Give them all the help they need.

Give kids with learning disabilities all the help they need

August 4, 2016 Children, Family, Viewpoints

By ANTHONY THANASAYAN

As Malaysians look forward to celebrating 59 years of independence on Aug 31, I wonder how persons with disabilities are faring. I caught up with Puan Sariah Amirin last week, and she was more than happy to share with me her views on the needs of children and young adults with learning disabilities.

Sariah began working with people with disabilities in 1988. She is currently president of the Dyslexia Association of Malaysia. Today the association has 13 centres in Peninsular Malaysia. Plans are under way to open a centre in Kelantan.

Here’s a wish list of what is currently needed by persons with learning disabilities:

A mindset and attitude change from the top: Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading, writing and spelling. Dyslexics are not getting the proper attention they deserve. This is probably because there is a lack of understanding of the learning difficulties they face.

Dyslexics are fully capable of contributing to society. What is needed is proper and expert guidance from educators and an education system that helps them to achieve their full potential.

Captain James Anthony Tan was among the first batch of students from the Dyslexia Association of Malaysia. In 2013, he set a new world record as the youngest pilot to fly solo around the world at the age of 21.

A class in session at the Dyslexia Association of Malaysia. Dyslexia is one of the most common learning disability

A class in session at the Dyslexia Association of Malaysia. Dyslexia is one of the most common learning disabilities.

Early intervention is better than ignoring them: It is critical to reach out to dyslexic kids early, otherwise many may become a problem to society later when they cannot fit into the education system.

Skills and hands-on training is better than emphasis on academic qualifications: Every effort must be made to change training strategy from an academic one to a skills-based model. This is not to say that academic-learning is not important. It certainly is.

But the special curriculum for persons with learning difficulties should also provide non-academic subjects like music, art and creative sport.

Sensitivity to dyslexic students: Teachers should give extra time during exams, say at least half an hour, for dyslexic students. This would greatly help students with learning difficulties to get better grades in exams.

Teachers must also learn how to deal with these students. Telling dyslexic kids that they are lazy or stupid for getting poor marks in their exams is unhelpful for the child and downright cruel. Some students with dyslexia can be very intelligent.

Government funding is vital and should never stop: Government funding greatly helps with the teaching materials that special kids need. The money is a godsend for extracurricular activities like music classes, speech and occupational therapy, and physiotherapy which can help improve their academic performance.

Organising special outings requires money, too. More special needs teachers are needed. Ideally, there should be one teacher for every five children.

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When Working With Children With Learning Disabilities

AMONG the disabled community, one of the groups that are the most disadvantaged and neglected in society are people with learning disabilities.

And it is not difficult to see why.

Their handicapping conditions often render themselves in an unfortunate position where they are unable to speak up for themselves.

This is especially true for those who are profoundly affected by their conditions.

As a result, they and their caregivers frequently face unpleasant situations where because of people’s ignorance about them, they experience discrimination.

Many incidents have happened where parents of non disabled children had immediately grabbed their kids away when a child with a learning disability had entered a playground.

This was because they didn’t want their so-called “normal” kids to get near to the handicapped child. This is for fear that their children might come in contact with his or her saliva and become disabled too.

Parents of learning disabled kids also have problems when they try to go out on outings as a family. They are frequently stared at by the public – even by waiters in restaurants – as if their child was from another planet.

Puan Sariah Amirin, 68, is someone who understands persons with learning disabilities (PLDs) and what they need well.   

“Things were far worse for PLDs before,” she told Wheel Power in an interview last week.

“But a milestone was created when the government moved to mix students with learning disabilities with their non disabled counterparts in regular schools in the late 1980s,” added Sariah, who was one of the pioneers in the project.

“It was one of the best moves that had ever been done because it gave kids with learning disabilities the much needed opportunity to integrate with non disabled children and vice versa.”

Sariah, who is president of the Dyslexia Association of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, went on to point out that it began with a special class in a separate wing of about 40 LD students.

They had a chance to mingle with non disabled kids during recess time which is a vital part of social development for every child.

A special adoption programme even went as far as to pair a non disabled student with a PLD. The former would be responsible in taking care of the latter such as helping him get their tea or lunch.

“The exercise is also highly beneficial for the non disabled student in helping them become sensitised to people with disabilities.” Sariah explained.         

A programme called “Inclusive education” was introduced later with even more benefits. These are opportunities for PLDs to join non disabled students in one classroom – rather than separately.

The disabled students, however, would have an extra teacher to guide them along.

As good as all these are, Sariah still feels that there is even more that the special education system can do to help improve the quality of lives of PLDs for a better future.

There include:

·       Every effort must be taken by the Ministry to ensure that special education programme in each and every school is up to the mark so as to not short-change students with learning disabilities. Sometimes what may “look good on paper” may not necessarily be what is actually happening on the ground. 

·       A planned curriculum based on academic skills alone is not the most important thing. Equal emphasis must be given to self-help skills for each student. Some PLDs for example, do not know how to use the toilet – such as taking off their clothes only when they are in the restroom and not before. Fine motor skills such as writing and drawing are important but PLDs have problems with gross motor skills such as not knowing how to jump or throw a ball, etc that require equal attention.

·       Parents of LD children – and their teachers – must address the behavioural problems first instead of only focusing on academic issues. PLDs often have problems of hyperactivity, short attention span and others that come in the way of their learning abilities. Teachers who don’t understand this and inadvertently label a child as “lazy” or “stubborn” will only discourage the child and make him or her find excuses for not coming to class.

·       The problem with some teachers is they don’t provide enough of learning opportunities from fun and play activities that can greatly benefit PLDs. These include music sessions and outings for the children which are also great learning tools!

·       PLDs in special schools need special assistance from professionals such as speech and occupational therapists and psychologists which are provided for in a similar setting in overseas countries. Without them, parents have to go outside of the school to obtain their services which are very expensive.

THE END

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Kairos Given Three Months To Comply By MBPJ - NST

Centre given three months to comply Sheila Sri Priya

Sariah Amirin (left) and Derek Fernandez

PETALING JAYA: Kiaros, a learning disability centre, has been given three months to submit supporting documents for operating in its current residential premises in SS1.

The decision was made by PJ City Council secretary Puasa Md. Taib during a meeting held between the council and the management of the centre for children with learning disabilities.

Sariah Amirin, President of Dyslexia Association of Malaysia, mentioned a list of criteria that a centre needs to meet before approval or accreditation is given.

Among the criteria are proper learning tools, a suitable evaluation system before and after joining the programme, a special doctor to attend to immediate needs of the children, smart partnership with NGOs or other welfare related departments.

The centre, which has been operating in the past eight years without any form of approval by the city council, was ordered to stop its operation.

Councillors Mak Khuin Weng, Tiew Way Keng and Derek Fernandez said that there may be not enough suitable centres for children with learning disabilities and urged Kiaros and the council to work closely and legalise matters soon.

The centre's head Rev. Rudy Lui said: "We want to abide by the law and will cooperate with the city council by providing proper documentation of the centre.

"Let's take it from here and work towards legalising this centre in the rightful manner.

"We will compile our approval documents from the fire and health department and submit them to the council."

All Petaling Jaya Residents Association Coalition head Liew Wei Beng said: "We will assist the organisation and work closely with them. Parents who send their children to the centre have approached us and highlighted their plight.

"They are happy to send their children to the centre and are satisfied with the services offered."

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