The National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), IIT Madras, is collaborating with Madras Dyslexia Association (MDA) to offer a remediation programme for children with dyslexia studying in Tamil medium.
This programme is being offered in online mode, completely free of charge through NPTEL.
Early and timely identification followed by need-based intervention ensures that the child copes with the difficulties arising due to dyslexia and becomes a productive adult.
Dyslexia being language-based processing difficulty, manifests itself as a difficulty in processing not just English but other languages as well and hence, MDA has designed and developed ‘Tamil Vazhi Payirchi’ to provide support to children studying in Tamil medium primary schools.
D Chandrasekhar, President, Madras Dyslexia Association (MDA), said, “Statistically, around 10 to 15 per cent of children are impacted by dyslexia.”
“This implies that a large number of children could need screening, assessment and follow-up remedial support in Tamil medium schools. This programme will pave way for early identification and intervention in such schools, across Tamil Nadu,” he added.
‘Tamil Vazhi Payirchi’ was launched on Friday by Professor V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, and D Chandrasekhar, President, Madras Dyslexia Association (MDA), in the presence of Professor Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean (Alumni and Corporate Relations), IIT Madras, Professor Andrew Thangaraj, Co-ordinator, NPTEL-IIT Madras, Professor Bhaskar Ramamurthi, Professor R Nagarajan, and other stakeholders.
Professor V Kamakoti said that this initiative should also be made available in other languages with the help of AI/ML based systems like those developed by ‘AI4Bharat’.
Recognising that intervention at the school level is of utmost importance and that mainstream school teachers play a pivotal role in the entire process, Madras Dyslexia Association has been successfully training teachers on the fundamentals of dyslexia and basic strategies that can be imparted to the children with dyslexia, within the classrooms.
Remedial teaching is a structured, multi-modal programme guided by an individualised education plan. This plan harnesses the strengths of the child to provide strategies to cope with the needs/difficulties.
At Madras Dyslexia Association, the remedial teaching is based on the Orton-Gillingham approach and seamlessly integrated with the Multiple Intelligences approach.
MDA has designed and developed ‘Tamil Vazhi Payirchi’ – a complete package to address the remediation needs of such children.
It includes a screening tool that can be administered in a Tamil medium primary class, a remedial kit and a training programme that equips the teachers with strategies they can impart to children with dyslexia.
The unique points of ‘Tamil Vazhi Payirchi’ include:
Original News Link
https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/nptel-iit-madras-and-madras-dyslexia-association-offer-free-online-programme-1996094-2022-09-03
