The DAS Main Literacy Programme and other major programmes such as the Preschool, Maths and Chinese programmes are delivered during the MOE school term. Over the years, DAS has received requests from some parents to provide programmes during the school holidays and I am pleased that DAS colleagues have responded. We now offer both academic and “creative” programmes in selected DAS centres during the March, June, September and Year End school holidays. See https://www.DAS.org.sg/services/workshops/holiday-workshops.html#overview
While we work to provide students with beneficial but optional learning experiences during the school holidays, these school holiday activities can and should only be of a limited nature. This is because school holidays are normally used by DAS Educational Therapists to conduct make-up classes and many DAS staff also attend professional development courses during the school holidays. I am sure everyone agrees that DAS Educational Therapists should take a break, recharge and be with their families so the school holidays are important to them as well. Additionally, the limited resources of the DAS mean that we can only offer these holiday programmes at selected centres and to date, we have only been able to offer bursaries for children from disadvantaged families for selected holiday programmes.
While some DAS school holiday programmes allow children to have a taste of what our main academic programmes are like Common Math Problem Solving workshop, I would like to encourage parents to also allow their children to experience “creative” activities during their school holidays (see Literacy through Drama workshop). Most importantly, there is also absolutely nothing wrong if the child does not attend programmes and just be a child during the school holidays.
Lee Siang is the Chief Executive Officer of the Dyslexia Association of Singapore. He regularly notes down his thoughts on the DAS Blog.
