PRESENTERS

Carol is an education advisor for ICT and Inclusion. Carol was named as one of the top ten educators for her work in inclusion, #EdTech2018. She was awarded an Ed Futurist award in 2019. Carol is currently a member of the DfE Assistive Technology Expert Group in the UK; a member of the BETT Advisory Team; a BETT Awards Judge and has been a panel member and is a contributor to sessions at the House of Lords for the APPGAT committee.

She has taught in both mainstream and special schools for 35+ years. Recognising that communication lies at the heart of all effective teaching, the majority of her work has centred on the creative and engaging use of technology to support communication in its widest sense. An advocate of inclusion and inclusive practice, Carol champions the effective use of both low and high tech solutions to facilitate access to learning, leisure and life for those who face barriers. She works across all age groups and levels of ability providing specialist advice and support locally; regionally; nationally and internationally.

Workshop/keynote presentations include regular UK work, TES conferences, BETT (main stage speaker 2020) and international conferences such as FETC/ATIA Florida, Illinois; Denmark, Rotterdam, Geneva, Singapore, Riyadh, Cologne and two five-city tours around Australia in 2018/2019.

The Magical World of Technology and Dyslexia.

We are working in a time of change in education – our buildings; our curriculum and assessments guidance and this combined with the speed of innovation and progress in technology can lead to a feeling of, ‘missing out,’ or, ‘being unsure how to keep up’. In addition, despite the ever-increasing demands being made upon teachers and schools, particularly over the recent world-wide response to the pandemic, resource allocations are often reduced, or tied to ‘projects’. Throughout all of this, the students we teach are the same; their needs, abilities and disabilities remain the same.

For students with Dyslexia, both diagnosed, or those who are experiencing barriers to reading and writing but have not been formally assessed; the use of carefully chosen supports is vital to allow learning to take place with a reduction in the immense effort required if no support is given. This impacts on so many areas beyond accurate academic performance; anxiety, avoidance behaviours, well-being and mental health are all part of the picture for those for whom the educational system presents a daily diet of literary confusion.

Technology has a central role to play in this access to learning; indeed the recent emergency move to remote learning has brought its importance to the fore. When the match between need and technology is perfect, the results are magical, not only for the learning outcome but additionally for the empowerment and wellbeing of the Dyslexic student. This session will look at a range of practical, technological solutions from low to high tech, all of which offer success for our students.

Carol is an education advisor for ICT and Inclusion. Carol was named as one of the top ten educators for her work in inclusion, #EdTech2018. She was awarded an Ed Futurist award in 2019. Carol is currently a member of the DfE Assistive Technology Expert Group in the UK; a member of the BETT Advisory Team; a BETT Awards Judge and has been a panel member and is a contributor to sessions at the House of Lords for the APPGAT committee.

She has taught in both mainstream and special schools for 35+ years. Recognising that communication lies at the heart of all effective teaching, the majority of her work has centred on the creative and engaging use of technology to support communication in its widest sense. An advocate of inclusion and inclusive practice, Carol champions the effective use of both low and high tech solutions to facilitate access to learning, leisure and life for those who face barriers. She works across all age groups and levels of ability providing specialist advice and support locally; regionally; nationally and internationally.

Workshop/keynote presentations include regular UK work, TES conferences, BETT (main stage speaker 2020) and international conferences such as FETC/ATIA Florida, Illinois; Denmark, Rotterdam, Geneva, Singapore, Riyadh, Cologne and two five-city tours around Australia in 2018/2019.

Dyslexia: What's the story?

Communication is at the heart of all teaching and learning. For Dyslexic learners, barriers in two of the four communication elements, that is reading and writing, can reduce access to learning and prevent outcomes that reflect ability. As educators, our focus has to be on supporting their development in these areas in order to increase access to the wider curriculum. Evidence-based precision teaching provides a clear, structured approach to learning to read and write and is our essential baseline. To complement this, we need to embed and extend our structured teaching by utilising creative opportunities in order to consolidate and generalise learning; to motivate and engage, and most importantly, to allow creativity to flourish and ideas to be shared.

This session will look at stories and storytelling as vehicles for enhancing communication both in terms of academic activities and additionally, personal growth and wellbeing. Many Dyslexic students restrict their written output to ‘safe zone’ work based on the words and phrases they feel comfortable with, however, these can be far from the level of writing that they are capable of imagining. We will share a range of online storytelling opportunities that are free to use and that produce excellent learning. From considering how to use sensory elements to create evocative and effective classroom stories, through active learning to using technology to capture and share stories for all, this session will offer practical ideas to take away and use with your students.

Madinah Begum, Educational Advisor/ Senior Educational Therapist, Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Member of the Register of Educational Therapists (Asia) RETA - www.reta.sg

Madinah has been with the DAS since 2014. She provides intervention for learners with dyslexia on the Main Literacy Programme and iReaCH. She is also dual-specialised in the Prep2PSLE programme. In addition, she is an Educational Advisor who works closely with the Educational Advisory Team to promote mental and emotional well-being through Talk-O-boTics - a counselling-based training programme. She is an advocate for welfare in DAS and believes that it is vital for everyone to have a safe and confidential place to talk about their issues and to be empowered with the right tools and skills to cope with their problems. She has set up initiatives like Heart 2 Heart – an informal chat platform; that enable staff from different departments to come together to share their experiences and difficulties they are facing in the current COVID-19 crisis.

Bullying and the SEN student.

As part of a parent advocacy initiative by the Dyslexia Association of Singapore’s (DAS), a survey of DAS parents was conducted in 2020 to find out about the incident rates of bullying that our students faced. The aim was to analyse the prevalence of the various types of bullying experienced by the students and how bullying affects them. Through this research, we hoped to find out more about how we could mitigate the bullying rates among SEN students. Ultimately, we want to empower both teachers and parents by providing meaningful knowledge on how they can support students to minimise bullying.

A total of 185 parents of students studying at DAS were given online questionnaires, which asked them about their children’s prior experiences with bullying and what they felt could be done to eliminate bullying. For qualitative data, we first came up with a group of common responses that parents had for each question, followed by recording the frequency of those responses. Afterwards, we tabulated and analysed both quantitative and qualitative data and charted all data for easier representation.

The data was examined in relation to gender and age. The findings indicate that students are most affected by verbal, indirect and peer victimization and the majority of the bullying lasted for years. Findings from this study also advocate that raising awareness and training for parents and schools would help contribute to bullying prevention among SEN students. Moreover, our data show that support from parents and schools were the most important factors to help reduce bullying rates. Lastly, it was found that males experienced higher rates of bullying than females for all types of bullying.

Dr Isabelle Shanti Benjamin, Principal Consultant, ELCOT CONSULTANTS www.elcotconsultants.com

Dr. Isabelle Shanti Benjamin is the Founder & Principal Consultant of ELCOT Consultants, a Professional Development Consultancy that conducts teacher training programmes for in-service English Language teachers as well as student workshops in secondary schools and private institutions. Her research work for her Doctoral and Masters dissertations investigated the micro-level reading skills and evaluation objectives of the UCLES ‘O’ Level Paper 2. Using the logic training of her BSc. degree, she developed a powerful text processing methodology for working out answers to comprehension questions in a systematic and procedural approach (not unlike the ‘working’ used for math questions). Her 30-year training experience of empowering both students and teachers in their honing and explanation of reading techniques has given her a deeper understanding of the unique challenges involved in the training of students taking this highly demanding paper which tests complex reading comprehension skills, even as it has evolved over the last decade with new syllabuses and exam formats. Dr. Benjamin also uses her specialist knowledge to provide vetting and design services for testing instruments, pedagogical consultations on research projects as well as designing of effective training materials and resources. She is currently an external consultant to the DAS ELL Curriculum Team.

THE ‘word’ GAME’S AFOOT! Inductive Approach for Vocabulary Learning and Teaching

What if Sherlock Holmes decided to teach vocabulary? What teaching approach would he likely use? The answer is obvious - it was the way he solved all his cases - using inductive reasoning. He made observations, noted critical clues and drew conclusions. Traditional vocabulary lessons tend to largely rely on a deductive approach where the meaning of words are provided for students to apply to the interpretation of meaning in texts. The problem with this approach, while seemingly efficient, is that the knowledge of the meanings taught is seldom retained long enough by learners, much less applied spontaneously in production tasks. Sherlock instead, would have used the inductive approach making students figure out the meaning of unknown words through the ‘power of observation’. Studies have shown that teaching and learning approaches that involve inductive reasoning lead to better retention of the content delivered, in this case, meanings of words. This approach also helps learners develop higher-order thinking and analysis skills, greatly valued in the competitive economies of today’s world. For reading comprehension tests where students often encounter unknown words which they would have to interpret without the help of their ‘walking dictionary’ teacher or the online dictionary on their smartphones, this capacity to ‘guesstimate’ meanings of words is not only critical but an expected capacity. This workshop will share techniques teachers can use to help students hone their ‘powers of observation’ to ‘notice’ the textual clues that point to the intended meaning of words in a text.

Angelica Benson, Ed.M., Director of International Development: Angelica Benson, Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes-- -For over 20 years, Angelica Benson has worked for Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes – a world leader in research and remediation for specific learning disabilities, including dyslexia and autism spectrum disorder. Angelica is currently the Director of International Development for Lindamood-Bell. Angelica is also the Executive Director of the Lindamood-Bell Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing scholarships to families in need who are seeking life-changing instruction at Lindamood-Bell. She holds a Master of Education degree from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of California.

A Comparative Analysis of 7112 Dyslexics to a Population of Dyslexics from A Neuroscientific Study

This investigation evaluates both the behavioral and neurophysiological outcomes of a reading intervention designed to address the symptoms associated with dyslexia. In this post-hoc meta-analysis, a statistically similar population of dyslexic participants from a research collaboration at the University of Washington ILABS (UW) was compared to 7112 dyslexics who attended Lindamood-Bell Learning Centres in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. All subjects were administered pre- and post-test standardized behavioral assessments measuring reading skills in key domains associated with dyslexia. The dyslexic participants from UW also received pre- and posttest neurophysiological measurements. All subjects received one-to-one intensive reading intervention developing mental representations of letters and sounds within words, on average for 120 hours, 2-4 hours daily, 5 days a week. In the neurophysiological intervention study, significant correlations were found in brain white matter conductivity as related to significant improvements in reading, compared to controls (Huber, Donnelly, Rokem, & Yeatman, 2018). Corresponding to these changes was an increase in reading behaviors for those 7112 dyslexic students in clinics, who showed statistically similar gains in key areas associated with the symptoms of dyslexia. This investigation contributes to a deeper understanding of the cause(es) of dyslexia, its’ diagnosis, and the behavioral and neurophysiological results of the intervention protocol developed for individuals who express symptoms of dyslexia. Collectively, these findings offer important insight into the question of whether or not dyslexia can be remediated.

Founder & Executive Dyslexic, NoticeAbility, Inc.

Dean Bragonier is the Founder and Executive Dyslexic of NoticeAbility Inc, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping students with dyslexia identify their unique strengths and build self-esteem. Shaped by the challenges associated with his dyslexia and after struggling through the traditional secondary education system, Dean became a diligent and successful college student who developed a true love of learning at Bates College. Upon graduation, Dean embraced his entrepreneurial instincts and acquired a small seasonal restaurant on Martha’s Vineyard Island that he transformed into a successful full-scale enterprise. It was through this endeavoUr that he was able to contextualize his years of laborious academic learning and discover the true gifts of his own dyslexic mind. As a social entrepreneur, Dean has founded his own nonprofit organizations and served as a board member and advisor to a number of others. NoticeAbility is the culmination of Dean’s passion for education and his conviction that the advantages of dyslexia far outweigh its associated challenges.

www.noticeability.org

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From Helplessness To Empowerment: RE-Engaging Students with Dyslexia (Live from USA)

Students with dyslexia demonstrate paradoxical behaviour in the classroom. At times, they appear withdrawn, insecure, and even cynical. In the blink of an eye, these same students may show moments of enthusiasm, engagement, and an eagerness to learn.

In his talk, Dean shares anecdotes from his academic journey, giving a unique glimpse into the psychological impact of being a student with dyslexia. Dean explores the intersection between classroom instruction and contemporary behavioural theories that underscore strategies and techniques that bolster student self-esteem and academic tenacity.

DAMARIS CARLISLE, LECTURER-IN-CHARGE, The Learning Centre, LASALLE College of the Arts

Damaris Carlisle currently runs The Learning Centre, an academic support service for students, as well as being lecturer-in-charge of the pre-sessional English language programme at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore. Her career as an English teacher has taken her to distant corners of the world from Spain to South America, the UK to Australia, and more recently arriving back in Singapore. Over the years, she has worked in a variety of settings from the social services sector to the corporate world and on to academia. She remains passionate about education and promoting an inclusive campus. Currently, completing her Doctorate in Education, she is investigating issues of concern experienced by learners with disabilities and special educational needs as they transition to and experience their first year of studies at university in Singapore.

See Me, Hear Me: Concerns Of Students With Special Educational Needs At University In Singapore

Education in Singapore has been undergoing a gradual shift towards a social model of inclusive education since the Compulsory Education Act came into force in 2003. With the aim of supporting students with disabilities and special educational needs, the Singapore government has increasingly provided resources and facilities in schools, resulting in larger numbers of these students continuing to tertiary education. This presentation discusses the findings of a phenomenological case study, where 26 individual interviews were conducted with students studying at different universities across Singapore as they reflected on their first-year experiences. One area that was discussed was the issues the participants faced as students with varying educational needs. Whilst there have been improvements since the introduction of disability support offices at institutes of higher learning since 2014, challenges still remain ranging from attitudes to academic barriers, from systemic hurdles to concerns about career prospects. The lived experiences of these learners presenting a wide range of differing needs provide insights into their realities and concerns. This, in turn, has possible implications for policy and practice at the tertiary level in Singapore.

Correspondence to: Damaris Carlisle, damaris.carlisle@lasalle.edu.sg

Susanna Cederquist is a lecturer, speaker and educator, using the concept En Bild av Dyslexi (A picture of dyslexia). She lectures in schools about how teachers can approach dyslexia and create a sustainable and equivalent education for students with dyslexia, as well as in authorities, companies and workplaces. How you increase the accessibility of texts, better understand dyslexia and the effects of what she calls the “text norm” in our society. The main focus is to present the whole picture of dyslexia; the consequences of problems in reading and writing and to see and increase the knowledge of the” dyslexic strengths”. She has many contacts with other dyslexia experts and researchers around the world. Susanna is an adviser for the Foundation of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia of Sweden and leads courses for students and adults with dyslexia to help them better understands their competences and find their ways of success. She is the authorof the books “Dyslexia + Strengths = True” 2015 and “Dyslexia at school – see the whole picture” 2021. Susanna is also a teacher with a supplementary special education certificate.

Dr Simon Tak Mau CHAN, Associate Professor, Hong Kong Baptist University

Dr Simon Chan has centred his research on family therapy, SENs-dyslexia, and gender studies. He has published 25 peer-reviewed journal articles and 30 books/book chapters and delivered 46 conference presentations in these subject areas. He has more than thirty years of family therapy experience, with expertise in the schools of both modernism and post-modernism. He is now an Associate Fellow, Certified Counsellor and Supervisor of the Hong Kong Professional Counselling Association (HKPCA); Board Director, Certified Clinical Supervisor, and Marriage & Family Therapist of Hong Kong Marriage and Family Therapy Association (HKMFTA).

Parent-child interactive stress of children with ADHD.

Parents of children of ADHD often experience high levels of stress. They also experience great difficulties in caring for their children and in their daily interaction with them. However, stress resulting from parent-child interaction is under-explored in literature. The purposes of this study are to explore the current state of stress resulting from parent-child interaction and to make recommendations for future measures to tackle the problem of stress parents experience. The research questions are:

1. What are the characteristics and symptoms of Chinese children with ADHD?

2. What are the characteristics of Chinese parents with children with ADHD?

3. What are the environmental factors such as sociocultural conditions, social support, and children school environment affecting children with ADHD and their parents?

4. What is the current state of research involving stress resulting from parent-child interaction and future measures to tackle the problem of stress parents experience?

Eighteen parents of children formally diagnosed with ADHD in Mainland China were interviewed, and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed four categories of causes of parental stress, namely individual, family, social-cultural, and school factors. The findings extend thinking around social and cultural constructions of parental stress, the power, control issues in the school environment, and give social workers new perspectives on how to support these families. It is argued in the discussion that parent-child stress of families of children with ADHD should be investigated in the current context of social service system and socio-cultural context. This presentation is mainly focused on revealing and understanding stress resulting from parent-child interaction.

CHUA MINQI, Senior Specialist Psychologist, Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Minqi has been a psychologist at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore since 2012. She is a registered psychologist with the Singapore Register of Psychologists and a full member of the Singapore Psychological Society. As a member of the SPLD Assessment Services, she conducts psycho-educational assessments as part of the process for investigating learning difficulties and neurodevelopmental disorders. Minqi is also involved in the placement of students in programmes at the DAS, conducting workshops and training sessions, as well as various research projects.

Register of Educational Therapists (ASIA) RETA - Case Management Discussion - Supporting Learners with Dyslexia and Language Difficulties

Dyslexia, characterized by poor decoding abilities, word recognition and spelling, is typically the result of a deficit in the phonological component of language (Lyon et al 2003). On the other hand, language difficulties manifest when children’s language development is deficient (Bishop, 2006). Children diagnosed with both dyslexia and language difficulties face many challenges to sustain language learning although they possess normal intelligence. With phonological difficulties, reading and spelling can be an arduous task. Additionally, despite effective classroom instructions on grammar and vocabulary, these children often struggle with receptive and expressive language skills which can be seen in their poor ability to use the right grammar and vocabulary in their speech and written work. These challenges, when compounded, can impede learning and educational development such that they do unsatisfactorily in school and underachieve in their academic pursuits. At the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS), such students are given phonics instructions and explicit teaching of language skills to remediate literacy and language difficulties. This presentation will highlight 2-3 case studies on how these students are supported on the Main Literacy Programme and Specialised Educational Services such as Speech and Language Therapy as well as Speech and Drama Arts.

PhD Chair Professor of Child Development and Special Education

Dr CHUNG Kien Hoa Kevin is a Chair Professor of Child Development and Special Education and a Director of the Centre of Child and Family Science at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK). He was the head of two departments: The Department of Early Childhood Education and Special Education and Counselling and also served as an Associate Dean (Research) at EdUHK. Kevin was a high school teacher before embarking on an academic career. His research focuses on dyslexia and learning disabilities, child and adult language and learning, and social-emotional development. He has published journal articles and book chapters and has produced learning and teaching products and software.

Kevin is a Vice President of the Association for Reading and Writing in Asia, a Fellow of The Association for Psychological Science (APS), Fellow of the International Academy for Research in Learning Disabilities (IARLD), and a Voting Member of Society for the Scientific Study of Reading (SSSR). He serves on the editorial boards of professional journals. He was a Core Member of the 2018 International Reading Expert Group – Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) project and is a Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the PISA 2018 and PISA 2021 in Hong Kong. Kevin has offered advice to the Government Departments and Units of Education, NGOs, and funding agencies particularly in relation to the early years and specific learning difficulties (SpLD).

JACK CHURCHILL, CEO AND FOUNDER OF SCANNING PENS

Jack Churchill is proud to be the CEO and Co-Founder of Scanning Pens. He set the business up 16 years ago because he’s passionate about technology being a great enabler and support. Jack is determined to help young people and adults with dyslexia and other reading difficulties obtain greater access to printed text through assistive technology, both in their everyday lives and exams. In recent years Scanning Pens has been fortunate enough to win a number of prominent awards including BETT Exporter of the Year 2019 and BETT Company of the Year 2020. He sits on the board of BATA (the British Assistive Technology Association), St Mary’s Calne School and the International Churchill Society.

Technology reading exams dyslexia assistive technology

Technology is changing the way we conduct our lives, and it’s happening faster than ever. How we test our children in school is thankfully also moving forward.

Examinations present a major obstacle for many young people who struggle with reading difficulties like dyslexia. The objective of most exams is to test the student's knowledge of a given subject, i.e. geography, not to test their reading ability. Reading is a pre-cursor skill. Without it, reading and answering the questions is yet another challenge for the candidate. It is therefore hugely important that all students receive the necessary accommodations to read the exam questions.

Over the last 8 years, I have worked with exam boards around the world to modernise the reading support that children receive. Technology, like pen scanners, means students can be back in the main exam hall, reading on their own and not reliant on another human to sit with them. Technology importantly also prepares them for later life when they will have to work independently.

I was fortunate to get support for my own dyslexia whilst at school. This extra support enabled me to pass my exams, go onto university and now the workplace with the confidence of knowing I had achieved. Breaking down barriers for young struggling readers is an important part of my life mission. My presentation will talk about the importance of a toolbox approach when using assistive technology in everyday education and exams.

Julia Clouter, Head of Education for Scanning Pens and SpLD Specialist

Julia Clouter is Head of Educational Services for the Assistive Technology company Scanning Pens. She delivers training on a national and international level and advises on the use of assistive technology in the development of inclusive classrooms. She has been a long-serving SENCo and Designated Safeguarding Lead and has twenty-five years of teaching and leadership experience in Primary, Secondary, Mainstream and SEN provision. Her published works include learning resources for reading improvement with ReaderPens and a transition support handbook. She regularly writes and speaks about SEN, dyslexia, hidden learning needs, behaviour and Edtech solutions. Julia also regularly interviews guests for Succeed With Dyslexia and presents #SWD Webinars – A Global Movement For Celebrating Success with Dyslexia and Dyslexia Awareness.

The Learning Outcomes of Reader Pens in Supporting Reading for Dyslexic Learners

Scanning Pens is a wi-fi free and portable assistive technology tool that supports reading by decoding at both word and sentence level for learners with difficulties such as weak literacy, developing English as a second language (EAL) and SpLD dyslexia. This presentation outlines the research conducted in the United Kingdom by three researchers, Franklin, Mortimore and Coleman, who have each independently corroborated the impact of Scanning Pens to accelerate the reading progress of learners and enable them to achieve accelerated success in examinations. In the research conducted by Mortimor with 46 Year 11students, she states that the 83% who made use of the Exam Pen in their examinations achieved a real increase in their results. These learners also agreed that the use of the Scanning Pen supported their emotional well-being and identified that it had improved their confidence and attitude to learning. In addition to exploring and comparing the findings of this study, the key elements of multi-modal learning and multi-sensory teaching methodology will be explored. We will also investigate the views of the learners about the gains made in their confidence and well-being through the ability to learn independently with Scanning Pens assistive technology.

Jessica Colleu Terradas, Literacy and Instructional Coach, Special Education Teacher.

For 7 years, Jessica has been running a targeted intervention for struggling adolescents at Como Secondary College, in Western Australia. In 2019 she was awarded a Commonwealth Bank Teaching Award in recognition of her success in improving literacy and numeracy outcomes in at‐risk students. As a special education and instructional coach, Jessica has been instrumental in advancing the awareness, understanding and use of evidence‐based instruction to prevent low numeracy and literacy failures across the state and beyond. In July 2020, Jessica took on a new role as a literacy coach in the Literacy Guarantee Unit with the SA Department for Education. She has recently been awarded a 2020 Churchill Fellowship and her project is about adolescent literacy.

Leaving nothing to chance: a coaching approach to improving teacher knowledge, skills and understanding of teaching reading.

The latest Programmes for International Student Assessment (PISA) results have confirmed that Australian schools are not doing enough to achieve a functional level of literacy and numeracy in at-risk adolescents. From 2000 to 2008, mean reading literacy scores dropped from 528 to 503, the equivalent of a year’s learning. This is a wake-up call.

In response, a new Literacy Guarantee Unit has been established in the South Australia Education Department, with a focus on improving the achievement of all students through strong foundations in literacy. The 14 literacy coaches support South Australian schools by offering intensive professional learning to primary school teachers as well as direct teacher coaching in the most up-to-date evidence-based methods and practices- including explicit teaching of synthetic phonics. With expertise in phonics and teaching students with dyslexia and other learning difficulties, the unit ensures that schools are well placed to provide quality wave one teaching to support all students to achieve strong literacy outcomes.

In this session, participants will overview the evidence-based recommendations for improving literacy outcomes for primary students (ages 6 to 11). They will learn about the latest global research on what strategies are leading to improved literacy outcomes. This workshop will also provide examples of how these recommendations are being translated into the classroom in South Australian schools. Finally, the participants will explore the use of a coaching model for teachers at school and classroom levels.

Jessica Colleu Terradas, Literacy and Instructional Coach, Special Education Teacher.

For 7 years, Jessica has been running a targeted intervention for struggling adolescents at Como Secondary College, in Western Australia. In 2019 she was awarded a Commonwealth Bank Teaching Award in recognition of her success in improving literacy and numeracy outcomes in at‐risk students. As a special education and instructional coach, Jessica has been instrumental in advancing the awareness, understanding and use of evidence‐based instruction to prevent low numeracy and literacy failures across the state and beyond. In July 2020, Jessica took on a new role as a literacy coach in the Literacy Guarantee Unit with the SA Department for Education. She has recently been awarded a 2020 Churchill Fellowship and her project is about adolescent literacy.

Strategies for supporting older struggling readers – how do we ensure the effectiveness of our teaching?

If students are not competent readers, they are at risk for academic, behavioural, social and emotional difficulties. There has been a great body of research supporting the Simple of Reading and providing with recommendations to prevent reading difficulties in young learners. However, many students reach upper elementary and middle school without having acquired strategies and skills to become strong, independent readers. This has a cumulative impact on their capacity to both engage with the curriculum and to learn the increasingly vast amount of work that is being presented to them. Teachers can change this trajectory for children at risk for failure in reading by intervening early and providing explicit, intensive and systematic instruction. In this session, participants will:

• identify the impact of poor reading on older learners

• explore the implications for classroom teachers in designing targeted instructions to meet the individual learning needs of each student

Jessica Colleu Terradas, Literacy and Instructional Coach, Special Education Teacher.

For 7 years, Jessica has been running a targeted intervention for struggling adolescents at Como Secondary College, in Western Australia. In 2019 she was awarded a Commonwealth Bank Teaching Award in recognition of her success in improving literacy and numeracy outcomes in at‐risk students. As a special education and instructional coach, Jessica has been instrumental in advancing the awareness, understanding and use of evidence‐based instruction to prevent low numeracy and literacy failures across the state and beyond. In July 2020, Jessica took on a new role as a literacy coach in the Literacy Guarantee Unit with the SA Department for Education. She has recently been awarded a 2020 Churchill Fellowship and her project is about adolescent literacy.

Explicit Instruction, Science of Learning and Cognitive Load Theory in practice

This workshop aims to explore brain research to help teachers determine the most effective strategies to maximise student learning. It will focus on how Explicit Instruction (EI) is informed by the Science of Learning, specifically the impact of Cognitive Load Theory and 'load reduction instruction', and discuss how instructional strategies can impede or enhance learning. Indeed, the EI teaching model incorporates a strategic collection of instructional practices that teachers can implement and use in all learning areas. It encourages students to be actively engaged in the lessons and has “engagement norms” to help students process information so that they master the skill.

By the end of the session, participants will have:

• an understanding of high impact classroom strategies

• identified the lesson design and delivery components of an EI lesson

• an increased level of confidence in implementing key instructional strategies

Siti Mariam, Full-time Lecturer & Lead Educational Therapist, DAS Academy

Associate Fellow of the Register of Educational Therapists (Asia) RETA - www.reta.sg

Mariam believes that each young individual is unique and 'a diamond in the rough.' With more than 8 years of teaching experience, Mariam is a strong advocate in helping young individuals with dyslexia reach their highest potential. A member of the Register of Educational Therapists (Asia), Mariam enjoys learning with and from other educators and parents through various sharing platforms. With the completion of her Masters of Arts in Special Educational Needs in 2019, Mariam hopes that she can put her increasing wealth of knowledge into further useful practice.

Multisensory Grammar Instruction

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate word reading and spelling. However, writing has been recognized as an area that has not been comprehensively researched. Writing is a multi-faceted task that draws on different skills such as grammar, vocabulary, as well as the organization of words and ideas. As such, learners with dyslexia often struggle with writing. Drawing upon the principles from the Orton-Gillingham approach, research has found that direct, explicit and multisensory instruction is necessary to support learners with dyslexia. Project Read is a curriculum that recognizes these needs and incorporates them in its teaching methodology. One of the key features of this curriculum is to provide explicit grammar instruction through a system of diagrams and distinctive graphic symbols to represent sentence parts. Its structured, cumulative and multisensory approach aims to help learners progress from sentence-level to paragraph level and eventually to text level writing.

Dr Kristiantini Dewi is a female paediatrician who completed her degree in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Padjajaran in 2005. Currently, she works as a pediatrician in Indigrow Child Development Center (CDC) since 2005 and the Melinda2 Child Development Center of Melinda2 Hospital since 2014. She is a completed fellow in the clinical attachment in the neuropediatric field at the Institute of Pediatric Hospital Kuala Lumpur 2007. As well as a lot of training related to the growth and development of children with special needs. In addition to being Chairman of the Dyslexia Association of Indonesia, she is also a coordinator of Special Services Program development in Indonesia Class Dyslexia, Autism classes and inclusion. Kristiantini has published several educational books for parents, conducted many workshops and training for professionals, teachers and parents. She supports a large parent community across the islands of Indonesia so then they can learn and share the knowledge with each other.

Founder and Managing Director of Global Educational Consultants (Egypt)

Dr Gad Elbeheri is the Founder and Managing Director of Global Educational Consultants (Egypt). Previously, Dr. Elbeheri was the Dean of the Australian College of Kuwait (2012/2017); the Executive Director for the Centre for Child Evaluation & Teaching (2006/2011) and a Dyslexia Country Expert (Kuwait) for the United Nations Development Programme.

Dr Elbeheri obtained his PhD from the University of Durham, UK and has a keen interest in cross-linguistic studies of Dyslexia, Learning Disabilities and Inclusion.

Dr Elbeheri has made over 50 conference and seminar presentations around the world. He has published over 15 books in both English and Arabic in the field of dyslexia, and many peer-reviewed journal articles on dyslexia and its manifestations in Arabic. He has participated in producing nationally standardized tests and computer-based screening programmes in Arabic.

Professor Angela Fawcett is a leading international researcher into dyslexia and other developmental disabilities, encompassing a range of theoretical and applied contributions to this field. Her approach is broad and interdisciplinary ranging from child and cognitive development to educational screening and intervention, as well as development cognitive neuroscience. She is the Vice President of the British Dyslexia Association and also the Former Chair and Director of the Centre for Child Research at Swansea University, UK.

Research Advisor, Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Registrar of the Register of Educational Therapists (Asia) RETA - www.reta.sg

Procedural learning, dyslexia and maths

In recent research, we have argued that a procedural learning deficit underlies the learning difficulties in dyslexia, and this has been well-supported by ongoing research in the area. This theory suggests that dyslexic children have strengths in declarative learning, that is learning facts, and their performance is most impaired when they are forced to rely on their weaker procedural skills. Procedural and statistical learning also underlies key stages in learning maths, and in this talk I shall consider how far maths learning difficulties could be accounted for by a similar process, emphasising similarities and differences between the two conditions. The impact of anxiety on both conditions can be devastating, causing learners to switch to their least efficient mode. Interestingly, procedural learning deficits can lead to a variety of strengths in dyslexia, but how far does this apply to maths difficulties? Experience suggests that learners with maths difficulties plus anxiety may suffer lifelong struggles, with a tendency to give up hope of ever becoming even marginally successful in this field.

David Fawcett is a Member UK APPG

Parent, dyslexic and advocate.

Trials, tribulation and triumphs: Our son Matt’s story…

In this talk, David will outline many of the trials and tribulations that he faced as a parent in trying to obtain help for his dyslexic son, Matthew, who was diagnosed as dyslexic at the unusually early age of 5 and a half. David will recall how difficult it was to fight for his son, given his own negative experiences in school and how the smell of cabbage and distemper would evoke the memory of these dismal childhood school experiences during open nights. The talk will be richly illustrated with examples of Matt’s work and moves from pre-school through primary, secondary school and university, culminating in Matt’s struggles to achieve and his attempts to deal with the system without enlisting any further support. Despite these many early struggles, once Matt had finished with school and education he was able to come into his own, triumphing in a range of settings. These ranged from the kibbutz to voluntary work with the Peace Brigade International in Guatemala, before working to ignite a passion for sustainability, working with the Kindling Trust, and most recently the Carbon Co-op and leading the campaign against Trident for the North of England for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. The talk will emphasise the need for determination from all involved and the importance of having an understanding advocate who believes in you, in order to break through the difficulties of childhood dyslexia and become a successful adult dyslexic in your chosen field.

Fong Pei Yi, Manager & Educational Psychologist, Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Pei Yi started out at the DAS as a Specialist Psychologist in 2012. Since then, she has completed the Master of Arts in Applied Psychology programme at the NIE and is a Registered Psychologist with the Singapore Psychological Society. Pei Yi is currently the Manager of the SpLD Assessment Services at the DAS, a team that provides a one-stop psycho-educational assessment service and facilitates the placement of students in learning programmes at the DAS. She also conducts psycho-educational assessments for individuals who experience difficulties with learning.

The Experience of Dyslexia as an Adult

With increasing awareness of dyslexia and the recognition that it is a life-long difficulty, there has been a focus on the experience of adults who are undergoing tertiary-level education and those who are working. This paper sets out to review the available literature on the subjective experience of adults who struggle with performing literacy tasks. Additionally, two case studies of individuals who were diagnosed with dyslexia in adulthood will be presented. Specifically, the academic and social-emotional impact of their learning difficulties, along with coping strategies they have employed will be explored. It is hoped that findings from this paper can inform further steps in improving the lives of adults seeking further education, as well as those who are working.

AMRIT KAUR GILL, Senior Educational Therapist and Speech and Drama Arts teacher, Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Associate Fellow of Register of Educational Therapists (Asia) RETA - www.reta.sg

Amrit has been with the DAS since 2012. She provides intervention for learners with dyslexia on the Main Literacy programme and the Speech & Drama Arts (SDA) programme. In addition, she is also the Core Team Member for the SDA programme. She also teaches Speech & Drama workshops at MOE schools.

Besides teaching literacy and drama classes, she also contributes to developing the Speech & Drama Arts curriculum and teaching resources. Amrit holds a Master Degree in Education (Special Education) from Nanyang Technological University (NIE-NTU).

Drama Approaches to Enhance Communication Skills in Children with Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Communication is an important aspect of life. Every day we use varied forms of communication to communicate meaning to one another. Whether we are acquiring information or conveying information, communication plays a vital key in education. Many children with special needs may find it extremely difficult to cope in schools for various reasons and one of them is the inability to communicate effectively among their peers and people around them (Flem & Frostad, 2008). This research examines the literature of drama approaches in relation to children with special educational needs (SEN), particularly children diagnosed with dyslexia and Speech and Language Impairment. A child with SEN may require alternative approaches to education that not only accommodate their conditions but also work towards creating ways for them to further develop their own capacity to learn. In instances where a child with SEN has difficulties in communicating, their education may require expertise in addressing such issues and finding methods to connect with them.

Hence, with drama, it does not solely rely on cognitive and verbal skills, but instead comprises other skills such as improvisation, role-play and story-telling. Hence, this research will analyse the difficulties faced by children with SEN and examine how drama can be used to support these difficulties and enhance communication skills with children with SEN, where teachers and educators alike would find drama as the bridge to foster and enhance communications skills among children with SEN.

MUZDALIFAH HAMZAH, Lead Educational Therapist, Speech and Drama Arts Programme Manager - Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Associate Fellow of Register of Educational Therapists (Asia) RETA - www.reta.sg

Muzdalifah has been with the DAS since 2012. She provides intervention for learners with dyslexia on the Main Literacy and Speech & Drama Arts (SDA) programmes. Currently, she is the Programme Manager for the SDA programme. Apart from teaching literacy and drama classes, her responsibilities include overseeing and leading a team in developing curriculum and teaching resources, ensuring the quality of the programme and overseeing the aspects of SDA performances in DAS events or showcases. In addition, Muzdalifah also conducts drama workshops for students in MOE schools. Muzdalifah has a strong interest in social-emotional development in children with learning difficulties. She had presented her work in conferences and hopes to inspire her students to believe in themselves as unique individuals who possess boundless capabilities.

Drama Approaches to Enhance Communication Skills in Children with Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Communication is an important aspect of life. Every day we use varied forms of communication to communicate meaning to one another. Whether we are acquiring information or conveying information, communication plays a vital key in education. Many children with special needs may find it extremely difficult to cope in schools for various reasons and one of them is the inability to communicate effectively among their peers and people around them (Flem & Frostad, 2008). This research examines the literature of drama approaches in relation to children with special educational needs (SEN), particularly children diagnosed with dyslexia and Speech and Language Impairment. A child with SEN may require alternative approaches to education that not only accommodate their conditions but also work towards creating ways for them to further develop their own capacity to learn. In instances where a child with SEN has difficulties in communicating, their education may require expertise in addressing such issues and finding methods to connect with them.

Hence, with drama, it does not solely rely on cognitive and verbal skills, but instead comprises other skills such as improvisation, role-play and story-telling. Hence, this research will analyse the difficulties faced by children with SEN and examine how drama can be used to support these difficulties and enhance communication skills with children with SEN, where teachers and educators alike would find drama as the bridge to foster and enhance communications skills among children with SEN.

Deborah Hewes

Assistant Director of Publicity and Publications and Managing Editor of DAS Publications

Deborah has been with DAS since May 2011. Deborah has dyslexia and passionate about raising awareness about learning differences. All three of her children have learning differences and as a result, she has spent most of the last 20 years supporting her children’s academic careers as well as helping other families with children who have learning differences. Deborah has lived in Singapore since 2001 and she has devoted the first 10 years working in an International School as a Learning Support Assistant and parent volunteer supporting students who learn differently with math, reading and literacy. She has also worked as a shadow assistant for students with behavioural issues, ADHD and Asperger’s Syndrome.

Deborah completed her Psychology honours degree at Singapore University of Social Sciences and her thesis was titled “Adolescents with learning disabilities: an investigation of academic self‐concept, self‐esteem and depression in International school students.” Deborah graduated from the University of South Wales with a Masters in Special Education Needs with Merit in 2019. Her dissertation researched "Singaporean Entrepreneurs and Dyslexia"

Deborah is the Managing Editor of the Asia Pacific Journal of Developmental Differences and the annual DAS Handbook. In 2015, she edited the first book of its kind in Singapore, “Embrace a Different Kind of Mind—Personal Stories of Dyslexia” and in 2017 designed and published the 25th-Anniversary book for DAS, “Clearly Different-Dyscovering the Differences”

Dyslexia, the Whole Picture and the 360 degree Perspective (Presenting Live in Singapore)

This talk will be framed by the 5 principles under the Embrace dyslexia commitment which are:

[1] Educate - raise awareness about dyslexia,

[2] Explore opportunities to work with Dyslexia organisations,

[3] Champion the strengths of dyslexic individuals,

[4] Donate to support low-resourced families and

[5] Declare commitment as an Advocate who Embraces Dyslexia.

Through an exploration of current literature, various studies by the Dyslexia Association of Singapore such as the 2020 “Part Strong part weak and bullied” and 2019 “High ability and Entrepreneurial success”, we offer ‘Embrace Dyslexia’ as a possible framework for individuals and organisations keen to participate in the global movement highlighting the strengths of people with dyslexia as they urge for change within their communities.

LEE ER KER, Senior Speech-Language Therapist, Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Lee is a Senior Speech and Language Therapist who has more than 9 years' working experience working with and helping children in mainstream schools with speech, language and communication needs, with or without a diagnosis of dyslexia, as well as managing speech, language, swallowing/feeding and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) issues faced by children and teenagers with special needs in both an EIPIC centre and a Special Education (SPED) school, many of whom have multiple disabilities and complex communication needs.

Although the primary scope of his present work involves assessment and intervention, Lee has developed and conducted numerous training workshops for allied health professionals, special education and mainstream school teachers, parents and caregivers over the years. In addition, he has lectured and tutored at the university level for the National University of Singapore (NUS) M.Sc. (Speech and Language Pathology) the programme, and is a regular External Clinical Educator for students from the same programme on clinical placement. Since joining DAS, he has co-conducted the Certificate in Understanding Speech, Language and Communication Needs course at the DAS Academy and presented at past editions of the DAS Preschool Seminar and UNITE SPLD.

Lee joined DAS in 2016 and is currently registered with The Allied Health Professions Council (Full Registration). Prior to being a speech and language therapist, he was a qualified Ministry of Education (MOE) mainstream school, teacher.

Register of Educational Therapists (ASIA) RETA - Case Management Discussion - Supporting Learners with Dyslexia and Language Difficulties

Dyslexia, characterized by poor decoding abilities, word recognition and spelling, is typically the result of a deficit in the phonological component of language (Lyon et al 2003). On the other hand, language difficulties manifest when children’s language development is deficient (Bishop, 2006). Children diagnosed with both dyslexia and language difficulties face many challenges to sustain language learning although they possess normal intelligence. With phonological difficulties, reading and spelling can be an arduous task. Additionally, despite effective classroom instructions on grammar and vocabulary, these children often struggle with receptive and expressive language skills which can be seen in their poor ability to use the right grammar and vocabulary in their speech and written work. These challenges, when compounded, can impede learning and educational development such that they do unsatisfactorily in school and underachieve in their academic pursuits. At the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS), such students are given phonics instructions and explicit teaching of language skills to remediate literacy and language difficulties. This presentation will highlight 2-3 case studies on how these students are supported on the Main Literacy Programme and Specialised Educational Services such as Speech and Language Therapy as well as Speech and Drama Arts.

HO SHUET LIAN, Senior Speech-Language Therapist, Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Shuet Lian graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Master of Science degree in Speech and Language Pathology. She completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme from the University of Leeds with Distinction. She is a member of Speech and Language Therapy Singapore (SALTS) and is registered with the Allied Health Professions Council (AHPC).

Her work involves providing speech, language, and communication assessment as well as intervention services to children with specific learning differences. Her clinical experience includes working with children between the ages of 5 and 16 years. Shuet Lian's clinical expertise has led to her engagement by Northlight School to provide specialised intervention for its students over four years. She provides advice and clinical support to educational therapists and newly qualified speech-language therapists at DAS.

Register of Educational Therapists (ASIA) RETA - Case Management Discussion - Supporting Learners with Dyslexia and Language Difficulties

Dyslexia, characterized by poor decoding abilities, word recognition and spelling, is typically the result of a deficit in the phonological component of language (Lyon et al 2003). On the other hand, language difficulties manifest when children’s language development is deficient (Bishop, 2006). Children diagnosed with both dyslexia and language difficulties face many challenges to sustain language learning although they possess normal intelligence. With phonological difficulties, reading and spelling can be an arduous task. Additionally, despite effective classroom instructions on grammar and vocabulary, these children often struggle with receptive and expressive language skills which can be seen in their poor ability to use the right grammar and vocabulary in their speech and written work. These challenges, when compounded, can impede learning and educational development such that they do unsatisfactorily in school and underachieve in their academic pursuits. At the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS), such students are given phonics instructions and explicit teaching of language skills to remediate literacy and language difficulties. This presentation will highlight 2-3 case studies on how these students are supported on the Main Literacy Programme and Specialised Educational Services such as Speech and Language Therapy as well as Speech and Drama Arts.

Margo Leatch, Literacy Coach

Margo is an experienced educator whose roles have included Early Years teacher, EALD teacher, primary literacy coach, R-12 curriculum consultant and site leader. She is currently a literacy coach with the Literacy Guarantee Unit and has a particular passion for literacy learning that meets the needs of every child.

Leaving nothing to chance: a coaching approach to improving teacher knowledge, skills and understanding of teaching reading.

The latest Programmes for International Student Assessment (PISA) results have confirmed that Australian schools are not doing enough to achieve a functional level of literacy and numeracy in at-risk adolescents. From 2000 to 2008, mean reading literacy scores dropped from 528 to 503, the equivalent of a year’s learning. This is a wake-up call.

In response, a new Literacy Guarantee Unit has been established in the South Australia Education Department, with a focus on improving the achievement of all students through strong foundations in literacy. The 14 literacy coaches support South Australian schools by offering intensive professional learning to primary school teachers as well as direct teacher coaching in the most up-to-date evidence-based methods and practices- including explicit teaching of synthetic phonics. With expertise in phonics and teaching students with dyslexia and other learning difficulties, the unit ensures that schools are well placed to provide quality wave one teaching to support all students to achieve strong literacy outcomes.

In this session, participants will overview the evidence-based recommendations for improving literacy outcomes for primary students (ages 6 to 11). They will learn about the latest global research on what strategies are leading to improved literacy outcomes. This workshop will also provide examples of how these recommendations are being translated into the classroom in South Australian schools. Finally, the participants will explore the use of a coaching model for teachers at school and classroom levels.

LIANG YUEYI, Director of Xingmeng - Weining Dyslexia Education Centre, Shenzhen, China

Since 2010, she has provided training and counselling for more than 9500 hours for children with dyslexia and their parents, and given more than 200 cases and more than 50 groups’ supports for pupils in different primary schools and the different communities in Shenzhen, China. She has been given the honour of the 10 Top Volunteer in the Futian District of Shenzhen. Meanwhile, she studied hard to acquire the qualification of Assistant Social Worker in 2011, WISC-IV Examiner in 2014, and Level 3 Psychological Counselor in 2015. With the support of the parents, she has been conferred the award for successfully completing the course from DAS Academy and gained the Certificate in Dyslexia and Literacy Teaching in 2014. She has held the “Support for Students with Special Educational Needs” certificate from the Hongli Learning Center for Children's Potential Development of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Since 2010, She also continues to receive special education and education supervision from Kitty Wu (Social Worker Supervisor in HK), CHI MAN TSUI (HK OT), and the Education University of Hong Kong.

Teacher Power!

In places with low awareness of dyslexia, children with dyslexia are often misunderstood as stupid, lazy, and so on. Parents and school teachers tend to focus more on the development of children's reading and writing abilities while neglecting the development of their other abilities. Instead of stripping away the problem of dyslexia from the development of other abilities, we should help children with dyslexia enhance their educational development as a whole. First of all, we should stimulate the children's interest in learning by starting with their advantageous subjects or subjects of interest, which will build their self-confidence. Secondly, we should leverage on their advantageous subjects or subjects of interest to help them improve their reading and writing abilities through professional intervention and subject learning. Finally, we need to develop the abilities that were previously constrained by dyslexia through dynamic observations of their abilities. This will support the children’s holistic development and construct positive individual educational ecology.

Edmen Leong, Director of Specialised Educational Services (SES) at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Edmen has been with the DAS since 2010. He served as an Educational Therapist, Programme Manager as well as an Assistant Director before assuming the post of Director of Specialised Educational Services (SES) on the 1st of January 2019. As Director of SES, Edmen oversees a range of programmes including the Preschool, Speech and Language Therapy, Math, Chinese, Prep 2 PSLE and Speech and Drama Arts programmes. He has also pioneered the development of Short Term Programmes and oversees student workshops that DAS conducts.

Edmen graduated from the University of Western Australia, Perth with a degree in Psychology prior to joining the DAS. He has since completed his Post-Graduate Certificate in Specific Learning Differences with London Metropolitan University and his Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics with the National Institute of Education Singapore where he won the book prize for being the top student in his cohort. Edmen is currently pursuing his PhD with an interest in the topic of reading motivation for struggling readers. He has presented in conferences and published papers on exam skills, curriculum development, reading comprehension and language testing.

Edmen strongly believes in unlocking the potential of every dyslexic learner and aims to empower educators and parents with sufficient knowledge and strategies to support struggling learners.

Dr Levan Lim is an Associate Professor at the Psychology and Child & Human Development Academic Group at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University. He obtained his PhD in special education from Lehigh University (Pennsylvania, USA), and has previously worked at Charles Sturt University and the University of Queensland (both in Australia). He was Head of the Early Childhood & Special Needs Education Academic Group from 2009 to 2018 which was the department at NIE responsible for teacher education in special needs at the pre-service, in-service and graduate levels. His research, teaching and service commitments and interests are focused on the inclusion of persons with disabilities, teacher development for inclusion, and intentional communities.

The Inclusion of Students with Special Educational Needs in Singapore

There has been much progress achieved towards the inclusion for students with special educational needs in Singapore during the past two decades. There are currently many more students with special educational needs in mainstream schools compared with numbers in the past and in special education schools. This keynote presentation provides a contextual understanding of how the inclusion of students with special educational needs has evolved to become a key educational agenda in Singapore through national initiatives, educational systemic enhancements, and teacher education playing an important role in the preparation of school personnel. This presentation concludes with a discussion of issues, challenges and future directions that are relevant to the evolvement of inclusion for students with special educational needs in Singapore.

SATHI MENON, Senior Educational Therapist, Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Associate Fellow of Register of Educational Therapists (ASIA) RETA www.reta.sg

Sathi is a Senior Educational Therapist from the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS) with over 14 years of experience working with students in mainstream schools and special schools. At DAS, she supports students with dyslexia in the Main Literacy Programme (MLP) and iReaCH programme. Her educational qualifications include a Master of Arts in Special Educational Needs/Additional Learning Needs (MA SEN/ALN) from the University of South Wales (USW), Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with Psychology (SUSS), Diploma in Special Education (National Institute of Education) and Certificate in Mathematics Teaching – Primary (Marshall Cavendish). She is also an Associate Fellow of the Register of Educational Therapists Asia (RETA).

Perspectives of Trainee Educational Therapists in Singapore

Kumar, Muhammad and Nair (2017) did a comparative analysis of two mentoring approaches at the DAS. It examined the perceptions of two groups of trainee educational therapists who received mentoring with two different approaches, with a particular focus on the mentoring approach. However, the experience of an educational therapist does not solely rely on this for there are other factors in play. This article presents findings from a semi-structured interview, questionnaire and diamond ranking activity that explored the trainee educational therapists’ perspectives on the initial training and subsequent mentoring support provided. Trainees had a mixture of positive and less positive experiences during their training stint. The positive experiences were related to lectures, mentoring support and the practicum aspect of the training. Most of the less positive experiences were administrative related issues and trainees had even given suggestions on how to enhance the existing training program. This article ends by arguing that trainee educational therapists have positive experiences and they were in agreement on the significance and importance of the initial training and subsequent mentoring support. The findings of this paper would add value and provide further opportunities for research in the area of the professional development of educational therapists. It would also shed light on the important role that educational therapists play in teaching learners with special educational needs and specific learning differences. It may also help to inform future teaching practices at the administrative and management level.

Dr Kitty Yuen Han MO, Assistant Professor, Caritas Institute of Higher Education

Dr Kitty Mo is has a long-standing interest in the field of special education and social services for dyslexic students and their families. Her background in social work and special education enables her to understand the difficulties facing a specific group of people. She is currently an Associate Editor of International Social Work.

Parent-child interactive stress of children with ADHD.

Parents of children with ADHD often experience high levels of stress. They also experience great difficulties in caring for their children and in their daily interaction with them. However, stress resulting from parent-child interaction is under-explored in literature. The purposes of this study are to explore the current state of stress resulting from parent-child interaction and to make recommendations for future measures to tackle the problem of stress parents experience. The research questions are:

1. What are the characteristics and symptoms of Chinese children with ADHD?

2. What are the characteristics of Chinese parents with children with ADHD?

3. What are the environmental factors such as sociocultural conditions, social support, and children school environment affecting children with ADHD and their parents?

4. What is the current state of research involving stress resulting from parent-child interaction and future measures to tackle the problem of stress parents experience?

Eighteen parents of children formally diagnosed with ADHD in Mainland China were interviewed, and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed four categories of causes of parental stress, namely individual, family, social-cultural, and school factors. The findings extend thinking around social and cultural constructions of parental stress, the power, control issues in the school environment, and give social workers new perspectives on how to support these families. It is argued in the discussion that parent-child stress of families of children with ADHD should be investigated in the current context of the social service system and socio-cultural context. This presentation is mainly focused on revealing and understanding stress resulting from parent-child interaction.

SOOFRINA MUBARAK, Senior Educational Therapist, EdTech Coordinator - English Language and Literacy Division, Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Associate Fellow of Register of Educational Therapists (ASIA) RETA www.reta.sg

Soofrina joined DAS in early 2012 and is now the EdTech Coordinator for the ELL Division and also a Senior Educational Therapist, teaching the Main Literacy Programme (MLP). Through working with learners with dyslexia, Soofrina developed the interest to incorporate educational technologies in the MLP lessons to make the learning and teaching both efficient and within reach for all. Guided by the mantra "As slow as we must but as fast as we can", Soofrina explored classroom differentiation using EdTech tools and now passionately shares knowledge for the professional development of teaching colleagues.

With a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and Finance, Soofrina pursued post-graduate studies in Special Educational Needs and is currently sponsored by DAS to complete her Master of Arts (Instructional Design and Technology) at National Institute of Education (NIE).

Taking It Online - The Realities of Online Remediation.

The rising number of Covid-19 cases in Singapore led to the shift to home-based learning. This affected not only the mainstream schools but almost all educational institutions and services, including the Dyslexia Association of Singapore.

This presentation will cover how the English Language and Literacy Division handled the shift which came with little warning.

• Preparation and planning for online lessons

• Trialing online lessons

• Options when online lessons were not feasible

• Support provided to educators and students by various ELL Teams

• Lessons learnt

• Normalising online lessons and the extended use of online platforms (for parent meetings, as an alternative for students who are on medical leave etc)

Overall, our experience confirms that the quick transition to the online form of education went successful and the gained experience can definitely be used in the future. The experience of the DAS can be useful for other organisations that have not found ways of transition yet.

HANI ZOHRA MUHAMAD, Lead Educational Therapist and Educational Advisor, Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Fellow of Register of Educational Therapists (Asia) RETA - www.reta.sg

Hani Zohra Muhamad is a Lead Educational Therapist and an Educational Advisor (EA). Hani joined the Dyslexia Association of Singapore in 2006 and has over the years been teaching and working with students with dyslexia and other co-morbidities. Hani also contributes to the mentoring and training of new educational therapists, as well as support colleagues with challenging students. Hani holds a Masters Degree in Education (Special Education) from Nanyang Technological University (NIE-NTU), a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Management from University of London (UOL) and a Cambridge International Diploma for Teachers and Trainers (Dyslexia). Hani is a Fellow member of the Register of Educational Therapist Asia (RETA).

Register of Educational Therapists (ASIA) RETA - Case Management Discussion - Supporting Learners with Dyslexia and Language Difficulties

Dyslexia, characterized by poor decoding abilities, word recognition and spelling, is typically the result of a deficit in the phonological component of language (Lyon et al 2003). On the other hand, language difficulties manifest when children’s language development is deficient (Bishop, 2006). Children diagnosed with both dyslexia and language difficulties face many challenges to sustain language learning although they possess normal intelligence. With phonological difficulties, reading and spelling can be an arduous task. Additionally, despite effective classroom instructions on grammar and vocabulary, these children often struggle with receptive and expressive language skills which can be seen in their poor ability to use the right grammar and vocabulary in their speech and written work. These challenges, when compounded, can impede learning and educational development such that they do unsatisfactorily in school and underachieve in their academic pursuits. At the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS), such students are given phonics instructions and explicit teaching of language skills to remediate literacy and language difficulties. This presentation will highlight 2-3 case studies on how these students are supported on the Main Literacy Programme and Specialised Educational Services such as Speech and Language Therapy as well as Speech and Drama Arts.

SUJATHA NAIR, Assistant Director of Educational Advisory of the English Language and Literacy Division, Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Fellow of Register of Educational Therapists (ASIA) RETA - www.reta.sg

Sujatha Nair joined the DAS as an Educational Therapist in June 2006. She is currently the Assistant Director (Educational Advisory) of the English Language and Literacy Division. She is also a Lead Educational Therapist and a Fellow with the Register of Educational Therapists (RETA Asia). She has previously held the positions of Centre Manager and Resources Manager.

She oversees a team of Educational Advisors who provide training, guidance and support to all Educational Therapists. Her team also serves as the Advisory Body in all matters relating to students and educators learning and development.

Sujatha believes that a harmonious and conducive environment will help learners with dyslexia and everyone involved in supporting them thrive.

Bullying and the SEN student.

As part of a parent advocacy initiative by the Dyslexia Association of Singapore’s (DAS), a survey of DAS parents was conducted in 2020 to find out about the incident rates of bullying that our students faced. The aim was to analyse the prevalence of the various types of bullying experienced by the students and how bullying affects them. Through this research, we hoped to find out more about how we could mitigate the bullying rates among SEN students. Ultimately, we want to empower both teachers and parents by providing meaningful knowledge on how they can support students to minimise bullying.

A total of 185 parents of students studying at DAS were given online questionnaires, which asked them about their children’s prior experiences with bullying and what they felt could be done to eliminate bullying. For qualitative data, we first came up with a group of common responses that parents had for each question, followed by recording the frequency of those responses. Afterwards, we tabulated and analysed both quantitative and qualitative data and charted all data for easier representation.

The data was examined in relation to gender and age. The findings indicate that students are most affected by verbal, indirect and peer victimization and the majority of the bullying lasted for years. Findings from this study also advocate that raising awareness and training for parents and schools would help contribute to bullying prevention among SEN students. Moreover, our data show that support from parents and schools were the most important factors to help reduce bullying rates. Lastly, it was found that males experienced higher rates of bullying than females for all types of bullying.

Patricia Ng Mui Hoon, Honorary Vice-President, Society for Reading & Literacy

Associate Fellow of the Register of Educational Therapists (Asia) RETA - www.reta.sg

Patricia Ng Mui Hoon is an educational consultant who provides research, assessment and remedial services and has taught pre-service and in-service teachers in special education. Her work has been recognized with the award of the Dean’s Commendation for Research in her Master’s in Education degree from the National Institute of Education/Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and the 2013 Society for Reading & Literacy Research Award. She also chairs the Learning Differently Special Interest Group of the Society for Reading & Literacy and has published works in the areas of language and literacy development, challenging behaviours, robotics and virtual reality applications, as well as in Mathematics, Music, Physical and Special Needs Education.

Hyperlexia in 3-year-old twins with and without Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

This article presents a case study on hyperlexia in a pair of non-identical twins of chronological age (CA) 3 years 9 months, with and without Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The aim is to provide a better understanding of the two types of hyperlexia by establishing their profiles using various sources of psycho-educational assessment reports. Results show a word recognition age (WRA) of 5 years 9 months for the ASD male and 8 years 11 months for the neurotypical female. With a verbal functioning estimated at 1 year 6 months, the male twin exhibited an unexpected level of ability that is advanced for his CA in not only literacy skills but in numeracy as well. His hyperlexia is considered a savant ability as his splinter skills are in significant disparity to his overall impairments. Unlike her brother, the female twin has a reading comprehension age (RCA) well above her CA, but her RCA is still lower than her WRA by more than 1.5 years.

Head of DAS International and Programme Director of School-based Programmes

Ms Anaberta Oehlers-Jaen started her career at the DAS in 2005 as an Educational Therapist and has since held various portfolios. For 4 years, she was the Preschool Manager of the DAS Preschool Service and was actively involved with children at risk of literacy delay and helped to launch the service at DAS. She assumed the position of Head of DAS International in 2011 in order to support both the local and expatriate international community of students, who may be experiencing learning differences through Specialist tutoring and Assessments. In her role as Maths Programme Director in 2014, Anaberta has presented at International conferences delivered in Singapore, ASEAN region and the UK.

She is also actively involved in research and has published articles in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Developmental Differences. She holds a Masters Degree in Special Needs from NTU, BA( English Language and Literature) from SUSS, a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education from the London Metropolitan University as well as a Cambridge International Diploma for Teachers and Trainers (Dyslexia), along with Early Childhood Diplomas. She is also a qualified trainer with the Advanced Certificate in Training and Assessment (ACTA) by the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ). She has Fellow status at RETA, Register of Educational Therapists (Asia) and is also a Senior Educational Therapist. Delivering a professional service to the families of students with Specific Learning Differences is high on her priority and hopes to continue to serve this community both in Singapore and the region.

Dr Elizabeth Ow Yeong Wai Mang, Teaching Fellow, Psychology and Child & Human Development Academic Group, National Institute of Education

Dr Elizabeth Ow Yeong has taught in the mainstream primary school system for the past 25 years. Currently seconded to the National Institute of Education, she focuses on training pre-service teachers, allied educators for learning and behavioural support, as well as in-service teachers in the area of special needs. Her research interests include inclusion, special needs education and constructivist teaching approaches. In 2017, Dr Ow Yeong was awarded the President’s Award for Teachers for her services to education.

Harnessing Growth Mindset Principles in fostering motivation and engagement in lower primary students with SEN in a Singapore mainstream school.

This qualitative research study serves to analyse and evaluate a programme at a mainstream primary school that aims to promote a growth mindset in students with special educational needs (SEN). The programme was developed through the researcher’s collaboration with the school and evaluated over a five-session intervention programme. The research has shown that students who were explicitly encouraged to develop a growth mindset demonstrated significant improvements in their motivation and sense of achievement. These results suggest the importance of inculcating a growth mindset amongst students with SEN given the challenges that they face. This study offers suggested approaches and possible directions for activities and programmes that will aid students with SEN. By leveraging their areas of needs as opportunities for growth, students with SEN can build greater confidence while improving not just in terms of academic achievement but, more importantly, their holistic development.

Harsheeni H Rajoo| Educational Advisor| Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Member of the Register of Educational Therapists (Asia) RETA - www.reta.sg

Harsheeni joined the Dyslexia Association of Singapore in 2013 and has over the years been teaching and working with students with dyslexia and other co-morbidities such as Attention Deficit and Hyperactive Disorder and Speech and Language Impairment. As an Educational Advisor, Harsheeni works closely with the Educational Advisory Team to promote well-being amongst Educators through CalmEd- a mindfulness-based training Programme. She is an advocate of health and well-being at the DAS and believes that it is vital for Educators to apply mindfulness which is imperative to have in a career that mentally and emotionally fulfils, challenges and centres us. Harsheeni holds a Bachelor of Communication from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. She also holds a Specialist Diploma in Specific Learning Differences (SpLD) from the DAS Academy and a Certificate of Mathematics Teaching from Marshall Cavendish Institute. Additionally, she is a certified Yoga instructor, trained in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindful Educator's Essentials.

The role of mindfulness and positive psychology in job crafting for educators: A diagnostic and prescriptive approach to supporting educators through mindfulness and positive psychology during a crisis

Work is enormously important in our lives, not only because it takes up about half of our waking time, or provides us with a means of existence, but also because of the psychological impact that it has (Boniwell, 2011). As such, well-being at the workplace has become a primary feature in many organisations. The encouraging results from the growing body of research in mindfulness & positive psychology have been pivotal in encouraging the DAS to enrich their approach towards wellness for Educators significantly, through CalmEd, a well-being initiative. In 2019, an 11 months long Mindfulness-Based Intervention & Positive Psychology training curated for 8 Educational Advisors, saw the result of 57% who felt that they were starting to develop mindfulness practices more consistently after 10 weeks into the training, and 43% found themselves to be reaching a good proficiency towards the end of the course of the training. Additionally, from the latest follow-up survey during the Co-Vid 19 pandemic, 100% were more aware of having to practise mindfulness during a crisis, and 60% were able to practise composure during this time. The training intended to improve the responsibility towards the well-being of self, and innovatively improve their approach towards work through job crafting.

GOWRI RAMANATHAN, Special Educator Madras Dyslexic Association, India

After a decade of running a bookstore that sold children’s books, Gowri Ramanathan realized the growing need for helping children with learning disabilities. In 2002, she joined the Madras Dyslexic Association as a special educator for teaching children at the pre-primary and primary levels. Over the last 18 years, she has played various roles from teaching to monitoring & assessing schools to administration. Gowri is currently heading the junior section of Ananya, a project school of the Madras Dyslexic Association. She believes that every child is unique and can be helped to grow to his/her full potential without losing their uniqueness.

Occupational Therapy-a supportive structure for children with Specific Learning Difficulties

Occupational therapy promotes skill development and independence in daily occupations like play, school, self-care, home-tasks and work. Occupational therapists work collaboratively with family and staff within the school.

A child with dyslexia battles difficulties in reading, spelling, writing, and math related skills. These could arise partly due to issues in fine-motor, gross-motor, grapho-motor, sensory integration and other such other areas of development.

In this presentation, we will discuss how Occupational Therapy brings direct and indirect benefits to help children with dyslexia to fulfil their role as students by supporting their academic achievement and promoting positive behaviour necessary for learning.

At Madras Dyslexia Association, Occupational Therapy is integrated with the curriculum in the learning centre. This presentation delineates the importance of OT intervention in a learning centre and goes on to describe the systematic process, followed to assess the strengths and needs of a child, followed by planning and implementation of a protocol to promote, maximize and maintain the skills of the child, with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. Finally, a discussion of case studies will be taken up to highlight how Occupational Therapy has empowered children with Dyslexia to gain from remedial teaching.

Occupational Therapy provides the essential buttress readying the child to receive the remediation. Without this peg, even the best remedial methods may not elevate a child with dyslexia.

N RASU, Occupational Therapist, Madras Dyslexia Association, Chennai, India

Mr. N Rasu holds a post graduate degree in Occupational Therapy

He has been working with children with special needs for the past 6 years. His association with Madras Dyslexia Association started in 2017. He has been passionately and successfully working at providing an individualized and holistic treatment for children enrolled into Ananya Learning & research Center (a learning center of Madras Dyslexia Association).

For every child he starts with an assessment to review the skills in sensory processing, sensory integration, pre-writing, handwriting, activity levels. Based on this therapy goal are set. Not only does he deliver therapy based on both individual and group sessions as per the skill requirements for each child, he also works closely with the teacher giving suggestions for classroom environment modification and for remedial ideas. He carries out periodic reviews to ensure that the plans are modified as need be.

He has been very innovative in enabling online OT sessions during the pandemic. This has made sure that children had a gainful remedial session during this period.

He is adept at the use of tools including Sensory profile 2 The parental questionnaire, Test of handwriting skills – Revised (THS-R), The development of visual perceptual skills (VMI), Clinical observation neuro motor status (CONMS), Observation Based on Sensory integration (OBSI), SPM – Sensory processing measure, Skilled observation.

Occupational Therapy-a supportive structure for children with Specific Learning Difficulties

Occupational therapy promotes skill development and independence in daily occupations like play, school, self-care, home-tasks and work. Occupational therapists work collaboratively with family and staff within the school.

A child with dyslexia battles difficulties in reading, spelling, writing, and math related skills. These could arise partly due to issues in fine-motor, gross-motor, grapho-motor, sensory integration and other such other areas of development.

In this presentation, we will discuss how Occupational Therapy brings direct and indirect benefits to help children with dyslexia to fulfil their role as students by supporting their academic achievement and promoting positive behaviour necessary for learning.

At Madras Dyslexia Association, Occupational Therapy is integrated with the curriculum in the learning centre. This presentation delineates the importance of OT intervention in a learning centre and goes on to describe the systematic process, followed to assess the strengths and needs of a child, followed by planning and implementation of a protocol to promote, maximize and maintain the skills of the child, with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. Finally, a discussion of case studies will be taken up to highlight how Occupational Therapy has empowered children with Dyslexia to gain from remedial teaching.

Occupational Therapy provides the essential buttress readying the child to receive the remediation. Without this peg, even the best remedial methods may not elevate a child with dyslexia.

School Principal - The Village Education International Centre

Harshi Sehmar is the Founder and Principal of The Village International Education Centre. A highly respected Special Needs school in Thailand that has been supporting and developing children with special needs for over 20 years. A highly experienced and recognized educationist, Harshi has, over a career spanning 35 years, made significant contributions to the field of Special Needs in the UK and South East Asia. He has been instrumental in driving awareness of Neurodiversity through his approach which uses the child’s strengths to help them deal with their challenges. This positive, non-medical approach has been very successful as the students push themselves to rise to the higher expectations of their teachers and therapists.

His unique approach to holistically educate the child and work closely with the family has been pioneering and has helped in the development of tailor-made programs for children with different special needs.

Harsh, during his 25 years in Thailand has established strong working partnerships with International Schools in the region and local universities like Chulalongkorn & ABAC where is he also a guest lecturer.

Rebecca Shalinah, Associate Lecturer and Lead Educational Therapist

Member of the Register of Educational Therapist (Asia) RETA - www.reta.sg

Rebecca has been with Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS) since 2014. She is an Associate Lecturer with DAS Academy where she hopes to share her experiences and insights with educators and parents. She believes that every child has potential regardless of their difficulties and she hopes to provide a safe learning environment for her students to discover their potential. She also provides intervention in Literacy skills as well as in Mathematics. Rebecca has completed her Post Graduate Certificate in Special Educational Needs and Specialist Diploma in Specific Learning Differences. She completed her Master of Education in Curriculum and Teaching with National Technological University (NTU-NIE). She is also trained by Marshall Cavendish Institute to teach Primary Mathematics. Rebecca is a member of the Register of Educational Therapist Asia (RETA)

Multisensory Grammar Instruction

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate word reading and spelling. However, writing has been recognized as an area that has not been comprehensively researched. Writing is a multi-faceted task that draws on different skills such as grammar, vocabulary, as well as the organization of words and ideas. As such, learners with dyslexia often struggle with writing. Drawing upon the principles from the Orton-Gillingham approach, research has found that direct, explicit and multisensory instruction is necessary to support learners with dyslexia. Project Read is a curriculum that recognizes these needs and incorporates them in its teaching methodology. One of the key features of this curriculum is to provide explicit grammar instruction through a system of diagrams and distinctive graphic symbols to represent sentence parts. Its structured, cumulative and multisensory approach aims to help learners progress from sentence-level to paragraph level and eventually to text level writing.

Rosie Shand, Executive Centre Director, Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes Singapore and Hong Kong --

Rosie Shand is the Executive Centre Director of Lindamood-Bell Learning Centres in Hong Kong SAR and Singapore, where she works with families to improve their children’s reading and language comprehension skills. Rosie joined Lindamood-Bell in 2018, providing sensory-cognitive instruction for children and adults with a variety of learning needs, including students with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and Autism Spectrum Disorders. She has worked with students from many different countries at the Lindamood-Bell Learning Centres in Hong Kong and Singapore and via Lindamood-Bell's online instruction platform. Rosie holds a Masters of Arts (with Honours) in Politics, Psychology, Sociology and International Studies from the University of Cambridge (UK).

A Comparative Analysis of 7112 Dyslexics to a Population of Dyslexics from A Neuroscientific Study

This investigation evaluates both the behavioral and neurophysiological outcomes of a reading intervention designed to address the symptoms associated with dyslexia. In this post-hoc meta-analysis, a statistically similar population of dyslexic participants from a research collaboration at the University of Washington ILABS (UW) was compared to 7112 dyslexics who attended Lindamood-Bell Learning Centres in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. All subjects were administered pre- and posttest standardized behavioral assessments measuring reading skills in key domains associated with dyslexia. The dyslexic participants from UW also received pre- and posttest neurophysiological measurements. All subjects received one-to-one intensive reading intervention developing mental representations of letters and sounds within words, on average for 120 hours, 2-4 hours daily, 5 days a week. In the neurophysiological intervention study, significant correlations were found in brain white matter conductivity as related to significant improvements in reading, compared to controls (Huber, Donnelly, Rokem, & Yeatman, 2018). Corresponding to these changes was an increase in reading behaviors for those 7112 dyslexic students in clinics, who showed statistically similar gains in key areas associated with the symptoms of dyslexia. This investigation contributes to a deeper understanding of the cause(es) of dyslexia, its’ diagnosis, and the behavioral and neurophysiological results of the intervention protocol developed for individuals who express symptoms of dyslexia. Collectively, these findings offer important insight into the question of whether or not dyslexia can be remediated.

Geetha Shantha Ram, Director of SpLD Assessment Services, English Language and Literacy Division, Staff Professional Development and Research Chair

FELLOW of Register of Educational Therapists (ASIA) RETA www.reta.sg

Geetha Shantha Ram joined DAS on 16 August 2004 and assumed the post of Director of the English Language and Literacy (ELL) Programmes on 1 December 2014, which includes the Main Literacy Programme (MLP) and has led curriculum enhancements for the DAS through the Essential Literacy Approach and the current integrated MLP curriculum. Besides ELL, Geetha oversees the SpLD Assessment Service and Staff Professional Development division, where she led the development of professional pathways and quality assurance of all educational efforts. She also heads the DAS Research Committee and is an advisor in the Register of Educational therapists (Asia) (RETA).

Formerly, the Assistant Director of the DAS Academy, Geetha trained Allied educators, parents, and other professionals and continues to present at conferences, most recently at the 2020 International Dyslexia Association Conference.

Geetha has a Masters in English (NUS) and a Post Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (Distinction) (LMU) and is currently pursuing her doctorate in the area of twice-exceptionality. With over 15 years of experience supporting children and adults in the area of dyslexia, Geetha aims to provide a quality service to dyslexics that searches for and realises their true potential and provide them with a view to appreciate their own unique abilities.

Taking It Online - The Realities of Online Remediation.

The rising number of Covid-19 cases in Singapore led to the shift to home-based learning. This affected not only the mainstream schools but almost all educational institutions and services, including the Dyslexia Association of Singapore.

This presentation will cover how the English Language and Literacy Division handled the shift which came with little warning.

• Preparation and planning for online lessons

• Trialing online lessons

• Options when online lessons were not feasible

• Support provided to educators and students by various ELL Teams

• Lessons learnt

• Normalising online lessons and the extended use of online platforms (for parent meetings, as an alternative for students who are on medical leave etc)

Overall, our experience confirms that the quick transition to the online form of education went successful and the gained experience can definitely be used in the future. The experience of the DAS can be useful for other organisations that have not found ways of transition yet.

Geetha Shantha Ram, Director of SpLD Assessment Services, English Language and Literacy Division, Staff Professional Development and Research Chair

FELLOW of Register of Educational Therapists (ASIA) RETA

Geetha Shantha Ram joined DAS on 16 August 2004 and assumed the post of Director of the English Language and Literacy (ELL) Programmes on 1 December 2014, which includes the Main Literacy Programme (MLP) and has led curriculum enhancements for the DAS through the Essential Literacy Approach and the current integrated MLP curriculum. Besides ELL, Geetha oversees the SpLD Assessment Service and Staff Professional Development division, where she led the development of professional pathways and quality assurance of all educational efforts. She also heads the DAS Research Committee and is an advisor in the Register of Educational therapists (Asia) (RETA).

Formerly, the Assistant Director of the DAS Academy, Geetha trained Allied educators, parents, and other professionals and continues to present at conferences, most recently at the 2020 International Dyslexia Association Conference.

Geetha has a Masters in English (NUS) and a Post Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (Distinction) (LMU) and is currently pursuing her doctorate in the area of twice-exceptionality. With over 15 years of experience supporting children and adults in the area of dyslexia, Geetha aims to provide a quality service to dyslexics that searches for and realises their true potential and provide them with a view to appreciate their own unique abilities.

Geetha Shantha Ram, Director of SpLD Assessment Services, English Language and Literacy Division, Staff Professional Development and Research Chair

FELLOW of Register of Educational Therapists (ASIA) RETA www.reta.sg

Geetha Shantha Ram joined DAS on 16 August 2004 and assumed the post of Director of the English Language and Literacy (ELL) Programmes on 1 December 2014, which includes the Main Literacy Programme (MLP) and has led curriculum enhancements for the DAS through the Essential Literacy Approach and the current integrated MLP curriculum. Besides ELL, Geetha oversees the SpLD Assessment Service and Staff Professional Development division, where she led the development of professional pathways and quality assurance of all educational efforts. She also heads the DAS Research Committee and is an advisor in the Register of Educational therapists (Asia) (RETA).

Formerly, the Assistant Director of the DAS Academy, Geetha trained Allied educators, parents, and other professionals and continues to present at conferences, most recently at the 2020 International Dyslexia Association Conference.

Geetha has a Masters in English (NUS) and a Post Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (Distinction) (LMU) and is currently pursuing her doctorate in the area of twice-exceptionality. With over 15 years of experience supporting children and adults in the area of dyslexia, Geetha aims to provide a quality service to dyslexics that searches for and realises their true potential and provide them with a view to appreciate their own unique abilities.

Bullying and the SEN Student.

As part of a parent advocacy initiative by the Dyslexia Association of Singapore’s (DAS), a survey of DAS parents was conducted in 2020 to find out about the incident rates of bullying that our students faced. The aim was to analyse the prevalence of the various types of bullying experienced by the students and how bullying affects them. Through this research, we hoped to find out more about how we could mitigate the bullying rates among SEN students. Ultimately, we want to empower both teachers and parents by providing meaningful knowledge on how they can support students to minimise bullying.

A total of 185 parents of students studying at DAS were given online questionnaires, which asked them about their children’s prior experiences with bullying and what they felt could be done to eliminate bullying. For qualitative data, we first came up with a group of common responses that parents had for each question, followed by recording the frequency of those responses. Afterwards, we tabulated and analysed both quantitative and qualitative data and charted all data for easier representation.

The data was examined in relation to gender and age. The findings indicate that students are most affected by verbal, indirect and peer victimization and the majority of the bullying lasted for years. Findings from this study also advocate that raising awareness and training for parents and schools would help contribute to bullying prevention among SEN students. Moreover, our data show that support from parents and schools were the most important factors to help reduce bullying rates. Lastly, it was found that males experienced higher rates of bullying than females for all types of bullying.

Geetha Shantha Ram, Director of SpLD Assessment Services, English Language and Literacy Division, Staff Professional Development and Research Chair

FELLOW of Register of Educational Therapists (ASIA) RETA www.reta.sg

Geetha Shantha Ram joined DAS on 16 August 2004 and assumed the post of Director of the English Language and Literacy (ELL) Programmes on 1 December 2014, which includes the Main Literacy Programme (MLP) and has led curriculum enhancements for the DAS through the Essential Literacy Approach and the current integrated MLP curriculum. Besides ELL, Geetha oversees the SpLD Assessment Service and Staff Professional Development division, where she led the development of professional pathways and quality assurance of all educational efforts. She also heads the DAS Research Committee and is an advisor in the Register of Educational therapists (Asia) (RETA).

Formerly, the Assistant Director of the DAS Academy, Geetha trained Allied educators, parents, and other professionals and continues to present at conferences, most recently at the 2020 International Dyslexia Association Conference.

Geetha has a Masters in English (NUS) and a Post Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (Distinction) (LMU) and is currently pursuing her doctorate in the area of twice-exceptionality. With over 15 years of experience supporting children and adults in the area of dyslexia, Geetha aims to provide a quality service to dyslexics that searches for and realises their true potential and provide them with a view to appreciate their own unique abilities.

Dyslexia, the Whole Picture and the 360 degree Perspective

(Presenting Live in Singapore)

This talk will be framed by the 5 principles under the Embrace dyslexia commitment which are:

[1] Educate - raise awareness about dyslexia,

[2] Explore opportunities to work with Dyslexia organisations,

[3] Champion the strengths of dyslexic individuals,

[4] Donate to support low-resourced families and

[5] Declare commitment as an Advocate who Embraces Dyslexia.

Through an exploration of current literature, various studies by the Dyslexia Association of Singapore such as the 2020 “Part Strong part weak and bullied” and 2019 “High ability and Entrepreneurial success”, we offer ‘Embrace Dyslexia’ as a possible framework for individuals and organisations keen to participate in the global movement highlighting the strengths of people with dyslexia as they urge for change within their communities.

Steven Sim, Senior Educational Therapist, Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Member of the Register of Educational Therapists (Asia) RETA - www.reta.sg

After more than 20 years in the private sector, Steven wanted to do something that will enable him to contribute back to the society that he has benefited from. As children are the future of our society, children with Special Needs require more help to achieve their goals. That was the impetus for him to join DAS in 2015. Besides having a dual specialisation in PREP to PSLE, Steven is also a member of the DAS Outreach team to help create awareness of Dyslexia and educate all stakeholders on how they can partner with DAS and together help people with Dyslexia to succeed in life. Now armed with Master of Arts in Special Educational Needs from the University of South Wales, he hopes to apply all these knowledge and skills to enable his students to achieve their fullest potential and have the confidence to take on all the challenges that life brings.

Student Voice on Teachers’ Attributes that Resulted in Positive Learning Outcomes for Students with SEN in Mainstream Schools in Singapore.

The Singapore mainstream classroom is seeing increasingly diverse learning capabilities. Although there is a growing involvement of students in educational research, there is little done from the perspectives of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) in Singapore. To bridge this gap, this study investigated the perceptions of students with SEN on teacher attributes and student outcomes in mainstream classrooms in Singapore. In a focus group setting, five students (aged between 13 and 15) were asked to share their opinions and thoughts about their school experiences regarding teacher attributes that led to positive student outcomes in an inclusive mainstream classroom. Pictorial cards and the Diamond 9 ranking approach were used to help the students describe their experiences, as well as rate the teacher attributes and student outcomes. ‘Respect’, ‘caring’ and ‘patience’ were top ranking teacher attributes that the students felt are important to their learning in school. For student outcomes, ‘self-concept’ in terms of self-awareness, and their ‘performance in relation to their peers’ were found to be important. These outcomes were ranked higher than ‘praise and rewards by teachers’ and ‘competition with their peers’ by the students. The study also raised issues around victimisation and the development of reciprocal friendships, as well as the teacher’s role in helping students overcome or enhance such experiences in an inclusive classroom setting. Teacher training was highlighted as well, particularly in developing skills and knowledge to handle a classroom of students with diverse learning abilities.

Professor John Stein is Emeritus Professor of Neuroscience, Dept. Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics and Fellow of Magdalen College, University of Oxford. After preclinical studies at New College, Oxford, John trained as a clinical neurologist at St Thomas’s Hospital, London SE1, Leicester and Oxford. From 1970 – 2008 he was a Fellow and Tutor in Medicine and Physiological Sciences at Magdalen. In theory ‘retired’ he still teaches neuroscience to medical and psychology students and his research still focuses on the role of vision and nutrition in the control of movement and behaviour in neurological patients, dyslexics and young offenders. John doesn’t cook fish; his brother TV fish chef, Rick Stein, doesn’t do neuroscience!

www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/team/john-stein

Does Developmental Dyslexia really Exist?

(Presenting LIVE from the UK)

For most of the 20th C. developmental dyslexia was diagnosed on the basis of finding a discrepancy between normal or high oral and nonverbal reasoning ability, yet unexpectedly low reading and spelling skills. This discrepancy criterion has now been undermined by the claim that dyslexics all suffer a phonological deficit. Hence it is argued that we should measure this to identify dyslexia. However, since grasping the phonological principle is essential for learning to read, this phonological criterion makes it impossible to distinguish developmental dyslexia from any of the many other causes of reading failure. Instead, we need to understand the specific physiological mechanisms that underlie dyslexics’ failure to acquire phonological skills. An important cause is probably impaired development of the brain’s rapid temporal processing systems; these are required for sequencing accurately the order of the sounds and letters in a word. Such temporal, ‘transient’, processing is probably carried out in all parts of the brain primarily by a distinct set of ‘magnocellular’ neurones, and the development of these has been found to be impaired in most people with dyslexia. Therefore, assessing poor readers’ auditory and visual temporal processing skills should enable dyslexia to be reliably distinguished from other causes of reading failure and this will suggest principled ways of helping these children to learn to read, such as magnocellular training, blue or yellow filters and omega 3 fatty acid supplements.

Key words: IQ, discrepancy, phonology, temporal processing, magnocellular, visual, auditory, colour filters, rhythm, omega 3.

Professor, Chair, Graduate Department of Educational Psychology

Faculty of Education & Psychology at Alzahra University

Mahnaz Akhavan Tafti is a Professor at the Graduate Department of Educational Psychology at Alzahra University in Iran and is the co-founder of the Iranian Specific Learning Disorders and Differences Association. Since the past two decades, her focus of research, as well as academics, has been on the specific ways of cognitive processing of learners with dyslexia and their strengths. Mahnaz has published several articles in accredited national and international journals, has written a book and translated one, and has conducted many workshops for professionals, teachers, and parents. She is also serving as a Reviewer and Editorial Board Member of different scientific journals like Annals of Dyslexia and the International Dyslexia Association.

Dr Helen Taylor is currently Research Associate and Project Lead on the Complementary Cognition, Entrepreneurship & Societal Adaptation at the University of Strathclyde. She works in collaboration with Professor Nigel Lockett and Professor Eleanor Shaw. Helen did her Bachelor and Masters degrees at the UCL and won another scholarship to do her doctorate at the University of Cambridge where her PhD research investigated the emergence of social complexity in humans. For her subsequent post-doctoral work she researched dyslexia to understand what this form of cognition was and why it existed from an evolutionary perspective. Her research led her to the discovery that this form of cognition is a critical part of a higher-level system of collective cognition. It is through this system that our species adapt and evolve through behavioural, technological and cultural adaptations. As such her work shows that we have profoundly misunderstood dyslexia as a disorder. This form of cognition is actually a critical part of what made humankind successful and is essential in enabling us to adapt to the problems we now face. Helen will be presenting this research to the World Economic Forum this Summer and is part of the movement to reframe dyslexia so that we respect, value and nurture this way of thinking.

https://complementarycognition.co.uk/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drhelentaylor/
https://twitter.com/DrHelenTaylorCC
https://www.instagram.com/Complementary_Cognition/

Victor Villanueva, President CORIS: Council of Reading Intervention Specialists - Philippines

Teacher Vic earned two of his three degrees in education from the University of the Philippines and one from the University of Melbourne. He is an actively practising reading specialist and is among the very few in the Philippines. He conducts reading assessments for children who have serious difficulties with learning to read. He was a faculty member of the UP College of Education, Reading Education Area and was also the Senior Educational Consultant of Scholastic Education. Currently, he is the School Director of The Builders’ School and a Middle Years Program Teacher for English and Filipino at The Beacon Academy. He is working with the Knowledge Channel to develop learning videos for early literacy development.

He works with reading intervention centres under the Council of Reading Intervention Specialists, an organization he founded with friends and is now its president. In addition, he is a member of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People and has served two terms as the president of the Reading Association of the Philippines.

WANG LEI, General Manager of Shenzhen Sparkling Education, Chairman of Shenzhen Weining Dyslexia Education Centre, Shenzen China

Mr. Wang has been engaged in education for a long time. He served as the head of Bao Neng Group's education department, built the group's education system. At present, He focuses on the family education and child development, has founded Shenzhen Sparkling Education and serves as the Director of Shenzhen Dyslexia Education Centre. He has promoted the development of dyslexia in the mainland, and made great efforts to help schools build a support system for dyslexia, and constructed a three-in-one service platform of "school + family + institution", which provides dyslexia and child education has been gradually promoted throughout the country. And the services of his Centre spreads throughout the country, undertaking social development projects and winning many national and regional honours.

Constructing the personal Educational Ecology of Children with dyslexia.

In places with low awareness of dyslexia, children with dyslexia are often misunderstood as stupid, lazy, and so on. Parents and school teachers tend to focus more on the development of children's reading and writing abilities, while neglecting the development of their other abilities. Instead of stripping away the problem of dyslexia from the development of other abilities, we should help children with dyslexia enhance their educational development as a whole. First of all, we should stimulate the children's interest in learning by starting with their advantageous subjects or subjects of interest, which will build their self-confidence. Secondly, we should leverage on their advantageous subjects or subjects of interest to help them improve their reading and writing abilities through professional intervention and subject learning. Finally, we need to develop the abilities that were previously constrained by dyslexia through dynamic observations of their abilities. This will support the children’s holistic development and construct positive individual educational ecology.

DR WANG LI-CHIH,

Assistant Professor

Department of Special Education at National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan

Adjunct Associate Professor

Department of Special Education and Counselling at The Education University of Hong Kong

Dr Wang has practical experience in teaching students with special needs at the preschool, elementary, and secondary levels in both public and private settings. Before he joined EdUHK, he served as a visiting Ph.D. student at the University of Texas, Austin. His primary area of professional activity is the deficient cognitive-linguistic abilities of Chinese students with dyslexia, mainly on temporal processing, as well as the heterogeneity, which is classifying the different subtypes of them by their cognitive-linguistic abilities. Also, his research is extended to examine the enhancement of their reading by improving their cognitive-linguistic abilities. Dr Wang's other research interests also cover the emotional conditions of Chinese students with dyslexia, such as anxiety, and how these conditions influence their reading.

Relationships between Test Anxiety and Metacognition in Chinese Young Adults with and without Specific Learning Disabilities

The influence of test anxiety on academic difficulties has been investigated in typically developing students, but the underlying mechanism of the influence remains unclear, especially for those with specific learning disabilities (SpLD). This study examined the role of metacognition in the relationship between test anxiety and literacy difficulties among Chinese young adults with and without SpLD in Taiwan. A total of 239 first-year undergraduate students were recruited from 11 universities in South Taiwan. Among the 239 students, 105 were identified to have SpLD, and 134 were typically developing students. These students were asked to complete questionnaires on demographics, test anxiety, metacognition, and literacy difficulties (i.e., reading and writing). Structural equation modeling analyses showed that Chinese young adults’ test anxieties were linked with literacy difficulties but that only those with SpLD experienced a direct effect (without mediation by other factors). For those without SpLD, the influence of test anxiety on literacy difficulties was not direct but significantly mediated by metacognition. Various components of these students’ metacognition had mediating effects on different literacy difficulties. Test anxiety may influence the reading and writing difficulties of students with and without SpLD through different mechanisms. Moreover, teachers at the university level are encouraged to consider students' test anxiety and metacognition in teaching designs, evaluations, or even the setting arrangements.

Thomas G. West is the author of In the Mind’s Eye: Creative Visual Thinkers, Gifted Dyslexics and the Rise of Visual Technologies. Selected as one of the “best of the best” for the year by the American Library Association, this book has been translated into Japanese, Chinese and Korean. West has provided presentations for scientific, medical, art, design, computer and business groups in the U.S. and 19 other countries.

West’s second book, Thinking like Einstein, deals with visual thinking and computer graphic technologies. With his third book, Seeing What Others Cannot See, West investigates how dyslexics and other different thinkers can help to make discoveries and solve problems in innovative and unexpected ways. His talk will focus on several highly successful dyslexics and their families, including a family of visual thinkers and dyslexics in Britain that includes four winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics.