Visually-challenged teachers from southern districts were exposed to teaching methodologies and technology which can be adapted to classrooms in a day-long workshop organised by Saksham, an organisation working with differently-abled persons and their development, in the city on Saturday.
As many as 80 teachers who teach English, language and social science for higher secondary students attended the workshop.
S. Govindaraj, president of Saksham, said that the workshop was conducted to enable the visually-challenged teachers to enhance their skill sets and give them exposure to the advanced technology being used in classrooms.
G. Ramakrishnan, Retired Professor from the Madurai Kamaraj University, conducted a session on advanced educational psychology for the teachers where he spoke to them on memory development with special reference to teaching and learning.
“The teachers were asked to give a special emphasis on language and voice modulation so that they can help the learners with better retention. We also addressed issues regarding the usage of blackboards and visual aids for them,” he said.
Stating that the teachers could seek the help of the students to use blackboards and prepare visual aids such as charts, Mr Ramakrishnan said that it would be a coaching of sorts for average students, if they assisted teachers in such tasks.
Sessions on Right to Education and other education laws, current needs and problems in education as well as technology available for visually-challenged teachers were organised as part of the workshop.
“We also had special subject sessions on English, social science and Tamil, which are the three languages that visually-challenged teachers opt to teach since teaching science and maths might be difficult. Subject experts spoke to them about how to make their teaching in the subjects more innovative and engaging,” Mr Govindaraj said.
