Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
These teachers are truly special
|
Teaching a special child is a learning process for the teacher as well, says TINA GARG
|
Children of the Asha Kiran Special Needs School at a cultural event.
ALL TEACHERS are, no doubt, special for their unparalleled contribution to students' lives. But one section of them deserves a very special salute — those who have dedicated their lives to teaching the hearing impaired. Margret Joseph, principal of Sheila Kothavala School for the Deaf, who works extensively with such teachers, feels that they need a unique "interest, sincerity, and dedication, besides patience, which all teachers must have". But commitment is only the first qualification required, says Ms. Joseph. The teachers undergo rigorous training where they are taught subjects such as child psychology, anatomy and physiology of the auditory system, types of deafness and tests to identify them, tongue and vocal chord movements, various modes of communication with the special children, and so on.
The communication methods vary from auditory/oral (maximum use of a spoken language and lip reading), manual communication (using sign language and finger spellings), and total communication (a combination of speech, signs, gestures, and visual clues). Besides knowing all the methods and teaching the children through one/all of them, teachers must be trained in the use of different hearing aids and must be able to troubleshoot when required, says Shayalaja Nikam, a leading professional in speech and hearing. "It is a teacher's responsibility to see that the aid is removed when the child plays outdoors and that other children don't disturb the hearing aid of the hearing impaired child," she says.
These teachers have to pay special attention to lesson plans, for not all children have the same grasping power. While teaching would mean explaining words and letters through a large number of visual aids, objects, drawings, the teachers have other aspects to consider: they must speak with the right amount of light on their face, so that the child can lip read them.
Integrated schools such as Asha Kiran Special Needs School, where the speech and hearing impaired children study with other children, the teacher has a special responsibility to see that all children vibe well with one another, and the special ones are not lagging behind because they can't grasp lessons, says the principal of the school, Rita James. Ensuring that parents and children feel confident of the learning process and that special children are not frustrated is an important role of these teachers. Ms. James has initiated the concept of a "buddy", where a normal child helps a special child. A specialist teacher also ensures that all students respect and learn from the needs of a special child.
Some schools have speech therapy and training sessions where the teacher teaches them through a group hearing aid and microphone system. Other schools have teachers taking the children to places such as the post office, market, bank etc., so that the children learn through empirical knowledge.
But what is the motivation behind wanting to teach special children?
Most agree that being a special teacher is certainly more "interesting and challenging".
"It is hard work, but I look at it as a whole new learning process for myself," says Ms. James.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
