1. What is your role in APS?
I am the Curriculum Leader for APS and it will be my 10th year in the APS family in this coming March. I am in charge of curriculum design and implementation. I am also responsible for student assessments and academic development.2.How do you design and plan curriculums for your students? And what are the steps of establishing the plan? How are they tailored made?
The design and planning of the curriculum is quite a complex and intricate system. We took over one year to source and gather various curriculums available from different countries and organizations, and making sure we are choosing the right learning targets for our students. We finally decided to adapt our curriculum mainly from the National UK curriculum, but also took considerable alterations and compromises to suit the specific needs of students with ASD while considering the local Hong Kong context.3.What are the differences between the curriculum of APS and the standard curriculum from Education Bureau (EDB)?
The curriculum here at APS provides a framework for students to develop holistically-to become well rounded individuals, be confident and ready to take up any challenge. Most mainstream curricula, including the one designed by the EDB, often neglect to take into account the needs of students with ASD or other learning needs, while only focusing on pure academics and examinations.Here at APS, we not only teach academics but also social communications and rules, such as how to develop friendship and independence skills which are as important, but often ignored in the mainstream curriculum. We not only teach students how to do addition and subtraction, but also take them to the supermarket to utilize their math skills as monetary transaction for purchasing food, while also working on their community skills and communication skills.
On top of that, we will teach them to prepare a meal for themselves, and that, I believe, is why our curriculum excels in terms of catering to the various needs of students with ASD.
4.How does the curriculum improve the overall skills of the students in APS?
Our curriculum design and lesson planning take care of each student, taking into account of their strengths, weaknesses and most importantly their needs, and help him or her to improve in multiple aspects, in academics, independence skills or social interaction strategies.5.How does the curriculum help bridging your students into mainstream school?
Many of our students are able to transfer to mainstream schools after learning with us. Our teachers often collaborate and communicate with the staff of mainstream schools to bridge connections. Our curriculum helps students to develop in various aspects, which means for some students, they could acquire learning skills needed to be able to integrate into mainstream schools. These students will learn how to become classroom-ready in mainstream school, and as importantly, playground-ready: be able to meet new friends and develop meaningful relationships and interact with peers.6.Can you share the difficulties you have faced at work? How did you solve these problems?
Every day, there are different challenges but also opportunities for me to grow and learn. Being the sole person in APS responsible for curriculum and development, I find it necessary to be self-sufficient and manage my time efficiently between curriculum design, lesson planning, assessment and teacher support.7. What are the expectations from the parents?
Our parents, like any other parents expect no less from their children. Our students have just as much potential; it is just the question of being able to ensure that they can develop to their full potential. I find that what do our parents want the most is for their children to become happy and independent explorers.
8.What do you/ APS expect from the parents?
We pride ourselves in having a close relationship with parents, and anyone who is closely connected with our students. We believe the best teaching not only happens at classrooms, but also outside school, where parents and care takers are also crucial teachers. We hope parents could take initiative to develop children’s greatest potential. That is why we also provide intensive trainings to parents, to enhance their teaching skills.9.How do you collaborate with teachers to ensure the effectiveness of IEP?
Part of my job is to help relieve the tremendous workload of our teachers. When I was a lead teacher, there’s no curriculum leader in APS, every teacher needed to constantly plan and prepare their lessons, and took care of the routine work of the classroom. There were limited resources and references available. Now, I try my best to provide our teachers with these resources through the curriculum, lesson planning, and student development. We meet regularly to discuss, create, and assess the goals in the IEP. To make sure that students are on the right track, their progresses are evaluated periodically.10.What is your future plan on designing curriculum for APS? Will you modify or add any new subject?
I am constantly modifying and improving the curriculum to make sure it is dynamic and reflects the changes of the society. We are going to design an effective sex education curriculum for APS. I’ve already conducted researches as my dissertation for my master’s degree at HKU was to investigate the difficulties and expectations of parents and teachers on sex education for people with ASD. Now, I am designing a curriculum that specifically meets those needs. Sex and relationship education is crucial to everyone and especially to SEN who often lacks appropriate knowledge which in turn puts themselves and others into unwanted situations. My goal is to help our students to understand these topics and grow into healthy teenagers who can make smart choices in sex and relationship matters.Learn more about APS from the interview of Ms Abbie Chan (APS Senior Classroom Program Supervisor).
Info provided by Ronald Tin, APS Curriculum Leader
To learn more about Aoi Pui School (APS):
Website: www.apschool.edu.hk/
FaceBook: aoipuischool
Follow our Facebook and WeChat to learn more ABA skills.
Facebook: APautism
WeChat ID: AutismPartnership_HK
Learn more about our ABA Services[:zh]受訪者: 田國宏 (愛培學校課程主任)
1. 你在愛培學校負責甚麼工作?
今年是我在愛培工作踏入第十個年頭了。我是學校課程主任，負責設計課程及實施計劃，也為學生進行評估及學術發展。2.你怎樣為學生設計及計劃課程？過程中的步驟是甚麼? 如何為學生度身訂造適合他們的課程?
設計及計劃課程是一項複雜的工作。我們用了超過一年的時間從不同的國家及機構搜羅各類型的課程進行研究，確保能選擇一套適合本校學生學習目標的課程。 我們最終主要採納英國的一套全國性課程，並作出適當修改及協調，以配合香港情況及自閉症學生的特殊需要。3. 愛培學校設計的課程與教育局的標準課程有何不同?
愛培學校的課程為學生提供一個整體發展的框架讓他們獲得全方位學習，能充滿自信去面對任何挑戰。大部份的主流課程，包括教育局所設計的，都較著重學術及考試，卻忽略了自閉症學生的學習需要。在愛培學校裏我們不單教學生學術上的，也會教學生在社交應有的態度及規矩，如何發展友情及培養獨立技巧，主流學校的課程則忽略教導這些同樣重要的技能。我們不單教學生加數及減數，也帶他們到超級市場實地進行購物，運用算術來進行交易，與此同時加強他們在社區生活及溝通的技巧。
除此之外，我們還會教導他們為自己準備一頓飯。這特別設計的課程比起主流課程更能應付自閉症學童的各種需要。
4. 愛培學校的課程如何改善學生的整體技能？
我們會根據每個學生的情況來設計課程及計劃，課堂當中須考慮學生的強項和弱項及最重要的個別需要，協助他們從多個層面上獲得進步，例如學術上、獨立及社交互動技巧。5.愛培學校的課程怎樣跟主流學校課程銜接？
很多學生在愛培學校學習後均能進入主流學校就讀。愛培的老師會時常跟主流學校溝通及合作以建立關係。愛培的課程協助學生獲得多方面的發展，包括一些主流學校所需的學習技巧，學生會學習適應在主流學校的上課模式及最重要學會在課室外如何與同學相處室及互動，發展友誼。6.你在工作上遇到甚麼困難？你又怎樣解決呢？
每天工作都會遇上不同挑戰, 這些挑戰亦為我帶來學習及成長的機會。作為學校課程及發展的唯一負責人，我必須有效地掌控時間分配課程設計、課堂規劃、學生評估及老師支援等各項工作。7.愛培學校的家長有甚麼期望呢?
我們的家長如同其他父母一樣對子女充滿期望。 我們的學生其實擁有非常多的潛質，問題是怎樣找到有效的方法讓他們充份發揮。而我們的家長更希望子女開心快樂並能在社會上獨立。8.你或愛培學校對家長又有甚麼期望呢?
我們一向與家長、照顧者及與學生有緊密聯繫的人保持良好密切的關係，在這方面我們亦以此為傲。我們深信良好的學習環境不局限在學校裏，也在家中及社區，而家長及照顧者也是他們重要的導師。我們期望家長在子女成長過程中採取積極主動的態度。我們亦特別為家長提供密集的培訓，以便他們在施教上更為主動及自信。9.你怎樣與老師合作以確保IEP有效地推行?
我部分的職責是減輕老師非常繁重的工作。記得當初我出任為老師的時候並沒有課程主任。每位老師不單需要時常備課及設計課堂內容，更要維持班務，當時所提供的資源及參考資料非常有限。現時我盡力透過課程設計、課堂規劃及學生學習發展的範疇為老師作出支援。我和各老師定期進行會議，討論、創作並評估IEP的目標。我也會定期每年評估每位學生的學習進度，以確保他們有效地按著目標學習所需的技能。10.你對愛培學校將來的課程有甚麼計劃? 例如你會修改或添加新的科目嗎?
我正不斷改良課程，務求做到靈活變通以反映社會的改變。下一個大計是為愛培學校設計一套有效的性教育課程。我已在這方面做好研究，因為早前我在香港大學修讀碩士課程時，論文以自閉症兒童的家長在性教育上的困難與期望為題，作出了有關資料搜集及調查。 現時我正設計課程特別配合家長的需要。性與關係教育對於任何人都重要，尤其是有特殊學習需要（SEN）的學生，他們往往對這方面缺乏適當的知識，容易導致他們及他人陷入困難的局面。我的目標是協助學生增加對這方面的認識，讓他們成長為健康的青少年，在性與關係問題上能夠作出明智的選擇。了解更多關於 陳恩楟 (愛培學校行為分析治療課程監督)的面談 .
資訊提供: 田國宏 (愛培學校課程主任)
有關愛培學校
愛培學校（原名為Autism Partnership學校）由 愛培自閉症基金 Autism Partnership Foundation 於 2007 年成立，是首間為能力較高的自閉症兒童而設的香港註冊私立小學。
愛培學校針對自閉症學生的學習障礙，明白他們未能適應主流學校的教學模式，因此，愛培學校的個別課程設計能夠因應學生的學習、情緒及社交需求，使學生能夠更有效地學習。
請分享，讓更多人了解自閉症及學習更多應用行為分析（ ABA）的治療技巧。
Facebook: APautism
微信號: AutismPartnership_HK
更多有關ABA治療服務[:]
