Prevalence of Children with Learning Disabilities per Cohort
Ministry of Social and Family DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Ms Sun Xueling’s inquiry about the prevalence of learning disabilities per cohort and preschool programs promoting play-based learning for these children. Minister for Social and Family Development Mr Tan Chuan-Jin stated that about 5% of students have special educational needs, though definitive diagnosis usually occurs closer to school age. He noted that the Developmental Support Programme assists children with mild needs in 300 preschools, while the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children supports those with more severe needs. Additionally, the Early Childhood Development Agency equips teachers with inclusive pedagogy and play-based techniques through specialized training courses. These initiatives focus on early intervention to ensure children with developmental needs acquire the necessary competencies for Primary 1.
Transcript
72 Ms Sun Xueling asked the Minister for Social and Family Development what is the percentage of children in a cohort who suffer from learning disabilities and whether there are programmes which the Ministry supports at a preschool level to encourage children with learning disabilities to learn through play and interaction.
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: My Ministry works closely with KKH and NUH in the Child Development Programme to detect developmental delays in young children at the preschool stage. While general developmental delays can be detected earlier, learning disabilities typically become clearer at a later stage in children, closer to the school-going age.
At a young age, children develop and learn at very different paces. A child's development can also be impacted by environmental factors such as exposure and teaching styles. The preschool years are too early to make a definite diagnosis for learning disabilities. Learning difficulties are diagnosed conclusively at a later stage; closer to school-going age than at the preschool stage. About 5% of our student population have been diagnosed with special educational needs.
Preschool children, aged five and six, with mild developmental delays or learning needs are supported by the Developmental Support Programme (DSP). DSP is currently offered in some 300 preschool centres and has catered to more than 2,000 children since its inception in 2013. Children on the DSP are given the necessary support to level up their developmental domains for school readiness. The programme also enables these children to benefit from a mainstream and inclusive learning environment. With early intervention through the DSP, the child will develop the competencies he or she requires for Primary 1.
Children with more severe developmental needs are supported through the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC) which is currently available at 17 EIPIC centres across the island.
The Early Childhood Development Agency is working with training institutes to equip preschool teachers with the necessary skills to support children with learning and developmental needs. Learning through play and interaction with children are key concepts in the early childhood pedagogy. Many of the training courses for preschool teachers have embedded techniques on play and interaction in the training programmes. In-service preschool teachers can also tap on the subsidised Continuing Professional Development courses, such as the Specialist Diploma in Early Childhood Learning Support, to enhance their skills in supporting children with developmental needs.