuable learning journey. I would like to thank our lecturers and tutors for the invaluable guidance and encouragement. I’d also like to thank our friends and staff for your assistance and providing a good learning environment to us. Last but not least, I would like to thank my amazing family for the love and support.

Today we’ve completed the certificate, and the next question is: how much more are we ready to touch our students’ lives? We are here to make a difference to the lives of children with special needs. It sounds like an adventure and we are on board.