UNITE SPLD 2020

Lee Siang, Chief Executive Officer, Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Add to Calendar

This presentation will consider the issue of ADHD and will present the case for difference over the deficit. We will consider how education and employment may view individuals on the ADHD spectrum and how best to fulfil the needs of both.

Add to Calendar

Stream A: Differentiation

Stream B: Teacher Support and School Leadership

Stream C: EduTech, Assessment for Learning and Advocacy

Add to Calendar

Lee Siang, Chief Executive Officer, Dyslexia Association of Singapore

Add to Calendar

Literacy development may be influenced by various factors such as family background, classroom instruction, and type of orthography. Based on the findings, we developed a model called the Componential Model of Reading (CMR), which includes three components: cognitive component, which is based on the Simple View of Reading, psychological component, consisting of motivation and interest, and ecological component, which includes home environment, dialect, teacher knowledge, and orthography. In this talk, I shall present our research on literacy development based on CMR and how it can be applied to assess and instruct individuals with dyslexia and other related reading problems.

Add to Calendar

When children come from different language backgrounds learning to read can be impacted significantly. Research demonstrates that the more dialect children use the more difficult their reading and writing development will be. It has been hypothesized across languages that this greater linguistic distance from the written standard creates a kind of cognitive dissonance for children as they must manage the mismatch between their spoken variety and the language of books. This presentation will focus on dialect differences, their impact on both reading and writing and the impact of these differences on teaching and learning.

Add to Calendar

If you find two of the four basic foundations of communication, that is, reading and writing, problematic and yet others seem to face no discernible issues then your daily struggle impacts upon you, your self-esteem and your mental health and well being. We are currently finding our way through unprecedented times causing increased levels of anxiety and social pressures. Remote learning has become a given for many students worldwide. This session will take the key issues that have presented during this period and seek to establish what features worked to support our students and crucially, how this evidence can be translated into changed practice as we return to the new normal.

Add to Calendar

Speaker: Edmen Leong

The topic of reading motivation and struggling readers ignites interest in the field where educators strive to support these learners who require additional support and encouragement to read. Groups of struggling readers are typically generalised as unmotivated to read since it requires them a lot more effort to read. This literature review aims to consolidate the findings of empirical studies on reading motivation and struggling readers for the purpose of revealing patterns or gaps in past empirical findings. Past research revealed three categories of findings. The first evaluated the influence of motivational constructs on struggling readers. These have suggested that struggling readers are generally rated poorly in reading motivation scores with low Self-Efficacy and Value most often observed. The second summarised the literature revolving around the relationship between reading motivation and reading achievement comparing groups of struggling readers and typical readers. These revealed differing patterns of how reading motivation impacts reading achievement. The third summarised the literature revolving around strategies including extensive reading, positive reading experiences, or social interactions that can that impact reading motivation.

Add to Calendar

The incidence of dyslexia in the Singaporean entrepreneurial population is unknown. This study compares Singaporean Entrepreneurs who have dyslexia and those who do not have dyslexia. This research examines the education and business experiences and personal attributes of Singaporean Entrepreneurs and to identify the differences between those with dyslexia and those who do not have dyslexia. A survey was conducted over a 12-month period and the data revealed that the incidence of dyslexia in the Singapore entrepreneurial population was at 26% more than 2.5 times than the general population. The educational experiences of dyslexic entrepreneurs were significantly negative for primary and secondary education; however, in tertiary education, their educational experiences were significantly positive. The business experiences and attributes of Singapore entrepreneurs are statistically similar, but one of the factors for dyslexic entrepreneurs to start their own business was their dyslexia. Dyslexic entrepreneurs scored significantly less in empathy, interpersonal skills, public speaking and memory ability, factors that can be attributed to having a learning difference. Two attributes where dyslexic entrepreneurs scored significantly higher were visual thinking and visual-spatial ability. The findings from this research can be used to support the development of policies and support for Dyslexic Entrepreneurs in Singapore.

Add to Calendar