Teacher talk: How and why SPED teachers help students learn in spite of challenges

28 Aug 2024

Ms Hazwani tailors success for each student, identifying their abilities and finding ways to help them progress, even if visible improvement takes years.

In special education (SPED), triumphs often arrive in quiet moments: a non-verbal student communicates for the first time, or a child grasps a challenging concept after weeks of patient guidance. These seemingly small victories form the heartbeat of a SPED teacher’s journey.

Read on to discover how our SPED teachers create daily triumphs with students, families, and the community.

“Equity means giving every student a fair shot at success”

Mr Teo Poh Seng Alex, Teacher, APSN Katong School

“One of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences was teaching a student who needed significant daily practice to develop and retain her numeracy skills. Every day brought unpredictability – sometimes she’d forget everything we’d worked on, other times she’d recall a past lesson perfectly. We shared moments of frustration and tears, but also celebratory high-fives

This experience confirmed my belief in customising teaching methods to meet students where they are at. For this student, we started with concrete materials, moved to pictorial representations, and after nearly a year of persistent effort, she could work out calculations using the number line – a visual representation of numbers on a horizontal line.

And I’ll never forget the day she told me, “Mr Alex, I don’t think I need the physical number line anymore, it’s already in my head.” The experience motivated me to challenge students to overcome their perceived limits.”

Photos by: Ms Farhanna Bte Mohd Zin, Executive, Educational Technology, APSN Katong School

“Having strong teacher-student bonds is key to teaching daily living skills”

Ms Tan Huey Jong (Life Skills Head of Department), Ms Siti Rafidah (Daily Living Skills Head of Department), Ms Nasyriah Binte Jamel (Teacher), Pathlight School

“For us, success is seeing our students become independent individuals. We’re committed to making our lessons as authentic as possible, so students can apply what they have learnt outside the classroom too. Take bedmaking, for example. Not only do we teach them how to do it, we also have students photograph each step with an iPad. This way, they create their own visual guides for future use.

When we go out in the community, we create opportunities for them to practise using public transport and eating at hawker centres. It’s more than just honing essential life skills – we’re also building confidence, improving social interactions, and applying classroom learning to real-world scenarios. Crucially, connecting with our students is key to teaching all of this. It’s a principle we hold close to our hearts.”

Photos by: Students from Photography CCA and staff, Pathlight School

“Beyond teaching life skills, I nurture my students’ love for nature”

Ms Neo Xu Qi, Horticulture Trainer, Delta Senior School

“‘Involve me and I learn’ isn’t just a saying – it guides the way I teach. As a horticulture trainer, I take great pride in guiding my students to learn through hands-on experiences in gardening and hydroponics. The students really get their hands dirty – planting seeds, taking care of the plants, and harvesting their own crops.

To deepen our hands-on learning experiences, I weave in mindfulness activities into our gardening lessons. I guide my students to focus on their breathing and surroundings, sharpening their awareness of senses like sight and scent.

This helps them better connect with nature, allowing them to truly appreciate its wonders and regulate their emotions. Seeing their enthusiasm for gardening blossom truly makes my day.”

Photos by: Ms Siti Nur Badriyah, Executive, Educational Technology, Delta Senior School

“I seize opportunities to teach my students about self-advocacy”

Mr Wong Kok Wei, Teacher, Pathlight School

“When my students get to be ‘givers’ not just ‘takers’, they become more confident. That’s why I’m passionate about creating opportunities for them to learn while helping the community.

Seeing their potential, I seized the opportunity for some of them, who were scouts, to volunteer for the National Day Istana Open House. During the event, the students presented themselves professionally, took initiative, and persevered through the long hours. Their efforts were even noticed by teachers from other schools. This showed us that when our students get involved in giving back to the community, they’re actually speaking up for themselves. It’s a chance for everyone to see just how capable they are.

Recently, some students came up with the idea of giving back to our service staff. They prepared care packs and appreciation cards for the service staff, which taught them the joy of thanking those who support us daily. It’s about nurturing compassionate, active members of society. More importantly, it shows everyone that these students can contribute meaningfully.”

Photo by: School Staff, Pathlight School

“My students discover their aspirations through meaningful work experiences”

Ms Ang Wei Lin, Teacher, Rainbow Centre Yishun Park School

“I transitioned from my marketing role in a Fast-Moving Consumer Goods company to become a Special Education teacher when I recognised that the work I do needs to be meaningful to me. This career shift was inspired by my own journey in finding purpose, and now I’m driven to guide my students to uncover their vocational passions and find their version of a purposeful career.

For my students to successfully transition to work after graduation, they need to be independent, both at home and in the community. So, we work on real-life skills like planning bus routes, managing money, talking to people, and regulating their emotions. It’s not just about textbook learning – we put those Maths and social skills to use in practical ways. I try to create a supportive environment where they can practise these skills and build confidence.

Watching these young individuals grow into independent adults is an affirmation that my efforts are making a lasting impact on their lives and futures.”

Photo by: Ms Intan Lianah Mohd Tauhid, Lead Teacher, Rainbow Centre Yishun Park School

“Teaming up with colleagues amplifies our impact on students”

Ms Dindi Delos Santos, Teacher, Delta Senior School

“As a teacher, I wear many hats – educator, counsellor, advocate, events planner, and caregiver. It’s challenging, but good time management and teamwork help. My colleagues and I often share ideas and learn from each other. I’m always in awe of what we accomplish together.

For years, we’ve guided students to run storytelling sessions at the community library. Now, we’re preparing our Year 1 and 2 students for an upcoming musical. In our Literacy department, each of us has a unique role in planning for this musical – I’m the scriptwriter, while my colleagues take on the roles of the costume designer, music coordinator, props manager and the director. Together, we tap on each other’s strengths to ensure the play runs smoothly.

Watching our students step out of their comfort zones, improve their social skills, and gain confidence all while preparing for the musical brings us teachers so much fulfilment. The students’ effort makes every role I play worthwhile.”

Photos by: Ms Siti Nur Badriyah, Executive, Educational Technology, Delta Senior School

“Before you start developing staff, you have to get to know them first”

Ms Ng Poh Li Theresa, School Staff Developer, APSN Katong School

“The key to planning effective professional development is really getting to know my colleagues – their strengths and concerns and what motivates them. However, being new to the school, I knew not to expect immediate openness about these things. To overcome this challenge, I studied staff photographs, walked along classroom corridors to match faces to the names on classroom doors, and talked to colleagues before and after lessons and during recess.

I’m really interested in developing our teacher aides who play an important role in supporting teaching and learning and have significant untapped potential. Witnessing a Senior Teacher Aide (TA) apply her learning from a Behavioural Management course to support students with high needs, and then share her learning with her TA mentees really brings meaning to my work.

I believe that professional development isn’t just about picking up new skills or information. It’s about how we use what we’ve learnt to help our students and support our fellow educators.”

Photos by: Mr Benson Lim, Volunteer, APSN Katong School

“Teaching students can never be a one-man show”

Ms Hazwani Binte Alwi, Teacher, Rainbow Centre Yishun Park School

“While I focus on building essential skills in the classroom, it’s crucial to have parents and caregivers reinforce the learning at home.

I keep parents informed about their child’s progress through bi-weekly updates and invite them to sit in sessions with the allied professionals. This way, they can observe and engage in classroom activities with their children.

For me, success is hearing about a child applying skills learnt in school at home. It’s rewarding when, for example, a student learns to make hot Milo in school then uses similar skills to prepare instant noodles at home. It makes me happy when parents share these small but significant achievements with me. It’s these moments of being on the same page that show we’re really making a difference.”