When Natalie* joined our Preschool Programme in January 2023, she arrived with a bright smile and a heart full of curiosity. Her mother, motivated by concerns about her daughter’s literacy development, discovered the programme through a public awareness talk focused on supporting young children with learning differences.

Early Challenges

From the start, Natalie faced several early literacy challenges. She struggled with letter naming, phonics sounds, and letter formation. Alongside these difficulties, she also experienced challenges with speech and language. Despite her enthusiasm for learning, these obstacles began to affect her progress and gradually impacted her confidence. With a family history of special educational needs and no prior support, the risk of her falling behind became more significant.

Customised Learning Plan

To support her development, we designed a learning plan tailored to her strengths and needs. We focused on building her language skills through oracy activities and supported her literacy growth with movement-based learning, interactive phonics games, and engaging videos. At the same time, hands-on activities such as clay and arts and crafts helped to strengthen her fine motor skills and prepare her for clearer writing and more classroom participation.

A New Milestone

Over the course of nine months, Natalie began to blossom. She learned to blend and read simple words, and her confidence grew with each success. At home, her mother noticed that Natalie was picking up books on her own and exploring the joy of reading independently.

Eventually, Natalie was diagnosed with dyslexia and referred for additional speech and language therapy at DAS. Her mother shared how deeply grateful she was for the early intervention that had changed the course of her daughter’s journey.

Natalie’s story is a heartfelt reminder of the power of early literacy support. With the right guidance at the right time, children with learning differences can grow, thrive, and find joy in learning. Her progress shows the incredible potential that can be realised when we nurture a child’s strengths and believe in their ability to succeed.

At DAS, we are committed to providing personalised learning support for children with different educational needs. Our financial assistance programme ensures that every child has access to quality education, regardless of their financial situation.

Find out more about our Preschool Programme here.

*The name and photo in this story have been anonymised for privacy reasons.