Shouldn’t education be an all-inclusive one? Yes, say educators and experts. Instead of adhering to standard ‘one-size-fits-all’ teaching, a clarion call has been sounded seeking urgent reform in teacher training across India.
The importance of changing the teaching methodology for the visually impaired was recently presented at St Xavier’s College for Women in Aluva through a Kathakali session by Jayanthi of Adi Shankara Institute of Engineering and Technology (AISET).
“This initiative aims to change the classroom experience for the disabled learners, especially the visually and hearing impaired, autistic, and dyslexic, by redesigning teaching strategies and curriculum standards. It is being undertaken on a national level,” says Jacob George, senior associate director at Adi Shankara Group of Institutions, Kalady.
Explaining the concept, he adds, “In the case of the visually imapired, experiencing the nuances of Kathakali is not possible. However, it can be converted into an immersive experience through carefully choreographed words, music, and tactile sensations.”
At the college, the Kathakali performance by Jayanthi enabled visually challenged students from Jagriti School for Blind Girls in Pune, under the National Federation of the Blind Maharashtra (NFBM), to enjoy the traditional Kerala art form through touch, auditory cues, and assistive technology.
“Using tactile props and narration, Jayanthi’s Kathakali session showed how multi-sensory techniques could bridge gaps and make even visual experiences accessible to blind learners in just 30 minutes,” he says.
Jayanthi used words to explain the mudras and the expressions. “We need to make them open their other senses. Like getting them to perform the mudras and trying out the expressions through touch,” she says.
So, Jayanthi had the students play out expressions like fear and affection. “The students were so enraptured that many expressed their wish to learn Kathakali. I would like to train at least one visually-impaired student,” she adds.
Meanwhile, Jacob highlights how Jagriti School for Blind Girls has already adopted such an approach. The school has pioneered experiential learning for visually impaired girls, using braille-based tools, language and life skills training, and technology-driven solutions. Nearly 6% of any classroom comprises disabled students.
“The feedback from participants reinforced the need for the National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) to mandate specialised training and curriculum reforms. The current BEd curricula give scant attention to learners with disabilities. I hope, the findings from the upcoming workshops could help revamp the curriculum,” he adds.
