RONO HILLS, 2 May: The education department of Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) here, in collaboration with Naharlagun-based Hills College of Teacher Education (HCTE), on Thursday launched a two-day workshop themed ‘Sensitisation of departments for capacity building on specific learning disabilities (SLD)’.
Addressing the inaugural function, RGU Vice-Chancellor Prof Saket Kushwaha said that “SLD is a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using language, either in spoken or written (form).”
He said that it is the need of the hour to “identify the special ability that a child possesses and help themdevelop it.”
He gave the example of suicide cases in Kota, Rajasthan,and termed it “situational learning disability that must be addressed.”
The VC expressed hope that the participants would gain a lot from the workshop.
Stressing on the significance of SLD, RGU Registrar Dr NT Rikam said that “emotional therapy is the best remedy to deal with disabled children, as compared to use of technology and new methodology to address their problems.”
He added that “SLD inhibits the ability to learn or apply specific academic abilities.”
HCTE principal Dr MM Mohapatra explained “how we as teachers can handle learning disabled children and help them develop like other normal children.”
Dr Babli Choudury from Shillong (Meghalaya)-based North Eastern Hill University’s education department stated that special attention is required for children with learning disabilities.
She gave the examples of Albert Einstein and Tom Cruise, who suffered from dyslexia and later rose to new heights in their professions.
She conducted two technical sessions on dysgraphia, dyspraxia and dysphasia.
RGU Education Faculty Dean Prof T Lhungdim highlighted the initiative of the education ministry in sensitising both faculty members and students to specific learning disabilities.
RGU Education HoD Prof PK Acharya, programme coordinator Prof C Siva Sankar, and deputy coordinator Dr Varsha Patnaik also spoke.
About 50 teachers of various departments and 100 PG students, including research scholars from all departments of RGU, are participating in the workshop.
