UNDER the watchful tutelage of senior educational therapist Albert Lee, a dyslexic student transformed from an unhappy girl into a confident and promising artist. At the Dyslexia Association of Singapore’s (DAS) graduation ceremony earlier this year, she presented her artwork to the guest of honour and Senior Minister of State for Education, Ms Grace Fu.
Recounting the experience like a proud father, Mr Lee says: “That was a marked change from several years ago when I first taught her.
“Then, she had a lot of angst about her learning difficulty. Now, she is a self-assured girl who channels her energy into creative art, which has won her numerous awards.”
He adds: “There is a misconception that a man is not suited to teaching students in the special education sector.
“Actually, male teachers can play the part of a fatherly figure or an older brother and especially so for our predominantly male students.”
Educating kids and teachers
As an educational therapist, Mr Lee teaches literacy skills to children who are diagnosed with dyslexia — a specific learning disability characterised by difficulties in reading, spelling or writing.
In the last year, he has also taken on a lecturer’s role to conduct courses and workshops for parents and educators.
He recently returned from Hong Kong, where he taught a group of teachers how to support the dyslexic students in their schools.
At DAS, he typically works from 8.30am to 7pm.
Besides lecturing and teaching, he also has to design his lessons in advance according to each student’s progress.
Mr Lee, who uses multi-sensory approaches to teach his students, says: “There are times when despite using the conventional teaching methods, a child still does not ‘get it’.
“I have to come up with different methods to make the student understand. Doing so is a challenge, but it makes each day a different day.
“As a lecturer, I am also developing a couple of new courses, and the process involves a lot of planning and initiative.
“This, too, can be very challenging and can weigh like a ton on your shoulders if you are relatively new to it.”
To overcome the challenges and ensure he is on the right track, he seeks help and support from experts in the respective fields.
For example, he attended the British Dyslexia Association’s conference in England last year, and grabbed the chance to speak to prominent researchers and educators to learn about their work.
He also attends DAS’ in-service training workshops and other conferences to learn about the latest developments in the fields of educational support and dyslexia.
From marketing to teaching
To become an educational therapist, Mr Lee, who has an accountancy degree from Nanyang Technological University, says that an aspiring teacher needs to have a bachelor’s degree and a genuine interest to work in the non-profit sector to help dyslexic students.
Formerly in the marketing line, Mr Lee himself had harboured a desire to make a difference to special needs learners.
Before long, he joined DAS, and along the way, he obtained a Cambridge International Diploma for Teachers and Trainers from the University of Cambridge.
“I enjoy helping dyslexic learners in my own little ways, although work can be very challenging when I meet demanding parents who channel their frustration at their child’s learning difficulty to the teachers.
“But it can be just as fulfilling when appreciative parents thank us for our help,” says Mr Lee.
Workshops for parents
“I also get great satisfaction from conducting workshops for parents of left-handed and dyslexic children, and it is very heartwarming when these parents tell me how the workshop has helped them understand their children’s needs better,” he adds.
Mr Lee was featured on radio and television last month to raise awareness of the workshop and the International Left-Hander’s Day on Aug 13, and he counts the experience as a truly memorable accomplishment.
Driven to achieve more, he sees himself developing the use of information technology to support dyslexic learners and, in the process, carve out a rewarding lifelong career and see more of his students blossom.
|
