by on 11/12/2019 807 555
The International Special Needs Children (ISNC) is located in Subang Jaya, a self-contained hub of education institutions and various eateries among others. The school is built specifically to help children with learning difficulties, behavioural challenges, and other neurodevelopmental diagnosis. When interviewed, the Executive Director of ISNC, Ms. Pua Chee Ling, said this doesn’t signify that the children aren’t smart, talented, or capable, just that they have to go through some specific challenges that a “normal” student wouldn’t have to face. During the interview, alongside Ms. Pua Chee Ling was Mr. Charlie Robin Wong Ya Ann—a teacher and a counsellor at ISNC—who had kindly joined us to give a different perspective through his professional role as a counsellor that empowers diverse individuals and families to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals. Both Ms. Pua and Mr. Charlie have asserted that ISNC is working to shatter the stigma against special needs children through community collaboration, where they aspire to bringing hope and education to advocate for resources and overcoming these obstacles.
ISNC provides special education services that comprise Early Intervention Programme (EIP), academic tutoring (UK National Curriculum), behavioural, and other therapy intervention that will aid them in developing basic skills, such as gross-motor, fine-motor, self-care, and cognitive skills. As every child is unique, ISNC aims to provide special education services that fit their own learning style. This is done through integrating an academic platform with a conducive learning environment that suits the children’s academic learning style. For many of these students, their learning process can be improved through various types of learning—audible, visual, tactical, experiential, as well as kinesthetic learning. The special education teachers at ISNC are trained professionals that understand the unique needs of these children. This school has a multidisciplinary team of qualified and dedicated professionals. The team members have incorporated their individual roles and expertise to formulate an IEP (Individualised Education Plan) for each student to provide them with an effective learning experience. Apart from being highly qualified and experienced teachers, they also have a passion to make a difference in your child. A little passion goes a long way, they say. This definitely ties in perfectly with ISNC’s Vision and Mission.
To have a life-changing impact on the lives of the children, parents, families, and communities.
Every child is an individual with special social, emotional, intellectual, and physical qualities. They are unique. A child’s development progresses according to certain sequences; however, the pace may vary. Some may lag behind their peers due to social and emotional challenges, or other learning difficulties. Special needs children require professional help to curb these difficulties in one or more developmental areas by minimising any significant regression or discrepancies found when compared with their agemates through special education services. At ISNC, learning and therapy go hand-in-hand. It is understood that these special children struggle to adapt to the traditional classroom environment. Hence, this school equips them with the environment and skills they need. There is a padded room for children to vent out when they are triggered but without hurting themselves, and the school has a minimalist decor to avoid rousing the children in any way that a cluttered environment could. Parents who struggle to find the right place for help and support for their children are welcome to pay ISNC a visit to experience the environment first-hand. ISNC is where your child feels at home.
An IEP is a legally binding document that is specifically designed to meet each child’s individual needs. Focusing on both the strengths and weakenesses of a child, an IEP covers various areas of learning and development, such as:
Mr. Pua and Mr. Charlie also said that ISNC has always focused on developing each child into a whole person. The school offers programmes that are designed to cover all key areas of development based on the child’s own needs, style, and pace. The subjects offered here are: English, Mathematics, Science, Music, and Art and Design.
The school community at ISNC organises workshops and activities that allow parents, families, and other community to get an awareness of Special Education. ISNC welcomes everyone to join in and support our children in their journey to becoming a whole person. ISNC hopes that this will spur on a more human society and eventually, build happier and healthier communities.
