04
Inclusive Music Education: Access to Learning for All
15
Dive Deep with Dr Thavamalar and Mdm Brenda Lee: The Refreshed CCE Experience –CCE 2021
22
Implementing and Facilitating the Teaching of SEL in Music Education
38
Musical Conversations with STAR Champions; Ho Si Liang, Irene Loi, Michael Cartwright and Tan Teing Im
Music Education: Access to Learning for All
Dive Deep with Dr Thavamalar and Mdm Brenda Lee: The Refreshed CCE Experience – CCE 2021
Tips & Tools for Music Educators
EDITORIAL TEAM
M arianne Woo Academy Officer, Music
Liow Xiao Chun Academy Officer, Music Joel Ng Academy Officer, Music
Conversations with STAR Champions; Ho Si Liang, Irene Loi, Michael Cartwright and Tan Teing Im
Welcome to a brand-new academic year. I hope all of you managed to find time during the school holidays to catch up with family and friends, to reconnect, to celebrate family bonds and friendships.
As educators, students are the very core of what we do. Nothing brings us greater pride than when we hear news that our students are doing well in life and contributing back to society in their own ways. Our students may not recall the subject specific concepts that we taught them, but they certainly can recall the values we shared, the love and concern we showed and the genuineness we modelled.
In this issue, we focus on reaching out to our students and how we engage them. We explore how we can teach inclusivity in music lessons, dive deep into CCE values and the possibilities of character development in music education with Master Specialist
(CCE) Dr Thavamalar Kanagaratnam and Master Teacher (CCE) Mdm Brenda Lee. We will also look at the considerations to note when we infuse SEL in music lessons.
In our conversations with fellow music educators, we hear from four teachers in the Inclusive Music Classrooms NLC and how they used the UDL framework to guide the design and delivery of instruction and assessment. Ms Jasmin Tan also shares her creative journey in writing two songs which can be used in the teaching of SEL competencies and song writing. In addition, we hear the experiences of four STAR Champions as Teacher-Leaders.
Finally, in Tips and Tools, we learn of multimodal learning we can adopt to accommodate the learning needs of our diverse group of students.
I wish all of you a fruitful and meaningful Semester 1.
Susanna
Chau Deputy Director, Music Singapore Teachers’ Academy for the aRts
Our classrooms are diverse. We have students of different race, religion, family backgrounds, learning styles, readiness levels, learning and behavioral needs, and profiles. Sometimes, that perceived difference might hinder or disable their ability to engage in our lessons. As educators, let us ask ourselves, do our students feel they belong to our class or school
community? Do our students feel that they are in a safe environment where they can participate on equal terms? How can we ensure that each student is given a fair chance to learn and develop the skills they need to thrive?
In most schools, music teachers are often in charge of teaching multiple classes of students across each level. Each class is also likely to comprise a very diverse group of students. With such diverse classrooms, there
are challenges to design the music curriculum to meet the needs of every student and be able to actively engage them in each lesson. Two such challenges teachers need to overcome would be providing instruction that is broad enough to meet the needs of all students; and assessing students fairly (Darrow, 2003). To do so, teachers can make suitable adaptations, which includes accommodations and modifications,
to increase the access students have to instruction or testing. (Frey & Gilispie, 2018)
To watch a video on
1
Multiple means of representation (The “what” of learning)
Students need to know what they are learning and be provided with options and choices about the type of materials they will use to gain new knowledge.
2
A framework that outlines how educators can increase access to instruction is Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The framework and guidelines created by the Center for Applied Special Technology, CAST, recognises that the way each individual learns is unique and that our classrooms should accommodate these student variances.
The UDL framework has three guiding principles:
3
Multiple means of engagement (The “why” of learning) Multiple means of action and expression (The “how” of learning)
After students are aware of what they are learning, they need to know why they are learning it. If teachers want students to find joy in their learning, they have to build that interest and guide students to identify a meaningful goal which will help them understand why the effort they put in is important.
Students need to be given the option of how they can demonstrate the new skills or knowledge gained. Teachers can provide students multiple means of action and expression which would give them opportunities to demonstrate their learning in their own way. (Murawski & Scott, 2019)
These principles are aligned to the three main neural networks in the brain, namely the affective, recognition and the strategic networks. There are three UDL guidelines within each principle making a total of nine guidelines which is shown above.
In the next section, we explore how four music teachers Dawn Kuah, Subject Head Aesthetics at Dazhong Primary School with Sabrina Tan, Joe Lee and Tan Pin Sing, music teachers at St. Gabriel’s Primary School, Yishun Primary School and Yu Neng Primary
School respectively, in the 2021 Inclusive Music Classrooms (IMC) Networked Learning Community (NLC) used the UDL framework to guide their design and delivery of instruction and assessment in their music lessons.
Considerations for designing inclusive music lessons
Tan Pin Sing makes it a point to consider the types of learners and learning profiles in her classes before deciding on the music activity. A guiding principle she follows would
be to ensure that the activities are structured such that the students are able to gain equal access to the lesson materials and content. Hence, the instructional methods used in the lesson should encourage flexibility and ensure that all students are able to participate without compromising the expectations or standards in the lesson. It is therefore important to minimize barriers to instruction by using appropriate accommodations and modifications to enable all students to experience success in their learning.
One key aspect the team considered was the selection and sequencing of appropriate learning content. After clear and explicit lesson objectives are set and varying levels of challenge are provided, teachers should then pay attention to scaffolding and designing activities that are able to support student learning. Not only should they tap on the student’s prior knowledge, they should also plan key questions to direct the student’s learning to achieve the desired learning outcomes. At the end of a topic, assessment tasks should be designed in a flexible manner for all students to demonstrate their mastery of the concepts learnt.
Undeniably, the IMC NLC members felt that it is of utmost importance to establish a positive classroom culture for students to feel valued based on care and mutual respect. Through positive student-to-student and teacher-to-student relationships, students will be able to explore the realms of music in a safe and inclusive environment. Most importantly, choice should always be provided to encourage students to take charge of their own learning and be intellectually involved in lesson activities.
They shared that even before the designing and delivery of instruction, it was necessary to know their students well as this would better equip them to make informed decisions on how they can provide multiple means of representation in their lessons. Pin Sing stressed the need to plan lessons that would enable every student to gain access
Provide multiple means of representation
Provide options for perception
to the information and participate meaningfully in the lesson. This could be achieved through clearly defined goals and making appropriate accommodations to reduce any barriers to instruction.
♫ Use of large font size, simple words, and different colors in visuals
01 Example of colour coded note values
02 Example of colour coded notations
♫ Use colour-coded music notes on the stave to correspond to the colours of the notes on the resonator bells
♫ Provide digital copies of class materials on SLS for greater access
♫ Provide visual cues and audio tracks for students to manipulate
Provide options for language and symbols
♫ Assign shapes to different rhythmic patterns to aid in understanding and identification –each time the rhythmic pattern is heard, the corresponding visual is provided Provide multiple means of representation
Provide options for comprehension
♫ Use of symbols to reinforce routines, convey instructions, or draw attention to key ideas and thinking routines
♫ Provide directions and scaffolds for students to continue with tasks e.g. When performing on mallet percussion instruments, students are given a score indicated with L and R letters to enable students to distinguish when to play the notes with their right or left hand
Sabrina shared the importance of keeping the symbols used consistent throughout the learning process to avoid any confusion for students. In addition, students need to be familiar with the vocabulary and symbols used to draw connections to their experience and prior knowledge.
Dawn highlighted the importance of building a positive classroom culture and the importance of reinforcing routines and expectations at the start of each lesson. In doing so, students are provided with expectations to optimize motivation while minimizing threats and distractions.
Example of a Soundscape worksheet
Provide multiple means of engagement
Provide options for recruiting interest
Examples of strategies used by IMC NLC members
♫
Provide students with a choice of activities e.g. When creating a soundscape, students are given a choice of the scenario and how they would like to work on the task – in pairs or solo
♫ Give autonomy to students to choose their own instruments; for students who are sensitive to high-pitched frequencies, wooden non-pitched percussion instruments are recommended
♫ Link the concepts learnt in the music lesson to how these are applied in the real world e.g. in a performance setting
Pupil’s Checklist
Provide multiple means of engagement
Provide options for sustaining effort & persistence
Examples of strategies used by IMC NLC members
♫ Provide constant feedback throughout the lesson through various ways such as peer and teacher feedback
♫ Use of visual and verbal cues for behavioural expectations
♫ Use reward system for positive reinforcement and affirmation e.g. Dawn rewards students with ‘Catch you do Good’ stickers and for every five stickers they collect, they can exchange it for a small token
♫ Differentiate tasks to provide varied levels of challenge for students
Provide options for self-regulation
♫ Provide opportunities for students to work in pairs, one acting as a mentor or coach whom students needing peer support can turn to
♫ Use of rubrics and checklists for students to monitor their own learning
♫ Position students with behavioural needs closer to the teacher
Provide multiple means of action and expression
Provide options for physical action
Provide options for expression and communication
Example of responding through drawing
The way students express themselves differs from one to the other. All tasks assigned should be meaningful options for students to demonstrate their understanding of the objective(s) shared at the start of the lesson in their own ways.
Pin Sing recounted how some of her students were perfectly comfortable raising their hands to ask or answer questions while others preferred to communicate via non-verbal communication cues.
Joe also shared how he would ensure that he provided his students the freedom to choose which role they would like to play in a performance.
Examples of strategies used by IMC NLC members
♫ Use of technology to show understanding of concepts learnt e.g. upload an audio or video recording on SLS or Flipgrid
♫ Choice given to students to decide how they will respond to demonstrate understanding e.g. for students who prefer to write, they can do so by writing their answers on a mini whiteboard or use their fingers to vote for the answer. Some may also choose to draw. Alternatively they can clap or act out their responses instead of replying verbally.
♫ Options given to students to choose different parts of a performance they would like to take on e.g. chanting/singing, movement, body percussion, playing an instrument.
Provide multiple means of action and expression
Provide options for executive functions
of strategies used by
♫ Provide sufficient scaffolding
♫ Model and demonstrate the action
♫ Provide timely feedback
♫ Use of exit tickets for students to share any queries about the concepts learnt during the lesson
Their experience of designing and delivering inclusive music lessons did not come without its challenges. This included getting to know every student well and managing unexpected behaviour demonstrated by students with behavioural needs.
These challenges were overcome through constant communication and sharing of information between the music teacher and other stakeholders e.g. form teachers, AED LBS and parents. Constant revision of routines
and expectations was also another important aspect in creating a safe space for the students.
After designing their music lessons using the UDL framework, all four educators experienced positive responses from their students. They expressed that with the options and choices provided, students were able to make meaning of their learning and feel a sense of empowerment and ownership in their learning.
To ensure that no learner gets left behind, teachers need to be able to adapt the delivery of instruction and assessment that minimises barriers and maximises learning for all students. The UDL framework provides music educators with a useful reference to help each student succeed in their learning.
“As a Music Education specialist in the Faculty of Education at Monash University, I would like to share some ideas with you about effective ways to work with your diverse groups of music students. A framework which I have found helpful for teaching students with a range of intellectual, physical, emotional and behavioural challenges is the Universal Design for Learning. UDL is underpinned by the understanding that many students benefit from the provision of (i) multiple ways to engage with the learning (ii) a variety of representations of information and (iii) different ways to express what they know.
To begin implementing UDL you need to identify the barriers to learning for your students. Barriers are present in the design of the learning environment and in the activities and resources. For example, you may have a child with Global Developmental Delay who cannot read musical rhythms and has trouble holding her pencil and writing legibly. The music lesson requires her to take part in a group percussion activity which involves playing 2 bars of rhythm on the claves, then drawing a picture of the claves and writing about her performance.
The barriers to learning are:
♫ the requirement to read rhythms, hold a pencil effectively and manually write words on paper
Some reasonable adjustments to her learning experience could be:
♫ her classroom buddy taps the rhythm on her back so she can feel the rhythmic pattern before playing it on the claves
♫ she uses pen grips on her pencils
♫ she uses an A4 folder as a ‘sloped desk’-turn the folder around so the side with the binder rings is parallel to the top of her desk-place a hard clipboard sideways across the folder to rest her paper
♫ allow her to record her responses using a ‘talk to text’ app.
Dr. Louise Jenkins
Senior Lecturer in the School of Curriculum Teaching & Inclusive Education, Monash University
Dr. Jenkins facilitated the Inclusive Music Teaching in Primary School Classrooms - Supporting Diverse Learners PD sessions in April 2021.
Darrow, A. A. (2003). Dealing with diversity: The inclusion of students with disabilities in music. Research Studies in Music Education, 21(1), 45–57. https://doi.org/10.1177/1321103x030210010401
Frey, J. R., & Gillispie, C. M. (2018). The Accessibility Needs of Students with Disabilities: Special Considerations for Instruction and Assessment. Handbook of Accessible Instruction and Testing Practices, 93–105. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71126-3_6
Murawski, W., & Scott, K. L. (2019). What Really Works With Universal Design for Learning (1st ed.). Corwin. CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org
Why?
Following the implementation of the revised Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) syllabus for both the Secondary and Primary Schools in 2021 and 2022 respectively, Dr. Thavamalar Kanagaratnam, Master Specialist (Character and Citizenship Education) and Mdm. Brenda Lee, Master Teacher (Character and Citizenship Education) provide insights on key updates to the syllabus, how music education can provide opportunities for character development and how assessment in CCE should be a journey of growth.
What are some key updates in the revised 2021 CCE syllabus that teachers need to know?
One significant feature of CCE 2021 is the three guiding principles of student-centricity, intentionality, and coherence. These principles signal the importance of placing the child at the centre of all our efforts, having clarity of purpose in everything we do and ensuring that our students have coherent and meaningful learning experiences for CCE, both within the classroom and beyond. The learning of values, building strength of character, resilience and social-emotional well-being, and nurturing active citizens have always been important in our educational system over the decades. Despite having designed, reviewed, and updated programmes in these areas to meet the needs of our students, these efforts are often manifested as disparate programmes or activities, with teachers and students often
not understanding the connection between them. The recent review of CCE addresses this issue with a comprehensive curriculum frame that pulled together all these areas under one overarching umbrella, grounded in the developmental needs of our students. We designed a set of Developmental Milestones, which describe students’ developmental progression across the different stages of schooling from lower primary to post-secondary. CCE Learning Outcomes (LOs) were then derived from these Developmental Milestones for each level. These LOs articulate with clarity the knowledge, skills, and values that students need to learn in CCE at every level. The Developmental Milestones and Learning Outcomes anchor all learning experiences relevant to CCE within the classroom and beyond.
As such, CCE should no longer be seen only as a subject in the curriculum, but a school-wide approach, where every school experience is a CCE lesson, and every teacher, a CCE teacher. What this means is that us teachers, regardless of whether we are assigned to teach CCE lessons, need to intentionally tap on the multitude of opportunities that arise during the school day to guide students in their development of character, social-emotional well-being, and citizenship dispositions. These opportunities invariably surface in the different subjects we teach, the various Student Development Experiences we oversee, as well as the many interactions we have with our students.
Can you share some instructional elements of CCE lessons and how music teachers can enact the CCE learning outcomes in other subject areas i.e., music lessons and music related Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs)?
In the CCE Curriculum Frame, in line with the school-wide approach, the enactment of CCE is described as happening through several platforms, including CCE lessons, other subjects and Student Development Experiences.
CCE Lessons comprise planned learning experiences explicitly based on the CCE Learning Outcomes. For CCE 2021, the team took into consideration a more holistic and coherent approach in the design of CCE lessons as we applied pedagogical approaches to facilitate the learning of moral and civic values, as well as social-emotional skills.
Teaching strategies include the use of narratives, moral dilemmas, and other authentic scenarios and contexts to provoke thinking, connect emotionally, and inspire the learning and demonstration of sound values, as well as skills such as emotion regulation, empathy, and self-reflection. Students are engaged through age-appropriate lesson activities and skilful questioning.
Beyond CCE lessons, there are also authentic opportunities in other subjects, like Music, to reinforce what students learn in CCE.
It is of great importance that teachers recognise and tap on these opportunities to explicitly guide students to understand, appreciate and reflect on the values and competencies to develop their character, social-emotional wellbeing, and citizenship dispositions. The process of learning and internalising these values and competencies requires drawing attention to them, using the appropriate language to discuss them and guiding students to reflect on what they have learnt and how they will apply their learning across different contexts.
Music lessons
Students may discover their musical interests and talents: technical aspects of music, nurturing appreciation, and cultural understanding.
Music teachers can guide students to set goals for themselves and pursue their interests with determination and resilience, which is something they learn during CCE lessons.
Students build respect and understanding by gaining insight into someone else’s culture through community songs or indicative repertoire.
Values in Action (VIA) projects
Music related CCAs
Students can put up performances to contribute to the community by sharing the gift of music with others.
While preparing, students learn how to collaborate with one another respectfully and responsibly, as well as put in their best effort for the sake of their audience. Such learning opportunities could motivate students to grow in their character and be their best selves as they work towards self-improvement and othercentredness.
Students deepen their self-awareness, broaden their hearts and minds, and develop a sense of purpose.
It is of great importance that teachers recognise and tap on these opportunities to explicitly guide students to understand, appreciate and reflect on the values and competencies to develop their character, social-emotional wellbeing, and citizenship dispositions.
Students develop a sense of belonging as a member of the wider community beyond their family and school circles.
The process of learning and internalising these values and competencies requires drawing attention to them, using the appropriate language to discuss them and guiding students to reflect on what they have learnt and how they will apply their learning across different contexts.
Why is creating a positive environment in the music classroom crucial in the development of CCE in our students?
Have you ever associated a memory with a song so strongly that the moment you hear the song, you’re back in that moment?
I’m sure many of us would be able to name a song that would transport us to a place in time as we relive those moments; recollecting the precious memories that bring meaning to our lives. While some of these memories are unique to individuals and their families, there will be others that are created with friends. Over time, these experiences form part of our identity growing up. As students belt out community songs together during music lessons, a magical spell that captures their childhood memories; friendships that are formed in good
A positive classroom environment does not happen overnight; it is born out of necessity, but it cannot be left to flourish on its own. The teacher must reach out to build positive relationships with the children and allow them a voice to share their stories/experience or
and bad times, laughter, tears, and anguish will help carry them through life. Not to mention the fact that a song which holds a special meaning to their friend will someday mean something to them too because of the respect and understanding they took to gain insight into someone else’s culture.
Suppose students in a class do not try to understand why they are singing community songs in a language that is foreign to them and they are not motivated to understand their friends better or forge friendships with their classmates. Is there something the teacher can do to help with the situation?
to ask questions and clarify doubts. Trust, communication, camaraderie, and subsequently positive classroom culture can then be forged. It will also give students the chance to build happy memories in their primary school years.
A positive classroom environment does not happen overnight; it is born out of necessity, but it cannot be left to flourish on its own.
How can teachers use CCE pedagogical approaches effectively in music lessons?
As humans, we have basic psychological needs to connect with others and feel emotionally safe enough to articulate our thoughts and dialogue with one another. When the environment allows such conversations to take place, this facilitates a sense-making process
A P3 class just listened to the song ‘Home’ by Kit Chan and the teacher asked the following question…
Ms A. asked, “After listening to the song ‘Home’ by Kit Chan, would anyone like to share what the song means to you? Please raise your hand to answer the question. Remember there is no right or wrong answer.”
A boy piped up enthusiastically, “I won’t be alone because I have my family with me.”
While some responses could be triggered by spontaneous memories that could lead to catharsis, they could also (sometimes) trap the person in a mental time warp loop. Students could get caught up in the memories and emotions from the past and find it difficult or impossible to move forward in his/her current life.
where students can grow up as adjusted individuals. However, due to differing lived experiences, students’ reactions to each situation varies as well. Often, we as teachers would be able to deal with these reactions, however, there could be unexpected moments where we might find ourselves having to help students cope with a spontaneous outburst from a memory so that they can move on positively in life. For example,
A group of girls laughed and said, “Don’t forget to include your dog. You are always talking about it.”
Another girl chimed in, saying, “I have a dog too and I play with it whenever I feel sad. Apart from playing with my dog, I also play at the park, near the river facing my house, whenever I am unhappy.’
A boy seated nearby suddenly crushed the lyrics of the song, stood up and yelled at his classmates, “Your house stinks and everyone in it, including your dog!”
Everyone in class was momentarily stunned after his outburst.
When we engage students in CCE and get them to think deeper, the idea is really for them to say why they feel this way and ask questions to help them consider the perspectives of others, understand their thoughts and feelings and develop a balanced view of a given situation. Through this, not only do they develop the capacity for empathy, but they also learn to care for others, which contributes to positive relationships for learning.
For younger students, learning through play-based activities can lead them to explore, experiment, discover and solve problems in creative and fun ways. It is also helpful to be explicit with how the desired outcome of behaviour can look like, feel like and sound like in class. When we make thinking audible and visible, students can internalize these skills when they practise it in different school contexts.
When students have good social safety nets to fall back on, they usually have a positive outlook and better prognosis in their lived experiences.
In all teaching and learning, assessment is an integral part of the learning process. How does assessing CCE look like and what can teachers do to equip their students with the necessary skills for continuous personal development?
Unlike academic areas in school, the focus of CCE is on students’ character growth and development, which are aspects of learning that
As teachers, we should adopt a growth mindset in our perception of our students and encourage them to work towards bettering themselves.
are not easily measured with validity and reliability. Instead, assessment in CCE needs to be reframed as a process-oriented approach involving self-reflection, with teachers and peers providing timely and meaningful feedback on students’ behaviour, actions, and choices. This process is a lifelong one and occurs through a variety of experiences.
As teachers, we should adopt a growth mindset in our perception of our students and encourage them to work towards bettering themselves. We need to guide them in developing greater self-awareness of where they are in their life journey, where they want to be and how they hope to get there. We help them by providing opportunities to be self-directed, lifelong learners as they reflect, seek feedback, and evaluate personal improvement. In doing so, they learn to make informed judgments and stand by values and principles they believe in.
What is SEL and why is it important?
Our students today are confronted with challenges that are further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Social Emotional learning (SEL) competencies and skills can better prepare students for life and its challenges – they enable students
to examine and understand their own thoughts and emotions, develop a sense of responsibility and concern for others, and act for the good of self, others, and the society.
The five competencies of SEL are self-awareness, self-management, social-awareness, relationship
Character and Citizenship (CCE) 2021 Curriculum Framework (MOE, 2020)
management, and responsible decision-making, which are encompassed in the conceptual core of CCE: the three Big Ideas of Identity, Relationships and Choices. These competencies can be taught, demonstrated and applied through explicit instruction, planned authentic learning experiences, as well as teachable moments (MOE, 2020, p. 10).
The music classroom is an ideal environment for the teaching, demonstration, and application of Social-emotional competencies. As Dr. Scott Edgar, author of Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: The Heart of Teaching Music says, Music IS Social and Music IS Emotional.
“Music IS Social and Music ISEmotional”
The table below illustrates the link between Music Education, Social-emotional competencies and the three Big Ideas: Conceptual Core of CCE.
Musical Processes/ Three Big Ideas and Social-emotional Competencies
Identity
Self-awareness and self-management
Relationships
Social awareness and relationship management
Choices
Responsible decision-making
Provide opportunities for students to practise personal goal-setting, self-assessment and accountability
It allows for selfexpression of students’ identity and fosters selfawareness.
The collaborative nature of music-making in a safe environment encourages the development of social relationships and an awareness of acceptance and embracing diversity.
Striving for musical excellence during practice and rehearsals fosters resilience and allows students to practise decision-making skills on how and what to improve.
It is an avenue for student voice and agency as it allows for a greater sense of autonomy.
Cooperation, communication, positive peer interactions, recognition and support of the rights of others, dependability, responsibility, focus of attention, impulse control, delayed gratification, and acceptance of consequences are some of the skills students can learn in a music classroom (Edgar, 2017).
Considerations for implementing/facilitating the teaching of SEL competencies in Music lessons
For SEL to be effective in equipping students the skills to tackle life’s challenges, Dr. Edgar advocates the integration of SEL to be:
1. Intentional
2. Embedded into the content
3. Sustained
Purposeful integration of the teaching and facilitation of SEL competencies can be achieved by consciously adding SEL studentrelated objectives, procedures and teaching actions into lesson plans.
For example, during the STAR Champions’ sharing in October 2021 on music curriculum ideas and resources, Clara Sng, Jasmin Tan, Jolene Khoo, Sim Kok Heng and Rebecca Loke presented lesson ideas, music activities and tools which showcased the conscious integration of CCE and SEL-related content.
One useful reference for the purposeful integration of SEL competencies can be found in the Arts Education and Social Emotional Learning Framework by The Center for Arts Education and Social Emotional Learning, SEL competencies are articulated according to the musical processes of creating, performing/producing/ presenting, responding and connecting. Teachers can intentionally integrate these competencies in the context of artistic processes in their design of SOWs and lesson plans.
The teaching of SEL competencies should be embedded into the musical content, instruction and processes.
Teachers should be intentional in the repertoire selection and consider how the repertoire connects to students’ lives and allows them to form personal connections to the music, as well as achieve musical objectives.
For example, teachers could curate repertoire that explores music written by people of diverse backgrounds
and cultures which provide diverse perspectives. The repertoire could relay positive messages, reflect the Singapore culture or explore social and current issues. The composer’s life and the circumstances from which the creation stemmed from builds a connection between music and SEL. It allows students to connect with the stories, develop empathy and social awareness.
Please refer to the table below for more details on the suggested SEL and Music strategies and activities.
For students to be more comfortable in applying the competencies and skills, there should be consistency and ample opportunities for students to hone and practise them. The instruction should be purposeful, sequential and progressive to create lasting impact.
Some simple strategies to support a sustained and purposeful instruction would be quick visual checks such as “fist-to-five” and/or “thumbometer”. They not only serve as a visual checkpoint for teachers to assess students’ understanding and readiness, but also allow students to self-assess and practise selfawareness. Teachers could use these strategies in a variety of aspects including personal focus level,
01 Thumbometer
02 Fist-to-five
Thumbs Up
♫ Feeling good
♫ Liked it
♫ Understood
Thumbs to Side
♫ It was OK
♫ Understood a little
Thumbs Down
♫ Feeling down
♫ Didn’t like it
♫ Did not understand
readiness, level of understanding, and opinions, amongst others. When these strategies are effectively and frequently used in class, students will be more comfortable and grow in self-awareness and self-management. It is important to note that the level of accuracy of students’ perception shown by their response will improve as the more practice they have on self-perception, the more they will grow in comfortability and accuracy.
Teachers could also implement the regular use of an SEL/Music Practice Journal that can be used before, during and/or after a practice session.
Please refer to the table below on more details on the suggested SEL and Music strategies and activities.
Identifying Emotions in Music. Note: Adapted from Music Education and Social Emotional Learning (p. 103), by S.N. Edgar, 2017, GIA Publications Inc.
CCE Big Ideas and Social-emotional competencies
Identity Self-awareness and self-management
Click Here
For more suggested SEL and Music Strategies and Activities.
The table below illustrates the skill sets of the five social-emotional competencies and some suggested SEL and music strategies and activities which have been adapted from Dr. Scott Edgar’s book, ‘Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: The Heart of Teaching Music’. Regular exposure to these strategies is highly recommended to give students ample opportunities to hone their SEL skills.
Suggested SEL and Music Strategies and Activities
In this strategy, listening skills, musical knowledge and analysis are linked to emotional identification and emotional vocabulary through emojis and reflection. This allows teachers and students to explore how musical elements influence emotional perception, explore diverse perspectives and cultural assumptions of emotion and tonality.
01 01 Preparation Anxiety Scale. Source: Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: The Heart of Teaching Music Student Workbook (p. 16), by S.N. Edgar, 2019, GIA Publications Inc.
02 Progress Chart. Source: Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: The Heart of Teaching Music Student Workbook (p. 13), by S.N. Edgar, 2019, GIA Publications Inc.
Students are encouraged to articulate their feelings under pressure after a performance or after listening to a recording/ watching a video recording of their performance. Identification and recognition of anticipation, anxiety, pride and confidence during a performance can translate to life skills when students deal with high pressure situations outside of the music classroom. It also allows students to see the correlation between preparation and anxiety, as one should feel less nervous when one is more prepared (in most circumstances). This allows students to reflect on their current preparation levels and practise goal-setting, self-assessment and monitoring to show improvement in the next performance.
Students are given space to set their own musical, interpersonal and personal goals at the start of each lesson. They could then practise self-assessment and reflection based on their goals, which serves as a personal progress chart at the end of each lesson. Teachers can provide students with a variety of modes to express their progress, like multiple choice, indicating the level on a thermometer or an arrow, and space for students to write.
01 SEL-related questions for SEL/Music Journal
02 Student example of SEL/ Music Journal
03 Sample Practice Journal on SLS
In the SEL/Music Practice Journal, students would not only set specific musical goals but also practise self-reflection using SELrelated questions. Teachers could guide how to assess musical aspects and standards but the students would be in charge of measuring their own improvement. Encompassing music practice with SEL would encourage selfmonitoring, self-awareness, organisational skills, discipline and inspire student agency through decision-making. Frequent use of the journal would allow students to see their own progression and be more comfortable practising the SEL skills. The reflection questions could also be adapted for collaborative group activities.
The above strategies could be integrated into the Practice Journal.
CCE Big Ideas and Social-emotional competencies
Relationships –social awareness and relationship management:
Building these skills allow students to have a sense of
responsible decision-making:
Students learn skills on how to respond by making choices, instead of reacting. Educators should find opportunities for students’ voice and choice to inspire student agency.
♫ Leadership as an Attitude, not a Title
Leadership is not only manifested by performing the role of a leader but also by being a good follower. Students can take turns being the leader and this shared leadership responsibility will allow all students to develop as leaders and followers. As a follower, students practice empathy and learn how to support those in leadership positions to achieve a shared goal, and leaders benefit by understanding the need to listen to different perspectives of followers. By having the opportunity to be both a leader and a follower, students can navigate, determine, and grow in leadership strategies, skills, and dispositions.
♫ Role-model problem solving
Students can practise problem-solving techniques like identification of problem-causing behaviour, brainstorming potential solutions and predicting potential outcomes through problematic musical and SEL-related elements. It could be a specific musical problem or an attitude/behaviour that led to the problem. This could be done through teacher role-modelling of the process and subsequent personal and/or group reflection.
Teachers could also guide collective problem-
(Musical/Personal/Social)
e.g. The music performed in a pop band does not always sync.
The band can practise the problematic parts of the music in a slower tempo
It may be frustrating at first. The band will be able to listen to how the parts interact when they practise at a slower tempo.
Role-model problem solving based on a musical problem. Note: Adapted from Music Education and Social Emotional Learning (p. 153), by S.N. Edgar, 2017, GIA Publications Inc.
The band can practise with a metronome in the background
It will help the band to identify which parts of the music they have difficulty keeping in time to.
Click Here
For more resources on SEL and strategies for implementing SEL in the Music Classroom.
The very nature of music and music-making allows our students the opportunity to connect with themselves and others, grow in resilience and achieve something collectively. The music classroom can be a place to grow and hone skills that students need to overcome the challenges of tomorrow. Through the embedment of SEL into music education, educators can help students see the link and build a lifelong relationship with music.
“The implicit connections between music education and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) are becoming more explicit as teachers, administrators, and researchers are increasing the intentionality of how these two areas powerfully complement each other. For SEL to help build the capacity to encounter the tests of life, and equally important, nourish and advance the artistic processes (create, perform/ present/produce, respond, and connect) it must be approached intentionally, embedded into music, and be sustained. The lines between SEL and music can be blurred to a point that a casual observer (and even our students) does not know where one ends and the other begins. To deeply encounter SEL in the music classroom we must understand:
♫ Purposefully embedding SEL into music education will enrich the students’ personal connection to music.
♫ The relationship built between teacher and students over multiple years of instruction fosters the caring environment necessary to help build school connectedness and foster empathy.
♫ The perseverance needed to dedicate oneself to musical excellence fosters resilience both in and out of the music classroom.
♫ Musical creation fosters selfawareness and allows students to develop a greater sense of autonomy and emotional vocabulary.
♫ The collaborative community developed in the music classroom around music-making welcomes discussions and an awareness of acceptance and embracing diversity.
♫ Musicians learn the necessity of personal goal-setting, selfassessment, and accountability as they develop high standards for musicianship and themselves.
♫ Music education provides developmental experiences that actively allow students to practice and hone social emotional competencies.
As we navigate the global challenges facing us, SEL can help us utilize the music classroom as a space to understand our identity, foster belonging, and amplify student voice and agency.”
Dr. Scott N. Edgar Associate Professor of Music, Department of Music chair, Director of Bands for Lake Forest College, Illinois.
He is also the author of Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: The Heart of Teaching Music. Dr. Edgar presented a video presentation on SEL and Music for Music STAR Champions (Secondary).
The next section of this article will highlight the thought processes and design thinking behind the writing of two original songs and subsequent lesson ideas by Ms Jasmin Tan from Meridian Secondary School.
Click Here
To listen to the song, “There is Hope”
Click Here
To view the lyrics of the song.
For Jasmin Tan from Meridian Secondary School, what started out as a ‘musical doodle’ evolved into two original songs ‘There Is Hope’ and ‘Every Day’, and subsequently secondary music lesson ideas. With her input on how CCE and music can be integrated, Guidance Branch is currently designing a lesson package based on ‘There Is Hope’. The video performance of ‘Every Day’ was realised through Friends-in-Concert 2021, which was performed by Jasmin, Desirée Chua and Tan Weida.
The tune for the chorus of “Every Day” came to me one evening before going to bed. In the weeks following, I enjoyed a creative rush of musical ideas. It then dawned on me that perhaps I could use them for a good cause. Mr. Zensen Goh from Punggol View Primary School, the E1 cluster
Aesthetics NLC head, connected me with Guidance branch and they asked if I would be open to writing a new song in alignment to a lesson package on ‘Hope’ which they were planning to design. The theme of ‘Hope’ led me to think of how I could inspire my form class of Normal Technical students to build resilience despite life’s challenges, so I jumped at that opportunity which was how ‘There is Hope’ came about.
I envisioned for ‘There is Hope’ to be used in both CCE and music lessons, and therefore I wrote it in the key of C which would enable students to learn the chords on the keyboard and play along to the song easily. Often, when conducting instrumental modules in school, I would notice that the songs and music that we taught our students would stick with them even after a few years. Thus, I wanted this song to have the same impact on students – not only musically but also through the messages conveyed.
As lyrics and the messages they convey are an inseparable of a song, I integrated intentional SEL elements in the lyrics. In the chorus lines ‘You’ll reach your dreams, keep trying’, the students’ dreams and aspirations serve as a point of motivation and
also forms a large part of their identity. By encouraging students to reflect on their dreams, they become more self-aware through goal-setting and recognising their strengths, needs and values. By encouraging them to build hope for themselves and overcome challenges through their willpower and waypower (‘Find the strength that you have inside’/’There’s always another path’), students build self-management skills by devising effective ways to reach their goals.
One takeaway from working on this song with Guidance Branch is that it has anchored my understanding of how I could relate hope to my students in a tangible manner. Building on the “I Have, I Am, I Can” reflection routine for building
Week 1-2
♪ Students listen to the song “There is Hope”.
♪ On SLS, students to individually complete a listening reflection on how they feel while listening to the song.
♪ Students may indicate which melodic phrases or words resonate with them.
resilience shared by Guidance Branch, I wrote lyrics that could serve as an entry point for reflections and discussions.
Together with a fellow STAR Champion, Rebecca Loke, we designed a Song writing Curriculum Plan with CCE elements using ‘There Is Hope’ as an entry point. We incorporated the principles and strategies for integrating the teaching of SEL in Music shared by Dr. Edgar in the curriculum plan. This would allow students not only to grow in musical skills by learning about song structure, playing the chord progressions on instruments, writing their own songs and eventually performing them, but also have the opportunity to build SEL competencies and skills.
♪ Students to individually complete weekly journal via SLS to note down how they feel during the lesson. Click Here To
♪ Students are introduced to lyrics writing techniques (eg, rhyme scheme, alliteration, imagery, etc) as teacher helps unpack the lyrics of “There is Hope”.
Week 3-4
♪ Students to collaborate with group members on Google docs to replace lyrics for the chorus of “There Is Hope” based on their own experiences.
Week 5-6
♪ Students are give 2 themes to choose from their group songwriting assignment:
Theme 1: Motivation
Theme 2: Gratitude
♪ Students brainstorm and form a mind-map of words associated with the chosen theme.
♪ Student extend ideas from their mind-maps with suitable rhyming words that are in line with the theme.
♪ Students are given the success criteria checklist to guide them through the songwriting module.
9-10
♪ Students are guided to mark out stresses in the lyrics and put in the bar lines.
♪ Student discuss and decide which chords to apply for which bar of their lyrics.
♪ Teacher may suggest a series of chord progressions for students to choose from.
♪ Students may use music stems of “There Is Hope” to assist in the creation of chord progressions.
Week 13-14
♪ Students practise rehearsing in their groups of 5 for the presentation of their self-composed song.
Week 7-8
♪ Students to discuss in their groups to write lyrics for the verse and chorus.
♪ Teacher guides students to check the phrase lengths of their verses and choruses.
♪ Teacher shows students how the phrases are organised into measures by introducing concepts of accents in words and how they usually fall on the first beat of each measure.
Week 11-12
♪ Students to explore melodic notes to fit their lyrics for the verse and chorus
♪ Teacher shows students how to use the DAW to key in the chords and from the chords generate the melody notes.
♪ Teach shares YouTube tutorials on how to create good hooks for songs.
Week 15
♪ Students to present their songs to their classmates group by group while peers take down notes for giving feedback about the presentation.
♪ Students to complete the Emotional Creativity Worksheet to analyze their creation and articulate their feelings during the performance.
I also worked with STAR to produce ‘There Is Hope’, and through the process we were able to create audio stems for specific instruments in the arrangement. These audio stems would serve as resources for teachers to scaffold the song writing process for students and would also give students the opportunity to practise decisionmaking skills. For example, students could choose to incorporate the percussion audio stems into their song arrangement so that they can concentrate on writing the lyrics, melody and harmonic instrumental
realisation. They could also use the same chord progressions as the song and incorporate the harmonic instrumental parts. Teachers could also use the audio stem to analyse the melody and guide students in the melody-writing process.
Before writing ‘There is Hope’, I had to have a clear understanding of the concepts related to hope. With feedback from fellow music educators and guidance from STAR and Guidance Branch, I learnt a lot regarding creating impactful lyrics, musical arrangement and music production. It was very encouraging and heartening to be able to receive constructive feedback and purposeful comments that helped me to refine my song. I hope to be able to emulate this in my music class by creating a safe space for students to share their work, to increase their musical vocabulary to facilitate giving constructive feedback to each other, and to inspire them to strive for betterment.
Through this journey, I am not only motivated to continue writing songs but also to continue improving on my understanding of recording and post-production processes. More importantly, I am happy to have these experiences to share with my students. I believe that by sharing my song writing journey, my students who hold so much potential will be inspired to write songs too!
STAR Champions Ho Si Liang, Irene Loi, Michael Cartwright, Tan Teing Im share their journey as teacher-leaders and explain how they worked as a team to design curriculum resources and ideas incorporating Social Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies into their music lessons.
Please share with us a brief overview of the lesson modules that the team designed, and the considerations the team had while designing music lessons that incorporated SEL competencies through explicit instruction and authentic learning experiences.
What struck a chord with us was the concept of intentionally infusing SEL in our music lessons so that every musical experience is an opportunity for students to build confidence in themselves and develop empathy towards others. We were also driven by the idea that the music classroom should be another safe place for students to have their voices heard, embrace a different set of challenges and take risks. With these in mind, we redesigned existing lesson modules to encourage student agency, build tenacity to overcome challenges and develop skills to collaborate with their peers.
Designed by Si Liang, Irene, Michael & Teing Im
Performing a cover of a pop song in a jam band module
♫ The focus of this module is on collaboration within a jam band to perform in an ensemble with at least 4 parts.
♫ This module is based on Lucy Green’s pedagogical approach of informal learning.
♫ Students are given the option of choosing their own members, songs, and instruments.
Students start the module with a pre-activity survey to reflect on their confidence level in playing certain instruments and proceed to group
Pre-activity survey and assigning students to instrument
themselves with their peers who will be able to complement their skillset. (Self-awareness and Responsible decision-making)
During the practices, a checklist was created to frame the students’ decision-making process by setting targets/distributing roles. (Relationship management, Selfmanagement)
At the end of each session, a selfreflection worksheet was also filled in. Students’ select an emoji that reflected their feelings with written descriptions to “Why do I feel that way?”. In addition, students also reflected on how they could improve in future sessions. (Self-awareness, Self-management)
Student Log
Teaching instrumental skills to NT students in preparation for DAW projects
♫ The focus of this module is on responsible decision-making through the learning process.
♫ This module is based on Lucy Green’s pedagogical approach of informal learning.
♫ Students are encouraged to voice their preference in how and what they wanted to learn while learning to solve problems collaboratively.
Using station rotation, students are split into pairs and tasked to learn four different instruments. Video
files were provided at each station to teach the students how to play the instruments. Students took ownership of their learning and focused on the process of learning. (Self-management)
Students had to work with one other to overcome challenges faced during the learning process and generate alternative solutions together. (Social awareness, Relationship management, Responsible decision-making)
An accompanying student log, with questions like “What did you do to overcome the challenge at the station?”, was created for the students to reflect on their learning pre, during, and post activity. (Selfawareness, Self-management)
♫ This module is inspired by Kandinsky’s own experience of synaesthesia and how he painted ‘Impression III –(Concert)’ as a response to Schoenberg’s String Quartet.
♫ The focus of the module is on the emotional language of music.
Students start the module with an Emoji Description exercise to expand their emotional vocabulary. (Self-awareness)
A colour and shape key is then created; colours are associated with the emotions felt while shapes correlate to the sonic elements heard.
Following the creation of this colour and shape key, students are then tasked to listen to three 19th/20th century classical music pieces — Carmen Overture, Bizet, Threnody for the victims of Hiroshima, Penderecki & Prelude to the afternoon of a Faun, Debussy — and create an abstract artwork based on what they heard. (Responsible decision-making)
Student Compositions and Descriptions
Creating mood music on BandLab
♫ The focus of this module was on connections between musical elements and the perceived different complex moods.
♫ Students apply learning by creating their own music to express moods.
Students brainstorm words describing complex moods. They then listen to excerpts of music and discuss the moods they felt and how the elements of music contributed to it. (Self-awareness)
Students are then split into groups and tasked to create mood music using loops in BandLab. Students explain their thought process and choices in writing. (Self-awareness, Relationship management)
What are some important takeaways from this process of designing and conducting the lessons that other music teachers should consider when implementing SEL in music education?
One important takeaway would be to ensure that SEL components are weaved seamlessly into the music lessons. In addition, teachers need to ensure they create a warm and safe environment for their students. This can be achieved through good facilitation skills as it allows for deeper conversations and reflections in the classroom. Together with the intentional teaching of SEL competencies through every part of the module, providing a safe space for failure results in greater student engagement and will enable them to build resilience. Finally, teachers
should also explore different modes of reflection and responses beyond the written form e.g., art, movement, etc. since they cater to different students’ mode of self-expression.
As teacher-leaders, what are some of your hopes for the fraternity, in terms of implementing SEL/CCE in music education, in the coming years?
It is our hope that music teachers will continue to see how music has the potential to build character in our students. There are many opportunities for us to embed SEL intentionally and seamlessly. It could be through the choice of repertoire
which would allow students to develop their sense of self or social awareness or through collaborative opportunities which would provide them with opportunities to learn how to manage relationships. This can also be achieved by creating reflection worksheets with an explicit focus on SEL competencies, or even giving students a voice in the music-making process. Most importantly, we should remember that we need to create safe spaces for our students to fail and grow. If we can teach music in way that can develop the sense of belonging and humanity in society, our students would appreciate this safe space we have created for them.
Together with the intentional teaching will enable them tobuild resilience. a safe space for failure results and of SEL competencies through every part of the module, providing
Teaching a diverse group of learners would require teachers to teach in ways to accommodate the various learning styles.Here we share four multimodal learning styles and the various adaptations or tools teachers can use to adopt a multimodal approach to learning. These strategies are adapted from the STAR Champions dialogue with Mr Brian Wagner on Inclusive Music Education in 2021.
♫ Visual representations of text, vocabulary, or sounds e.g. Different contours of the lines showing the different melodic contour for the same word
♫ Visual supports to represent directions, expectations, or checklists e.g. Cue cards & resources from Victories ‘N Autism
♫ Music technology to represent visual representations of sounds e.g. Chrome Music Lab
♫ Use music to teach skills; e.g. sing different tunes to signal when to stand up or sit down or a song for lining up.
♫ Located in proximity to hear sounds e.g. Arrange students according to their hearing needs especially for students who are hypersensitive to sound or students who have difficulty hearing when they are at the back of the class.
♫ Noise-cancelling headphones to counter hypersensitivity e.g. Some students may be sensitive to high-pitched frequencies while some are more sensitive to loud sounds. Inform students ahead of time what they are going to learn to allow these students to prepare the headphones for the coming lessons.
♫ Visual and auditory combined representations of sounds e.g. Spectrogram in Chrome Music Lab
Click Here
To watch Karen Geoghegan teach the songs ‘Black Socks’ and ‘Eh Soom Boo Kawaya’ during EWS Week 2021
♫ Movement to represent rhythm e.g. a set of actions during the rests in the music - Eh Soom Boo Kawaya by Karen Geoghegan during EWS Week 2021 or different body percussion for different rhythmic syllables.
♫ Manipulatives or items to represent sound or music e.g. actions with cups/balls to illustrate phrasing and pulse –Black socks by Karen Geoghegan during EWS Week 2021
♫ Specific items to represent vocabulary or text.
Click Here
To watch Susanna Saw teach the song ‘Mangkiko/ Sagidi’ during EWS Week 2021
♫ Movement to represent melodic contour or pitches e.g. tapping head, shoulders, knees and toes according to pitches that are decreasing in contour or use movement of arms to “paint” high and low songs.
♫ Gestures to represent text or lyrics in music e.g. In action songs - Mangkiko/Sagidi by Susanna Saw during EWS Week 2021
♫ Gestures to represent key vocabulary e.g. circle gesture to symbolize rondo form can help students connect the concept with the movement.
♫ Gestures or sign language as a mode of communication e.g. Non-verbal gestures to represent actions/requests such as students signalling a T sign when they need to go to the toilet to prevent disruptions in the flow of the lesson.
♫ Technology using movement to make sound e.g. Soundbeam
♫ Specific items to represent communication or language e.g. a ball that is passed to a student to signal that it is their turn to perform/present.
♫ Tactile listening maps to represent what is happening in music e.g. a create a tactile map of a song with pom poms / Lego bricks for students to feel each sound that is happening in the music.
For tips and strategies to engage Special Needs children, refer to Chaw Kim Leng, Jessica’s article “Including children with special needs: a narrative inquiry in using differentiated instruction in a mainstream music classroom” in Sounding the Teaching IV: Diversity and Inclusion in the Music Classroom, p. 3-23, available at: https://joom.ag/p4qI/p12
Another semester of new musical experiences with STAR. We’ve put together a roundup of highlights that have been taken place.
01 Participants with their homemade Tanjak during Teaching Living Legends (Dikir Barat)
02 Karen Geoghegan demonstrating singing and movement during the EWS Masterclass Series
03 Susanna Saw demonstrating actions to a song during the EWS Masterclass Series
04 Participants with their Secondary Music STAR Champions shared resources on CCE, Inclusive Education and e-Pedagogy during the STAR Champions Sharing session
05 Critical Inquiry 2021 Mini-Symposium comprising of 14 Primary and 12 Secondary presentations by CI NLC participants
06 Friends in Concert choir performing The Brightest Star in the Night Sky which was shared with all schools for Teachers Day 2021
07 Masterclass with Artiste Philip Tan at Teaching ICT-based Music Making (Pri)
08 Combined Clusters Music Workshop conducted by South 1–3
Primary Music STAR Champions
Chau Poh Lin Susanna
Deputy Director (Music)
Susanna_Chau@moe.gov.sg +65 6664 1558
Chua Siew Ling
Principal Master Teacher (Music)
Chua_Siew_Ling@moe.gov.sg +65 6664 1554
Suriati Bte Suradi
Master Teacher (Music)
Suriati_Suradi@moe.gov.sg +65 6664 1498
Woo Wai Mun Marianne Academy Officer (Music) Marianne_Woo@moe.gov.sg +65 6664 1555
Li Yen See Master Teacher (Music)
Chan_Yen_See@moe.gov.sg +65 6664 1499
Ong Shi Ching Melissa Academy Officer (Music)
Melissa_Ong@moe.gov.sg +65 6664 1495
Matthew Kam-Lung Chan Academy Officer (Music)
Matthew_Chan@moe.gov.sg +65 6664 1497
Kelly Tang Master Teacher (Music)
Kelly_Tang@moe.gov.sg +65 6664 1561
Liow Xiao Chun
Academy Officer (Music)
Liow_Xiao_Chun@moe.gov.sg +65 6664 1494