Comprehending Learning Disability - how India deals with it?

Vinod Kakumanu
June 18, 2020, 12:23 p.m.

Embracing differences is what idealists believe should be the motto of life. We all are uniquely wired with a different set of strengths and flaws which make us stand apart and define our existence. However, children are often seen to be reluctant to adapt to individual changes majorly due to societal conditioning. The society demands people to follow certain norms and traditions which make an individual follow the herd blindly and it reduces their capacity to complement the innate ability within them.

In schools, we witness children with certain disabilities which mostly get unnoticed by the teachers in their formative years and eventually they get blamed for bad behavior and indiscipline. The study reveals that some children are born with learning disabilities which is a neurological disorder and it results in them facing problems in reading, writing, spelling, memorizing, etc. Although, these children would have excelled in other fields which should be encouraged in the early years of learning to boost their confidence.

Learning disability cannot be reversed, but it can be negotiated with i.e. with support and appropriate stimuli, learning can efficiently happen. Apparently, the responsibility lies on parents to lift up their spirits and build a strong foundation by knowing their weaknesses. It should be done by understanding the educational scenario, communicating with professionals, and learning strategies to deal with such kind of specific circumstances.

Learning Disability in India

The statistics reveal that 15% of students in India have learning disorders mostly diagnosed are under 8-12 years of age bracket. Currently, there is a surge in the overall literacy rate but children with learning disabilities get unnoticed which seems to be an appalling condition. As per the study, 89% of kids are enrolled in primary schools and only 8.5% are in secondary schools which clearly reveal the fact that it occurs early in the primary stage. Tracing this in the budding stage would definitely help children to improve themselves and start working as early as possible.

A survey was conducted in 29 states in 25000 schools across the country for children belonging to primary classes found that many with learning disabilities have dyslexia and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHA) which gets undetected most of the time.

The biggest challenge is not treating the child but identifying it which is majorly the cause for soaring rates in the country.

Various types of Learning Disability

The term Learning Disability is used to refer to a variety of disorders that affect the acquiring, understanding and organizing sensibility and use of verbal or non -verbal language. There are various kinds of learning disability that includes:

Dyspraxia: disorder in the area of motor skill development. Children with this problem will have trouble even in waving goodbye or getting dressed. It is a life-long disorder with no cure

Dysgraphia: it is a writing disability where people find difficulty in forming letters and they possess handwriting that is uneven and inconsistent. People with the disorder are unable to visualize letters and writing requires a large amount of time and energy.

Dyscalculia: it affects the ability to solve math concepts. They will be having difficulty in remembering equations and formulas in their head

Dyslexia: this is the most common learning disability where the person has trouble understanding words and sentences. However, many people with dyslexia are talented in arts, music, and other creative forms.

Non -verbal learning disabilities: here the problem that occurs is having poor social skills. People will be poor in organizing, decision making, and planning things.

How to Detect Learning Disability in children?

The only way to diagnose Learning Disability is when the child starts formal education. The most common characteristics which are seen among children is the need to have constant step-by-step guidance for a given task, poor memory, boredom, carelessness and disinterest in going to school, resistance, etc.

The simple way to recognize disability is to differentiate between the innate potential and academic performance among students. If a child is outperforming in extracurricular activities and faces a block when it comes to literacy skill like reading, writing, arithmetic, etc. indicates that the child needs proper care and attention.

The future holds in the hands of children and from the discussion, it is evident that the majority of the section is combating with some sort of learning disorder which is a major obstacle in pursuing a full-fledged learning experience. Nothing can be done for a complete cure but steps can be taken to boost their morale so that children don’t get a feeling of abandonment from peers.