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issue 56 mar 2016 6,975 views

The Importance of Equity in Singapore Education Effective Communication issue 56 mar 2016 Singapore is known for providing highquality education but how is it doing in terms of … 4,409 views

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Inclusive Education for All Students 2,952 views issue 56 mar 2016 Educational equity comprises many different aspects, The Big Picture in Social including appropriate access to education and inclusion. It Studies can …

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Email Address Confident Teachers Make for Confident Learners

issue 56 mar 2016 A confident teacher would have a positive impact on his or First Name her students’ achievement, attitude, …

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Working with Parents to Support Students Tags issue 56 mar 2016 It takes a village to raise a child. Schools today are Alternative assessment Assessment recognizing the importance of … feedback Assistive technology Character Continue reading → building Character education Classroom engagement Classroom relationship Cognitive diagnostic assessments Disciplinary literacy Field trip Fieldwork Formative A Culture of Care assessment History Holistic issue 56 mar 2016 education Humanities In mainstream schools, there are some students with special Imagination Inclusive education needs who might need a little … Learning Learning environment Literature Review Multidisciplinary learning Music Continue reading → education Peer assessment Redesigning Pedagogy Conference Selfdetermination Maximizing the Potential of Special Students theory Special education Student agency Teacherstudent relationship Teacher issue 56 mar 2016 research Teachers' Pathlight School’s mission sends out a clear message of inclusiveness, to “maximise the potential of … Conference 2014 Test construction Test validity Trial and error Continue reading → Working memory

Cogenerating Possibilities in Classrooms Cogenerating Possibilities in Classrooms

issue 56 mar 2016 As a teacher, is there a way for you to encourage honest conversations with your …

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International Students and Their Science Learning Experiences

Contributionsissue 56 mar 2016 Contributed by Ong Wee Yong, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science. International students are …

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Enhancing Educational Equity in Singapore

Contributionsissue 56 mar 2016 Contributed by Marshall Cavendish Education. In Singapore, has meritocracy given us educational equity? Are our …

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SingTeach is a quarterly emagazine for teachers. We put research within your reach in practical ways. A print version is also published by the National Institute of Education and supported by Marshall Cavendish Education.

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Home › issue 56 mar 2016 › Equity in Singapore Education Equity in Singapore Education Most Read Articles

Singapore is known for providing highquality education but how is it doing in terms of educational equity, or ensuring that every student is given the opportunity to maximize their educational potential? 6,975 views

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) rankings on 15yearold students’ The Importance of math, science and reading skills are closely followed by educators and policymakers. Effective Communication

What some may not know is that the study also looks into equity issues, such as the relationship between social backgrounds and learning outcomes of students. 4,409 views

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Deputy Director for From the Field to the Education and Skills Andreas Schleicher said in 2013 that Singapore is “a strong performer in Geography Classroom (education) quality, but only an average performer in equity” (Ng, 2013).

So what is equity in education? 2,952 views

The Big Picture in Social Studies

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According to Dr Teo Tang Wee, an Assistant Professor from the Natural Sciences & Science Tags Education Academic Group in NIE, equity is not to be confused with equality. Alternative assessment Assessment “Equality means everyone would have equal access to resources, but we know that is not possible,” feedback Assistive technology Character says Tang Wee. building Character education Classroom engagement Classroom relationship Even if all schools are similar, every student comes into the classroom with a different set of “capital”. Cognitive diagnostic assessments Disciplinary literacy Field trip Fieldwork Formative In explaining the different types of capital, Tang Wee makes reference to the OECD’s definition assessment History Holistic (OECD, 2008) of educational equity. It emphasizes two aspects: fairness and inclusion. education Humanities Fairness Imagination Inclusive education Learning Learning environment Literature In a fair system, factors such as race, gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status should not pose Review Multidisciplinary learning Music any obstacle to someone’s ability to achieve their best educational potential. education Peer assessment Redesigning Pedagogy Tang Wee categorizes the factors into four types of capital (Bourdieu, 1986): cultural, social, Conference Selfdetermination symbolic and economic (see box story below). theory Special education Student agency Teacherstudent relationship Teacher research Teachers' Different Kinds of Capital Conference 2014 Test According to Dr Teo Tang Wee, students possess four kinds of capital in varying degrees: construction Test validity Trial and error Working memory Cultural capital: This refers to students’ family backgrounds. For example, what kind of experiences or resources can their families provide even before they start schooling? Social capital: People often enrol their children into famous or Ivy League schools for the purpose of social networking. “It’s got to do with much more than what the degree offers,” says Tang Wee. Symbolic capital: In the context of education, this may refer to the qualifications gained by students, such as a degree from a famous university. Economic capital: This refers to the financial situation of students and their families.

Inclusion

Another dimension of equity is inclusion. No one should be excluded from an education that endows them with the literacy and numeracy skills that enable them to communicate well and perform the basic functions (such as counting change) in everyday life.

It is not just about being able to read and write, says Tang Wee. What is important is that all of us have the ability to gather and use information to make important decisions in our daily lives.

Equity in Singapore

Having spent some years overseas, Tang Wee thinks that Singapore is doing well on some fronts in terms of equity. For example, schools here are wellfunded across the board. “This structure is much more equitable compared to other countries where some of the school funding comes from taxpayers who are living within the same district,” she says.

Describing herself as an equity researcher in Science education, Tang Wee shares, “My research has always been focusing on what I see as the marginalized groups – people whom we seldom talk about and research about.”

As can be seen from the other articles in this issue, such groups range from those with special needs, to those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and even international students who may have to overcome numerous challenges to “fit in” the Singapore education system.

Tang Wee’s research focuses on academic tracking. Explicit forms of tracking would be high stakes exams such as the Primary School Leaving Exam. But there can be implicit forms of tracking as well, such as curriculum differentiation.

“When we talk about tracking, we often talk about providing curriculum differentiation that caters to different needs. In my work, I’d like to highlight these more implicit forms of differentiation that can sometimes advantage certain groups of students over others.”

Structure and Agency in the Classroom

Along with other NIE researchers, Tang Wee embarked on the project “Examining Normal Academic/Technical Students Science Learning from a Sociological and Cultural Lens” involving 39 Singapore schools and 4,582 lower secondary Normal Academic (NA) and Normal Technical (NT) students.

Two schools were selected to be casestudy schools. The researchers observed and videotaped two Secondary 1 and 2 NA and two Secondary 1 and 2 NT classes in each school, making it eight classes in total.

Tang Wee and her colleagues are looking out for the interplay of structure and agency in these classrooms. Structures can be physical (such as the seating arrangement in class), and social and cultural (such as classroom norms and rules).

Agency of teachers and students refer to their power to make decisions in the classroom.

“We are trying to identify in this OER study what the structures are and how the students and teachers are exercising their agency within these structures.”

My research has always been focusing on what I see as the marginalized groups – people whom we seldom talk about and research about.

– Teo Tang Wee, Natural Sciences & Science Education Academic Group

Part of the Solution

For Tang Wee, equity is also about every student having a voice and the chance to participate in class. But many teachers have little time to sit down and listen to students about their needs or their feedback about the teaching.

The research team decided to introduce cogenerative dialogue (also see “Cogenerating Possibilities in Classrooms” in this issue) in one of the case study schools. For this, a teacher, a researcher and a number of students sat in a group to discuss issues of concern to the students. “We set the ground rules first,” says Tang Wee. Participants were told they should be authentic and openminded. “The purpose of the dialogue was to highlight issues they were concerned about and propose actions for change. It’s not supposed to be a complaint session where they just tell us all the problems.”

The students suggested solutions which the researchers and teachers then implemented in the next few lessons.

What the researchers wanted was to give ownership of classroom issues back to the students. “It’s better that those solutions are coming from them than from us,” says Tang Wee. “Because of the generation gap, I doubt we really fully understand what is going on in the classroom!”

Predictors of Students’ Science Inference Skills

For the two casestudy schools, the researchers also tested students thrice on their science inference skills at specific intervals during a year. They then followed up with a survey to find out more about the “science capital” of these students.

One significant predictor of the lower secondary NA and NT students’ science inference skill is having family members who encourage them to do well in science.

“This has important implication for policy making,” says Tang Wee. “It means that parents have to be more involved in the science education of their children if they want them to develop good science inference skills.”

Tang Wee also shares the main aim of her study – to find out and understand the many implicit, maybe even invisible forms of structure hindering the learning of their students.

“Are teachers aware of these things that are happening? We look at things which are often taken for granted to be true, things which are very explicit. But we unpack them and say, ‘Hey, there are these more complex and nuanced things happening, do you see it?’”

Dr Teo Tang Wee is an Assistant Professor from the Natural Sciences & Science Education Academic Group in NIE.

Her current work involves two groups of learners in the local Science education contexts – preschool children and students in lower track classrooms. Her research work in lower track Science classrooms focuses on issues of equity in learning using a cultural and sociological lens. She is the Principal Investigator of the project “Examining Normal Academic/Technical Students Science Learning from a Sociological and Cultural Lens”.

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Home › issue 56 mar 2016 › Inclusive Education for All Students Inclusive Education for All Students Most Read Articles

Educational equity comprises many different aspects, including appropriate access to education and inclusion. It can be a challenge for teachers to be inclusive in a class of 40 where some students may have greater needs than their peers. But it is not impossible. 6,975 views

The right to education is one of the tenets of the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the The Importance of Child that Singapore has ratified. Within Singapore’s context, this takes the form of ensuring that Effective Communication each student has access to an appropriate environment – be it in a mainstream or specialized environment – whereby his or her opportunities in education can be maximized, Associate Professor Kenneth Poon explains. 4,409 views

When talking about educational equity, inclusion is another aspect that researchers look into, From the Field to the especially in mainstream education. That includes children with special needs who possess the Geography Classroom academic merit to attend mainstream secondary schools.

Supporting Students with Special Needs 2,952 views

Kenneth acknowledges the challenges of achieving The Big Picture in Social educational equity. For his previous project on Studies students with special needs, he sought to understand how they were being supported in two secondary schools identified for their exemplary Subscribe practice of nurturing students with special needs. Email Address He found that teachers were usually able to provide adequate support if they received the required training. First Name “They appreciated the training, because they realized that they could do something to support students with special needs, and that it doesn’t require heroic efforts to do so,” says Kenneth.

Apart from the training, teachers were also empowered when there was support from the school Subscribe leadership. Kenneth notes that school leaders who are supportive usually drew upon their schools’ mission statements of giving every student a chance and maximizing their potential. Tags “When the leaders drew upon that mission, they materialized it in terms of the structures they provided within the schools,” he explains. “We saw inclusion being facilitated in schools from our Alternative assessment Assessment meetings with them.” feedback Assistive technology Character building Character education Classroom Teachers Who Believe in Them engagement Classroom relationship As a psychologist by training and a researcher in early childhood and special needs education, Cognitive diagnostic assessments Disciplinary Kenneth is an avid reader of autobiographies penned by authors with autism spectrum disorders literacy Field trip Fieldwork Formative (ASD). These authors frequently cite their teachers as the ones who made the difference in their assessment History Holistic lives. education Humanities Imagination Inclusive education “It’s usually that one teacher who believed in them, understood their strengths and weaknesses, and Learning Learning environment Literature then built upon their strengths,” Kenneth says. Review Multidisciplinary learning Music education Peer assessment To him, that underlines the importance of a teacher, and how the relationships between teachers and students are significant in making the school a more equitable place. Redesigning Pedagogy Conference Selfdetermination In Kenneth’s ongoing study on helping teachers to support youth with ASD in secondary schools, he theory Special education Student agency looks at how a professional development programme can help the teachers provide such support. Teacherstudent relationship Teacher research Teachers' “In this programme, we want to build a sense of understanding – not just the cognitive but also the Conference 2014 Test affective understanding – of what it is like to be a child with ASD, or to be a parent of a child with construction Test validity Trial and error ASD,” says Kenneth. Working memory

This helps them develop empathy in supporting the students as well as when working with their families.

Another part of the programme is to help the teachers develop a framework instead of individual strategies.

There is no one formula as every student with special needs is so different, says Kenneth. “We try to introduce a broad framework whereby it can be tweaked by the teachers, so that they can customize it for their students.”

Kenneth and his team adopted an ecological approach for teachers to help them think about adapting their pedagogical practices and even the way they interact or talk to the students.

Through this approach, they could even adapt the physical environments of the classroom, or tap upon available resources, such as the fellow classmates, to further support those students with special needs.

Empowering Teachers to Be Inclusive

“Sometimes teachers who face students with special needs feel overwhelmed by not knowing what to do or they think that they have a lot to do,” says Kenneth. The more positive experiences the teachers have The professional development programme helps in supporting students with teachers understand special needs so that inclusion special needs, the more becomes more common. positive they feel and the more inclusive they become. “We know from international research that the more positive experiences the teachers have in supporting – Kenneth Poon, Office of students with special needs, the more positive they Education Research feel and the more inclusive they become,” Kenneth notes.

Therefore, to make schools a more equitable place for all students and especially for those with special needs, the teachers need positive experiences when supporting such students.

This is where the support of school leadership and appropriate professional development for teachers come into play.

“Teachers should therefore have positively scaffolded experiences in teaching students, or in supporting the development of students who are disadvantaged in different ways.”

If these teachers can eventually progress to becoming mentors to such students, the benefits will be farreaching. “A relationship between a student with ASD and treating the teacher as a mentor, and the teacher seeing the strengths of the person and working very hard to help build on those strengths, I think that makes a big difference.”

Creating Effective Learning Engagement

Teachers need to consider factors that may affect students’ engagement in learning, Associate Professor Kenneth Poon says. This involves thinking about the broad principles of distractions, be they sensory or social. It could be anything that causes students to become disengaged.

While some think that a student with special needs should sit at the front of the class for better learning, it might not always be the case. This is especially so if other students frequently approach and talk to their teachers who are standing in front, thereby creating distractions.

“In considering the physical settings of the classroom,” Kenneth explains, “we need to think more broadly in terms of principles rather than very specific ‘cookbookrecipes’ sort of strategies to help these students.”

Kenneth Poon is Assistant Dean for Research Translation of the Office of Education Research at NIE. He is also an Associate Professor with the Early Childhood and Special Needs Education Academic Group at NIE. He is the Principal Investigator of the following projects:

MSF Commissioned Study: Factors Affecting the Child and Family Outcomes of Early Intervention in Singapore (FACES) OER 25/09 KP: Supporting Students with Special Needs in Secondary Schools: A Study of Perspectives, Practices and Support Structures OER 66/12 KP: Training Teachers to Support Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders Included in Secondary Schools Print Article Download PDF 0

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Home › issue 56 mar 2016 › Confident Teachers Make for Confident Learners Confident Teachers Make for Confident Learners Most Read Articles

A confident teacher would have a positive impact on his or her students’ achievement, attitude, affective and even socioemotional growth. To improve the schooling experience of low progress learners, enhancing teachers’ beliefs in their teaching competence may be a 6,975 views viable approach. The Importance of Teacher efficacy is one of the few characteristics that can reliably predict students’ learning Effective Communication outcomes. Teachers’ beliefs in their teaching capabilities could affect how they perceive, approach and teach their students. 4,409 views To help low progress (LP) students who are not doing well in schools, one way would be to look at their teachers’ efficacy and what can be done to make the teachers feel more confident about their From the Field to the teaching capability. Geography Classroom

NIE Research Scientist Dr Josh Wang and his colleagues did classroom observations of teachers who taught LP students and interviewed teachers with high and low efficacy in teaching LP students. 2,952 views

The Big Picture in Social Studies

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Josh Wang and Natalie Lim believe that a teacher’s efficacy Subscribe affects the learning experience for low progress learners in schools.

Teacher Efficacy Tags

Why is it so important for LP students to be taught by teachers who feel confident about their Alternative assessment Assessment teaching capability? feedback Assistive technology Character building Character education Classroom Researchers who studied LP students found that they have a very specific set of cognitive and engagement Classroom relationship psychological needs. Cognitive diagnostic assessments Disciplinary literacy Field trip Fieldwork Formative “From our data, it seems that the high efficacy (HE) teachers understand the LP students better. They knew more about their psychological and cognitive needs,” says Josh. assessment History Holistic education Humanities “Our findings also reveal that the HE teachers were more capable of employing effective strategies in Imagination Inclusive education giving instructions, engaging LP students and managing their classrooms than the lowefficacy (LE) Learning Learning environment Literature teachers.” Review Multidisciplinary learning Music education Peer assessment For example, Josh observed that the HE teachers were more capable of employing a variety of Redesigning Pedagogy strategies to retain attention of LP students in classes. For LE teachers, fewer strategies were used Conference Selfdetermination and students’ engagement was observed to be lower. theory Special education Student agency Teacherstudent relationship Teacher “For the HE teachers, you could see the difference is that the majority of the class listened to them, and the students were interacting with a higher level of engagement,” he says. For LE teachers, the research Teachers' teachers tended to focus only on students who were motivated to learn. Conference 2014 Test construction Test validity Trial and error Psychological Sources of Teacher Efficacy Working memory

How did teachers with a higher sense of efficacy develop it? Can other teachers achieve it too? Josh shares that the research literature has identified four main psychological sources of efficacy information associated with teacher efficacy.

Verbal Persuasion Verbal Persuasion

Receiving positive feedback can affect one’s thinking and behaviour positively. Likewise, receiving negative feedback can cause negative effects on one’s beliefs and practice. “Words can affect one’s behaviour,” Josh says. “If people around you keep telling you that you are doing a good job, it might make you believe that you can really do a good job!”

Mastery Experiences

“Your experiences of successes or failures in the past will affect your perceptions of your own ability,” says Josh. This would in turn shape teachers’ beliefs about their teaching capability.

“Let’s say if your previous batch of students did really well in exams, you might feel that you are able to help students in the future in the similar manner. But if your experiences weren’t very successful, then these experiences might make you feel that you don’t have the ability to help your students,” says Josh.

Vicarious Experience

A teacher who observes other teachers tends to reflect on his or her teaching ability. “If you see someone who has very similar training background or teaching experience as you do, and doing a good job in the classroom,” Josh notes, “it might make you believe that maybe you can do so too.” However, seeing someone with a similar background and who is struggling in the classroom will make one think that he or she may not be able to perform well.

Physiological and Emotional Arousal

How a teacher feels when standing in front of the classroom and facing his or her students would affect his or her perception of teaching capability. Research Assistant Miss Natalie Lim explains that teachers who feel relaxed and calm in front of the classroom tend to be more confident about their teaching competence.

“Students are able to pick up their teacher’s vibes,” she adds. “Teachers with low efficacy tend to give off an edgy vibe.” Also, students have the tendency to “test” teachers by being disruptive in the classroom. This, in turn, may also lead to a decrease of efficacy in teachers.

Our findings also reveal that the highefficacy teachers were more capable of employing effective strategies in giving instructions, engaging LP students and managing their classrooms than the lowefficacy teachers.

– Josh Wang, Office of Education Research

Enhancing Teacher Efficacy

Josh and his team are interested to find out how best to help LE teachers in teaching LP students. After all, at the end of the day, LP students will benefit from teachers with high efficacy the most.

Through interviews and classroom observations, the research team also discovered three non psychological sources of efficacy information that affected the level of teacher efficacy in teaching LP students (see box story below). Unlike the four psychological sources, these sources can be addressed much more easily.

The Three Nonpsychological Sources of Efficacy Information

In Dr Josh Wang’s study, he discovered three additional sources of efficacy information that affect teacher efficacy in the context of teaching LP students.

1. Teacher’s prior working experience: Midcareer teachers who are able to leverage their past working experiences may better engage LP students. “One of the teachers in the project was a former police officer. He found that LP students were very interested in his stories (about his previous work), which helped him engage the students better.” Josh says. 2. Rapport with students: A strong sense of bonding between teachers and LP students can lead to a positive learning environment for the students. LP students like to view their teachers as friends rather than authoritative figures. “HE teachers believe that they are able to reach out to LP students because of the strong rapport they have with the students.” Natalie shares. 3. Understanding student’s profile: Josh found that teachers who indicated that they have spent substantial amount of time understanding LP students or who thought they have a deep understanding about LP students, tend to believe that they are capable of teaching them well.

Building Teacher Efficacy Building Teacher Efficacy

Teacher efficacy affects teaching effectiveness, Josh says. To ensure the best for LP learners, he suggests that the first step to increase teacher efficacy could be through teacher learning programmes.

“These programme should help our teachers understand LP students more,” he says. “That includes their cognitive, emotional and psychological needs.”

The research team plans to expand their research further by designing interventions for teachers to enhance their efficacy. Meanwhile, Natalie feels that “schools can also have, for example, more senior or experienced teachers who are more effective in teaching LP students to mentor new and inexperienced teachers.”

While the impact may not surface overnight, Josh and his team believe that their research efforts can help teachers raise their sense of efficacy and in turn provide a more positive learning experience for LP learners in schools.

Josh Wang LiYi is a Research Scientist at the Office of Education Research, NIE. His research looks into professional identity of teachers, teachers’ beliefs and low progress students. He is the Principal Investigator of the OER project “Teacher Efficacy in the Context of Teaching LowAchieving Students in Singapore”.

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Home › issue 56 mar 2016 › Working with Parents to Support Students Working with Parents to Support Students Most Read Articles

It takes a village to raise a child. Schools today are recognizing the importance of partnering parents to create a “village”, or a holistic learning environment for our children – one that engages the wider community. 6,975 views

When schools reach out and work with parents, their children feel supported, academically and The Importance of holistically, according to international research literature. “It helps students like school better, want to Effective Communication come to school and stay in school longer,” says Dr Lana Khong, Lecturer in the Policy and Leadership Studies Academic Group, NIE. 4,409 views

From the Field to the Geography Classroom

2,952 views

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Authentic Partnership First Name Many schools currently adopt a traditional approach to partnership through parentteacher meetings and parent support groups (PSG).

“The school sends out the communication and invites parents to come for events,” says Lana. The Subscribe teacher will also conduct parentteacher meetings once or twice a year.

“There is, however, another level of partnership that may be required in the 21st century – authentic Tags or empowered partnership,” she continues.

The authentic or empowered partnership can lead to a stronger sense of “village”, a nurturing Alternative assessment Assessment environment where students can feel they are being supported by all parties. feedback Assistive technology Character building Character education Classroom Now is also the right time to work more closely with parents, says Lana. “Today, parents are much engagement Classroom relationship more educated, and are more interested because education is highstakes and they really want to Cognitive diagnostic assessments Disciplinary see their kids to succeed.” literacy Field trip Fieldwork Formative assessment History Holistic “It is important that a teacher starts early in the year to establish a relationship and build trust with the education Humanities parents,” says Lana. Imagination Inclusive education Learning Learning environment Literature Schools differ in the extent to which they engage in parent engagement, and how effective this Review Multidisciplinary learning Music partnership is will depend on the teacher’s confidence and capacity. education Peer assessment In her project, Lana looks at how a Singapore secondary school is working with parents of a small Redesigning Pedagogy group of lower achieving students who have been promoted to a higher and more demanding track. Conference Selfdetermination theory Special education Student agency Building the Teacherparent Relationship Teacherstudent relationship Teacher research Teachers' From her research, Lana finds that less educated parents are not often viewed as potential assets to Conference 2014 Test school and learning, even though they could very well be. They are also sometimes stereotyped as construction Test validity Trial and error being difficult to deal with. Working memory

Lana feels that ultimately, the teacher’s mindset is very important. If the teacher has a positive mind set and can see a seed of solution or contribution in every complaint or feedback received from a parent, then he or she will be more willing to work with the parent on the solution.

“If teachers are confident enough to engage the parents and work together with them, I think parents will be glad to return that trust and respect to the teacher,” shares Lana. “In this background of mutual trust and respect, you can work together to find good solutions for students.”

“Teachers need to be confident of what they are doing and be open to discussions on how to help the child and not feel threatened about it,” shares Lana.

When teachers are not confident in working with challenging parents, conflicts can happen and the relationship becomes very tense, says Lana.

In such cases, the students, especially the lower achieving ones, suffer. Unlike higher achieving students who tend to have more family support, lower achieving students often lack adequate support from home.

“A lot more can be done to engage the parents of lower achieving students to create a healthier environment for learning and opportunities for them to advance to a higher level of learning” Lana shares. “We all need to work better together to build a culture of support for the lower achieving kids.”

It is important that a teacher starts early in the year to establish a relationship and build trust with the parents.

– Lana Khong, Policy and Leadership Studies Academic Group

Engaging the Heart

What can propel these parentengagement activities is the heart, says Lana.

“If schools are genuinely welcoming them, parents will want to contribute and be involved in the process,” says Lana. “It’s not just about increasing attendance at events; it’s the heart behind all the activities.”

In turn, Lana feels that parents also need to broaden their perspective to understand and empathize with teachers. When teachers build relational capital with parents, they earn the parents’ trust over time.

Once the parent culture in the school is strong and supportive, parents can even start to reach out to other parents in the community. This village or community engagement can help supplement the role of the school in developing their students.

Leadership Support

According to Lana, the role of the school leaders is critical in creating a culture of partnerships. When parents know that they are being heard and their opinions are valued by the school leadership team, they will feel encouraged to partner the school on their child’s development.

At the same time, if the leadership can make them feel that they are “safe” and that the leadership supports them, they will also relax, become less defensive, and be supportive of school processes and programmes. This requires a leader who is constantly on the ground, getting to know his or her teachers and students.

“Having a sense of openness and welcome by the school leader creates a confidence in the teachers and parents,” Lana says. “This allows for strong partnerships to be sustained and the subsequent benefits to flourish for the children in the community.”

Instead of seeing parents as adversaries, see them as allies, and they will in turn be supportive of you.

– Lana, on establishing good parentteacher relationships.

Doing More With Less

For effective partnerships to take place, teachers must have the positive mindset of seeing “partnership” work with parents as integral and not extra work. This mindset change will take some time, but worth the effort in the longer term.

“Establishing good parentteacher relationships at the start preempts certain problems from happening, and makes things easier later,” shares Lana. “Instead of seeing parents as adversaries, see them as allies, and they will in turn be supportive of you.”

Lana hopes that her project on parent engagement will contribute to professional knowledge in the field, especially in the mainstream schools.

“We should not allow for too big an achievement divide between the high and lowachieving students,” Lana says. “Working closely with parents will help narrow some of these gaps.”

With authentic partnerships being the way to go in schools, one can expect a more holistic learning environment for students – involving not just the parents, but an entire community.

Dr Lana Khong is a Lecturer at NIE’s Policy and Leadership Studies Academic Group. She is the Principal Investigator of the OER project “Schools Taking the Lead in Engaging Parents in Partnership: Supporting LowerAchieving Students in Singapore Schools”.

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Home › issue 56 mar 2016 › A Culture of Care A Culture of Care Most Read Articles

In mainstream schools, there are some students with special needs who might need a little more attention and care. We speak to two Allied Educators about how they help these students keep up with the rest. 6,975 views

Autism, dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and visual or hearing impairment – these are The Importance of some special needs of students in schools where Mr Syed Muhammad Alkaff and Ms Nadira Effective Communication Ahamed Basir work as Allied Educators (AEDs) in Teaching and Learning (TNL).

Not all of these students were diagnosed when they first started school. Sometimes, it takes a period 4,409 views of observation by their teachers before schools realize they need more help. From the Field to the “If undiagnosed students show signs of disabilities, the AED will suggest that their parents let them Geography Classroom go for medical examination,” Syed, who works in St Hilda’s Secondary School, shares.

“These students are placed in the same class as their other friends who have no special needs,” 2,952 views adds Nadira from Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary School. “But the good thing is, they don’t see their disabilities as a problem to learn!” The Big Picture in Social Studies AEDs such as Syed and Nadira feel that their role is to provide additional support for these students, so that they can keep up with their peers in the mainstream classroom. Subscribe No One Left Behind Email Address “My role is to assist in classroom management,” shares Syed. On a typical school day, he joins the English Language and Literature classes with some students who are identified to have special First Name needs. Teachers are generally able to handle them, but his presence helps teachers run lessons with fewer distractions, Syed says.

He also conducts “pullout” sessions where he Subscribe takes this group of students out of class. “We will Nadira Ahamed Basir knows that it means a lot sit somewhere else and I focus on them,” he to the students if the teachers asked them, “Is explains. “It is a small group so they feel more everything fine? Do you need help?” Tags secure and I can check if they don’t understand certain things.” Alternative assessment Assessment Nadira’s approach is slightly different. “Students who have difficulties in catching up in the classroom feedback Assistive technology Character will be ‘pulled out’ to the back of the classroom with me,” she says. She will then focus her attention building Character education Classroom on them while the teacher carries on with the teaching. engagement Classroom relationship Cognitive diagnostic assessments Disciplinary However, it isn’t just about students who have learning difficulties. “The partially visual impaired literacy Field trip Fieldwork Formative students need more attention,” Nadira adds. “They can’t really see what the teacher writes on the assessment History Holistic board.” education Humanities Imagination Inclusive education To ensure that no child gets left behind, Nadira will sit next to that student and write down whatever Learning Learning environment Literature was written on the board for him or her. “It means a lot to them and they can sense whether you are Review Multidisciplinary learning Music genuine when you help them.” education Peer assessment Levelling the Playing Field Redesigning Pedagogy Conference Selfdetermination Equity is about fairness, Syed says. “It is different from equality; it is giving students a level playing theory Special education Student agency field.” Teacherstudent relationship Teacher research Teachers' For students with special needs or learning difficulties, extra attention can make a huge difference. Conference 2014 Test construction Test validity Trial and error “When I pull them out, they get to ask questions that they possibly won’t ask in the class,” Syed Working memory notes. “Their mistakes also get spotted (by me) easily when they might have gone under the radar in the classroom.”

Such pullout sessions provide these students the opportunity to improve their learning at the same rate as their peers in spite of their disabilities. “I just give them a bit more attention and just make sure that they know what is going on, because sometimes they say they understand, but sometimes they are just too shy to ask questions,” says Nadira.

Showing Care and Concern

For these two AEDs, they see supporting students emotionally as part of their job too. During her secondary school days, Nadira and her classmate used to coach their schoolmates from the Normal (Technical) stream in Science and Math. “In Secondary 4, these students did very well,” she shares. “That was when it really dawned on me that if you give these students that extra help, concern and care, they can really do well!”

Today, she enjoys teaching Normal (Technical) classes and sees these learners as friends rather Syed Muhammad Alkaff notes that equity is not than her students. equality – it is about giving students a level playing field. “I always try to get to know them personally and know what their interests are,” she says. Because of her friendly approach, she tends to have students coming to her for counselling as well.

“A lot of kids have problems at home, but they don’t show it. Sometimes, they get aggressive in class, so I bring them out of the class but I don’t scold them,” Nadira says. “I ask them what happened and they will start to break down.

“It means a lot to them if you just ask them: Is everything fine? Do you need help?”

“The culture of care works especially for students with special needs,” Syed says. “I will always talk to them as a person as best as I can rather than as a superior to subordinate.”

“You will find that if you walk around and observe the classes at St. Hilda’s, you won’t see much scolding going on,” he adds. “There’s a lot of conversation and reasoning going on with the kids. The teachers find that building rapport and leveraging on that relationship with them is much more effective than scolding them.”

By supporting these learners with genuine care and concern, AEDs like Syed and Nadira are key actors in the Singapore education system who help ensure that students with special needs will have the chance to thrive and learn in school along with their classmates.

Syed Muhammad Alkaff and Nadira Ahemed Basir are Allied Educators (Teaching & Learning) at St Hilda’s Secondary School and Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary School respectively.

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Home › issue 56 mar 2016 › Maximizing the Potential of Special Students Maximizing the Potential of Special Students Most Read Articles

Pathlight School’s mission sends out a clear message of inclusiveness, to “maximise the potential of every student in both academics and life skills”. One teacher shares the kind of support the school provides its students to prepare them for life. 6,975 views

Providing Special Support The Importance of Effective Communication As Singapore’s first autismfocused school, Pathlight School offers a blend of mainstream academic curriculum and lifereadiness skills. It caters to students with autism and other related disorders who are cognitively able to access mainstream academic curriculum but need a higher level of support 4,409 views and structure. From the Field to the “Students are given opportunities to learn and adapt socially,” Pathlight educator Ms Stella Yap Geography Classroom shares. “We provide varying levels of support to cater to their learning profiles and help them through their Primary School Leaving Examinations and GCE O and NLevel Examinations.” 2,952 views A typical class size in Pathlight is 12 students, supported by two teachers in every classroom. Some classes may be smaller if students’ autism needs are higher, with a third teacher if necessary. The Big Picture in Social Studies “We focus very much on quality educational outcomes. With appropriate support in place, students are able to learn better in classrooms and in the process, maximize their potential.” Subscribe

Importance of Structure Email Address Why is structure so vital in classrooms of Pathlight School?

“Children with autism require clarity. The purpose of structuring the physical environment is to First Name ensure we can engage them to learn more effectively. Teachers set up the learning spaces so that the students understand where they need to be, what they need to do and how they need to do their work. With clarity in expectations set, they can then learn to be as independent as possible without the need for teachers to give verbal and physical prompts,” Ms Stella Yap explains. Subscribe

“Classroom management techniques such as structure, routine, rules and expectations are also listed out and taught explicitly,” Stella adds. Tags

“You will find more visual aids around the school, compared to mainstream schools,” Stella notes. This is because people with autism are strong visual learners. Alternative assessment Assessment feedback Assistive technology Character “Using visual supports to make the sequence of daily activities predictable and understandable building Character education Classroom is thus important. We use the 3Vs: visual clarity, visual organization and visual instructions to engagement Classroom relationship assist the students in understanding what is expected of them. As we build their Cognitive diagnostic assessments Disciplinary independence, visuals will gradually be reduced over time,” she adds. literacy Field trip Fieldwork Formative assessment History Holistic Generally, most teachers might not think twice about the transition time between two lessons. education Humanities But for Pathlight, it’s a notable and important period of time. Imagination Inclusive education Learning Learning environment Literature Stella shares, “Most neurotypical students will start mingling around and keep themselves Review Multidisciplinary learning Music occupied while waiting for the next lesson. But students with autism will require schedules to education Peer assessment help them know what to expect next. Redesigning Pedagogy “Some students do not know what to do during transition. So to keep them engaged, some Conference Selfdetermination classes have ‘Choice Time’ while others have ‘Reading Time’ during transition. It is clearly theory Special education Student agency listed down, on the things they can do during the ‘Choice Time’, such as reading a book, draw, Teacherstudent relationship Teacher or rest. And there will always be one teacher around during transition to oversee this.” research Teachers' Conference 2014 Test In summary, understanding the culture of autism is essential. construction Test validity Trial and error Working memory

Uncovering and Honing Talents

Pathlight School’s mission is “To provide a transformational learning journey and maximize the potential of every student in both academics and life skills.”

The school believes strongly in their students and strives to uncover their hidden potential – one that even their parents might not know of.

One way the teachers do this is during “Choice Time”, which happens in between classes. “Before the start of the next lesson, students are occupied while waiting,” Stella shares. “They can draw, read or do something they like.”

During Choice Time, teachers look out for students who display signs of potential. “I observed one of my students during Choice Time. He drew by combining two animals together and even combined the names,” Stella says. “There are a lot of interesting things to observe during ‘Choice Time’. When we spot any students who have a ‘talent’, we will flag their work out to see if they are suitable for the Artist Development Programme (ADP).”

The ADP is one of the school’s signature talent development programmes to uncover and nurture students who show exceptional talent in art.

“There are quite a number of students who can draw really well here!” Stella says. “Artists in the ADP are mentored by professional artists and given opportunities to be involved in public exhibition where they learn to promote their art to the general public.”

“The school is always in search of opportunities to allow students a chance to build their confidence by displaying their abilities,” she adds.

For example, the art piece of the ornate Tanglin gates at the Singapore Botanic Gardens that President Dr Tony Tan presented to China’s President Xi Jin Ping during his state visit was created by Glenn Phua, an ADP artist.

In celebration of SG50, 50 pieces of transport theme artwork drawn by Pathlight students were displayed islandwide in SMRT stations and interchanges in a collaboration between Pathlight School and SMRT.

Bridging School and Life

In helping students integrate into the real world after they graduate, teachers in Pathlight seize every teachable moment and infuse social or other valuable daily skills.

They have rules called the Big Four: No hurting self; no hurting others; no inappropriate touches; and no damaging of property.

“These are part of our school rules, which are linked to laws outside school. They act as a ‘bridge’ to society so our students are taught explicitly what is right and what is wrong and the consequences if they break the “Big Four Rules”. This helps them to draw the connections about why these rules are put in place.”

Similar to Pathlight’s mission, Stella hopes her students will be independent in the future, so that they will excel in both academics and life skills.

“Personally, I think my aspiration is the same as any other teacher,” she says. “I hope they are independent in the future. I hope they will have a good social life, a career of their choice, a confident individual who is accepted by and who will be able to contribute to society.”

And teachers can help them achieve that if they never give up, she advises.

“Every day is different – one day your strategies might work; another day, it might not. Consistency and expectations are very important. That’s what I have learned. We need to be positive and encourage our students constantly. I have noticed that they try to live up to their teachers’ expectations.”

Her advice to fellow educators is this: “Have an open mind, learn from other experienced teachers, and always be willing to grow.”

Stella Yap teaches Daily Living Skills to students in Primary 4 to 6 in Pathlight School. She has been teaching for 3 years.

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Home › issue 56 mar 2016 › Cogenerating Possibilities in Classrooms Cogenerating Possibilities in Classrooms Most Read Articles

As a teacher, is there a way for you to encourage honest conversations with your students about issues in the classroom? Some educators have been trying out cogenerative dialogues with their students. 6,975 views

Cogenerative dialogues, or cogens, are structured conversations that offer a safe social space for The Importance of participants to come together and discuss their perspectives on what is happening in class. It is Effective Communication especially useful in an inclusive and educationally equitable classroom because every student is given the opportunity to express their thoughts. 4,409 views “Cogen is about understanding what individual students’ and teachers’ strengths and weaknesses are, understanding and trying to make sense of what individuals need and can do,” says Associate From the Field to the Professor Sonya N. Martin from the Seoul National University. Geography Classroom

As part of her research, Sonya has been conducting cogens in different educational settings. She was in Singapore in July 2015 and gave a talk at NIE about conducting cogens in classrooms. We 2,952 views bring you an excerpt from her talk, in which she explains what cogens are and also their characteristics. The Big Picture in Social Studies Excerpt from the talk on “Cogenerating Possibilities for Success in Science Classrooms” Subscribe “The big goal, and the thing that makes cogen different than talking to people or doing an Email Address evaluation is the idea that it’s a forwardmoving conversation. We come together to talk about some experience we shared, but it’s with an expectation that we’re going to cogenerate First Name together a plan for improving that.

Then, we move forward and we implement that action and we come back again and reflect on it. This should occur in cycles over time. Subscribe

There are some rules associated with it. The role of the structure of the dialogue is to move beyond Tags complaints or criticisms to say, well, what can we do about that? What can be done to improve how Alternative assessment Assessment we interact with each other, with the explicit goal feedback Assistive technology Character of improving our Science teaching and learning? building Character education Classroom One important thing is that we use video often. engagement Classroom relationship It’s a really important reference. When our pre Cognitive diagnostic assessments Disciplinary service teachers are in the classroom for the first literacy Field trip Fieldwork Formative time, so many things can be happening that they assessment History Holistic never notice. When we come together to reflect without the video, it’s really difficult for them to have education Humanities an accurate memory of what happened or to have any real perspective on their own practices. So we Imagination Inclusive education find the videos really useful for that. For young children, secondlanguage learners, and students Learning Learning environment Literature with disabilities, it’s a really powerful tool for them, like memory recall. Review Multidisciplinary learning Music education Peer assessment We tend to have some rules. Most teachers begin their cogens by talking about rules with students. It’s something that provides some boundaries and support for the type of dialogue we want to Redesigning Pedagogy promote. Conference Selfdetermination theory Special education Student agency The first one is no one voice should be privileged. In that, we’re trying to address some of the Teacherstudent relationship Teacher hierarchies in terms of age, between adult and children, the most popular and least popular kid, and research Teachers' so on. Conference 2014 Test construction Test validity Trial and error There are a lot of power differentials that can exist in the normal structures in classrooms and the Working memory society. So, the idea is that we want to make space for each other’s voice. We try to make rules to make sure it happens, to make sure each person is given the opportunity.

However, participants may choose not to speak. You are not required to speak in cogens. In our work with secondlanguage learners and students with disabilities, that’s one thing we look at: the degree to which participation is present. That helps us think about what are the types of tools and resources we need to provide these learners, in the event that they are thinking something and need to express themselves but have trouble doing that.

We try to focus on cogenerating an understanding of how people feel, and what’s going on. There might be some expression of critical thoughts, but we move beyond that to cogenerate a plan: What can we do to improve this?

We usually invite students to come during lunch, or before or after school. We try to do it around food, because it seems to be a motivator for kids! For people to come together to eat in a relaxed environment—it’s like a social activity. And also, we’re taking up their time, so you’d want to be thoughtful about what you’re asking them to give up.

We do cogens over time, but they have to be done consistently. One of the things is if too much time had lapsed between the first meeting where you’ve made a plan and you’re implementing it and if you don’t come back to review that, students and teachers, everyone begins to take it less seriously and your dedication will fall off, so we think consistency is really important.

Cogens can take many forms. They can be oneto one, such as a preservice teacher and an inservice teacher; or small groups, like a university faculty The thing that makes cogen member and his tutorial group, or a whole class. different than talking to people or doing an evaluation We once had a whole group of high school students is the idea that it’s a forward participating in cogens after school, for the moving conversation. professional development for new preservice teachers. They were talking about things like, if you – Sonya N. Martin, Seoul were my teacher in my school, these are some hints I National University have for you; things I’d like to tell you about.

We do a lot of autoethnography and autobiographical reflection with our teachers. In order to express yourselves in these conversations with other people, it’s important to reflect on your own beliefs about learning, teaching, and how you think people learn Science. In our work with secondlanguage learners and students with disabilities, it’s important for teachers to reflect on the biases and prejudices they hold about what’s possible for these students to learn, because we’re looking for more open dialogue with them.

We often talk to students and teachers about how the cogen should carry the spirit of authenticity in all of their conversations. This is part of the structure that allows some of the difficult conversations to occur but we still move forward. The idea is that the dialogue should be ontological, that people are sharing their perspectives and that they’re being heard. At the end, we evaluate: How effective was this dialogue? Were people experiencing changing perspectives? Am I hearing what you’re saying?

It should be educative; people should be learning from one another. You don’t have to agree with someone. The goal of cogen does not have to be that we take differences and make them same, but we appreciate where you’re coming from. So, I can maintain a different perspective, but in order for us to have shifted ontologically, I should be able to appreciate that you hold a different perspective and that it is as valid as mine.

The next and most important aspect of cogen is that it should be catalytic, that we try something different. If we just come and keep talking and talking, then nothing is changing. The most important thing is that you identify problems; you come up with some plan of action together and you go back to the classroom and you try it. And then you hold each other accountable to that, by coming back and having that dialogue again.”

Sonya N. Martin is Associate Professor in Science Education at Seoul National University in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Currently she is the Principal Investigator (PI) of a project in Korea examining the challenges of schools and teachers serving immigrant students in Korean science classrooms. In addition, she is CoPI on a project examining the impact of Confucian ideology on interactions and discourse in science classrooms in Korea, China, Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan.

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Home › issue 56 mar 2016 › International Students and Their Science Learning Experiences International Students and Their Science Learning Experiences Most Read Articles

Contributed by Ong Wee Yong, NUS High School of Mathematics and Science.

6,975 views International students are often assumed to be able to assimilate seamlessly into our local student population. But do they really? A Science teacher seeks to find out more about the assumptions made about international students and what can be done to help them The Importance of overcome the challenges they face. Effective Communication

Introduction 4,409 views The cultural diversity of Singapore schools has increased over the past few years, with the number of international students studying in Singapore increasing. However, these international students have From the Field to the generally been treated homogeneously and assumed to be able to assimilate seamlessly into the Geography Classroom local student population.

Aikenhead (1996, 2001) described how the school culture and science culture that these 2,952 views international students have grown up in back in their home countries could very well be vastly different from what they experience in their country of study, especially if their home country does not teach modern Western science. The Big Picture in Social Studies However, no studies of a similar nature have been conducted in Singapore. Therefore, I wonder if the Science education system here adequately addresses the needs of these international students Subscribe in Singapore.

Email Address Challenges Faced by International Students

Having taught in a local school for about 2 years, one of the biggest problems that I have observed international students facing is the English language barrier. First Name As English is the lingua franca and the official mode of classroom instruction in Singapore, many international students who come from countries where English is not a commonly spoken and written language generally struggle hard with learning and understanding the terms used in the classroom. Subscribe The second challenge that most international students face is that teachers do not take into consideration the language and cultural experiences of students and assume that all students are homogeneous. The Science curriculum in Singapore is very much centred around modern Western Tags science, which may conflict with the home or school curricula of international students.

As a result, international students need to gain proficiency in the literacy required to learn modern Alternative assessment Assessment Western science in Singapore. In this context, the literacy required refers to the language required feedback Assistive technology Character for social discourse, academic discourse and cultural understanding (Lee & Fradd, 1998). As such, building Character education Classroom having to gain proficiency in both science and literacy simultaneously poses a significant challenge to engagement Classroom relationship these international students. Cognitive diagnostic assessments Disciplinary literacy Field trip Fieldwork Formative A third challenge that international students face is assimilating into the local school culture. assessment History Holistic International students often come to Singapore alone, with a few other students from the same education Humanities country or, if they are fortunate, with a few other students from their school. Their social circle is Imagination Inclusive education virtually nonexistent when they first set foot in Singapore. Learning Learning environment Literature Review Multidisciplinary learning Music Building up their social circle is an important task for many of them as it is very challenging for any student, not just the international ones, to have to learn in an environment where he or she is not education Peer assessment readily socially accepted. Therefore, these international students may face additional challenges in Redesigning Pedagogy their learning as they also work towards building their social circle. Conference Selfdetermination theory Special education Student agency This is a salient point to note as learning becomes very restricted if a student’s social circle is not well Teacherstudent relationship Teacher established. This affects a student’s ability to do group work and seek peer help when struggling with research Teachers' a particular concept. Conference 2014 Test construction Test validity Trial and error In order to view this issue and its associated problems, I adopt a feminist lens to examine the above Working memory issues. A feminist lens is a critical and inclusive lens that allows me to critically examine this issue from all perspectives, including and especially from the perspective of the international students, which is often overlooked or ignored.

There are multiple assumptions made about these international students, which are often taken for granted and, as a result, left unexamined. This got me interested in wanting to find out more about these assumptions and to determine whether they are valid.

Behind these assumptions lie the voices of these potentially marginalized international students whose needs may well have been neglected. By adopting a feminist lens in my study, I provide a platform for these international students to make the challenges they face more visible.

Case Study Approach

I am using case study as the main methodology in this research study because it lets a researcher find out very detailed and personal experiences of an individual. This would provide indepth information on the different challenges and experiences various international students’ experience and yield insights on ways to help these students overcome these challenges by making appropriate changes.

Hopefully, the data and analysis from my research will contribute to existing information about international students that can eventually serve as the springboard for changes to help these students.

Progress of Study

I’m carrying out this research study as part of the Master of Arts (Education) programme offered by NIE. It is currently still at the fledgling stage, as collecting of data has just started.

I am currently conducting individual interviews with students, as well as doing videorecording of their lessons. I plan to conduct focus group discussions with them at a later part of my study.

At the end of the study, in addition to completing my thesis, I hope to publish the findings in an education journal so as to raise awareness of this issue among educators and policymakers.

References

Aikenhead, G. S. (1996). Science education: Border crossing into the subculture of science. Studies in Science Education, 27(1), 1–52.

Aikenhead, G. S. (2001). Students’ ease in crossing cultural borders into school science. Science Education, 85(2), 180–188.

Lee, O., & Fradd, S. H. (1998). Science for all, including students from nonEnglishlanguage backgrounds. Educational Researcher, 27(4), 12–21.

Ong Wee Yong is a Chemistry teacher at the NUS High School of Mathematics and Science and he has been teaching for 2 years. He is currently studying for a Master of Arts (Education) with NIE and this article is based on his research study that he is undertaking for this programme.

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Supporting All Learners Equity in Singapore Education Inclusive Education for All Confident Teachers Make for Students Confident Learners As a student, Mr Jeyaram KadivanSingapore is known for providing used to dread English Language highquality education but how is it Educational equity comprises A confident teacher would have a lessons. He struggled with … doing in terms of … many different aspects, including positive impact on his or her appropriate access to education students’ achievement, attitude, … and inclusion. It can …

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Home › issue 56 mar 2016 › Enhancing Educational Equity in Singapore Enhancing Educational Equity in Singapore Most Read Articles

Contributed by Marshall Cavendish Education.

6,975 views In Singapore, has meritocracy given us educational equity? Are our students equally prepared for the workforce when they graduate? Marshall Cavendish Education, a company that produces educational solutions, shares their perspective on equity in education. The Importance of Effective Communication Education plays an imperative role in our lives as it determines how one can achieve financial and social independence in our adult lives. Higher level of education is directly linked to a higher income, a more comfortable life and better health. An inadequate education may result in higher economic 4,409 views and social costs on healthcare, income support, child welfare and social security systems (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2008). A fair and inclusive system that From the Field to the creates benefits of education available to all is thus one of the most dynamic tools that enables Geography Classroom society to be more equitable and humanized to a greater extent from oppression (Freire, 1990).

Access to Highquality Education 2,952 views

Singapore has come a long way in establishing a The Big Picture in Social highquality education system. It was however Studies noted by Andreas Schleicher, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Deputy Director for Education and Skills that in Subscribe Singapore, “the relationship between social backgrounds and learning outcomes is about Email Address average” (Ng, 2013).

Has meritocracy given us educational equity? Are our students equally prepared for the workforce First Name when they graduate? Is there equity in education that ensures fairness, where personal and social circumstances do not pose as obstacles to achieving educational potential and inclusion; where the learning environment is the least restrictive?

It has often been incorrectly assumed that equity in education means all students will achieve the Subscribe same outcomes. In fact, equity in education means all students, regardless of where they live, who their parents are or what school they attend, have access to a highquality education. Tags In this sense, equity in schooling ensures that differences in educational outcomes are not the result of individual differences in wealth, power or possessions and Singapore has been one of those Alternative assessment Assessment successful countries in ensuring that all students have access to such quality education by having the policy of “Every School A Good School”. With a great system of policies in place, what can we as feedback Assistive technology Character educators do to enhance equity in schools? building Character education Classroom engagement Classroom relationship Reducing Achievement Gap in Students Cognitive diagnostic assessments Disciplinary literacy Field trip Fieldwork Formative In any country, including Singapore, educational achievement gaps could be one of the many assessment History Holistic attributions to differences in socioeconomic status (SES), gender, race, immigration status, learning education Humanities ability, that is to say, students are actually starting at different levels of the playing field. Imagination Inclusive education Learning Learning environment Literature For example, lowincome students may not have access to private tuition, or immigrants or foreign Review Multidisciplinary learning Music students have to master their English Language well before they learn the content. This is where the education Peer assessment education system can help to close the gap, levelling up each student’s ability in order to assist them in their educational paths, which is what our local schools have been doing. Redesigning Pedagogy Conference Selfdetermination In nurturing the students, MOE has also in recent years created greater flexibility and diversity in theory Special education Student agency education, such as introducing a wider range of curricula, such as International Baccalaureate (IB), Teacherstudent relationship Teacher and having specialized schools and new programmes to meet the diverse learning needs of research Teachers' students. Conference 2014 Test construction Test validity Trial and error Nevertheless, students themselves have to be prepared to take on the challenges and be motivated Working memory with the resources and opportunities which are made accessible to all.

While many parents aspire to have their children be successful in their educational paths and become highly sought after in employment, the students often find themselves drifting along in the educational system with little understanding of their abilities, interests and career choices. This results in students being unable to seize the irons in the fire. Unrealized potential due to the underachievement of such students can be considered a loss to the society.

Instead of focusing on the educational changes per se, we should perhaps be more concerned about a child’s interest in learning, rather than just the grades. We could try to understand how educational changes could cultivate healthy attitude and strong character among students so that they strive to do their best, become more “resilient”, work hard, and rise up regardless of social and educational backgrounds. Some examples could be helping students turn their weaknesses into strengths or helping them recognize their strengths with strengthbased learning strategies.

Enhance Teacher Training in Special Needs

A controversial topic that has often been in the limelight is whether the overemphasis of academic success in our meritocratic society has allowed Instead of focusing on the maximum educational opportunities for students of all educational changes per se, abilities. we should perhaps be more concerned about a child’s It is important to note that everyone has a right to interest in learning, rather learn and none of us possess the same level of ability than just the grades. when it comes to learning. As Singapore moves towards a more inclusive society, greater attention has – Marshall Cavendish turned to special education and emphasis has been Education given to equipping special education (SPED) students with the knowledge, skills and attributes to become independent and contributing citizens in the 21st century through the revised SPED curriculum framework in 2012, which articulates a set of desired living, learning and working outcomes (SocialEmotional, Academic, Daily Living, Vocational, the Arts, Physical Education and Sports) in a holistic way (MOE, 2016).

The educational pathways for students with special needs have also been revamped to create more opportunities to those who are able to progress and achieve at their own pace to realize their potentials and achieve nationally recognized skills certification.

Mainstream schools have also been greatly supported by not only specialized teachers but also counsellors, allied educators and administrators to assist with the increasing number of students with special educational needs. Despite such provisions, much support and understanding should still be given to each student who has different learning difficulties.

In Victoria, Australia, a legislation has just been passed by the state government on all teachers to undertake professional development in special needs education in order to retain their registration as a teacher, which is part of its plan to improve the quality of teaching for students with disabilities and additional needs and promote inclusive practices in all schools (DET, 2015).

All preservice teachers will also be trained to teach learners with disabilities and to differentiate instruction to develop inclusive and positive learning environments. Research has shown that teachers who received professional development in special needs education are more likely to have positive attitudes towards inclusion (Loreman, Forlin & Sharma, 2007).

Teacher professional development in Singapore can perhaps aim to equip every teacher with knowledge and skills to understanding students’ needs, handle their differences and meltdowns, and support them more effectively. Teachers themselves also have to make time to attend such professional development.

With a concerted effort, we could create a less restrictive environment not only for the students with special needs but also a more positive learning environment for all learners.

References

Freire, P. (1990). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Continuum: New York.

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (2008). Ten steps to equity in Education (Policy Brief, OECD Observer). Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/ publications/Policybriefs

Ng, Y. J. (2013, December 10). S’pore can do better in ensuring educational equity. Today. Retrieved from http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/sporecandobetterensuringeducationalequity

Ministry of Education (MOE). (2016). Raising the quality of special education (SPED). Singapore: MOE. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/specialeducation/curriculumframework

Department of Education and Training (DET). (2015). Special needs plan. Victoria, Australia: Victoria State Government Department of Education and Training. Retrieved from http://www.education.vic. gov.au/about/department/Pages/specialneeds.aspx?Redirect=1#link53

Loreman, T., Forlin, C., & Sharma, U. (2007). An international comparison of preservice teacher attitudes towards inclusive education. Disability Studies Quarterly, 27(4). Retrieved from http://dsq sds.org/article/view/53/53 Marshall Cavendish Education is the leading provider of K12 educational solutions in Singapore. With over 40 years of experience, our holistic blend of pedagogically sound curriculum, digital technology and professional development has been specially developed to meet the needs of teachers and students in more than 50 countries. Our wellresearched and quality content has given students a competitive edge in the global economy and contributed to Singapore’s top ranking in international studies.

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