Ways of Helping a Disadvantaged child to Learn and be Self-Reliant

Ways of Helping a Disadvantaged child to Learn and be Self-Reliant

Despite the limitations the children with handicaps can and do learn. What comes easily to a normal child is a matter of hard work, training and immense courage on the part of the handicapped child. All disadvantaged/handicapped children have similar rights to growth and development like their normal counterparts. Infact these special children are now referred to as 'differently abled' individuals.

Time have changed and there is greater awareness of the need to give lots of love, and instill a sense of independence and train these children to be as normal as they possibly can be. Each handicapped disadvantaged child has specific problem that needs to be attended to individually.

The various ways of helping disadvantaged children are listed below. You can select the ways to deal with the specific disadvantage:

Lots of love and parental support is essential.

Proper guidance by trained teachers/special educators/parents/ siblings and peers.

Individuals coming in contact with special child should be good role models. This enables the disadvantaged child to imitate the ideal model and learn the task well.

These children should have high level of motivation. They should be given lots of opportunities and encouragement to learn and perform. The extent of learning depends upon repetition and the effort taken to master the skill/lesson/task.

The 'differently abled' children require lot of patience and encouragement from family, teachers and peers.

Special exercise/therapies alongwith special-learning materials and techniques promote better learning. Can you name some of these materials/techniques?

Handicapped children should be given special aids that will enable them to overcome their limitations. These are spectacles, Braille books, artificial limbs and hearing aids etc.

Interaction with peers is equally important. Acceptance of child's handicap by the peers is extremely important to the differently abled child. Being accepted as a part of the mainstream children, gives tremendous boost to the special child. Being a part of the peer group provides 'Identity' to the handicapped child.

Socially disadvantaged children do need help similar to the one required by other special children. Government/voluntary agencies and philanthropist individuals should join hands to provide these children with the basic needs of life. They have an urgent and greater need for counselling and psychological guidance by specially trained personnel. They also need constant monitoring for improvement in their behaviour. It takes a lot of time and effort to get the children on the right track.

Socially disadvantaged children need special attention for education, occupational skills and behavioural modification for rehabilitation in the society.

Lastly no effort should be spared to make the children self reliant, happy, physically and emotionally strong for the family and society to be proud of.

Summary

There is difference between normal and disabled/disadvantaged children.

Physically-handicapped and socially maladjusted children are disadvantaged children.

Disability among children can be congenital and acquired.

Children are disadvantaged on account of physical, neurological defects and social maladjustment.

A child is considered handicapped/disadvantaged when his/ her physical, social, emotional and educational needs require attention.

Poor vision can be improved by wearing spectacles. Blind can be educated by the use of special equipment and techniques.

Hearing impairment often causes speech and communication problems. These can be rectified by using hearing aids. Lip-reading and sign language make learning possible for a deaf child.

Missing limbs/affected limbs require special attention for a child to become independent and self-sufficient.

It is important to rehabilitate disadvantaged children.

Rehabilitation

'The combined and coordinated use of Medical, Social, Educational and Vocational measures for training and retraining the individual to the highest possible level of ability' (W.H.O.)

1. Medical Rehabilitation  - Restoration of function - Surgery

- Physiotherapy, appliances,

artificial limbs.

2. Social Rehabilitation    - Restoration of family and social

relationship - counselling and

guidance services.

3. Education Rehabilitation     - with a view to help in the

vocational rehabilitation

4. Vocational Rehabilitation    - restoration of the capacity to

earn a livelihood - vocational

therapy - occupational therapy.

5. Psychological Rehabilitation         - restoration of personal dignity -

results  from  the  above  4

rehabilitation.