Goh (seated sixth right), Anne (seated fifth left) with the workshop participants from the second session.
MIRI: Operators of pre-schools as well as their teaching staff should be given more exposure on training programmes related to the caring and teaching of special needs children.
Darvisyther Rogis a kindergarten teacher strongly believed that such training programmes will be able to provide pre-school teachers with the right knowledge and skills on how to handle children with special needs at their kindergartens and nurseries.
“A training programme or even workshop related to these children will be able to create a better awareness of their needs and to guide us on how to deal with them if there are any in our class,” he said during a workshop entitled ‘Inclusion for Special Needs’ at Champs Education Centre Miri recently.
Being a fresh graduate from Unitar Kuching, the diploma holder in Early Childhood Education gave his thumbs up to the workshop.
“A workshop like this should be conducted more often so that pre-school teachers would have the skills and knowledge to deal with special needs children.
“Actually, this topic was in my diploma syllabus but what I’ve studied was only the basic. However, after attending this workshop, I’ve learnt a lot because of the detailed information presented.”
Another workshop participant, Rahani Razali felt that such workshop offered another platform to improve their teaching skills.
“I started my career as a kindergarten teacher in 2005 but have yet to attend any workshop or training programme specifically focusing on children with special needs.
“Thus, I’m very delighted for being able to attend this workshop which would help us at least to be more aware of the issue and how to deal with these children.”
A total of 85 participants from various kindergartens attended the workshop organised by a training centre A.G. TCEX.
It was conducted in different sessions for two days.
An expert in the special needs programme, Anne Sivanathan who is also The Inclusive Outdoor Classroom’s founder in Subang Jaya conducted the workshop.
According to the organiser Angela Goh, such workshop was the first ever organised by her training centre.
“As the response from the participants was overwhelming, we had to conduct the workshop for two days.”
Goh who is also Association of Registered Childcare Providers Miri’s president pointed out that the workshop was held to create awareness among the participants of children with special needs.
“The main objective of the course was to create awareness among the teachers on the importance of inclusion for special needs children.
“Thus, this workshop would teach participants how to understand and cater to the needs of these special children as well as how they can identify these special needs children.”
Goh hoped to conduct similar workshop for parents and continuation of the previous workshop in the near future.
Rahani Razali
Darvisyther Rogis