DAS EXPERT ADVICE ON TEACHING AND DYSLEXIA BECAUSE KNOWLEDGE IS KEY TO UNDERSTANDING DYSLEXIA
If a child is diagnosed with dyslexia, they may find their way into the total language intervention programme. But, what does total language intervention mean? We talk to Director, at DAS Academy, Priscillia Shen.
Priscillia tells us that, apart from receiving remediation support that targets reading and spelling skills, DAS students also build oracy and writing skills through the intervention programme, which takes a holistic approach in helping dyslexic learners. Dyslexic students learn better with explicit instructions that are simultaneously multi sensory and delivered in a structured and cumulative manner.
At DAS, students pick up techniques and skills to overcome their difficulties, such as letter-sound correspondences to blend for reading and segment for spelling, rules and regulations to analyse word structure and patterns as well as organising strategies. Students also learn other literacy skills, such as vocabulary building, reading fluency, comprehension and writing, which are essential for them to cope with expectations faced in local mainstream schools.
Specially trained by DAS’ training subsidiary, the DAS Academy, DAS’ educational therapists take an effective literacy approach to support children with learning difficulties. DAS Academy is a private educational institution that offers training services to educational therapists, allied educators, parents and other educational professionals who are interested in making a difference in the field of special educational needs.
The team of lecturers from DAS Academy are senior educational therapists with expensive experience working with dyslexic children of different age groups in the DAS. DAS Academy provides a range of workshops and courses that cover several aspects of dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties as well as a Master programme in special educational needs. Its training services incorporate local perspectives in order to make training relevant to the local needs of educators and students, and can be customised to suit every client’s unique individual needs.
DAS regularly organises computerised screening assessment session at various mainstream schools and public venues, together with awareness talks, to raise public awareness and understanding dyslexia. For more information on DAS organised computer screenings or DAS Open House dates, please click HERE
Thank you to Priscillia Shen who contributed this informative article to BubbaMama
Priscillia Shen has a Bachelor of Arts (Merit) in Psychology from the National University of Singapore, and a Master of Arts (Distinction) in Specific Learning Differences from London Metropolitan University. She was trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach and has worked as an Educational Therapist at DAS. She is also a qualified trainer with the Advanced Certificate in Training and Assessment (ACTA) by the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ). Her journal article can be found HERE
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- How Does the Dyslexic Child Feel? (bubbamama.com)
- Knowledge is Key to Understanding Dyslexia (bubbamama.com)
- Learning to Support and Understand Your Dyslexic Child (bubbamama.com)
