MANAS Learning

 Special needs education in India presents a challenging landscape for parents of neurodivergent children. Surprisingly, approximately 12 per cent of children between the ages of two and nine years in India have some form of neurodevelopmental disability (NDD) such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and learning disorders. Even more concerning, an estimated 30% of school-going children have learning disabilities, which translates to nearly 8 crore children across the country. Despite these significant numbers, the reality of special needs and inclusive education remains bleak. The conversion rate from secondary to higher secondary education is barely 10%, while that from higher secondary to college is a mere 5%. Although the 2016 revision of the Indian Disabilities Act expanded recognised disabilities to 21, including Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), many schools still lack adequate resources and training. Public schools often ask parents to transfer their neurodivergent chi...

Every evening, a scene is repeated in innumerable Indian homes. While their children struggle with seemingly insurmountable homework, parents sit with them. The child stumbles over simple Hindi or English words they should have mastered months ago or looks blankly at simple addition problems. The parent becomes irate, questioning whether their child is "not trying hard enough" or "not as smart as other children." The child's confidence, meanwhile, erodes a bit more every day. From the busy streets of Mumbai to the sleepy villages of rural Bihar, this situation is tragically typical throughout India. The majority of parents are unaware that their child may not be lazy or stupid; rather, they may simply have learning gaps that can be fully addressed with early detection and intervention. Ironically, though, we have overlooked one of the most important facets of education—the effectiveness of early intervention—in a nation that values academic achievement above n...

Every Word Counts: Your Role in Supporting Communication at Home Speech and language development begins at home. As a parent, you play a vital role in building your child’s communication skills. Whether your child is receiving therapy or just needs a little more support, these 6 parent-friendly strategies will help you nurture language in a fun, natural way.  1️⃣ Create a Fun and Play- Based Speech Environment Make Talking and Listening a Game, Not a Task How parents can support at home: 1 The secret is to practise the fundamental speech skills in a rich communication environment. Face-to-face communication should begin each day. Lower yourself to your child's eye level and speak slowly while making dramatic mouth movements. Children learn best when they are having fun, so make this enjoyable rather than stressful. Throughout the day, include oral-motor exercises that are disguised as play activities. Blowing bubbles is especially healthy because it promotes breath control and st...

  Sometimes all we need to do is learn to listen to the stories that each child's voice has to tell.   As educators and parents, we celebrate early babbling, eagerly await and cherish those priceless first words, and are astounded by how rapidly children seem to pick up language from their environment. However, for some families, this path brings unforeseen difficulties that can be bewildering and overwhelming. The first step in giving your child the appropriate support at the appropriate time is to comprehend their communication profile.   Learning to speak is only one aspect of speech and language development. It includes everything from comprehending the social norms of conversation to arranging ideas into cohesive sentences to the physical coordination needed to make sounds. When children struggle with communication, it's rarely a simple matter of being "lazy" or "shy" - there are usually underlying reasons that, once understood, can guide us toward e...