Mdm. Angeline Chan has a heart for children with SEN and this stems from her childhood experience with a classmate with a learning need. Though she made an effort to talk to him, he found it difficult to mix with others in the same class and eventually left the school. Since then, she aspired to become a teacher specialising in supporting students with SEN.

Angeline graduated from the National University of Singapore and started her journey as a teacher. She is now the Head of Department for Information and Communications Technology (ICT), SEN and Values-In-Action (VIA) in Anglo-Chinese School (Primary). She oversees programmes and initiatives to support the learning of students with SEN as well as the professional development of teachers in this area. Angeline continues to upgrade herself professionally and is currently pursuing an Advanced Diploma in Special Learning and Behavioural Needs at the National Institute of Education, Singapore.

Passion keeps Angeline motivated in her pursuit towards providing a conducive and inclusive learning environment, which meets her students’ emotional needs, well-being and learning needs. However, she cannot do it alone. She received the support from her school leaders, colleagues and students’ parents. Through the collective effort, she set up a Professional Learning Community (PLC) in the school to promote collaboration among teachers, by learning together SEN instructional strategies for teaching and learning and facilitating the exchange of learning experiences. She provides training support for new teachers to equip them with skills to support students with SEN. She engages parent volunteers to work as teacher aides in the classroom to provide in-class learning support for primary one students with SEN to ensure their smooth transition into primary school.

Angeline is determined to help her students with SEN succeed and no student should be left behind. For students with SEN, who have difficulties in reading and writing, she patiently assists them in reading and speaking until they are able to make good progress at their own pace.

Indeed, Angeline lives out her belief that, “A teacher can touch the life of a child and build the child’s character.”