EDMEN LEONG

Edmen is the Director of Specialised Educational Services (SES)

Edmen has been with the DAS since 2010. He served as an Educational Therapist, Programme Manager as well as an Assistant Director before assuming the post of Director of Specialised Educational Services (SES) on the 1st of January 2019. As Director of SES, Edmen oversees a range of programmes including the Preschool, Speech and Language Therapy, Math, Chinese, Prep 2 PSLE and Speech and Drama Arts programmes. He has also pioneered the development of Short Term Programmes and oversees student workshops that DAS conducts.

Edmen graduated from the University of Western Australia, Perth with a degree in Psychology prior to joining the DAS. He has since completed his Post-Graduate Certificate in Specific Learning Differences with London Metropolitan University and his Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics with the National Institute of Education Singapore where he won the book prize for being the top student in his cohort. Edmen is currently pursuing his PhD with an interest in the topic of reading motivation for struggling readers. He has presented at conferences and published papers on exam skills, curriculum development, reading comprehension and language testing.

Edmen strongly believes in unlocking the potential of every dyslexic learner and aims to empower educators and parents with sufficient knowledge and strategies to support struggling learners.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor of Science (Psychology)
• Post-Graduate Certificate in Specific Learning Differences
• Masters of Arts in Applied Linguistics

KEYNOTES

• Leong, E. (2020, June 24 – 25). A literature review of empirical studies on reading motivation and struggling readers [Keynote address]. Unite SpLD 2020. Singapore. https://www.das.org.sg/news-events/2019-12-04-10-18-28/unite-spld-2020.html
• Leong, E. (2020, March 17). Child Language Development: Perspectives of a Parent and Educator [Keynote address]. Preschool Seminar 2020. Singapore. https://www.DAS.org.sg/news-events/2019-12-04-10-18-28/preschool-seminar-2020.html

CONFERENCES

• Leong, E. (2023, July 20 – 22). Examining the Reading Motivation of Dyslexic Adolescent Readers. [Papers]. Society for the Scientific Study of Reading Conference 2023. Port Douglas, North Queensland, Australia. https://www.triplesr.org/conference-program-2
• Leong, E. (2022, May 30 – June 1). Understanding Reading Motivation in Readers who have Dyslexia. In Loh, C. E. (Chair), Supporting Equitable Reading for All in a Technological, Post-Pandemic Age [Symposium]. Redesigning Pedagogy International Conference 2022. Singapore. https://nie.edu.sg/redesigning-pedagogy-international-conference/rpic-2022
• Leong, E. (2020, May 23). Effect of Social Power on Politeness in Requests by Thai EFL Learners [Research presentation]. The 8th Open TESOL International Conference 2020. HCMC, Vietnam. https://opentesol.ou.edu.vn/2020conference.html
• Leong, E. (2019, May 24 – 25). Alternative reading instruction for adolescent learners with reading difficulties [Research presentation]. The 7th OpenTESOL International Conference 2019. HCMC, Vietnam. https://opentesol.ou.edu.vn/2019conference.html
• Leong, E. (2019, April 4 – 6). The construction and evaluation of an English Exam Skills test for primary school students with dyslexia [Session]. Language Literacy and Learning Conference 2019. Perth, Western Australia, Australia. https://dsf.net.au/conference
• Leong, E. (2018, April 12 – 14). Exploring the classroom practices of English exam skills for school children with dyslexia [Spoken research paper]. BDA International Conference and Expo 2018. Telford, UK. https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/news/bda-international-conference-expo-2018
• Leong, E & Asjamiah, S. (2017, June 21 – 23). Exploring the classroom practices of the EESP for Singapore Primary School Children [Paper presentation]. UnITE SpLD Conference 2017. Singapore. https://DAS.org.sg/component/publications/publication/85-research-journal/apjdd-vol-4-no-2-july-2017/18-unite-spld-2017-conference-in-singapore-presentation-abstracts.html
• Leong, E & Asjamiah, S. (2017, May 31 – June 2). Using the Orton-Gillingham approach to prepare students with dyslexia for the English PSLE paper [Paper presentation]. Redesigning Pedagogy International Conference 2017. Singapore. https://nie.edu.sg/about-us/news-events/events/event-detail/redesigning-pedagogy-international-conference-2017
• Leong, E. (2017, March 30 – April 1). Reading for understanding: Strategies for adolescent learners [Session]. Language Literacy and Learning Conference 2017. Perth, Western Australia, Australia. https://dsf.net.au/conference
• Leong, E & Wang, A. (2017, March 13 – 15) Improving English Exam Skills for dyslexics in primary education in Singapore [Parallel session]. 52nd RELC International Conference 2017. Singapore. https://www.relc.org.sg/facilities/conferences-events-2017
• Leong, E. & Samsudin, A. (2015, October 28 – 31) The Development and Effectiveness of the English Exam Skills Programme in the Dyslexia Association of Singapore [Poster presentation]. International Dyslexia Association Conference 2015. Grapevine, Texas, USA. https://dyslexiaida.org/2015-ida-conference-program/

INVITED TALKS/LECTURES

• Leong, E (2022, November 26). Rediscovering dyslexia, language and Learning Difficulties. [Invited talk]. Visiting professor lecture series. University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines Cagayan de Oro Campus College of Science and Technology Education. Department of Teaching Languages and Special Education. Cagayan de Oro, Philippines.
• Leong, E (2019, December 9). Let’s Talk about a Different Reading Experience. [Invited talk]. Artswork Talk 1. Lourdes College, Cagayan de Oro, Philippines.

JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS

• Abdul Razak, T. E., Asmuri, S., Wang, A., & Leong, E. (2021). Progress monitoring of dyslexic primary school learners enrolled in an English Exam Skills Programme. Asia Pacific Journal of Developmental Differences, 8(1), 5-29. https://www.DAS.org.sg/images/publications/apjdd/vol8no1/APJDD-V8-1-RAZAK.pdf
• Leong, E & Hu, G. (2019). The construction and evaluation of an English Exam Skills test for primary school students with dyslexia. Asia Pacific Journal of Developmental Differences, 6(1), 93 – 114. https://www.DAS.org.sg/images/publications/apjdd/apjddjan2019/APJDD-V6-1-A5.pdf
• Abdul Razak, T. E., See, E., Tan, S. H. J. & Leong, E. (2018). Exploring the effectiveness of the English Examination Skills Programme on struggling non-dyslexic learners. Asia Pacific Journal of Developmental Differences, 5(2), 141 – 162. https://www.DAS.org.sg/images/publications/apjdd/APJDDVol5No2/APJDD-Vol5No2-2018-Exam1.pdf
• Leong, E., Asjamiah, S. & Wang, A. (2017). Exploring the classroom practices of the English Exam Skills Programme for Singaporean primary school children. Asia Pacific Journal of Developmental Differences, 4(2), 167 – 194. https://www.DAS.org.sg/images/publications/apjdd/APJDDJuly2017-Exploring-the-classroom-practices-of-the-English-Exam-Skills-Programme-for-Singaporean-primary-school-children.pdf
• Leong, E. & Chia, A. (2017). Reading with pictures for inferential understanding: strategies for adolescent learners with dyslexia. Asia Pacific Journal of Developmental Differences, 4(1), 113-122. https://www.DAS.org.sg/images/publications/apjdd/apjddjan2017/APJDDVol4No12017-Leong.pdf
• Leong, E. (2015). Improving English exam skills for dyslexics in primary education in Singapore. Asia Pacific Journal of Developmental Differences, 2(2), 184 – 201. https://www.DAS.org.sg/images/publications/apjdd/apjddjul2015/APJDDVol2No2-leong.pdf

PROFESSIONAL PAPERS, MEDIA AND BLOG CONTRIBUTIONS    

• Leong, E. (2022). Understanding reading motivation in readers who have dyslexia. OER Knowledge Bites Volume 17 (pp.8–9). Singapore: National Institute of Education.
• Leong, E (2020, March 31). Determining What Is Success And Achieving It Together With Your Child. Kiasu Parents. https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/article/determining-what-is-success-and-achieving-it-together-with-your-child/
• Leong, E. (2020, March). Overcoming reading challenges. NIE NIEWS, 111.  https://www.nie.edu.sg/niews/march2020/overcoming-reading-challenges.html

MEDIA FEATURES AND PODCASTS

• Surana, S. (2022, Jan 10). Helping dyslexic children discover the joy or reading. The Straits Times. https://sweetspot.straitstimes.com/education/helping-dyslexic-children-discover-the-joy-of-reading/
• Channel News Asia. (2021, October 3).  Write Of Passage – S1E2: Shedding Years Of Shame. [Video]. CNA. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/watch/write-passage/shedding-years-shame-2213976
• Loh, C. E. (Host). (2021, January 18). Bonus Episode #1: Edmen Leong on Helping Children with Dyslexia Learn to Read [Audio podcast episode]. In How we read podcast. https://www.lohchinee.com/hwr-episodes
• Ong, L. (2021, January 4). Why bedtime stories are so important to helping our children have a headstart in life. The Pride. https://pride.kindness.sg/bedtime-stories-important-help-children-have-headstart-in-life/
• Ng, L. (2020, February 27).  Bite-sized Parenting: Dyslexia Association Of Singapore Answers 7 Common Questions About Dyslexia. Little Day Out.https://www.littledayout.com/we-get-7-common-questions-about-dyslexia-answered-by-dyslexia-association-of-singapore/

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS 

• NCSS 40-Under40 programme (2022). https://www.ncss.gov.sg/social-service-careers/ncss-40-under-40/participant