The above is an imaginative representation of the way different students would remember/perceive the material written on a black board. The different sections, from left to right, represent students with dyslexia, ADHD/ADD, visual impairment and no disabilities. It is apparent that the student without any disabilities faces a much easier task. If the perceptions of different sections of students are different, shouldn’t the way they are taught be different as well? There is a dire need to empower teachers and parents in hope to help them help the students.
Educational Scene in India
India has a very generalised system of education. The needs and abilities of the students are not taken into account while designing teaching methods. This hampers the access of quality education to every student. An efficient educational system should cater to the needs of all students studying under it.
In India 10% of all children have learning disabilities [Statistics according to experts at Learn 2012, an international conference on inclusive education and vocational options. TOI January 27, 2012]. That is one in every ten children who is not taught in a way that she would easily understand. One in 200 people in India have autism, while an estimated 30 million children are known to be dyslexic. If dealing with the pressures of having children with personality and learning disorders was not enough, parents in the city are also having nightmarish experiences just to procure a certificate confirming their children’s condition.
There is a social stigma attached to learning disabilities in our country. Parents are, more often than not, not in a position to identify that their child could be suffering from a learning disability. They blame their wards’ poor grades on not working hard enough or not paying enough attention. With luck, if the disability is discovered, they often try to hide it from the society and their schools. Teachers too are not trained to handle such students. All these put a huge pressure on the balance of academic training which students in our country under go.
Early identification and treatment of children with such learning disabilities goes a long way in helping them. If you notice that your child faces difficulties in reading, writing, spelling, calculation, etc, consult an expert. Teachers too can be trained in methods of working with students with learning disabilities.
For more information watch HealthEminds psychologist, Rima Shah’s video on ‘Understanding Learning Disabilities’