The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Symposium on alternative teaching techniques held

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Monday, Jul 13, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Symposium on alternative teaching techniques held

Staff Reporter

— Photo: R. Shivaji Rao

SHARING IDEAS: A symposium on alternate teaching techniques for children with learning disabilities is inaugurated by Leela Samson, Director of Kalakshetra Foundation, in Chennai on Saturday. (From left) M. Bargavi Devendra, secretary, C.P.Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation, Marlene Kamdar, Principal of Saraswathi Kendra Learning Centre, and G. Gautama, Director of the Chennai Education Centre are in the picture.

CHENNAI: A symposium on alternative teaching techniques for children with autism, dyslexia and learning disabilities was conducted at the Saraswathi Kendra Learning Centre for Children (SKLC) on Saturday.

The event was organised as part of the silver jubilee celebrations of the institution and was inaugurated by Leela Samson, director of Kalakshetra Foundation.

The need to move beyond a uni-dimensional approach to teaching and learning was stressed at the symposium.

“Art is as much about understanding one’s self as it is about understanding one’s environment. The purpose of education is also the same. It is a pity that children today do not engage with arts as much as my generation did,” Ms. Samson said.

G. Gautama, director of the Chennai Education Centre, said the dominant system in schooling has paid attention only to linguistic and logical intelligence.

Other facets of intelligence which are equally important are neglected and not allowed to grow. “Schools today function as a system of marginalising a large number of students who have different levels of intelligence,” he said.

Every child has to be given a chance, was the sentiment which was conveyed through the event.

“When a child is comfortable with himself or herself, learning happens automatically. Children should not be viewed in terms of their learning disabilities, but through other facets of their abilities and behaviour,” said Marlene J. Kamdar, Principal of Saraswathi Kendra.

“Physical disability and mental retardation are visible. But it is difficult to identify learning disability. Many end up living their whole lives without knowing that they have a learning disability. It is in their interest as well as ours to properly integrate them into society by employing innovative teaching methodology,” she added.

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