Following the directions of the Lucknow headquartered State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), the English Language Teaching Institute (ELTI) is all prepared to roll out custom-made books for students with intellectual disabilities. These are specially designed books for easier and enhanced learning among students of primary classes. A similar plan is underway at the State Institute of Education and State Hindi Institute in Varanasi too.
New books to enhance learning
A special team of both academicians and doctors had been put together by the SCERT to understand and study hurdles in teaching children with special needs and with intellectual disability. The expert feedback of this study has been applied to make learning easier for students with slower than average mental growth. For instance, the pictures are colourful, while the text is in bigger fonts in the specially designed books. Topics are presented in a way that they invoke curiosity in the students. They also have formats to document a child’s case history into an individualised education program.
ELTI Principal Skand Shukla said, “Such children usually have limitations in two areas. The first is intellectual functioning – the ability to learn- reason, make decisions and solve problems. The second is adaptive behaviour which involves skills necessary to communicate and taking care of oneself. These children might also be diagnosed with other learning disabilities like dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.” And thus, based on these various disabilities, tailor-made books have been designed to focus on the special needs of such children.
Mr Shukla also explained that the intellectual disability is a condition when one’s IQ level is less than 70 and the mental growth is slower than the person’s physical growth.”A child with an IQ over 50 can be educated by using special methods. Autism, attention deficit disorder and Down’s syndrome are some of the conditions related to intellectual disability,” he said.
Knock Knock
Primary education forms the foundation of learning among children and its importance cannot be negated. Identifying the learning capacities of a special group and using them to curate a specially drafted teaching program and books, reflects the zeal of the state for educating its younger lot!
-With inputs from IANS
