Special needs education is a growing field in Singapore. Dr Eunice Tan, who heads the Special Education Programme at Singapore University of Social Sciences, sits down with psychologist Sue-Lynn Teo for a chat on her experiences in the field of neurodiversity education.
Sitting across the table from Dr Eunice Tan at Starbucks, I can already tell her dedication to the field of neurodivergence from her resume. After graduating with a broad-based Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia in 1989, she went on to obtain a Bachelor of Education from the same university, then a postgraduate diploma in Special Education, and finally, a PhD in Special Education.
Out in the workforce, she spent several years as a special education teacher in an international school and at a local special school. At one point, she was a principal at a special school as well as working at MOE headquarters. Then, there was a three-year stint in the social services sector before she assumed her current position as Head of the Special Education Programme in the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) in 2019.
Along the way, her calling to the field of neurodiversity was heightened and felt bittersweet, when her elder son Christopher, now 24, was diagnosed with autism at a young age. Pondering on her storied career in the field of special education, she said, “I enjoyed my university studies and my job as a special education teacher to neurodivergent children, even before Christopher was born. The more I studied, the more my interest grew. So, teaching was a natural career path for me.”
Asked what spurred her to join SUSS to pursue the academic side of neurodiversity, in other words, “educating the educators”, Eunice looked reflective. “I suppose you could say I am a late starter. When the opportunity came, I didn’t start off thinking, oh, is this my calling then? At first, it was just a way to prove to myself and others that I could achieve something in this area. But after joining SUSS, I realised I could meet more people and have greater influence in the area of neurodiversity and the positive impact I could make. I can teach my students, mentor my PhD students and impact the community through my research, organise workshops and talks on the different topics related to neurodiversity. All my students have their own niche and unique paths, so I am also learning from them, and it’s been rewarding. I’m really in a very happy place right now.”
What’s in a name?
Although I am a psychologist specialising in neurodivergence, I asked Eunice what people should understand about neurodiversity today. She said, “The terminology has evolved through the years: from ‘persons with disabilities’, to ‘special needs’, and now to ‘neurodiversity’. It describes people with neurological or brain-based differences in the way their brains work and process information. The term ‘neurodiversity’ is perceived as a kinder and more respectful term. We have to shift our mindset to use this word rather than, say, ‘mental retardation’ which implies that someone is subnormal. But as language is ever evolving, who’s to say what it will be replaced by in five- or ten-years’ time?
“In fact, the term ‘neurodiversity’ has liberated people to identify themselves with the condition. For example, there are a growing number of neurodivergent people in the autism community who identify as being autistic and would prefer that they are referred to as ‘autistic’ rather than ‘a person with autism’. They see being autistic as a key part of their identity as ‘neurodivergent’ and are proud of being autistic,” said Eunice.
Indeed, the neurodiversity movement advocates for a strengths-focused approach, which acknowledges and affirms what the neurodivergent individual can do, instead of only focusing on “remediating their weaknesses”. When I asked Eunice what she thinks is the Christian perspective of neurodiversity, her answer was candid and personal.
“I think for parents like me with a neurodivergent child, we try to rationalise, and struggle for satisfying answers to ‘Why is my child like this?’ While I used to feel sad and depressed about it, I have reconciled those feelings over time. As a Christian, I try to think of it not as a punishment but as how God has chosen me because he knows I will be a good parent to my neurodivergent child.”
Her answer affirms what the Bible teaches: everyone is created in the image of God, and he makes no mistakes in creation. Every human being, whether neurodivergent or neurotypical, is created in God’s image. Practically speaking, the lived experience of raising a child with special needs or even being a sibling to someone with special needs, is both challenging and rewarding in their unique ways.
What can the Church do?
Looking at the bigger picture, Eunice believes the Church has come a long way in its efforts to embrace neurodivergent individuals. She cited Faith Methodist Church, which she used to attend with Christopher, and Wesley Methodist Church as examples of churches with a Sunday school programme for children needs. I was impressed to learn that during the years when she attended Covenant Community Methodist Church, she and a good friend who also has a neurodivergent child ran a small Sunday school for children with special needs.
Speaking like a true educator, she enthusiastically shared her vision with me. “Some sort of monitoring, to get the same quality of teaching, will be helpful. It would be good if the Methodist Church has a repository of resources, such as a short introductory online module for Sunday school teachers to help them better understand special needs and how to intentionally include children with special needs in their classes. Any secular curriculum out there can be very much tailored to our faith and to the Methodist culture; the specialised curriculum will help the teacher plan for meaningful participation and inclusion and for the child to be engaged during the class. Classroom accommodations should also be considered (e.g. visual supports/timetables for children with autism). When children with special needs are meaningfully engaged in Sunday school, their parents can attend the church service. Thus, going to church will be a more inclusive and family-centred experience.
When it comes to neurodivergent adults, the church can match them with cell groups or prayer groups of members within a similar age range, as they tend to have more commonalities than with, say, people who are 10 to 20 years older. For those willing to start such cell groups/ prayer groups and be more inclusive, a similar online introductory course will help to equip the members with the necessary understanding, skills and knowledge.”
The first Methodist special education school
Our talk turned to the upcoming ACS (Academy), in which Eunice has a role as advisor. ACS (Academy), within the family of Methodist schools in Singapore, will be a special school catering to children with autism who are able to access the national/mainstream curriculum. It will seek to inculcate Christian values and to follow the ACS brand of education where every child is embraced.
While some details of what Eunice shared with me are under wraps, her excitement was evident. “We are hoping to have training for all staff, including administrators and volunteers, on managing students with autism. We will do research, evaluate the ‘new’ programmes and track outcomes. For example, getting the parents’, teachers’ and students’ perspectives of whether the programmes implemented were beneficial and what the beneficial aspects were.
Some of the programmes that we will be trying will be bespoke programmes, not tried in Singapore before. It has been very encouraging to see the ACS alumni coming together to use their professional knowledge and expertise in their respective fields, in the planning for and building of ACS (Academy).”
Both Eunice and I are encouraged to look ahead with hope that God will continue to use whom he has called and equipped, to serve and welcome the neurodivergent community in schools and the Church.