June Holiday Homework ari shawn

  Some may argue that we should set aside more land for nature reserves as it creates a balance between natural and man made reserves. With rising amount of infrastructures being built it Singapore, we are seeing much less greenery as compared to the past. The United Nations Environment Program states that:" The negative impacts of tourism development can gradually destroy the environmental resources on which it depends." Therefore, this strengthens the need to set aside more land for nature reserves before it is too late to even do so. However, I feel that keeping the land for more infrastructure will benefit the country more as it will attract more tourist to Singapore and in turn result in more economic returns. If more land is saved for infrastructure, more places for tourists attraction can be built and these places would attract more tourists to come to Singapore. Singapore would also earn more money from the increased influx of tourist to Singapore. Minister for Trade and Industry S. Iswaran said," On the one hand, there is the promise of significant long-term opportunities. On the other hand, we must contend with periodic fluctuations caused by uncertainties in the global economy, adverse developments in key source markets, growing competition in the region and domestic resource constraints." This shows that tourism will have a positive effect on Singapore in the long run and if saving space for infrastructure would increase tourism in Singapore, it will help boost Singapore's economy and would definitely benefit our country. Therefore, I disagree that Singapore should set aside land for nature reserve.

Land for reserves, yile teckweng

I think Singapore should set aside land for nature reserves. It is important for our precious and unique flora and fauna to remain protected, so that our heritage is conserved and citizens can continue to appreciate our nature. According to the Straits Times, "going through a tract of primary and secondary forests would do irreparable damage to a pristine habitat nestling around our reservoirs". As a result of human disturbance to habitats, many animals and plants may be unable to adapt to the changes and may perish, therefore these species may decline in numbers. Critically endangered species unique to Singapore such as the Banded Leaf Monkey and the Sunda Pangolin face great risks of extinction, in which case Singapore would lose a portion of our natural heritage. Ultimately, cutting through the Central Catchment Nature Reserve has long-term impacts such as losing our natural heritage which results in the future generations unable to appreciate it, hence Singapore should set aside land for nature reserves. 

June Holiday Homework karwai yingjia

In our opinion, we agree with the statement that we should set aside land for natural reserves as it helps to protect the animals in the wild from being endangered. The nature reserves provide us with more fresh air and the homes for the animals. We could also go there for recreational purposes. However if LTA wants to build tracks using all the land that can be used for nature reserves, the impact to the nature is great. For example, by going through a tract of primary and secondary forests, the Land Transport Authority would not only do irreparable damage to a pristine habitat nestling around our reservoirs, but it will also be rendering up to 4km of the 50km rail project void of patronage and revenue. This shows the detrimental impact that LTA will create for the environment if they build the Mrt lines. Without nature reserves, there will be no shelter provided for the animals and may endanger them, therefore land should be set aside for nature reserves. 

Disability by Xiao Qing and Faith


  Some may argue that by integrating children with disabilities into mainstream education, they can not only have a chance to learn like any other normal child, but also have a good influence on other peers. It is inevitable for these disabled children to face difficulties in normal schools. However, this will allow them to cope and adapt to the people and environment, and at the same time they might learn better. As Mr Jaieden Shen, Minds' head of job placement and job support programme said, "Once you give them a structured routine, the quality of work is awesome...some might be a little slower, but they pay so much attention and are detailed in their work." This shows that the one's disabilities are not a big hindrance to his/her proficiency, so they should be given the chance to have the same education. It is true that they might be ostracized by peers because of their difference, but they will turn out to be a motivation to them when the peers see the great effort they put in to do well in class. Hence, children with disabilities should be integrated into mainstream education.

  However i believe that children with disabilities would have difficulty integrating into the mainstream education, and would only further hamper other students. Children with disabilities would require a longer time and more effort to fit in with others of their age. With their possible mental disabilities, they would struggle to catch up with lessons and would fall behind. This would require teachers to slow down the lesson and teach at a slower pace or go over the same content repeatedly for them to understand, which would inconvenient the other students as they would have to be taught at a slower pace as well. A normal student may require only 1/2 hr to understand a topic but children with mental disabilities would require up to more than twice the amount of time to understand it, slowing down the whole class. Hence, though children with disabilities should have the right to study mainstream education, they would only hamper and slow down the learning process of the other students in the process.

Disability by Kan Wu and Jia Xian

Some may argue that by letting the students with disabilities to be integrated into the mainstream education will allow them to live a normal life like all the other students. When these students are integrated into the mainstream education, they will be able to get to know and make friends with students whom do not suffer from the learning disabilities, hence mixing around with them and their friends may help them to overcome their disabilities and hence, they can get to learn like a normal student. As Mr Jaieden Shen, Minds’ head of job placement and job support programme said,"Once you give them a structured routine, the quality of work is awesome … some might be a little slower, but they pay so much attention and are detailed in their work.” This tells us that if the students with disabilities are being integrated into the mainstream, they will learn like all other normal students  and though they may learn slower, they are still learning like all normal students , and they may even be better then them, hence allowing the students with disabilities to lead a normal life when being integrated into the mainstream.

However, I feel that by doing so, these students with disabilities may be left out or looked down by the rest of the students. For example, as these students have a learning disability, they will tend to act differently from all the other students and they might get bullied. Hence with all these negative impacts on them, they will not be able to lead a normal life and hence will be ostracized instead.

Disabilities teckweng and yile

Some say that allowing students with disabilities to study in regular classrooms will bring about great benefits for the child. By exposing disabled children to many different of subjects taught in regular curriculums, the child would be able to bring out the best in him. Instead of restricting the disabled, by givinf them opportunities, they may be able to contribute to society in their own ways. John McDonnell, the chairman of the Department of Special Education in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Utah, stated that his data suggests that inclusion in general education classes, especially in vocational education courses, is associated with improved post-school outcomes.

However, I feel that they should not be integrated into our mainstream education system as they may be ostracized by their classmates and therefore affecting their education in school. The disabled may behave differently from other children and may get ridiculed for their disabilities. As the comments grow to be more harsh, they start being unable to focus on their studies and lose confidence in themselves. Therefore, they may feel more frustrated which can lead to the worsening of their condition. A study done by Dyslexia Help showed that dyslexic children may be physically and socially immature in comparison to their peers, this can lead to a poor self-image and less peer acceptance. Hence, students with disabilities should not be integrated in the mainstream school but be in a school of special needs, so that the students can focus on studying without feeling different from others.

Disability by Ari and Shawn

Some may argue that integrating children with disabilities into the main stream education system would let them live more like a normal person. By letting these children enter the mainstream education system, they would make friends with many children who do not have disabilities. Through this, they can learn and interact with normal kids and lead a more normal live. Children with disabilities should not be categorized as "different" and should have the right to live like a normal children.  Mr Jaieden Shen, Minds’ head of job placement and job support programme said,"Once you give them a structured routine, the quality of work is awesome … some might be a little slower, but they pay so much attention and are detailed in their work.” This shows that although children with disabilities may work slower, they might have more potential than the normal children and the quality of work they produce might be even better than theirs. We cannot look down on them just because they are disabled.

However, I feel that they should not be integrated into our mainstream education system as they may be ostracized by their classmates and therefore affecting their education in school. As children with mental or physical disability, they behave differently from average children and therefore their classmates may ridicule them for their disability they have. These children are unable to lead a normal school life for the nasty comments they receive daily from their friends. Therefore, they may feel more frustrated which can lead to the worsening of their condition. A study done by Dyslexia Help showed that dyslexic children may be physically and socially immature in comparison to their peers, this can lead to a poor self-image and less peer acceptance. Thus, as children with disabilities, it is better if these children go to special school where they can fit in better with their peers. Hence, i feel that they should not be integrated into our mainstream education system as they may be ostracized by their classmates and therefore affecting their education in school.