Dyslexia group will build on support for secondary school students

We refer to Ms Alice Lee’s letter “Dyslexic children in secondary school need more help” (March 4).

The Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS) similarly applauds the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) recent announcement that more schools will be providing support for Primary Three and Four students with dyslexia. Overseas colleagues have often expressed admiration at the way Singapore has approached support for dyslexia at a national level.

As an organisation that aims to enable and empower all learners with dyslexia, the DAS thanks Ms Lee for advocating the needs of secondary school students with dyslexia and we echo her sentiments on the need for additional support.

The MOE-aided DAS Literacy Programme (MAP), the main literacy programme offered at DAS, responds to the literacy needs of secondary school students by adjusting the selection and delivery of knowledge, strategies and skills to suit each student’s needs. This is in part supported by the use of technology, which studies show plays a big part in a student’s academic confidence and success.

The DAS Academy, a subsidiary of the DAS, also recognises the importance of effective study habits for secondary-level students and runs workshops on study skills for adults and professionals working with them.

Even so, we agree that support in additional areas, such as technology, will greatly benefit secondary school students with dyslexia and provide a positive impact that extends beyond their school life.

For instance, online reference resources such as e-dictionaries and skills such as touch typing could level the playing field for them during their school days and even later on in their careers.

The DAS hopes that more, if not all schools, continue to encourage the use of technology as a learning and assessment tool within their classrooms, while the DAS actively works towards increasing provision for students in secondary school and helps them realise their potential.