Enhancing the Quality of Special Education (SPED): Launch of New Syllabuses for Communication and Language and Social-Emotional Learning, and Masters Scholarships in SPED

1. MOE is committed to raising the quality of Special Education (SPED) to support students with special educational needs to lead independent lives in society, learn continuously, and work meaningfully.

2. At the SPED Learning Festival today, MOE announced (a) the launch of two new SPED Teaching and Learning Syllabuses (TLSs); and (b) the recipients of the Masters Scholarship in SPED. The SPED Learning Festival was graced by Second Minister for Education, Dr Maliki Osman.

Launch of Two New SPED Teaching and Learning Syllabuses (TLSs)

3. Since 2020, MOE has enhanced curriculum support to SPED schools by developing SPED Teaching and Learning Syllabuses (TLSs) to guide schools in delivering quality customised curricula to meet diverse learner needs and aspirations. These TLSs aim to provide more comprehensive guidance to schools in the areas of content, pedagogy and assessment, promote collaborative teaming between educators and allied professionals, and build stronger partnerships with families and the community in curriculum implementation. MOE aims to develop SPED TLSs for all seven learning domains by 2025, and three SPED TLSs have been released earlier from 2021-22 .

4. The TLSs for (a) Communication and Language (C&L) and (b) Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) were launched at the SPED Learning Festival today. These syllabuses develop critical life skills that can better support SPED students in their transition to post-school living, learning and working.

5. The C&L TLS will place greater emphasis on communication and strengthen the partnership between teachers and speech and language therapists in equipping students to communicate effectively in the community. There will be greater leveraging of assistive and digital technology for both teaching and learning, as well as alternative and augmentative communication tools for effective communication.

6. The SEL TLS aims to develop critical social-emotional competencies so that students can maintain personal and social well-being and build resilience to cope with challenges and adversity. New skills on self-determination will be introduced, such as goal-setting and self-advocacy, to increase students' agency and confidence in determining and pursuing their interests and aspirations.

Building Teacher Capability Through Masters Scholarships in SPED

7. Five Special Education (SPED) teachers were awarded the MOE Masters Scholarship in Special Education at the SPED Learning Festival today. Three were awarded the scholarship in 2022 and are currently pursuing their studies. The two recipients of the 2023 scholarship will pursue their Masters in 2024.

8. The MOE Masters Scholarship in Special Education was introduced in 2011 to provide SPED educators with professional upgrading opportunities through postgraduate studies. The scholarship is open to registered and trained Singaporean SPED teachers who have at least five years of service.

9. More information on the scholarship recipients can be found in the Annex.