What’s Right With ADHD?
A Multiple Intelligences Perspective
Speaker: Henry Toi, Executive Director,
Art Costa Centre for Thinking

Date: 5 July 2008 (Sat)

We often look at the world around us and ask “What’s wrong with ...?” When we look deeper through the lens of Multiple Intelligences, the world of ADHD looks different. In the MI world, we ask the question “What’s right with ...?” This talk will introduce and discuss the use of the Multiple Intelligences Developmental Assessment Scale (MIDAS) to assess the strengths of a child and examine how it relates to ADHD.

It will also cover how parents can help their children with ADHD succeed in school. An understanding of the connection between multiple intelligences and how students with ADHD can best learn, offers both hope for the students and for teachers, pragmatic resources on teaching students with ADHD to bring about positive change in their classrooms.

Henry Toi is a certified MIDAS administrator and a Buzan Master Trainer for Asia. He has a degree in engineering and a master’s degree in education. He is the author of Phonics Zoo, My Little Thinking Book, and Habits of S.U.C.C.E.S.S.

The KidsBright Programme
Speaker: Isaac Tan, Head, Care Corner Educational
Therapy Services

Date: 2 August 2008 (Sat)

The KidsBright Programme is currently running in four primary schools and at Care Corner’s centre in Toa Payoh. The one-year programme helps children with ADHD reduce hyperactivity and enhance attention and cognitive functions. It is not only effective but quite affordable at around $100 a month. The programme integrates three research-based approaches – brain-stimulating movement exercises, dietary approach and mental training.

As head of Care Corner Educational Therapy Services, Isaac Tan provides parent consultation, individualised intervention for children and training for parents and teachers. He specialises in helping children with ADHD, dyslexia and other specific learning disabilities. He has a master’s degree in special education and a diploma in nutritional therapy.

Art Therapy and ADHD
Speaker: Sivan Golan Weinstein, Art Therapist

Date: 6 September 2008 (Sat)

Sivan Weinstein holds a Master’s degree in Art Therapy (La Salle, Singapore) and a Bachelor of Arts degree in psycholgoy (Open University of Israel). She is an ADHD Coach for children, adolescents and adults. She has worked in mainstream and special needs schools and in mental health hospitals since 1998 in Israel and in Singapore. Her clients have included those with ADHD, emotional difficulties, depression and behavioural problems, addiction and eating disorders.

The Hidden Handicap – Irlen Syndrome
Speaker: Dr Doris Ang, Clinical Director, Irlen Dyslexic Clinic

Date: 4 October 2008 (Sat)

Irlen Syndrome or Scotopic Sensitivity is a perceptual problem that prevents an esteimated 10-12% of the population from being able to learn, read, or study efficiently. Until now, it has baffled educators and the scientific community because it remains undetected by standard educational, visual, and medical tests.

Individuals with Irlen Syndrome perceive the printed page and sometimes their environment differently. They must constantly make adaptation or compensate. Individuals may be unaware of the extra energy and effort they are putting into reading and perceiving. Individuals may read slowly or inefficiently or have poor reading comprehension, strain, or fatigue. It can also affect attention span, listening, energy level, motivation, work production, and mental health. Individuals may be viewed as underachievers or as having behaviour, attitude, or motivational problems. This problem can coexist with other learning difficulties. Some people diagnosed with learning difficulties, dyslexia, or ADHD may be, in addition, also suffering from the syndrome.

Dr. Doris Ang will provide an understanding of Irlen Syndrome, its symptoms and the nature of the disturbances. She will discuss early intervention and the various treatments. Dr Ang's interest in dyslexia began when she discovered that she was dyslexic while doing her postgraduate studies in Australia. As a child she had struggled with mainstream education and had received her fair bit of punishments from her parents for poor performance. Her concern for students who were underachieving and experiencing reading difficulties led to her PhD research.

Understanding ADHD and Behaviour Management
Speaker: Bella Chin, President of Spark

Date: 1 November 2008 (Sat)

This is our regular twice-yearly behaviour management talk especially for new parents of ADHD children. Non-members are welcome but will have to pay an entrance fee of $10.

All meetings are held between 9 AM and noon at the Child Guidance Clinic, 3rd storey, Health Promotion Board, 3 Second Hospital Avenue (Singapore General Hospital grounds). Most meetings begin with a sharing session. The talk usually starts at 10 AM and is followed by Q+A.

See Spark Events for more details on future meetings.