Support for Children with Special Educational Needs
Support for Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools
In 2004, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced the following initiatives to support children with mild special educational needs in mainstream schools:
- Deployment of Allied Educators (Learning and Behavioural Support) [AEDs (LBS)], previously known as Special Needs Officers, to support children with mild special educational needs in mainstream schools.
- Additional funding for resourced mainstream schools.
- Training in special needs for a proportion of teachers in mainstream schools. These teachers take on the role as Teachers Trained in Special Needs (TSNs) in schools.
The above efforts by MOE to provide additional resources to support pupils/students with mild special educational needs in mainstream schools started from 2005.
Allied Educators (Learning and Behavioural Support) [AEDs(LBS)]
By mid-2009, a total of 108 primary schools ( Table 1 ) have been staffed with AEDs (LBS). By mid-2010, the remaining 70 primary schools ( Table 2 ) would be resourced with at least one AED (LBS) to support pupils with mild special educational needs.
As targeted, 20 secondary schools are resourced to support students with dyslexia and 12 secondary schools are resourced to support students with mild Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ( Table 3 ).
AEDs (LBS) complement the support provided by classroom teachers to pupils/students with mild special needs. The support could be provided in the form of:
- in-class support
- individual / small group intervention support, e.g. in reading
- individual / small group skills training e.g. social skills, study and organisational skills
- case management duties
- resource development
Teachers Trained in Special Needs (TSNs)
Other than the dedicated support from AEDs (LBS), pupils/students with special educational needs can also be supported by TSNs, teachers who are trained at a certificate level in the area of special educational needs in each school.
10% of all primary school teachers will be trained as TSNs by 2010 while 20% of all secondary school teachers will be trained by 2012. An estimated 2900 teachers will be trained between 2005 and 2010.
TSNs would be able to:
- provide individual or small group support to the pupils/students with special needs in their class;
- share strategies and resources with other teachers and parents;
- assist with transition of pupils/students with special needs from one grade level to the next; and
- assist with monitoring of the progress of students with special needs.
Table 1: Schools Resourced to Support Mild Special Needs
[Allied Educator (Learning and Behavioural Support) Posted to Schools]
| School | Zone |
|---|---|
| Anderson Primary School | North |
| Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) | South |
| Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) | South |
| Bedok Green Primary School | East |
| Bendemeer Primary School | South |
| Bukit Panjang Primary School | West |
| Bukit Timah Primary School | West |
| Bukit View Primary School | West |
| Canberra Primary School | North |
| Canossa Convent Primary School | East |
| Casuarina Primary School | East |
| Catholic High School | South |
| CHIJ (Katong) Primary | East |
| CHIJ (Kellock) | South |
| CHIJ Primary (Toa Payoh) | East |
| CHIJ Our Lady of the Nativity | North |
| CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School | North |
| Chongfu Primary School1 | North |
| Chongzheng Primary School | East |
| Chua Chu Kang Primary School | West |
| Clementi Primary School | West |
| Compassvale Primary School | North |
| Concord Primary School | West |
| Coral Primary School | East |
| Da Qiao Primary School | South |
| East Spring Primary School | East |
| East View Primary School | East |
| Edgefield Primary School | North |
| Elias Park Primary School | East |
| Evergreen Primary School | North |
| Fairfield Methodist School (Primary) | South |
| Fernvale Primary School | North |
| Fuchun Primary School | North |
| Fuhua Primary School | West |
| Gan Eng Seng Primary School | South |
| Geylang Methodist School (Primary) | East |
| Gongshang Primary School | East |
| Greenridge Primary School | West |
| Greenwood Primary School | North |
| Griffiths Primary School | East |
| Henry Park Primary School | West |
| Holy Innocents’ Primary School | North |
| Hong Wen School | South |
| Jiemin Primary School | North |
| Junyuan Primary School | East |
| Juying Primary School | West |
| Keming Primary School | West |
| Kong Hwa School | East |
| Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School | South |
| MacPherson Primary School | East |
| Maha Bodhi School | East |
| Maris Stella High School | North |
| Marymount Convent School | East |
| Mayflower Primary School | North |
| Meridien Primary School | East |
| Methodist Girls’ School (Primary) | West |
| Montfort Junior School | North |
| Nan Chiau Primary School | North |
| Nan Hua Primary School | West |
| Nanyang Primary School | West |
| Naval Base Primary School | North |
| Ngee Ann Primary School | East |
| North Vista Primary School | North |
| Northland Primary School | North |
| Pasir Ris Primary School | East |
| Pei Chun Public School | South |
| Pioneer Primary School | West |
| Punggol Primary School | North |
| Qihua Primary School | North |
| Queenstown Primary School | South |
| Raffles Girls’ Primary School | South |
| Red Swastika School | East |
| River Valley Primary School | South |
| Rosyth School | North |
| Sembawang Primary School | North |
| Seng Kang Primary School | North |
| Shuqun Primary School | West |
| Si Ling Primary School | North |
| Singapore Chinese Girls’ Primary School | South |
| South View Primary School | West |
| St. Andrew’s Junior School | South |
| St. Anthony’s Canossian Primary School | East |
| St. Anthony’s Primary School | West |
| St. Gabriel’s Primary School | South |
| St. Hilda’s Primary School | East |
| St. Joseph’s Institution Junior | South |
| St. Margaret’s Primary School | South |
| St. Stephen’s School | East |
| Tanjong Katong Primary School | East |
| Tao Nan School | East |
| Teck Ghee Primary School | South |
| Temasek Primary School | East |
| Townsville Primary School | South |
| Unity Primary School | West |
| West Grove Primary School | West |
| White Sands Primary School | East |
| Woodlands Ring Primary School | North |
| Xinghua Primary School | South |
| Xinmin Primary School | North |
| Xishan Primary School | North |
| Yangzheng Primary School | South |
| Yew Tee Primary School | West |
| Yu Neng Primary School | East |
| Yuhua Primary School | West |
| Yumin Primary School | East |
| Zhangde Primary School | South |
| Zhenghua Primary School | West |
| Zhonghua Primary School | South |
1Chongfu Primary School will be renamed as Chongfu School with effect from 1 Jan 2010.
Table 2: Schools Resourced to Support Mild Special Needs
[Allied Educator (Learning and Behavioural Support) Joining Schools in Mid-2010]
| School | Zone |
|---|---|
| Admiralty Primary School | North |
| Ahmad Ibrahim Primary School | North |
| Ai Tong School | South |
| Anchor Green Primary School | North |
| Ang Mo Kio Primary School | South |
| Balestier Hill Primary School | South |
| Beacon Primary School | West |
| Bedok West Primary School | East |
| Blangah Rise Primary School | South |
| Boon Lay Garden Primary School | West |
| Cedar Primary School | South |
| Changkat Primary School | East |
| CHIJ Our Lady Queen of Peace | West |
| CHIJ Our Lady of Good Counsel | South |
| Corporation Primary School | West |
| Damai Primary School | East |
| Dazhong Primary School | West |
| De La Salle School | West |
| East Coast Primary School | East |
| Endeavour Primary School | North |
| Eunos Primary School | East |
| Farrer Park Primary School | South |
| Fengshan Primary School | East |
| First Toa Payoh Primary School | South |
| Greendale Primary School | North |
| Guangyang Primary School | South |
| Haig Girls' School | East |
| Hong Kah Primary School | West |
| Horizon Primary School | North |
| Hougang Primary School | North |
| Huamin Primary School | North |
| Innova Primary School | North |
| Jing Shan Primary School | South |
| Jurong Primary School | West |
| Jurong West Primary School | West |
| Kheng Cheng School | South |
| Kranji Primary School | West |
| Lakeside Primary School | West |
| Lianhua Primary School | West |
| Loyang Primary School | East |
| Marsiling Primary School | North |
| Mee Toh School | North |
| New Town Primary School | South |
| North Spring Primary School | North |
| North View Primary School | North |
| Opera Estate Primary School | East |
| Park View Primary School | East |
| Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Primary) | East |
| Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School | West |
| Pei Tong Primary School | South |
| Peiying Primary School | North |
| Poi Ching School | East |
| Princess Elizabeth Primary School | West |
| Qiaonan Primary School | East |
| Qifa Primary School | West |
| Radin Mas Primary School | South |
| Rivervale Primary School | North |
| Rulang Primary School | West |
| Stamford Primary School | South |
| Tampines North Primary School | East |
| Tampines Primary School | East |
| Teck Whye Primary School | West |
| Telok Kurau Primary School | East |
| Wellington Primary School | North |
| West View Primary School | West |
| Woodgrove Primary School | North |
| Woodlands Primary School | North |
| Xingnan Primary School | West |
| Yio Chu Kang Primary School | North |
| Yishun Primary School | North |
Table 3: Secondary Schools Resourced to Support Mild Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and/or Dyslexia
| School | Zone | Mild ASD Support | Dyslexia Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) | South | No | Yes |
| Assumption English School | West | No | Yes |
| Balestier Hill Secondary School | South | Yes | Yes |
| Bedok North Secondary School | East | Yes | No |
| Canberra Secondary School | North | No | Yes |
| CHIJ Katong Convent | East | No | Yes |
| CHIJ St. Theresa’s Convent | South | No | Yes |
| Chong Boon Secondary School | South | Yes | No |
| Deyi Secondary School | North | No | Yes |
| Fuchun Secondary School | North | Yes | No |
| Hillgrove Secondary School | West | No | Yes |
| Jurongville Secondary School | West | Yes | No |
| Kent Ridge Secondary School | South | No | Yes |
| Loyang Secondary School | East | No | Yes |
| MacPherson Secondary School | East | Yes | No |
| Marsiling Secondary School | North | No | Yes |
| Montfort Secondary School | North | No | Yes |
| North View Secondary School | North | Yes | No |
| Ping Yi Secondary School | East | No | Yes |
| Pioneer Secondary School | West | Yes | No |
| Punggol Secondary School | North | No | Yes |
| Queenstown Secondary School | South | Yes | No |
| Regent Secondary School | West | No | Yes |
| Seng Kang Secondary School | North | Yes | No |
| Shuqun Secondary School | West | No | Yes |
| St. Gabriel’s Secondary School | South | No | Yes |
| St. Hilda’s Secondary School | East | No | Yes |
| St. Patrick’s School | East | No | Yes |
| Tampines Secondary School | East | Yes | No |
| Teck Whye Secondary School | West | Yes | No |
| Westwood Secondary School | West | No | Yes |