Identifying and Educating Language Learners with Learning Disabilities: A Workshop for

English Language Educators

Special Education in India

Started in 1880s by Christian missionaries

It was meant for ‘the disabled’ – on the grounds of charity

But only in the 1970s, the ‘charity model’ was found to be a faulty one and proposed to be changed into a ‘human rights model’ (NCERT Position Paper on Special Education, 2006)

1999: CBSE and ICSE made special provisions; 2000: classes I –XII; 2003: college courses including professional courses

Though inclusion was proposed, it has not yet been fully realized in practice.

Obvious from the B. Ed. syllabi of Regional Institutes of Education (RIEs), NCTE (proposed), CIE (New Delhi), etc.

An inclusive or accommodative curriculum: our need

Aim of this workshop

Contributing Factors to Learning Problems

Types of Specific Learning Disabilities Dyslexia (reading difficulty)

Dysgraphia (writing difficulty - both

handwriting and expressive)

Dyscalculia (difficulty in math)

Dyspraxia (difficulty in motor planning)

Let’s try an activity

Two co ge ys wer cli ng trees. lle bo e mbi one “I can e engi e sa th nee leg id see ring col girls from here!’ ‘wow’ the other said “ let go of the tree and yuo iwl l see med a college rs too!” icl gil (in the hospital!)

Tow cogelle byos wree cilmbnig teres.

Oen siad,”I can see teh enigenernig cogelel girsl form hree. Wow!”

teh ohter siad,”lte go fo het tere and yuo wlilesee het meidlac clogelel grlis oto !”

(in teh hsoptial)

Two college boys were climbing trees.One said,” I can see the engineering college girls from here. wow!”The other said,” let go of the tree and you will see the medical college girls too!” (in the hospital!)

Let’s try another activity

Learning Process

Attention

Perception

A Sample

Memory

Language

• Receptive

• Expressive

Concept Formation

Visual and Postural Problems

Characteristics of Specific Learning Disabilities

Disorder of attention

Perceptual impairments

General coordination deficits

Disorders of memory and thinking

Specific difficulties in the areas of

reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic

A child’s prayer

“If I cannot learn the way you teach

will you teach me the way I can learn”

-Ignacio Estrada

What we can do...

Policy makers think that the success of inclusive education depends a lot “on the skills and attitudes of classroom teachers” (NCERT, p. 22)

Compulsory training for teachers (Pre- and in-)

Online courses http://www.rehabcouncil.nic.in/Default.aspx

Whole language approaches (Hamayan & Pfleger, 1987; McInnis & Hemming, 1995;)

Total Physical Response (Asher, 1982), Cognitive Strategies Training (Chamot & O’Malley, 1987), Work-related Language Training (Friedenberg & Bradley, 1984), etc.

Careful analysis of individual learner’s problems should precede selection of teaching strategies.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan: Team Teaching, Peer Tutoring, Cooperative Learning, Language Experience Approach and Multi-Sensory Approach

http://www.tatalearningforum.com/TLDF/index.htm (An interactive forum maintained by TATA)

ReferencesAsher, J. J. (1982). Learning another language through actions. Los Gatos, CA: Sky Oaks

Productions.Chamot, A.U. & O'Malley, J.M. (1987). A cognitive academic language learning approach: A bridge to the mainstream. TESOL Quarterly, 21, 227-49.Distance Education Programme- Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Indira Gandhi Open University (2008). In- Service Teacher Education on Inclusive Education. New Delhi: IGNOU-MHRD, Govt. of India Project.Friedenberg, J. E. & Bradley, C. H. (1984). The Vocational ESL Handbook. Rowley, MA: Newbury House Publishers.Hamayan, E, & Pfleger, M. (1987). Developing literacy in English as a second language: Guidelines for teachers of young children from non-literate background. NCBE Teacher Resource Guide Series, No. 1. Available at http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED290343&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED290343MacInnis, C., & Hemming, H. (1995). Linking the needs of students with learning disabilities to a whole language curriculum. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 28 (9), 535-544.National Council of Educational Research and Training (2006). Position Paper National Focus Group on Education of Children with Special Needs. New Delhi: NCERT.

<rajfarida@gmail.com><santosheflu@gmail.com>