Andrea grew concerned upon discovering her daughter's language difficulties in preschool. She and her spouse were uncertain how to support their child's transition to primary school, lacking knowledge about options for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN).
Families like Andrea's require useful information and support to help their child navigate through the education journey. So, what exactly are the kinds of support available to them? Here are 10 info-bytes that Andrea and other parents might find useful.
#1 - How do I know if my child has SEN?
Parents can approach qualified professionals such as psychologists, medical and allied health professionals to understand if their child has SEN and the appropriate educational setting that can support their child. These professionals are guided by a set of professional practice guidelines developed jointly by MOE, hospitals, Early Intervention (EI) Centres and Special Education (SPED) schools.
For more information and resources on understanding your child's SEN, visit this page.
#2 – What should I consider when choosing a school that can support my child’s learning needs?
Parents can consult their child's teachers and professionals working with their child on choosing an educational setting most appropriate to support their child – be it a mainstream school or a SPED school. They should also consider the child's strengths, interests and needs to identify the appropriate support for them. The professionals will make a recommendation based on the child's level of cognitive and adaptive abilities.
Cognitive abilities refer to the ability to think, concentrate, formulate ideas, reason, and remember; while Adaptive skills refer to the ability to handle daily demands in life independently, including communication, self-care, motor and social skills.
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To help parents decide how to best support their child during the schooling years, MOE also collaborates with KK Women's and Children's Hospital and National University Hospital to organise an annual Parent Forum where parents of children with SEN are invited as speakers to share their experiences. Parents can access useful resources such as the "Parent's Guide: Which school for my child?" (click on link of image below) and information on how to get a professional assessment on MOE's website.
Following a professional assessment, Andrea's daughter was assessed to have the cognitive abilities to access the national curriculum in a mainstream school. However, Andrea was still worried about her child's potential to do well in this environment, such as whether she is able to make friends and if she feels comfortable speaking up in class.
#3 – Are mainstream schools equipped with skills and resources to support students with SEN?
All teachers are trained to have at least a basic understanding of SEN and have capabilities to support students through inclusive classroom practices. There are professional development resources and opportunities, including online modules and SEN-related courses for teachers to develop their competencies.
Every school has Teachers Trained in Special Needs (TSNs) who have deeper expertise and can share strategies with fellow teachers to support students with more complex needs. In addition, schools have SEN Officers to provide learning and behaviour support to students, and equip them with learning tools and strategies. All primary schools have at least two SEN Officers, and secondary schools have at least one SEN Officer.
Schools strive to create inclusive learning environments where support is provided for all students based on their needs, and not just their diagnosis.
#4 – Do mainstream schools have various support interventions and programmes for students with SEN?
To help the students transit better from preschool to primary school, MOE facilitates the information transfer from hospitals and EI centres to schools with parents' consent. Upon enrolment in primary school, schools also get in touch with parents early to understand their child's needs and share details of support available in school.
There is a range of support programmes and interventions that cater to students of different levels and learning needs. Students who require additional support in English language and literacy skills can join the Learning Support Programme in Primary 1 and 2, and those with numeracy needs can join the Learning Support Programme for Mathematics from Primary 1 to 4. Students with continued literacy difficulties in Primary 3 and 4 and are diagnosed with dyslexia may join the School-based Dyslexia Remediation programme.
Primary 1 students with social and behavioural needs may be identified by schools for early support in TRANSIT (TRANsition Support for InTegration), which helps them to develop foundational self-management skills when they start primary school education. There are also peer support interventions that encourage students to look out for their peers, such as the Circle of Friends (CoF) for students with social and behavioural difficulties in primary and secondary schools.
More details about these interventions and programmes can be found here.
#5 – Apart from interventions and programmes, what are the other provisions and educational support services available?
All primary and secondary schools are equipped with basic barrier-free facilities for students with physical impairments or who require mobility aids like wheelchairs. In addition to infrastructure, MOE funds the purchase of a range of assistive learning devices for students with sensory and physical impairments to enhance and support their learning. These include Frequency Modulation (FM) equipment, text-to-speech software, and magnifiers. If a child has been assessed by qualified professionals to require these assistive learning devices, parents may approach the school to apply for their child.
MOE also works with social service agencies (SSAs) such as AWWA Ltd and the Singapore Association for the Deaf to provide roving school-based educational support services to students with sensory and physical impairments, to help them adapt to the mainstream school environment and learn better. For dyslexic students with significant literacy needs, Dyslexia Association of Singapore conducts the MOE-subsidised Main Literacy Programme.
MOE Educational Psychologists (EP) regularly visit schools to provide consultation regarding support for students with SEN. Primary schools can refer students with SEN to MOE EP for assessment. Mainstream schools have access to REACH (Response, Early intervention and Assessment in Community mental Health) - a multi-disciplinary mental health service to support students. This includes a helpline for school personnel to consult psychiatrists and referral services by school counsellors to REACH teams for assessment and intervention if students have emotional and behavioural difficulties, such as ADHD, anxiety or depression.
What about Special Education (SPED) schools?
Sometimes, a student in a mainstream school may have higher support needs that are better supported in a SPED school. The school and MOE EP will work with parents to better understand the child's needs and facilitate the transfer to a SPED school. MOE also has Post-Diagnosis Educational Guidance to render emotional support and assistance to parents regarding alternative educational placement.
SPED schools, which are government and community-funded, cater to children with moderate to severe SEN. If your child has been professionally assessed to be better supported in a SPED school, please read on to understand the support available in these schools.
#6 – Who operate SPED Schools and are they affordable?
SPED schools are led and operated by Social Service Agencies (SSAs). There are currently 25 SPED schools in Singapore, and by 2030s, there will be 28 of them located in different neighbourhoods for better accessibility. All 25 SPED schools are fully government and community funded.
To reduce out-of-pocket educational costs for families, nine higher-fee SPED schools1 will lower their fees for Singaporeans by up to 60% by mid-2025. The maximum monthly fees chargeable for Singaporean students across all SPED schools will therefore be reduced from $150 to $90.
For more information about specific conditions, click here.
#7 – Do all SPED schools offer customised SPED & National Curriculum, and what is the difference between these two curricula?
SPED schools deliver a holistic curriculum which is designed to help students achieve the desired SPED outcomes. The curriculum develops students in skills that prepare them for life beyond schooling years. The SPED outcomes are defined in three broad life areas of i) living independently and with dignity, ii) learning continuously throughout their lifespan and iii) working meaningfully and productively.
In general, SPED schools offer either the national or customised curriculum. The National Curriculum (NC) offered by SPED is similar to the curriculum offered in mainstream schools, leading to national examinations such as PSLE and GCE examinations etc. The SPED (NC) schools, namely Canossian School2, Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore School (East), Lighthouse School, Pathlight School, and St. Andrew's Mission School, cater to students with moderate to severe SEN who have the cognitive ability to take up the national curriculum. These schools employ various strategies to support their students. For example, Pathlight School utilises autism-friendly teaching techniques, while Canossian School provides support through the use of assistive technology such as Frequency Modulation (FM) device, which benefits students with hearing loss.
The other SPED schools offer a customised curriculum that addresses the specific needs of the profile of their students. The customised curriculum incorporates seven Learning Domains3 to equip students with the necessary skills needed for home, community and workplace environments. Both types of schools have similar goals of preparing students for independent living and becoming self-supporting and contributing members of society.
To find out more about the curriculum in special education schools, click here.
#8 – What are some specialised provisions & customised facilities available in SPED schools?
So, what else makes SPED schools a better choice for students with moderate to severe SEN?
SPED schools are equipped with specialised provisions and customised facilities to support student learning, including their social emotional development and behaviour needs. These include:
- Provisions – e.g., therapy services and smaller class sizes to allow for customised instruction and supports
- Customised facilities – to better support teaching and learning e.g., sensory and therapy rooms, dedicated rooms to teach daily living skills and Vocational Education
#9 – Who are the educators in SPED schools?
Students in SPED schools are supported by teachers, teacher aides and Allied Professionals (APs) including Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, and Social Workers. SPED schools also have Job Coaches and Instructors, who support the delivery of specific curricular areas like Vocational Education.
MOE provides support to SPED schools to drive the quality of Teaching and Learning as well as the planning of professional development for SPED educators. All SPED teachers must undergo the Diploma in Special Education (DISE) offered by the National Institute of Education. There are also opportunities for SPED teachers to pursue post-graduate studies through MOE sponsored scholarships. Staff training grants are also provided for SPED staff, beyond training, professional development and upgrading pathways.
The most important takeaway is that the choice on which type of school to attend depends on the child's learning needs.
#10 – How do we work together to support children with SEN?
The most important partnership is the home-school partnerships. As key partners, parents can offer valuable insights into their child's strengths, needs and interests. When schools and families communicate, they build relationships and share strategies that can be used in school and at home.
Another important partnership is the School Partnerships (Gen Ed-SPED) initiative that promotes meaningful interaction between SPED and mainstream students. Collaborations between schools provide opportunities for students to integrate and learn from each other through participation in camps, learning journeys, joint performances and sports. One such example is Play Inclusive by Sports SG, which provides a platform for students from SPED and mainstream schools to come together to take part in a sport.
MOE also partners Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) as well as SG Enable as they oversee the needs of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs). The Enabling Masterplan 2030 will look at improving PwDs' access to pathways for employment, independent living and lifelong learning opportunities. Parents and caregivers can also tap on social service agencies and community groups for additional support.
It takes a village to raise a child. Partnerships are key to supporting our children with SEN to help them grow and learn well.
It is important for families and their children with SEN to know that there are various forms of support available and that they are not alone in this journey.
MOE will continue to expand the existing efforts to better enhance the learning experience for our students with SEN.
Visit here for more information about Special Educational Needs (SEN), and learn about more about the Special Education (SPED) landscape in Singapore through this video.
For enquiries or feedback regarding support for students with SEN, please write to us using MOE's online feedback form.
Footnotes
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The 9 schools are AWWA School @ Napiri, Eden School, Eden School (Campus 2), Pathlight School, Rainbow Centre (Margaret Drive), Rainbow Centre (Yishun Park), Rainbow Centre (Admiral Hill), St. Andrew's Autism School and St. Andrew's Mission School.
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Canossian School (CS) will be restructured at the end of 2024 and Canossa Catholic Primary School (CCPS) will become the designated mainstream primary school for students with hearing loss using the Oral approach
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The Learning Domains comprise of 5 MOE Launched Teaching and Learning Syllabuses (TLS) for SPED curriculum, which are Arts, Daily Living Skills, Vocational Education, Social-Emotional Learning, and Communication & Language. The other 2 TLS, which are Numeracy and Physical Education will be launched later in 2024.