Dyslexia programme for secondary school
The Death Knell for the Dyslexia Programmefter Standard 6?
There was relief and great hope for the parents when the Pilot Dyslexia Programme was launched in June 2004 at S.K. TTDI (2). My son is one of the pioneer dyslexics in this programme.
The initial plan was for 16 dyslexic and 3 Special Ed teachers for this pilot school. Unfortunately due to the poor response from some of the schools earmarked for this Dyslexia Programme many parents had no choice but to send their dyslexic children to this school. This Pilot school is now overcrowded with 28 dyslexics and only 2 Specially trained teachers.
As with every project, once the ‘hoohah’ of the launch is over, the project will slowly die a natural death. There are so many dyslexics in different classes and different Standards that the existing 2 teachers cannot cope. So the dyslexics are left on their own. The ‘normal’ or regular class teachers usually leave the dyslexics alone and do not interfere or show much concern with this ‘group’ of students.
These special kids are ‘okay’ because they have their own ‘dyslexic gang’. There is camaraderie amongst them. They usually mix around with their own ‘kind’ and do not mix often with the non-dyslexics. Peer support is very important for these children as they know that they are not ALONE. There are many of them in this school.
The first batch of dyslexics (only 4 students) in this pilot project will be sitting for their UPSR exams in 2007. What has been done to assist this 4 children for their UPSR next year? The SIBKOM that was shown at PWTC this March looks very promising. Can it be ready for this 1st batch of dyslexics? SK TTDI (2) has 20 new computers in their computer lab. Therefore hardware is not a problem. Manpower should also be not a problem as there are only 4 students. As this school is the pilot school for the Dyslexia Programme, why not use this school to be the pilot for the SIBKOM too?.
Was informed that the Ministry feels that these kids have been given enough support in the Primary school and should be able to cope in the ‘normal’ Secondary School. Hence NO Dyslexia Programme for the Secondary school. Hence the DEATHTOLL for these pioneer dyslexics.
It is a well known fact amongst Learning Disability experts and research has shown that special Children with learning disabilities need support from Day 1 till they graduate from school. PERIOD. SO why start a programme at all when there will be no Follow through till the end up to the Secondary level?
As usual, there will always be new projects launched every now and then – the lastest being the KIA early readers programme – to detect children who unable to read in Std 1. The statistics in the newspapers shows that as many as 30% of the students in the primary schools are still not able to read after having gone through 6 years of primary education? I would not be surprised if these 30% consists of dyslexics too. Were the non-readers analysed to detect why they could not read?
All the parents in this Programme nationwide (30 schools nationwide has been earmarked for this Programme in 2004 and 100 schools in 2007) are at a loss now as to what to do with their special children after their UPSR exams? The 100 schools earmarked for the Dyslexia Programme in 2007 should consist of Secondary schools too!
Put the dyslexics back in the ‘normal’ secondary school is putting them back to square One. They will be doomed for Failure without peer support and Special trained teachers in Dyslexia to give them the moral support.
Please note that worldwide Statistics put the percentage of Dyslexics at 10%. This means out of every 10 kids there is one dyslexic. A very high ratio, much more than Downs Syndrome (1 in 600), Cerebral Palsy (2 per 1,000) and Epilepsy (5 per 1,000).
Dyslexics can contribute to society if given the opportunity. Look at the famous dyslexics -Albert Einstein, Leonardo daVinci, Lee Kwan Yew, Winston Churchill, John Lennon, Tom Cruise, Walt Disney, etc
On the other hand, if support is not given, these dyslexics can be menace to society –they are capable of being the greatest Bank Robber as they are intelligent but have learning difficulties. So if not given the educational support in their teenage years, they will revert to crime. Look at statistics carried out in the States and UK. One out of every 2 prisoner is a Dyslexic. Do we need this in Malaysia?
I sincerely hope the Ministry of Education would look into continuing this Dyslexia Programme into the Secondary schools. Not only for the sake of these kids but for the sake of our NATION. The crime rate is increasing and if an analysis was done on these criminals, I would not be surprised that a large number of these criminals have been rejected by society when they were in school because they could not read and cope up with the school syllabus and hence reverted to crime.
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE! Start the Dyslexia Programme fot the Secondary Schools NOW!
From a very worried mother,
Cho Suet Sen
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About
My name is Suet, a happily married lady with a very supportive husband staying in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. We have 2 school-going children.
We have an Indonesian maid who has been with us for 6 years, 2 dogs, birds, chickens, Koi and goldfishes. No more of the punky guinea pigs anymore (All died of old age). Photo below of maid washing figs (moh fah khor) to be made into fig jam. I planted 3 fig trees outside my garden.
We are surrounded by numerous luscious organic plants and trees. More than 20 fruit trees, vegetables and herbal plants are found in my garden.
Photos of fruits & flowers from my garden
In 1998, I volunteered to write the Minutes for one of CETDEM’s 2 days’ Organic Conference. From that meeting, I was ‘initiated’ into the world of organic farming – meeting and chatting with the farmers, retailers, Ministry and MARDI participants. After this conference, I signed up for CETDEM’s 2 days’ weekend organic course at Rimbun Dahan and never looked back.
I believe I am one of the very few organic kitchen gardeners in the city that does her own composting. I have 2 large compost bins (courtesy from my ever supportive husband – his machine crates from Italy) and all my kitchen waste and leaves from my garden and surroundings are used to make the compost. 
On top of using the chicken dung as fertilisers for my plants, I also make my own liquid fertilisers like fish amino acids and fruit and vegetable peelings.
I am a great supporter of the organic movement and will help Ms Tan(well-known as the mother of Organic Farming here) wherever I can in promoting the organic movement.
In 2001, I found out that my son has a learning disorder. STAR published my article titled “Children with reading problems” in March 2003 .
When my article was published, there were so many phone calls for the following 2 weeks that I had to take my phone off the hook for a few hours each day otherwise I would not have any rest. I am glad that my article has created lots of awareness amongst parents on dyslexia as there were not many articles written by parents then.
My son is presently in the Dyslexia Programme which was launched in June 2004. There are currently 30 schools earmarked with this Dyslexia Programme.
I am also the Secretary for my Residents Association and a Volunteer Librarian at a neighbouring temple.
All these activities keep me busy besides having to take care of hubby and the kids, not forgetting the 3 dogs, the birds, chickens and fishes. Then having to shoo away uninvited guests like the squirrels, iguanas, rats, etc…… not forgetting the humans who will conveniently take the fruits of my labour outside my garden. Sigh! that’s life….
Well, at least I am helping to green the earth and reduce waste through my organic ways.
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Recent
- Meeting with Dato’ Lat – 1 Nov 2009
- Fruits of my labour
- Pot of herbs and flowers
- bouquet of organic flowers
- line dancing – Bandar Sunway
- herb and flower basket
- Mien Kum – thai appetizer
- Foo Shearn’s drawings
- Bio dynamic farming (Qi farming)- 20 June 2009
- Singing at Brickfields temple- 28June 2009
- New Subang Centre – 15 April 2009
- Persons with Disablities Act 2008 Forum at Bar Council
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Links
Hi Suet,
I totally agree with you and I do hope the Ministry will take this program seriously. We could have more dyslexic students than we had thought. I’m suspecting that my son is dyslexic too – and at a kindy’s age, he’s already hating school. I’m doing a lot of personal coaching with him, but I’m worried about his primary years that will begin next year. Should I go homeschooling instead, since the proper support is not available in our public school system? I don’t want him to be labelled as stupid or lazy by his teachers and friends. That’ll definitely affect his self-esteem.