Service User Testimonials

1. “Although I have prior experience in tutoring, I never worked with students with mental health challenges. I hope to have more support from the supervisors.”
2. “I am hoping to broaden my horizons by developing a wider range of counselling skills in supporting students with mental needs.”
3. “I hope I could have more confidence and sufficient knowledge in supporting the academic needs of students with emotional issues.”

1. “Difficulties in learning and communicating with others.”
2. “Inability to control my emotions, thus resulting in lower learning efficiency.”
3. “Reluctant to do homework at all.”

Evaluation of the tutors:

• Tutors were positive in establishing and maintaining good communication skills and attitude. They often responded to school within 1 working day
• Tutors had a good attendance rate and were punctual, never being late for meetings or work. When they needed to be absent, they took proactive action in discussing alternatives with the school teachers
• When the group was online, the tutor was familiar with the conventions of online teaching and video conferencing tools (e.g. Zoom, Google Meet)

Changes after students participated in the tutoring programme:

• Improved students’ motivation to study
• Improved students’ self-confidence, they have the courage to express themselves
• Students are more willing to ask questions and more active in doing homework

Overall evaluation of the programme:

• The tutors were able to help students prioritise tasks according to the difficulty of homework
• The tutors set up a reward scheme to enhance students' initiative
• Even when face-to-face teaching was suspended, tutors could still make good use of the electronic technology to teach students with SENs
• The tutors were friendly, with good working and caring attitudes, which made the students feel comfortable and concentrate in classes

This programme helped students, teachers, and schools in different areas:

• The specific goals set by the tutors to guide students in making directional changes toward learning
• To assist schools on following up students with SENs who have insufficient support from family
• Provide support to students in doing homework and help solve problems

Improvements from students after participating in this programme:

• Enhanced learning motivation
• Being punctual and actively participating in class lessons
• Being able to take the initiative to ask questions to the teachers
• Being able to respond to the questions raised by the teachers
• Able to submit homework on time

Appreciation of the programme:

• The responsibility of the tutors – they teach students with SENs patiently and are willing to provide incentives to increase motivation
• The teaching methods used with SEN students in tutorials
• The inclusion of executive function training

Our son started to salivate non-stop ever since he was 10 months old. At first, we believed he was teething so we didn’t think much of it. However, his drooling continued to be a serious problem at 3 and a half years old, to a point where it negatively affected his social interactions and confidence. His school teachers also reported this problem, so we decided to seek professional help. 

A friend introduced us to Yoyo, a speech therapist. She is careful and professional, and was quick to pinpoint our son’s problem. She trained his oral muscles using interesting games, and he made substantial progress in just a few sessions. Even his school teachers were shocked at the swift improvement of his drooling problem. Though we have currently completed our course of treatment, our son will sometimes think of Yoyo’s training. We are extremely thankful for Yoyo’s gentle and professional guidance, and wholeheartedly recommend her to all children in need of speech therapy!

Since my daughter was 18 months old, I noticed that her pronunciation skills seemed far behind her language abilities. Her vocabulary, sentence structure, and expressive skills were slightly advanced for her age, but her pronunciation was very unclear. For example, she couldn't pronounce basic sounds like /f/, /g/, and /l/ until she was 3 years old, let alone more complex sounds like /z/, /c/, and /j/. I did some research and expressed my concerns to the school teachers, but it was still early, so I had to observe and try to correct it at home. However, due to my lack of knowledge of methods and the root cause of the problem, I didn't see any progress. 

It wasn't until a friend introduced me to a speech therapist named Yoyo that things changed. After an assessment, Yoyo determined that my daughter's pronunciation issue was not related to her oral muscles but rather her mouth shape and tongue placement. She assured me not to worry. Yoyo was incredibly patient and used vivid and easy-to-understand methods to teach correct pronunciation (for example, using a soda machine toy to demonstrate the /z/ sound). She also encouraged my daughter to practise through interactive games. In just one session, there was a noticeable improvement in her /f/ sound. Yoyo also guided me on how to practise with my child at home using different materials and methods. Each session focused on correcting 1-2 sounds, and after about 5-6 sessions, the school teachers remarked on my daughter's significant progress in pronunciation. 

Yoyo is not only caring but also keeps up with the latest research and treatment methods. For example, she tried a comparative approach to help my daughter distinguish similar sounds. I highly recommend Yoyo!

Seeking psychological counselling was due to the issues in my marriage with my husband. One day, I accidentally came across a text message conversation between him and a colleague, which triggered me to start overthinking and doubting him. Although I don't usually tend to worry excessively, after giving birth to our child, I struggled to adapt to the new dynamics of our relationship and the shift of focus onto our child. We had less time together as a couple and couldn't communicate as openly as before, leaving me uncertain about his life and activities, and causing me to feel anxious.

Ms. Peng patiently listened to my story and asked me some questions that made me reconsider my expectations and inner thoughts. I also clarified my own needs and determined whether it was rational to be open and honest with my husband. After this brief counselling, I have already started feeling better.

Although my trust in my husband hasn't fully recovered, the overall situation has improved significantly. I am satisfied with the results of this counselling. Ms. Peng is very approachable, allowing me to have open conversations with her without any reservations. She patiently listens to my thoughts and feelings, and I highly recommend Ms. Peng to anyone in need of psychological counselling and a listener.