The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : “Follow different ways to help children with learning disabilities ”

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 30, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

“Follow different ways to help children with learning disabilities ”

Special Correspondent

Dr. MGR Medical University launches PG diploma in learning disabilities
It plans a similar course in clinical psychology by January

CHENNAI: Learning disabilities should not be regarded as an indication that an affected child cannot succeed against the achievements of some of history’s most famous personalities who were considered slow learners in childhood, Andrew T. Simkin, Chief Consul for South India, American Consulate, Chennai, said on Wednesday.

Launching a postgraduate diploma in learning disabilities at the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University, Mr. Simkin said children with learning disabilities should be helped to overcome their limitation through different ways of learning. “There is a need to cultivate infrastructure to facilitate the detection and management of schoolchildren with learning disabilities so that the students are recognised for the potential they have.”

Mr. Simkin stressed the need to generate a base of qualified special educators equipped with skills to diagnose learning disability and craft a coping strategy.

He pointed out that such a necessity was all the more relevant in the Indian context in which so much emphasis was placed on education. Indians had shown themselves to be extremely capable in the U.S., as students and temporary workers. Last year alone, the Chennai Consulate issued visas to more than 14,000 students for pursuing higher studies in the U.S.

He hoped that the newly launched course would help many children better shape the fundamental part of their lives and their careers.

In his presidential address, University Vice-Chancellor K. Meer Mustafa Hussain said the institution planned to launch a similar course in clinical psychology by January, through a U.K. collaboration.

Calling for more awareness of learning disabilities among teachers, parents, paediatricians and neurologists, Mr. Hussain said teaching exercises for children with dyslexia should involve visual, auditory, tactile and kinaesthetic elements.

B. S. Virudhagirinathan, course designated officer, said the course had been designed to address the shortcomings in the available curricula: while by and large the courses run by some NGOs were not comprehensive or need-based, the remedial classes organised by some schools were not administrated by qualified teachers.

Registrar K. V. Leela said the course marked another stepping stone in the progress of the university.

The course is of one-year duration and has four theory papers in the first semester and two papers in the second semester.

The university has set October 31 as the last date for application.

Corrections and Clarifications

A report '"Follow different ways to help children with learning disabilities"' (Tamil Nadu, October 30, 2008) referred to Mr. Andrew T. Simkin, in the text and accompanying photo caption, as the Chief Consul for South India, American Consulate, Chennai. The office of the Consulate General of the United States, Chennai, clarifies that his designation is U.S. Consul General in Chennai.

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