All About Autism

[Couragemom]

Hi Nugget,


I plan better because I was fortunate enough to chance upon this thread where the parents share freely the trials of raising a special needs child. Yet, this Chinese class issue is a classic case of ‘Man plans, God laughs’. I thought starting him early will make him more receptive towards Chinese but since the Chinese teacher is not receptive/understanding, then I guess stopping lessons at berries will be the best choice now. Haiz… I must preserve and don’t let this setback push me down. Sometimes I really think my life is really tinged with a dark sense of humour. My life until now has never been the smooth-sailing type but never mind, I count my blessings and hope for the best for tomorrow is yet another day.

[Couragemom]

Hi mommies,


Thanks again for the pragmatic advice!

Actually this Chinese exemption issue cropped up when I was talking to my friend who has an autistic child. She just changed kindy and her son up to now in K2 was never keen on Chinese language. She engaged a shadow teacher for this new school and the feedback is that during Chinese lesson, he was totally ‘lost’ and started jumping/running around. Her story made me realize that for a child to so-call conform to normal school behavior, therapy is one thing, basic understanding of the 2nd language is another thing! Like for my son’s case, as far as his daily school’s feedback goes, he can sit down during circle time and even participate! So he getting ‘lost’ in Chinese lesson could be 50% his condition and 50% his lack of understanding what is going on!

[sharonkhoo]

mashy:

slmkhoo:

Most schools will allow the child to stay in the classroom (but must not be disruptive) and listen, or do some other work. The exemption, once given, is usually all the way to A levels (although some have said that the exemption given was only for shorter periods, requiring another application later). To interest your son in Chinese now, what about DVDs of songs etc? You can start classes again when he is older and more able to follow. Even for NT kids, I feel that 2.5 yrs is too young for classes.

That's strange. From what I read, once exempted, always exempted. No need to apply again. Anyway, doesn't make sense to apply again since the kids wouldn't have Chinese lessons for so long. Can't possibly reject as it's impossible for the kids to catch up. They would have been deemed to satisfy the minimum MT entrance requirement in all the tertiary institutions too.

I agree, it's strange, but that's what I have heard. It could be an older case. In cases that I know of personally, the exemption is all the way.

[mashy]

Couragemom:

Hi mommies,


Thanks again for the pragmatic advice!

Actually this Chinese exemption issue cropped up when I was talking to my friend who has an autistic child. She just changed kindy and her son up to now in K2 was never keen on Chinese language. She engaged a shadow teacher for this new school and the feedback is that during Chinese lesson, he was totally 'lost' and started jumping/running around. Her story made me realize that for a child to so-call conform to normal school behavior, therapy is one thing, basic understanding of the 2nd language is another thing! Like for my son's case, as far as his daily school's feedback goes, he can sit down during circle time and even participate! So he getting 'lost' in Chinese lesson could be 50% his condition and 50% his lack of understanding what is going on!

Get him exempted lah. Chinese is just a thing of singapore education system. Elsewhere it doesn't matter at all. U can still enrol into any universities overseas (except the china, taiwan). And if they are going to be doing jobs that require little human interaction, there's really no need to know a second language. Just some basic conversational skills will suffice.

[sharonkhoo]

mashy:

Get him exempted lah. Chinese is just a thing of singapore education system. Elsewhere it doesn't matter at all. U can still enrol into any universities overseas (except the china, taiwan). And if they are going to be doing jobs that require little human interaction, there's really no need to know a second language. Just some basic conversational skills will suffice.

This is my view too. My Asperger's girl is waiting for her application for MT exemption at the moment (we just got back from overseas). No other country in the world has as high standards for '2nd language' or 'foreign language' as Singapore for MT. MOE justifies it because they claim it's our mother tongue, but if your family doesn't use it, how can it be a mother tongue? And as mashy says, if our kids are not going to be in the kind of jobs that require travelling, a lot of interaction with foreigners etc, the need for another language is less.

[bb_ mom]

FYI. MT exemption lasts all the way. There’s no need to re-apply after a certain number of years. No expiry date.

[Couragemom]

Hi mommies,


Thanks for the feedback. Yes, will probably put aside the Chinese language learning issue for awhile and concentrate on finding a new school and settling down in it 1st. Many hurdles to overcome this year. I haven’t started my DS on toilet-training also. Breathe in breathe out…

[Integer]

mashy:

That's strange. From what I read, once exempted, always exempted. No need to apply again. Anyway, doesn't make sense to apply again since the kids wouldn't have Chinese lessons for so long. Can't possibly reject as it's impossible for the kids to catch up. They would have been deemed to satisfy the minimum MT entrance requirement in all the tertiary institutions too.

Hi mummies,

A close friend, whose son has ASD, needs to apply every few years (think 3 years?) for time extension. If I'm not wrong, for every hour, her child is given 15 minutes extension.

They didn't apply for MT exemption and in fact in O levels MT, the boy managed an A1, much to the mother's surprise. He is in JC now.

So mummies, press on, don't give up and your child won't give up too! I know the boy works very hard, esp during his current JC2.

:celebrate:

[mashy]

Couragemom:

Hi mommies,


Thanks for the feedback. Yes, will probably put aside the Chinese language learning issue for awhile and concentrate on finding a new school and settling down in it 1st. Many hurdles to overcome this year. I haven't started my DS on toilet-training also. Breathe in breathe out.....

My NT niece who is 3.5 is also not toilet trained! But it's good to train early. Cheaper on the pocket.

[mashy]

Integer:

mashy:

That's strange. From what I read, once exempted, always exempted. No need to apply again. Anyway, doesn't make sense to apply again since the kids wouldn't have Chinese lessons for so long. Can't possibly reject as it's impossible for the kids to catch up. They would have been deemed to satisfy the minimum MT entrance requirement in all the tertiary institutions too.

Hi mummies,

A close friend, whose son has ASD, needs to apply every few years (think 3 years?) for time extension. If I'm not wrong, for every hour, her child is given 15 minutes extension.

They didn't apply for MT exemption and in fact in O levels MT, the boy managed an A1, much to the mother's surprise. He is in JC now.

So mummies, press on, don't give up and your child won't give up too! I know the boy works very hard, esp during his current JC2.

:celebrate:

Ya, but they will put an asterix next to the score to show that he has time extension.

Anyway, probably works for asperger kids with no speech delay. Asperger kids may in fact be good in languages.