Dr. Eunice Tan
Break Out Presenter
Head
Special Needs Minor
Singapore University of Social Science
Dr Eunice Tan is a faculty member of the Singapore University of Singapore (SUSS). She heads the Special Education programme in the S R Nathan School of Human Development and is currently working on some research projects involving individuals with special needs.
Eunice has been in the special needs field in Singapore for many years. In terms of the child/student sector, she was a special education teacher and a principal of a special school. She also worked in the social service sector for the adult disability sector.
Eunice also has a personal purpose in life. Her older son has autism and she wants to help improve the special needs landscape in Singapore. She believes that every person in Singapore is entitled to a life of dignity and self-worth, regardless of the severity of their disability.
Presentation Topic and Synopsis
Understanding and Supporting Children with Special Needs: a Strengths-Based Approach
How can an educator continue to motivate a child who is disinterested in learning? What are the tools and approaches an educator can tap on to keep engaging a withdrawn child?
This presentation explores the use of the strength-based approach to enable every child to reach their learning potential. It is a strategy to move away from a deficit-based methodology which inadvertently may lead to an extensive list of things that the child cannot do or is unable to do. This approach works on the fundamental strengths and interests of the child in which learning becomes interesting and meaningful to that child.