THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “Pada pada pada pada paravakal paari...” (The birds flew with a fluttering sound). This is how the very first chapter of the revised Class I Malayalam textbook of state syllabus schools begins. But how will a teacher convey it effectively to a student who is hearing impaired?
These difficulties have necessitated the introduction of special textbooks and workbooks for hearing impaired students up to Class IV. A dozen such books, designed by the State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) after consultation with experts and numerous workshops with teachers, are now ready for distribution.
There are nearly 800 hearing impaired students in Classes I to IV in 32 special schools across the state. However, designing special textbooks for them is a tough task due to the varying degrees of hearing impairment. While some have minor hearing disabilities there are others who cannot hear at all, posing a challenge in bringing out textbooks that cater to all of them.
“While the normal Class I textbooks introduce students to various senses, a hearing impaired student has limitations in understanding them. Also, their vocabulary is very limited. We have focused more on pictorial and visual elements in the special textbooks that are also supported by workbooks,” said Anil Kumar A K, Research Officer (Special Education), SCERT.
As opposed to normal textbooks that require four to five workshops, special textbooks have been brought out after holding up to 15 workshops with subject experts and teachers. Work on the special textbooks for Class IV will begin this year in tune with the revised textbooks for general schools.
Spl textbooks from tomorrow
According to Sam John M, who has taught in the primary section of the Government VHSS for the Deaf, Jagathy, Thiruvananthapuram, for nearly three decades, special texts for hearing impaired students were a result of the constant feedback given by teachers from their classroom experiences.
“From Class 5, students in special schools for hearing impaired use the same textbooks followed in normal schools. The special textbooks in lower classes will be helpful in ensuring that there are no learning gaps when the student is familiarised with the regular ones in the UP section,” he said.
Minister V Sivankutty will release 12 special textbooks and workbooks for the students from Classes 1 to 3 in the capital on June 30.