It is heartening that the Ministry of Education (MOE) is reviewing the career and training guidelines for special education (Sped) teachers, as well as standardising the career framework across the 19 Sped schools (More avenues for special education teachers to progress, Sept 3).

This will raise the standard of the Sped teaching profession and also make it more attractive as a career.

Another important aspect is giving Sped teachers greater access to work-relevant courses through the SkillsFuture initiative.

There has been a trend of teachers from Sped schools enrolling in dyslexia-related courses at the DAS Academy to be better equipped to help children from Sped schools with literacy and other co-occurring difficulties. Many of them have inquired about the use of SkillsFuture credits to support their self-initiated learning.

Also, numerous parents who wish to better support their children with dyslexia and related learning differences have also inquired about using SkillsFuture credits to defray the cost of training.

Children with dyslexia and special educational needs require educators and parents with specialised and high-quality support skills to help them achieve their full potential.

We hope to work with a public agency and SkillsFuture Singapore to support educators and parents who wish to develop their teaching and caregiving skills through the SkillsFuture initiative.

June Siew

Head of DAS Academy, a subsidiary of the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS)