gREATER Support for STUDENTS WITH Special Needs in SELECTED SCHOOLS IN 2006

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20 May 2005

gREATER Support for STUDENTS WITH Special Needs in SELECTED SCHOOLS IN 2006

In line with MOE’s efforts to incorporate facilities and resources in our national schools to facilitate the integration of children with mild disabilities, MOE will provide support for special needs (SSN)[1] to 14 schools in 2006. Special Needs Officers (SNOs) will be provided in these schools to help pupils with mild to moderate dyslexia[2] and Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)[3] integrate better into their school programmes. Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Education, announced the selection of the schools at Deyi Secondary School’s 25^th anniversary celebration cum official opening of its new school campus on 20 May 2005.

2. The selected schools have a positive school ethos and strong school philosophy of care and support for the diverse needs of their students. The list of these schools, which includes primary and secondary schools, can be found at Annex A.

3. The SNOs will provide in-class support, small group specialised remedial work, small group skills training and assist with related administrative duties. They will complement the support classroom teachers presently provide to students with special needs.

4. The selection of these 14 schools in 2006 is Phase 1 of a longer-term SSN plan. More SNOs will be recruited, trained and provided to more schools over the next few years. By 2010, the number of schools with SNOs is expected to be:

Level	Disability
Level	Dyslexia	ASD
Primary schools	All primary schools will have up to 1 SNO per school.	20 Resourced schools will have between 1 to 3 SNOs per school.
Secondary schools	20 Resourced schools will have between 1 to 3 SNOs per school.	12 Resourced schools will have between 1 to 3 SNOs per school.

5. Over the next few years, as MOE selects and provides new schools with SNOs, the names of these schools will be announced in phases. The information will be published on the MOE Primary 1 Registration website (www.moe.gov.sg/esp/schadm/p1/), and the Secondary 1 Information Booklet (“Choosing Your Secondary School”).

6. MOE also recognises the need for students with other mild special needs (e.g. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, speech and language difficulties) to be supported in schools. A core of teachers, which will make up 10% of teaching staff in all schools, will be trained to enable them to better support students with mild special needs in their respective schools. This in-service training will commence in June 2005 and is expected to be completed in 2010.

Annex A

SSN PHASE 1 ScHOOLS FOR ASD SUPPORT

S/N	Resourced Primary and Secondary Schools
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Support
1	Bukit Timah Primary
2	Griffiths Primary
3	Naval Base Primary
4	Yangzheng Primary
5	Tampines Secondary

SSN PHASE 1 SCHOOLS FOR DYSLEXIA SUPPORT

S/N	Primary Schools
Dyslexia Support
1	CHIJ (Katong) Primary
2	Gan Eng Seng Primary
3	Juying Primary
4	Seng Kang Primary
5	Townsville Primary
S/N	Resourced Secondary Schools
Dyslexia Support
1	Deyi Secondary
2	Ping Yi Secondary
3	Shuqun Secondary

SSN PHASE 1 ScHOOLS FOR DSYLEXIA AND ASD SUPPORT

S/N	Resourced Secondary Schools
Dyslexia and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Support
1	Balestier Hill Secondary

[1] Announced in 2004, the Support for Special Needs in Mainstream Schools (SSN) will provide additional dedicated support for students with Dyslexia and students with Autism Spectrum Disorder who are able to benefit from an education in a mainstream setting.

[2] Dyslexia is a learning disability where a pupil has problems with words or language. It can be reduced with appropriate support and teaching.

[3] ASD is a developmental disability that affects the way a pupil relates to and communicates with others. It also affects the way a pupil processes information and adapts to the environment. The basic principles of support for these children relate to modifying the environment to minimise the stressors and equipping the pupil with specific coping skills (e.g. social skills, study skills).