All About Dyslexia

[cnimed]

international schools are not cheap either!! Regarding MOE, I think it’s a progression, albeit slower than we would like it to be. But there are changes, teachers are more aware now. It is important to look for a school that has knowledgable staff. My son’s school has a special teaching aide trained in dyslexia and the form teacher immediately asked for his report from DAS to pass to this aide. But I haven’t yet spoken to her myself so I don’t know what concrete help they can provide. Nonetheless, the fact that there’s acknowledgement is a positive sign.


If your brother is struggling, I really urge the family to take a proactive stance in sourcing out learning materials, as well as schools and teachers. The fit is very important, cannot leave it to chance. Many teachers do not know how to adapt the materials, but if someone in the family does, chances are the teachers will be more than willing to share that material so that you can prepare them differently at home. If reading is still very effortful, he may want to consider taping lessons, enlarging notes, using color coding etc. There are websites with audiotapes of textbooks and classics, but this is US based. Just be aware that there are resources out there, but you will probably have to source them out yourself.

[3Boys]

curiousone:

i guess we saw foreigners as a problem because international schools wouldn't take him in either.

they have a curriculum that is less written-based but more aural and fun - with presentations, speech and drama etc.
it's unfortunate that he doesn't qualify for an international school because their cohort is maxed out.

curiousone,
if there were no foreigners attending schools, there would be no international schools. International schools are not set up in Singapore to service Singaporeans. If they were maxed out, many international students are out of a place too. If your brother has a learning disability, then he needs to be attended to in that manner, and not assume that attending an internaional school is the end-solution. At the end of the day, its about giving him the life skills to manage in adulthood. Is the solution just to stick him in a place with a slower curriculum, or overseas for that matter? How would that help?

Is he in the Normal or Express stream?

[curiousone]

thanks for your advice guys!


we engaged a tutor trained in teaching students with special needs. but additional tuition made him dislike studying even more, unfortunately. it's like he told us that he's trying so hard, but not getting it. i remember how he'll stay up till 1130pm just to complete his school homework and corrections. didn't remember primary school life being that stressful.
his tutor was really encouraging, especially when he was in Pri 4 and the school wanted him to take Foundation papers. my brother confided in his tutor to say he feels like ending his misery. that got all of us really anxious.

i know that international schools are for foreign students. but their curriculum and style of teaching is more suited for my brother. lessons are taught via video and very interactive means. there's way less reading than regular mainstream schools.

my brother is in the normal academic stream. but teachers have informed my parents that he may have to join the normal technical stream as he failed their preliminary tests during the second week of school; resulting in him enrolled in remedial classes for all his subjects. we are about to send him to mindedge now, in hopes that it will boost his confidence and self esteem.

the only exemption he got for his PSLE was 10 minutes more per paper; and mother tongue exemption. sadly, mother tongue was his best subject - making it a tough choice for my parents to accept MOE's proposed measures.

hopefully more can be done to help students with special needs soon

[3Boys]

Yes,

getting his self esteem up is important. You are right in thinking that its really not healthy to keep butting heads with mainstream academic education. Not sure I have a solution for you though, but I wouldn’t assume being in a international school will make things any better. Those environments are vastly different from SG schools, and he’s got a whole different set of adjustments to make.

Good Luck! Good to see a brother that is concerned, hope my sons will look out for each other that way too.

[curiousone]

thanks 3Boys.

i’m his big sister actually - but we have a huge age gap. and i know that i have to look after him, somehow!
if you know of any contacts or learning centres who specialise in teaching children with special needs, drop me a buzz anytime.

[3Boys]

curiousone:

thanks 3Boys.

i'm his big sister actually - but we have a huge age gap. and i know that i have to look after him, somehow!
if you know of any contacts or learning centres who specialise in teaching children with special needs, drop me a buzz anytime.

Ooops! Didn't check.....

I am the wrong resource, someone like 2ppaamm looks like she has dug significantly into education for children with learning issues, you might try her. Don't give up, academic achievement is laudable, but not worth trading a happy life for.

[tankee]

Mod's Note


I have merged the thread here as the issue is about education needs for the thread starter's brother who has dyslexia. And has nothing to do with foreigners.

[Victorious]

curiousone:

unfortunately, his condition isn't serious enough to go to a special school; and international schools wouldn't take him in either because they have hit their capacity.


he just entered secondary 1 this year, and we are very concerned that he will not be able to cope, given that measures to help children with learning disabilities aren't sophisticated enough in Singapore.

hi, i just like to share a 'stress-free' conducive environment surrounding school... it's a small campus ground school that is an alternative to mainstream schools and a regular school for all kinds of students; able learning or slow learning or even learning difficulties children...
Victory Life Christian Sschool - is a \"home-school\" regular school to cater education at the child's pace.

it's for kids 4yrs ~ 18/19 yrs of any nationality but b'coz its a Christian school; one must be opened-minded/hearted to read the Bible and accept Bible Studies... in Christian Education.

who are in the school currently - multi-racial (non-Islamic Muslim but have Indo Malay);
Pre-schoolers ages:5yrs ~ 8yrs (normal & with special needs)
Primary schoolers ages:7yrs ~ 13yrs
Secondary / JC / Poly ages:14yrs ~ 19yrs

Primary School~ers (Sporeans under the compulsory education act) will need to sit MOE - PSLE by below 13yrs of age till 15yrs.

after PSLE results / Secondary / JC School~ers choose not to proceed to Secondary School / ITE / JCs can be educated with this curriculum and achieve the High School American Diploma.
it's in the process (or already, not too sure) MOE approved and for kids below 13yrs (till 15yrs), they will still have to sit for PSLE when the year approaches, even though, it's not following MOE's curriculum.
it is -
Accelerated Christian Education - has maintained high Biblical and academic standards and remained committed to setting children on a path for success. The goal is the same today: to prepare children for the world today and give them the academic and spiritual tools necessary to achieve their God-given potential.

VLCS - is open to all children (ages 4yrs ~ 19yrs) an option to not do mainstream MOE curriculum... but graduate with a High School American Diploma which is recognize to enter Uni (so far - NUS needs SATs upon entry with the Diploma but Nanyang U doesn't)


Enquiries:
Tel: 6285 7393 (Mr. Raj / Mrs. Jan Boey)
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Address:, 102C Upper Aljunied Road, Singapore 367882
http://www.victorylifechristianschool.com/index.html

[nani]

I read this topic with interest and had cover page 1 till date. Would like to know how do one define or draw the line between lazy vs learning disability?


Eg. If a child is above average and do not require learning support in school even to the extend of being in the gifted class,how would he/she be affected by dyslexia? Stating from a point that being dyslexia is not inter-related to one’s intelligence.

Is there really a difference between a boy & girl development in terms of academic?

I heard of parents who conclude this:

"Aiyah, boy is like that lah, they develop slower hence the immaturity (taking into consideration that they have both son & daughter). Yes every child is different but being brought up in the same environment, should’nt they be on par in terms of learning.

Other than going for a test (which is costly), is there any other way one can diagnose if a child has dyslexia?

And what does it mean when one has dyslexia? Does diagnose means to "unlock" one potential/talent?

Hope someone can enlighten me on the above. Thanks.

~Apologise for my messy/disorderly post, I just write whatever that came to my mind~

[JonC]

Hmm…


Glad you read from pg1, but I guess you are missing something along the way.

Laziness and dyslexia can be seen very clear.

Lazy, that is if you "force" the child, they can do it, whereas dyslexia is reading disability due to some phonological problem which the brain (by birth) is unable to figure out how it works.

You will know from very young, as early as before K1. They strongly do not like to read, they write words in reverse orders, cannot read and even cannot write, and many symptoms which you read carefully from page 1, you should find them. There is no chance they can go to gifted class in P4 without failing or near failing, especially in the English Language.

Diagnose only help to identify the problem, to overcome the problem, "Intervention" by Therapist is needed.

The intervention by therapist ain’t cheap (3 digit $$$ / hr) too, by the way the MSL-OG Centre up their fees by $10.