JMI organises workshop on learning disability, its assessment and intervention

A one-day online workshop on learning disabilities was organised by the department of Education, Training and Non-formal Education, faculty of Education, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI).

The workshop on February 12 was organised for the MEd (Special Education) students and was streamed live on Facebook and Youtube for the general audience in order to sensitise them towards learning disabilities.

In its inaugural session, course coordinator Faizullah Khan, along with the head of the department and faculty members, welcomed the experts on the topic. The programme coordinator, Saurabh Ray emphasised the purpose and process of the workshop.

In the first session, Navleen Kaur from the department of Community Education and Disability Studies, Punjab University, Chandigarh, highlighted behavioural problems in children with a specific learning disability, its identification and intervention. She emphasised neurological problems and Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (ABC), a behaviour modification strategy. She also discussed techniques that focus on correction and control of misbehaviour.

In the second session, Shiv Kumar Gangwar, an assistant professor and course Coordinator of B.Ed. (Special Education, LD) at the department of Education, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidhaylaya, Chhatisgarh, discussed informal assessment techniques (academic area) for children with certain learning disabilities. He discussed the following three criteria to assess a child informally:

1. The IQ level of the child should be average or above average.
2. There should be no primary disability associated with the child.
3. The child should have been provided with a proper learning opportunity.

In the third session, Shankar Lal Bika, head and dean of the School of Education, Central University of Punjab, Bhatinda, in his presentation, explained comorbidity in specific learning disabilities. He shared insights on comorbid disease and disorders, where he stressed on similarities and differences between ADHD and Learning Disability.

Bika, who was also the chief guest of the concluding programme, congratulated students and the organising committee. The session ended with a vote of thanks by Faizullah Khan.