Virtual teacher workshop on Specific Learning Disability

An online workshop on Specific Learning Disability conducted on 29 and 30 May 2020 was an initiative to promote the concept of experiential learning, purposeful education and identifying the unique potential of each child. The resource persons for the workshop were Dr G. Senthil Kumar (Chairman) and Ms K Sasikala (Joint Secretary) of Helikx Open School and Learning Centre, (Tamil Nadu).

The workshop focused on effective ways of identifying, helping and teaching children with SLD. The resource persons also discussed the indicators of each SLD, eight areas of learning issues with children having SLD and informal assessment. Educators from all over the country grabbed the opportunity to learn. Army Public School, Noida and PSB Millennium School, Coimbatore were some of the schools that participated in the workshop.

The resource persons explained the concept of completion of the first stage of brain development by age 6 , the ratio of boys and girls suffering from SLD ( 3:1), the difference between receptive language and expressive language, the SODA (Substitution, Omission, Deletion and Addition) principle in Dyslexia, OVAL format of profile building and areas to consider while assessing such children.

It was a very interactive session. Dr Kumar answered the queries of the participants when relating to the relation between crawling during childhood and SLD and indicators to identify SLD during adolescence.

The two-day session ended with an interesting activity where participants were asked to draw 25 circles and then within 25 seconds they were supposed to fill 6 facial details which were two eyebrows, two eyes, one nose and a mouth in each of the circles. Most of the participants could not finish the activity and gave various reasons for their inability. Dr Kumar then called upon the listeners to introspect upon the inabilities of children identified with SLD and the facilitation they need.

The resource persons ended the workshop on a very positive note and stated that one should not deny anyone opportunities. It was an enriching and informative session.