Even when three-year-old Anirudh Mohan (name changed), was asked to line up with classmates for recess, it wasn’t an easy task for him.
Although he heard the words, he didn’t necessarily understand their meaning instantly.
He needed time to process the information, then to respond.
Flood of incoherenceSituation became worse for him in a school where academic rigor began right from the first day and there was no variable schedule for the boy, who sauntered through his days with unhurried ease. Faced with the flood of incoherence, he quickly lost interest in what was being asked of him in the classroom.
A classmate’s bright eraser, a closed desk, a musical instrument lying in a corner – all appeared interesting to someone looking to escape the constant noise that he couldn’t comprehend.
This is where the one-on-one support of a special educator provided much-needed direction and he was detected with language-based learning disabilities.
Early interventionThe special educator kept him focussed, prompted him to complete his work, helped him to transition from once space to another. “Early intervention is the key to correct specific learning disabilities like dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, auditory processing disorder. Even today most parents opt for a rigid academic routine like private tuitions if a child shows lack of interest in studies or is a slow learner. Instead of further pushing the child in to a zone of discomfort, remedial measures must be sought through special educators,” said communication trainer and special educator Chetana Oruganti of Brix Cosmos.
Awareness workshopThe mother of a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), Ms Chetana has been working in this field from the past five years at her Hyderabad-based institute Brix Cosmos.
She was here in the city to conduct an awareness workshop on specific learning disabilities.
It is estimated that 15 per cent of school-going children suffer from some form of learning disabilities either in terms of reading, writing or memorising.
“Due to lack of awareness, most parents and teachers constantly pressurise children to excel in their academics. But this leads to behaviour problems, low self esteem, depression that can go on well into their adulthood,” Ms. Chetana added.
Multiple short tasksThere are various ways to deal with such issues. For instance, an ADHD child can be given multiple short tasks to keep him/her involved. For a pre-schooler who shows extreme lack of interest in writing or learning, multi-sensory techniques like wooden boards can be used to teach.
She suggested that schools employ special educators and counsellors for helping children with learning disabilities.
