2. (Appendix 1)
Family support yek (key) in beating dyslexia
Achievers: Teo Heng Soon (second from left), 16, with his brother,Mr Teo Heng Hao, 24, and their parents, Mr Teo Chiang
Wee and Mrs Lynne Teo.
Sunday, Jul 06, 2014
The NewPaper
By Derek Wong
http://yourhealth.asiaone.com/content/family-support-yek-key-beating-dyslexia#sthash.gfNhi8J8.dpuf
SINGAPORE - Teo Heng Soon could tell his left hand from his right only when he was in primary
school.
And he was able to recall the months of the year in the right order only when he was in Seconday 2.
But now at 16, he is about to take his O levels as an express stream student. He is also eloquent,
active and is captain of his school's dance team.He managed all this after overcoming the challenges
of dyslexia through sheer determination and strong family support.
His achievement has won him the Dyslexic Association of Singapore's (DAS) Young Achievers
Award this year.
The award, sponsored by OCBC Bank, comes with a $5,000 scholarship.
Dyslexia is a developmental reading disorder. Dyslexics find it harder to learn to read and understand
what they read despite them having normal or above-average intelligence.
Heng Soon's parents, company director Teo Chiang Wee and housewife Lynne Teo, both 53, have
another dyslexic son who also beat the odds.
3. Their second son, Mr Teo Heng Hao, 24, is studying in Australia. He, too, beat the condition to win
the inaugural Young Achievers Award in 2011.
While Mr Teo struggled until Sec 3 before his dyslexia was diagnosed, Heng Soon, the youngest of
four sons, was fortunate as his condition was confirmed when he was nine.
Mrs Teo said her "antennae shot up" when Heng Soon was unable to read or write by Primary 1. By
the time he was in Primary 3, she was certain he had dyslexia and she sought help from the DAS,
which trains dyslexic children through multi-sensory teaching.
The brothers study nearly three times as hard as their peers just to keep up.
For Heng Soon, paying attention in class is a huge challenge. He has to be trained to be mindful of
what goes on in class.
With strong family support, he soon improved. Mr Teo, in particular, often kept his younger brother
in his "rear-view mirror". But being a dyslexic himself did not mean he could easily help his brother.
"While I used a harsh and disciplined method on myself," Mr Teo said, "I realised I could not
replicate this on Heng Soon. Even though we are both dyslexic, we respond differently. I had to use a
softer approach to help him."
CHALLENGE
Heng Soon's other brothers, Heng Bin and Heng Xuan, would help plan his study schedule and
challenge him academically, especially in history, his favourite subject.
His parents would drive him to the DAS for his twice-weekly sessions.
Heng Soon tries to stay focused on his goal of studying banking and finance at Ngee Ann
Polytechnic.
"Even though it is very draining to take so much longer than everyone else to learn the same things, I
try to keep awake by drinking green tea," he said.
"I also often meditate on what I want to keep myself motivated.
"Dyslexia has given me an opportunity to be more disciplined and also more empathetic."
4. (Appendix 2)
3 achievers not held back by dyslexia
Sunday, 26/06/2011 Source: The Sunday Times
By: Sia Ling Xin
https://www.healthxchange.com.sg/News/Pages/3-achievers-not-held-back-by-dyslexia.aspx
Winners of the inaugural Young Achiever’s Award from
the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (from left) Ms Rini
Tan, Mr Lucas Chia and Mr Teo Heng Hao.
ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA
Five years ago, when Mr Teo Heng Hao was in Secondary 4, he made himself a promise that once he
had
cleared his O levels, he would strive to finish any future examinations within the same time as his
peers. Mr Teo, now 21 and serving national service, is dyslexic and suffered taunts during his school
days.
Dyslexia, a learning disorder, affects a person’s ability to master a language. Schools usually give such
students extra time to complete their exam papers.
Mr Teo said: “Some schoolmates thought I was ‘retarded’ because I was given more time, or they
complained
that it was unfair. “I didn’t like hearing those comments, so I told myself I would not use the extra
time allocated to me once I completed my O levels.”
He went on to graduate from Ngee Ann Polytechnic with a business diploma, scoring a high grade
point average of 3.7. “It was definitely more difficult and very stressful during exams. Sometimes I
thought that if I took the extra time, I would score better grades. But the truth is, no one is going to
give you extra time in the working
world, so I wanted to start training myself to work fast,” he added.
Mr Teo is one of three recipients of the inaugural Young Achiever’s Award given out yesterday by the
Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS). The awards, which honour dyslexic youth for exemplary
and inspiring achievements, were given out at the annual DAS student graduation ceremony held at
Fusionopolis.
5. A total of 90 students graduated from a DAS programme that assists dyslexic youth in areas such as
reading and spelling. As dyslexic children may struggle with literacy abilities, the scheme works to
“fit” their chronological age with their literacy abilities before they can graduate. All three award
recipients graduated from this programme several years ago.
Mr Teo, who was also in the national karate team, said he was both honoured and surprised to be
chosen. “It reaffirms the effort I have put in over the years to improve myself and is a reminder to keep
working hard,” he said.
The other recipients were Ms Rini Tan, 18, a polytechnic student; and Mr Lucas Chia, 23, who is
awaiting university admission.
Both are involved in the performing arts. Ms Tan is a member of the Singapore Ballet Academy, and
Mr Chia performed at the Youth Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies. He has taken on
theatre roles since he was four.
Ms Tan, a Singapore Polytechnic international business student, said she hopes to reach out to dyslexic
youth to remind them that they are able to achieve “just as many things as others”.
Mr Chia said: “There will always be people who don’t really understand the disorder, but as long as
we explain things to them and do not take their misconceptions to heart, things will be okay.”
The event’s guest of honour, Mrs Lim Thian Loke, deputy director of psychological services and
psychological
assessment and research at the Ministry of Education, said she hoped dyslexic youth would “be
inspired by the accomplishments of the DAS Young Achievers”.
