JAYANAGAR: Thanks to timely intervention, a boy diagnosed with learning disabilities has grown up and found his calling in catering.
Keshava Rao (name changed) was just 11 when doctors said he had dyslexia. He would run to the mall instead of attending school. After school, he wouldn’t return home but sit elsewhere.
Annapoorni Chockalingam, coordinator of a centre run by Brindavan Education Trust, where he was studying, found out about this and took his parents into confidence. She counselled them, besides the child.
“Keshava had low self-esteem. He lacked in social skills. He did not have many friends. We found that lessons were an overdose of information to him,” she said.
Her colleagues broke up lessons and gave him the information in bits, in the form of flash cards and keywords.
He was able to cope and finally did a catering course from Presidency College. Now 18, he has completed his internship at the Leela Palace Hotel.
Annapoorni says, “Children with learning disabilities are given inclusive education, and taught with other regular children.”
Children with special needs are given lessons tailored to their needs. The centre offers day tutoring for children between nine and 18.
The trust also holds awareness workshops for schools so that teachers can learn newer methods to teach children with learning disabilities.
Schools such as Jain School in Basavangudi, New Millennium School in Kumaraswamy Layout and A V Education Society in JP Nagar have adopted methods to help dyslexic children.
These children are encouraged to write their exams through the National Institute of Open Schooling, an autonomous organisation set up by the central government. Most colleges now happily admit dyslexics, Annapoorni said.
Brindavan Education Trust works from 456, 9th A Main Road, 2nd Block, Jayanagar. For more information, call 2656 7311