Teachers Forum
January, 2002

Answer: I have an Agriculture diploma. I started teaching children with special needs only in 1998 after the Educational Reform in Sri Lanka.

I felt that the Educational Reform provided an opportunity to get close to such children using aesthetic activities (especially songs, drama and music).

I learned about Special education mainly by reading, and then I was able to do some research on Special Education.

A very disabled child came into one of my classes and this triggered off my work. The new Education Reform provides some information on how you understand children’s development ad how you must look at children in the context of the home environment. I did some research on the child, her parents and her extended family.

I realised that this girl could not talk at all. I was determined that one way or another I would GET this child to talk. I found out that this was not from birth. Her mother had said, "she makes noises". I found out that her father’s family had similar problems and she had a brother who had a severe verbal defect.

A: In my class, school finished at 12. From 12-2 in the lunch break I spent time with this young girl with extra music, song and drama activities.

A: It took three terms to get to success. The child would sit with her face on one side and then one day she made this very big noise. I enlisted the help of her parents, other teachers and of other children in the class.

Once a month I met the parents and got them to do little tasks to get the child to speak. The child’s first utterances were initial letters in the Sinhala alphabet as well as the beginning letters of the names of some children in the class. So these were the children I involved in helping her.

A: First, it is important to recognise the fact that there are special children and they should be identified.

Secondly, there is often a reason why such children do not talk. They may have been abused or may not be able to understand their teacher. Indeed, out of a class of 40 children, 12 children may have special needs.

I have identified about 15 activities dealing with music and drama to help such special children.

I’m always looking out for children with these special problems, and in fact I’m now working with this girl’s little brother.

I don’t believe in Special Education for these children which is separate from classroom work. Every teacher should develop skills to help children with such problems.