On 12 August 2021, iC2 PrepHouse vision teachers were invited to present in the Strabismus and Paediatric Ophthalmology Round to a group of Paediatric ophthalmologists, orthoptists and low vision optometrists at KK Hospital Eye Centre and Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC).

The topic was on Early Intervention Programmes conducted by iC2 PrepHouse, KKH Eye Centre and SNEC. Our assistant vision teacher Alyssa and vision teacher, Lay Hong, presented alongside Ms Lisa Ong (Low vision team Optometrist) and Ms Tan Yi Ling (Early Intervention Programme Orthoptist). iC2 PrepHouse teachers shared our specialised assessments, programmes, and the skill sets we teach our young students in the Early Intervention programme. This presentation forms part of our outreach efforts to clinicians in the hospital settings.

A Race to the Past is a virtual story-based experience where seven iC2 PrepHouse students travelled back in time to meet villagers from different cultures, each with a unique story to tell. Their mission was to work together to resolve conflicts and rebuild the kampung after an earthquake. Each student received a time traveller toolkit containing items like a time traveller wristband, food spices, traditional fabrics, and clothes to aid them on this rescue mission. The students were completely immersed in this adventure packed with music, movement, and the use of their senses! iC2 PrepHouse would like to extend special thanks to National Heritage Board, HeritageCares and their group of volunteers for organizing this event.

An awareness talk on visual impairment was conducted for the AED LBS. The AED LBS was given an insight into how visual impairment impacts a student’s learning in the mainstream. The AEDs were given opportunities to discuss strategies and attempted an actual case study.

After five weeks’ of suspended training due to the Phase 2 (Heightened Alert), athletes, parents, and Coach are excited to be back on track! And we also welcomed a new member to the group. Sets and exercises were less intense as Coach Sarav helped to ease the athletes and parents back into the programme. Everyone was exhausted at the end of practice, but the joy in their faces showed how glad they were to be back!

Running Straight
One big challenge in coaching athletics to people with visual impairment is helping them keep their lanes when racing. One technique Coach Sarav is working with our students is the use of the guide rope. The tether is hooked onto the guide rope that extends along the track lane for the distance (usually short, up to 100m). The runner will use the tension felt in the cord to ascertain whether they are running in a straight line. This exercise takes a lot of getting used to, evoking the runner’s body, spatial and proprioceptive awareness. Our budding athletes did great despite being new to this. By their third run, most could keep a straight line for at least 20-30 meters! Great job, runners! Thank you, Coach!

Last Session (Aug 28, 2021)

Today was the last session of another Term with Coach Sarav. Despite the disruptions to the training sessions due to the pandemic, our athletes and parents continued to give their best to make it a successful programme.

As usual, the last session is when Coach Sarav assesses the athletes’ fitness and strength levels through a series of tests. They had to do sit-ups, push-ups, and squats for a minute, performing as many repetitions as they could. There was also a sit-an-reach station and a standing broad jump. Athletes performed a weighted sit and pulled with the battling rope and a medicine ball shuttle run. Runners were also tested on their skill at guided rope running which they practised during earlier sessions in the term, and finally, an endurance run of 1.6km (four rounds around the track) to end it all!

Coach Sarav was pleased to see the tremendous improvements in all the athletes, especially those who joined the programme a year ago.

iC2 hopes that more young athletes will join and benefit from the Athletics for VI Programme. A new term will be starting on 18 Sep 2021. Please get in touch with Teacher Lay Hong layhong.lee@ic2.com.sg for more details or registration. See you there!

During the June holidays, iC2 PrepHouse participated in two virtual programmes organized by first-year students from Ngee Ann Polytechnic pursuing the Diploma in Community Development. It was heartening to see that this collaboration was initiated by two of our students from iC2 PrepHouse, Caleb and Firdhaus!

Project: Handy Mandy Crafters
Handy Mandy Crafters was conducted by Caleb and his team on 19 June 2021. We had four students from iC2 PrepHouse and their families participate in the event. They learned how to turn a recycled plastic bottle into a pencil/colour pencil holder, with each student creating one of their own. At the end of the session, there was a short sharing by Caleb, who shared his experiences of vision loss and how he overcame it. He touched on how assistive technology and having support from a buddy and his teachers helped him get through secondary school. The question-and-answer segment allowed parents to find out more about how Caleb overcame his sudden vision loss. Overall, participants had a good experience with the Handy Mandy Crafters team!

As SGEnable kicked off the new Financial Year(FY), they organised the Disability Network to connect with SSA(Social Service Agencies) via small group meetings. At this meeting, they shared SG Enable’s work plans, learned about our plans for the new FY, and, most importantly, how we can work together and synergise our efforts to serve persons with disabilities better. In this augural meeting, iC2 PrepHouse, together with Autism Association(Singapore), Bizlink Centre Singapore Ltd, Down Syndrome Association(Singapore), shared our plans for 2021.