Guidelines for Teachers and Schools on Handling of Students with SEN

8 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry provides guidelines to teachers and schools on the handling of children who may have or are diagnosed with special education needs (SEN); (b) what is the annual number of hours of SEN training provided to teachers; and (c) whether the Ministry conducts an annual review on the best practices across schools in providing support to children.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education (Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi) (for the Minister for Education): The Ministry provides guidelines, information and video resources to schools to support students with special educational needs (SEN). Through Teaching and Learning Guides, all teachers are provided with practical strategies to support the learning of diverse learners, including students with SEN.

All new teachers undergo basic training covering how to engage students with SEN during their pre-service training. After they start teaching, they continue to deepen their SEN-related skills through workshops and Networked Learning Communities in areas, such as inclusive pedagogy. Micro-Learning Units offer just-in-time learning opportunities to build teachers' understanding of principles for supporting students with SEN and strategies for an inclusive classroom. Each school also has Teachers Trained in Special Needs who have completed a 130-hour certificate-level course conducted by the National Institute of Education. All mainstream schools also have SEN Officers who work with school personnel to develop customised interventions to support the specific needs of students with SEN, particularly those with higher needs.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) facilitates systematic sharing of best practices among mainstream schools, as well as between mainstream schools and Special Education schools. MOE continually reviews our guidelines and good practices through monitoring international research, international good practice and local practice.

Mr Speaker: Mr Chua.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang): Thank you, Speaker. Just two quick supplementary questions. The first is on the guide that the Senior Parliamentary Secretary shared just now. I wanted to ask if that is actually consistent across all the different schools and whether this can be made available to across both parents and teachers, so that everyone can have a better understanding on how best to support the children.

The second question is in relation to the training. So, I understand that for in service teachers, there are optional online courses that they can sign up for as part of their 40 hours continuous professional development (CPD), but just wanted to ask what is the actual number of hours of these SEN-related training that is being imparted? May I also ask as a extension where, if you look at the finance industry for certain modules, such as ethics or regulations, there are minimum hours required for these components, whether or not there is a specified requirements for this continuous training.

Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi: I thank the Member for his supplementary questions. On the first question with regard to the guide and whether it is standardised across the schools – indeed, it is something that we endeavour to have. In terms of access for our teachers for their continual education, we do have a variety of platforms which are accessible for our teachers at different levels.

First, we have the SEN Resource Portal and this offers schools with the structures, the guidelines and the resources to support students with SEN.

Second, we also have the Transition Support Framework for which there is guidance of facilitating students' successful transitions in new settings through a planned, goal-oriented process.

And third, we also have the SEN:se Online Professional Development, a series of practice oriented online modules on OPAL 2.0 for teachers' just-in-time learning and also bite-sized, locally produced modules covering perceptions about SEN, support principles on needs and not on diagnosis, as well as strategies on positive classroom culture and behavioural support.

So, these are the variety of opportunities for our teachers to look at where their needs are in terms of their teaching, in the classroom and directly, they can apply through the learning process through their CPD.

As to the Member's question about parents, there are separate information that we push through our Parents Gateway, to our parents, to be able to allow them to in turn, look towards supporting their children with SEN where the needs apply. In terms of the specific number of hours, for in terms of SEN, I do not have the exact number of hours that we have for our teachers, but suffice to say, they have the flexibility to look at what lessons they require, what additional modules they wish to be able to have; and they can apply that in turn, because it is readily accessible for them.

If they are keen on developing further towards becoming a Teacher Trained in Special Needs, then they will transit into the 130-hour Certificate Module by the National Institute of Education, as I mentioned earlier.

10.31 am

Mr Speaker: Order. End of Question Time. Introduction of Government Bills. Minister for Sustainability and the Environment.

[Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), provided that Members had not asked for questions standing in their names to be postponed to a later Sitting day or withdrawn, written answers to questions not reached by the end of Question Time are reproduced in the Appendix.]