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| Source: MIJ crowdfunding page. Kinaesthetic learning in action. |
The facility offers weekly Islamic classes conducted by qualified asatizahs who are also certified in early-childhood and special-needs education. The special-needs students are individuals aged 5 to 25 who may be on the autism
spectrum or have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia,
Down's syndrome or global developmental delays (GDD). The classes focus on
unambiguous, explicit teaching strategies, individual learning strengths as well as preferred learning styles.
"We believe that all students can learn.. just perhaps not on the same day or the same way," runs a statement on the MIJ website.
MIJ has more than 200 students enrolled this year for seerah, fiqh (فقه) - the theory of Islamic law, tauheed (توحيد) - the concept of monotheism - and Quran memorisation classes, but MIJ's current premises is too small for an enrolment of this size. Rather than turn anyone away, MIJ is now seeking funds for a bigger space that will be renovated to accommodate their students' learning challenges.
It needs about US$105,000 to fully expand the school but will work with whatever amount is raised. MIJ already relies on donations to subsidise lessons for students from low-income or working-class families. Only 27 of MIJ's 200 students are currently paying the full fees.
The proposed space is to have therapy and gym rooms to help special-needs students who are kinaesthetic learners*. The funds will also help the school buy equipment and teaching aids, with the money budgeted as follows:
US$21,000: therapy and gym rooms
US$21,000: teaching materials, audio-visual aids, computers and other teaching aids
US$49,000: renovations
US$14,000: office/school equipment
Programmes offered by MIJ include Tafsir & Hadith for Ladies, Quranic Tahsin for Ladies, Basic Quranic Literacy for Ladies, Fiqh & Solat for Youths and Young Muslims, Arabic tuition for madrasah students and a Muslim toddlers’ club.
The founders of MIJ, Faraliza Zainal and Ali Dawood, are themselves parents of a special needs teen. Their son is autistic and is now learning to call the adhan (أَذَان, the call to prayer before salah). He communicates and performs his salah (صلاة, the five obligatory daily prayers) diligently.
Interested?
unambiguous, explicit teaching strategies, individual learning strengths as well as preferred learning styles.
"We believe that all students can learn.. just perhaps not on the same day or the same way," runs a statement on the MIJ website.
MIJ has more than 200 students enrolled this year for seerah, fiqh (فقه) - the theory of Islamic law, tauheed (توحيد) - the concept of monotheism - and Quran memorisation classes, but MIJ's current premises is too small for an enrolment of this size. Rather than turn anyone away, MIJ is now seeking funds for a bigger space that will be renovated to accommodate their students' learning challenges.
It needs about US$105,000 to fully expand the school but will work with whatever amount is raised. MIJ already relies on donations to subsidise lessons for students from low-income or working-class families. Only 27 of MIJ's 200 students are currently paying the full fees.
The proposed space is to have therapy and gym rooms to help special-needs students who are kinaesthetic learners*. The funds will also help the school buy equipment and teaching aids, with the money budgeted as follows:
US$21,000: therapy and gym rooms
US$21,000: teaching materials, audio-visual aids, computers and other teaching aids
US$49,000: renovations
US$14,000: office/school equipment
Programmes offered by MIJ include Tafsir & Hadith for Ladies, Quranic Tahsin for Ladies, Basic Quranic Literacy for Ladies, Fiqh & Solat for Youths and Young Muslims, Arabic tuition for madrasah students and a Muslim toddlers’ club.
The founders of MIJ, Faraliza Zainal and Ali Dawood, are themselves parents of a special needs teen. Their son is autistic and is now learning to call the adhan (أَذَان, the call to prayer before salah). He communicates and performs his salah (صلاة, the five obligatory daily prayers) diligently.
Interested?
MIJ is at 61, Ubi Ave 2, AML Building, #08-06 Singapore 408898
Donate to MIJ by end-February 2017 - the goal stated on the crowd-funding page is US$40,000, short of the budgeted amount.
*A kinaesthetic learner is one who can register and process information the most via physical movement.