by BIS Correspondent
DAKOR, May 5, 2018: Don Bosco Research Centre Mumbai organised a day-long Teacher Training Workshop "Learning Disabilities: Indentification and Remediation," at Don Bosco Dakor on May 04. School teachers from Dakor and social work staff from Dakor and Kapadvanj, numbering almost fifty participated in the programme.
Father Ajoy Fernandes, Director of Don Bosco Research Centre-Mumbai was the resource person for the workshop. He facilitated the entire proceedings assisted by Father Mayank Parmar, Director of DRISTI Don Bosco –Kapadvanj. The bi-lingual workshop in English and Gujarati focused on understanding and helping children with learning difficulties.
Through input and simulated interaction in groups, with pertinent feedback from the teachers, Father Fernandes and Father Parmar helped the eager teachers to understand slow learners, children with specific learning disorders and children who face the problem of ADHD [Attention Deficit Hyper Disorder].
Dealing with the characteristics, possible interventions and recognising such children within the school and family environment, Father Fernandes helped the participants to understand the complex problems that they could face within a classroom environment. He also informed the participants of the complexities involved in Intelligence testing and Weschler's Intelligence scales for children.
IQ of a child can be classified into borderline, high average, average, superior, and very superior. He also stressed that these children should be sent for reading, spelling, language and mathematical ability tests to a Special Educator who will be able to perform an educational assessment of the child. Possibly children with such problems could be helped through an Individualised Education programme {IEP].
Father Fernandes also dwelt on the very important need for parental support, without which the child would feel unloved, neglected and abandoned. He said, "If attended to at the proper time, with right help provided, these children too could become scientists, doctors, engineers, etc. The main and significant intervention in this regard is that of the teacher."
The workshop concluded with a short clip from the film Taare Zameen Par, where the teacher explains to class that great personalities like Einstein, Edison, Leonardo da Vinci, and Walt Disney too had some type of learning disorders but they managed to emerge as extremely successful individuals who created history through their immense contributions to society.
Father Lorenzo D'Souza, Principal of Don Bosco Dakor, played gracious host and extended warm hospitality to the participants.