Give a child the means to communicate and you give him the key to life. Being a parent or an educator of a child with special needs is difficult. There are many challenges. The biggest being, to figure out what to aim for and how much to push for it!
Why do we send children to school? …. so that they get an education.
Why is education important for a child?……So that he can live a good life by having a paying job when he is an adult.
Is a job and earning money the primary keys to a fulfilling life?…….. No, happiness in what you are, what you do and how you live your day is the key to a fulfilling life.
The primary purpose of learning to speak, read and write is to be able to effectively communicate. It is the basic human need we all have, to connect with our friends and family and peers. When we have good communication skills, we are able to make a success of the choices we take up.
What then happens when speaking, reading and writing is not an option for any one of us or our students? Do we forget that they still have the basic human need to communicate? Do we teach them ways to earn a living an forget that they have a need that is forgotten? Do we forget that they have things to communicate to us and only focus on how well they follow what they are told?
It is in such situations that we have to find alternative means to communicate with and understand those who are non-verbal. With technology, we have more options today than we did earlier. What is more important however is to change our attitude and not make the conventional reading and writing and speaking the only ‘right’ way. They are not. Communication in any form, when the communicator effectively gets his message to the listener, is the best form!
For possible other options read on… https://www.facebook.com/601686856575615/videos/349750442368242/
At Samatha learning Center we first communicate our respect for differences by cultivating a culture of listening. We keep our teaching at a pace that allows us the time to hear what our students have to tell us with their gestures and babbles and expressions. We meet every child at eye-level and speak with respect. With our attitude we include our children with special needs into our community and give them the sense of pride that comes with belonging.
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