Inaugural talent showcase by students, for students
The Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS) will be celebrating the exceptional gifts of students with dyslexia to conclude 2023 at “Gift of Wonders”, an inaugural DAS Student Talent Showcase presenting two original plays from the DAS Speech and Drama Arts (SDA) programme. Ms. Denise Phua Lay Peng, Mayor of Central Singapore District and Member of Parliament, Jalan Besar GRC (Kampong Glam), will be gracing the enchanting night as the Guest-of-Honour.
The cast of both “School of Hard Knocks” and “Gizmo’s Christmas” are from the DAS SDA programme that offers active learning experiences through highly interactive and engaging drama activities. It is a tribute to their transformation into confident communicators, great team players and creative thinkers.
The DAS SDA programme was initiated by the DAS in an effort to help students speak up and build more confidence, as they develop greater communication, language and social-emotional skills through highly interactive and engaging drama activities. The programme is designed to empower students to express ideas and thoughts without inhibition, taught by instructors like Ms. Muzdalifah Hamzah who understand how students with dyslexia learn differently.
“Children with dyslexia often possess special talents and strengths that may be overlooked if not suitably nurtured and encouraged. The activities taught in our DAS SDA programme offer an arena for our students to instill confidence as we nurture their creativity by teaching them to communicate their thoughts and ideas freely. Through ‘Gift of Wonders’, we hope to provide our students with a stage for them to shine,” said Ms. Muzdalifah Hamzah, Lead Educational Therapist of DAS Sengkang Learning Centre.
“We are grateful for the generous contributions to this fundraising effort to ensure our students get the education they deserve to do well in life. We call for the society to embrace the multi-faceted abilities of people with dyslexia and support us in unlocking their potential,” said Mr. Lee Siang, CEO of DAS.
All funds received for “Gift of Wonders” will go towards the DAS Bursary Fund to support children with dyslexia from low-income families who are from DAS SDA and DAS ARTVenture, a short-term programme dedicated to promoting students’ talents in art. Every year, DAS is required to raise more than S$2.9 million for the DAS Bursary Fund. With the right interventional support, children with dyslexia, a specific learning difficulty that affects language learning and cognition, can achieve their potential in school and in life.
“School of Hard Knocks” is an inspirational story about a group of students who discover their true strengths and the value of compassion, teamwork, creativity and affection during an orientation camp. “Gizmo’s Christmas” centres on an inventive elf and his challenging journey to build a dream gift-wrapping machine. For more information, go to https://das.org.sg/events/gift-of-wonders-2023/
