|
|
Background to the work of Bhavani CDC |
Throughout India, most children start their
schooling at the age of three. The emphasis
on biological age does not take into account
the child’s readiness for school in terms of
his or her development whether this be
physical, emotional, cognitive,
communicative or neurological. These are
often difficult to identify at first glance.
Thus while special provisions may be made
for children whose particular needs –
whether mental or physical are clearly
discernible, children with less discernible
problems often get overlooked. This in turn
might mean that they lag behind their peers,
leading to frustration on the part of
children, teachers and parents alike.
In our experience, learning disabilities
most frequently surface when a child reaches
primary school. At this stage the focus is
very much on what a child with developmental
delays or learning disabilities finds
difficult – not only reading, writing, maths,
but also social and life skills such as
listening, reasoning and speaking. In many
cases these difficulties are attributed to
the child’s problem with the language of
instruction. Should the child advance
through a mainstream school, the competitive
academic environment that focuses on
educational accountability and assessment
practices may mean that the problems only
become compounded over time. Limited
awareness about learning disabilities among
parents and teachers as well as the children
themselves cause further confusion and
anxiety. |
|
|
|
|
|
