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The way they like it
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Identifying a learning disorder is the first step. Here’s why the child needs remedial education
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Not child’s play Aamir Khan and Darsheel have put the spotlight on dyslexia
It has long been known that there are children of otherwise normal intelligence who cannot learn to read, write, spell or do arithmetics by any amount of ordinary school instructions. The large majority of them develop behaviour problems and several become low achievers. A sense of profound frustration is evidenced by all.
The magnitude of the problem is indicated by the fact that in the primary schools of our country, there are hundreds of children with normal intelligence who have great difficulty in performing academically by the visual methods commonly used in our schools. It needed Aamir Khan’s Taare Zameen Par to highlight the problems. But is identification and offering concessions to such children the answer to their problems or are there means to make their time spent in school more meaningful?
Well, Remedial Education is the answer. Remediation is an attempt to correct deficit skills or abilities. It is based on up-to-date individualised technique that identifies both weaknesses and strengths. It is crucial to figure out in what cognitive area the child’s difficulty lies.
Remedial Education believes that all differences of individuals with normal and/or superior intelligence can be removed or compensated for, provided proper techniques can be employed. The learning disability/difficulty in any school subject is wholly preventable, if the education methods are more intelligently adapted to the learning style of the individual child, all children will achieve up to their mental age level in all subjects.
Remedial teaching understands that there is no one right way to teach the 3 R’s. What works for one student may not work for another, what works in one setting may not work in another.
The teacher’s goal is to provide instructions and learning opportunities in her classroom which will encourage maximum growth in academics for each child. Therefore, she needs to organis classroom instructions and activities in such a way that for at least part of the time she is free to devote attention to those children needing special guidance.
Remedial teaching
It is sad but true that our teacher training institutions have not geared up to deal with the identification/diagnostic measures of children with learning difficulties. There is an urgent need to include “Remedial Teaching” as Part of B.Ed/D.Ed curriculum. The older teachers could become more informed about learning difficulties through seminars. The need of the hour is for the teacher to be a keen observer and have fair knowledge of specific skills so that any faulty learning can be detected and corrected early. If she is not confident, the child could be referred to a remedial teacher.
We must remember that when children feel understood and appreciated, they want to expand their knowledge, they are curious and inquisitive. They search for active fulfillment and hightened awareness. And when they are deterred from their path for any number of reasons – such ridicule and discouragement from teachers, pressure from adults, insistence from parents that they perform at any cost – they become disenchanted and they falter, their self esteem suffers and they develop emotional problems which in turn impacts learning.
The teacher has the power to influences the lives of the students. Therefore, it is important that the teacher is aware of their learning style and individual instructional needs. In short, “if the child does not learn the way you teach, teach him the way he learns”.
FARIDA RAJ
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