HELLO! I'M DELINA

Enjoy tinkering, innovating and building inclusive learning communities.

Hoping to make a positive difference in small ways. Will you join me?

ABOUT

My Background

A scientist by training; an imperfect human following her call into special educational needs (SEN). The joy of the curious tinkerer is learning to see the real enabler on this journey - sola gratia.

Interest in advancing equitable human-centric spaces for flourishing. Always up for new ventures that can create positive social impact and inclusive learning communities!

MY SKILLS

LEARNING & BEHAVIOURAL SUPPORT

Crafting customised learning support for individuals and small groups

I mentor a team of SEN support champions from respective schools in a polytechnic. To enhance the support system, I mooted the implementation of a tiered support system -- positive behaviours interventions and supports (PBIS) -- to facilitate alignment and collaboration between the schools and student support services. Together with other stakeholders, I also provide and coordinate learning interventions to youth with SEN using a person-centred and ecological approach.

I headed the learning support team in a secondary school which adopted a strength-based approach in our needs analysis and support planning together with a whole school approach in our implementation. I also provided case consultation to the case management team for students with complex needs including SEN.

Volunteered with Readable by providing consultancy in tackling the learning & behavioural issues of the children they teach. For their P1-P2 students with weak phonics foundation, we crafted a bridging programme that mapped to the current phonics curriculum they are using. I also provided training to support their literacy work.

TEACHING TEENS AND CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Mentoring and special needs ministry

I began my first venture into special needs work in church in the area of teaching children with special needs. Spearheaded efforts in establishing the special needs support - customising supports for differently-abled children, organized annual retreats and crafted a protocol to welcome new caregivers of children with special needs in church.

Other short volunteer stints were at the ‘Christian Outreach to the Handicapped’ and the MINDS Youth Group (MYG) at their Guillemard Project.

Experience working with teens and youth professionally, and started with mentoring and teaching roles in the church (Singapore and Sweden) since 2000. Enjoy and hope to mentor more young people!

SUPPORTING CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Parent training

SEN support is dependent on good home-school partnership. To equip parents, I conducted parent workshops in secondary school on learning conditions like dyslexia, ADHD and autism. Also spearheaded a parent support group for parents of students with SEN.

Personal interactions with parents of children with special needs has taught me the importance of mobilising a community of care for families of children with special needs. A coordinated "many hands" approach for effective support.

MY PRIOR EXPERIENCES

TEACHING

During career transition, I taught primary Science to children (9 to 12 years old) and managed the curriculum of the Gifted Educational Programme at a private enrichment centre.

I lectured undergraduate and master students as part of my post-doctoral training in Sweden.

Teaching experiences started in church teaching small groups of teens and young people.

Also gave free tuition to vulnerable students who needed additional academic support in church or in the community.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

After my post-doctoral stint, I managed the Skin Biology Cluster Platform. This involved communicating and working with different stakeholders like scientists, clinicians and private companies.

To promote innovation and collaboration amongst the scientists, I organised workshops to facilitate scientific exchange and communication.