ClinicianAssistedLanguageandLiteracyImpairment
BridgingProgram
AbridgingprogramdesignedbySpeechLanguage
PathologistsandEducationalTherapiststoputstruggling
studentsbackontrackinamainstreamcurriculum
(Age7to12)
Everychildwantstodowell
Lifesometimeshasitsownplansandthrowschallengesforyouandyourchildrightfromthe
verybeginning.Somechildrenmaystarttospeaklaterthantheirpeers.Somegoontohavedificultiesinlearninghowtoreadandwriteatthesamepaceastheirpeers.Somemayhavemotor coordination issues that affect learning. A segment of the populationwouldhave a whole
clusterofthesechallengesoccurringsimultaneously.Alltheseinevitablycontributetothechild
fallingbehindintheirgrades.Atthecentreofdevelopmentalphilosophy,itisrecognisedthat
everychildwantstodowellandwilldotheirbesttolearnadaptivestrategiestocope.Sometimes,however,aftercontinuousfailuretoadapt,thechildgivesupwithcoping.Often,thishappensafterafewyearsofformalschooling-muchtothedetrimentoftheirself-worthandpsychologicalwellbeing.
MaximisingPotential–Squarepeginaroundhole
CalliBridgingProgramwasborneoutofourtherapists’ownfrustrationindealingwithchildren
whohavegreatpotentialinlearningbut somehowhadmissedbeing equippedwiththeright
skills to allow them a successful schooling experience. These children are often placed in a
schoolthattheyareill-equippedfor.Itisusuallyadilemmaforteacherstoplacethesechildren,
intermsofgradelevel,andthelevelofremediationthattheywouldneed.
Ourmissionistomaximizethepotentialofthesestudents–byhavingthemtakeontheunconventionalrouteoftakingonefullyearintrainingandworkingontheunderlyingareasofde icienciesthataffectliteracyandlearning. Whentheseareasareremediatedintensively,it is
hopedthattheywouldbemorecompetentinmeetinglearninggoalssetforthbymainstream
school.Thenextstepthenwouldbere-integratingthembackintosuitableschoolenvironment.
TargetGroup
Thisprogramisspeciallydesignedforlanguagebasedlearningde icienciessuchas:

StudentswithSpeci icLanguageImpairment

StudentswithAuditoryProcessingdif icultiesandDyslexia

StudentswhohavehighfunctioningAutismSpectrumDisorder,whoselanguagedif iculties
arehamperingthemintheiracademics
Developmentalgoalsratherthanage-drivengoals
Wouldoneputa iveyearoldinaclassroomsettingwitheightyearoldsandexpecthim/herto
do well? Everyone goes through similar developmental milestones. Milestones are signi icant
achievementsthathavetobeinplaceinordertomovetoanewlevelofgrowth.Developmental
milestonescoverareaslikeplay,grossmotor, inemotor,cognitionandlanguage.Asimpleexampleisthatababywouldneedtoachievetheircrawlingmilestonebeforethewalkingmilestoneis
achieved.
Often,thechildrenwhohavecertaindisorderssuchasSpeci icLanguageDisorder,CognitiveDeicienciesorAutismSpectrumDisorderwouldachievetheirlearningmilestoneslaterthantheir
peers.Therangeofdif icultiestheyhavewouldalsomeanthattheywouldneedtimefortherapists to work on those underlying processes irst before they attempt formal elementary/
primary school. Sometimes, this can be overlooked. It becomes more complicated as we move
intohigherelementarywithoutthesefundamentalskills.
NeuroplasticityoftheBrain
Thegoodnewsisthatwearegettingsomuchresearchthatshowshowmuchthebrainhasthe
capacitytochangeitselfthroughexperiencesandnewtargetedlearning.Althougheverychildis
different in thepace at which theymake changes, we are expecting that with intensive, tailormadeprograms,studentswillmakegainsthattheywouldnothaveotherwiseachievedundera
non-intensive,conventionalsituation.
Ingredientsofourprogram
Systematiclanguageprocessingremediation-Language,cognitionandlearninghaveasymbioticrelationship.Thatiswhytargetingtheunderlyingweaknessesofthestudentsinlanguage
processingwillhaveanoverallimpactofimprovingallroundperformanceinsocialawareness,
communicationandcognition.Todothis,wewillgaugethechild’sabilityatbaselineandbuild
upthefoundationfromthere.AnSLPindividualplan,anOTindividualplanandanETindividual
planwouldbedevisedforeachchild.
ConsistentYearlyAssessment–Theprogramisdesignedonayearlybasis.Attheendofeach
year,are-assessmentisdone,incollaborationwithpsychologiststodeterminesuitabilityofthe
childtobere-integratedintoamainstreamschoolsetting.Evaluationwouldincludelookinginto:


Suitabilityofschoolcurriculumandprogram
Arrangingformeetingsbetweenprofessionalstoascertainplacements
Desiredoutcome
Thedesiredoutcomeismorethanayear’sworthofgrowthinlanguage,cognitionand
social skills. The clinician will endeavor to work closely with different schools and
psychologiststoascertainre-integrationofthechildbackintogradelevelsuccessfully.
ApproachestoIntervention
LanguageIntervention
Onceabaselinehas beenestablished,thespeechlanguagepathologistwillworktowardsremediatinglanguagebysettinglanguagebasedgoals.Yearlygoalsarespeci icallybrokendown
to more detailed objectives so that these are attainable in a hierarchical manner. Focus is
placed on achievement of goals and building resilience and con idence so that the child becomesaneffectiveinquireroftheworldaroundthem.
Ourapproachtolanguage:

Cognition—uselanguagestimulatingstrategieswiththechild’slevelofcognitioninmind.

MediatedScaffolding — bridging gap between currentlevel and goal andproviding the
just-rightlevelofchallengesothatthechildmeetsthenextlevelofobjectivewithoutresistance.

BuildingResilience—aslanguagegoalsbecomemorecomplex,andthechildmovestowardsbeinganactiveparticipantintheworldaroundthem,weareexpectinghim/herto
continuouslybuildupontheirresiliencesothattheybecomemorereadyfortherealworld
challenge.

Weavingintocurriculum— asourgoalistoeasethechildtowardsmainstreamschool
settings,wewillbebuilding,asthechildmeetscompetency,theanticipatedcurriculumvocabularyoftheirnextplacement,intoourgoals.
LiteracyIntervention
Remediatingliteracyisactuallymorecomplexthanonewouldenvisageforthosewithsevere
impairmentinacquiringliteracy(ie.SevereDyslexiaaffected).Ifthechildhasco-occurringissues(i.e.impairmentinPhonologicalAwarenessandAuditoryProcessingDif iculties),amultiprongedapproachwouldbenecessarysothatonetargetsAuditoryDiscriminationandPhonologicalAwareness–andallthiswhilehelpingthechildconnectwhattheylearnatspeechlevel
and auditory level to sight word representation. This approach, although highly essential, is
oftendif iculttomanageandcoordinatewheninterventionistooinfrequent.
Ourapproachtoliteracy:

BigIdeas—whereweaggressivelytargetphonologicalandsensorymotorissues,andpossiblyworkingmemoryandauditoryprocessingsimultaneously.

Mediatedscaffolding—bridginggapbetweencurrentabilityandgoal.

Strategicintegration—ofphonologicalandalphabetictasks

Conspicuousstrategies—madeexplicit,bymodelingofsteps–with“thinkaloud”and
questions.

Primedbackgroundknowledge—connectionbetweenpreviouslylearnedandnewskills

Judiciousreview—needforpracticeorreviewofskillsduringprogram.
NumeracyIntervention
Remediationinnumeracybeginswithanappreciationofthemathematicalsensibilitiesthatchildrenbringintotheclassroomandconnecttotheirpriorinterestsandexperiences.Yearlygoals
arespeci icallybrokendownwhichaimtoprogressivelydevelopbothnumeracyandproblem
solving skills. Many opportunities throughout the year are provided for children to acquire,
process,andexpressmathematicalconceptsinconcrete,pictorial,andsymbolicways.Opportunities for extension of children’s thinking about mathematical ideas through questioning
leadstoadeepenedunderstandingofconcepts.
Ourapproachtonumeracy:

Ongoingmonitoring

Meaningfullearningexperience-acquireknowledgeandskillstodevelopanunderstandingofmathematicalconceptswithinone’sownexperience.Mathematicsismoremeaningful
whenitisrootedinreallifecontextsandsituations.

Fostermathematicalthinking-buildonintuitionandconcretefoundationwhilegradually
helpingchildrengainanunderstandingofabstractandsymbolicunderstanding.

Creativity–providingmultipleavenuesforacquiringcontent,makingsenseofideas,developingskills,anddemonstratingwhattheyknow.

Differentiatedinstruction-makingcontinualadjustmentstomeetthevaryingneedsofindividualchildrentoengageinlessoncontentandtolearn.
WorkingwithSchoolsandPsychologists
Thisprogrammeisconductedwiththeviewofre-integrationofthestudentinmind.Assuch,we
willbeworkingwithpsychologistsandgettingintouchwithbothSingaporeandinternational
schools to explore opportunities of having the student re-integrated into the right grade level. Theprofessionalswillworkcloselywithparentstohelpthemmakeinformeddecisionswith
regardtothenextcourseofaction.
Timetable
DailyMondaytoFriday9:00amto12:30pm
Thebuildingblocksofschoolsuccessaretargeted.Dailyimmersionofthefollowinginahierarchicalmanner:
MathLanguage
MathConcepts
MathApplication
PhonologicalAwareness
AuditoryProcessingTraining
Receptive&ExpressiveLanguageIntervention
SocialIntervention*
SessionsconductedonaonetoonebasisbySpeechLanguagePathologistsandEducationalTherapists
*maybepairedoutingroups
Administration
Intake

Allstudentsneedtobescreenedforsuitability.

Intakehappensallyearround.Becausethisisanindividualplan,Intakestartdatewillalsobe
the date in which the therapy year ends, culminating in a re-assessment and evaluation on
placement
TermsandConditions:

Noreplacementsessionsformissedlessons

ProgrammebreakonthemonthsofJuneandDecember(forSingaporeschools)

ProgrammebreakonthemonthsofJuneandJuly(forinternationalschools)

Duringthebreak,parentscanopttoenrolltheirchildonseparateholidayprogramme
(differentfeesapply)orcontinuewiththeCALLIfulltimearrangement

Prepaymentbeforethestartofsessions

Enrolmentfeeof$500applies(non-refundable)

Alatechargeof3%appliesifinvoiceisoverdueby10days.Alatechargeof5%appliesifinvoiceisoverdueby20days.
Assessment:

Anattachedformaccompaniesthisprogramme–whichshouldbe illedinby:Parents,Current
TeachersandOurTherapists.

AstandardizedassessmentconductedbyourSLP&Mathtrainersatthebeginningoftheterm
andthe inalterm.

Parentswillbereferredtoourpsychologistcontactswhowillworkwithustoconsiderfuture
placementsinschool.
Payment:
CALLIPROGRAMMEFEES
$6,900.00permonth
(ConsolidatedSpeechLanguagePathologists&EducationalTherapistssessionsof
15hoursperweek)
*TheCalliProgrammefeere lectsa20%reductionofourregularfee.
TotalCommunicationTherapyPteLtd
896DunearnRoad
#03-03ASimeDarbyCentre,S(589472)
Tel:64672995or91158895Fax:64671004
Email:[email protected]
www.totalcommunication.com.sg