Development of Adaptive Skills, Assistive Devices, Special Therapies

About this chapter

This chapter equips a primary teacher with three big tools for working with Children with Special Needs (CWSN) in a regular class — adaptive skills, assistive devices and special therapies. Adaptive skills are simpler classroom-friendly methods (task analysis, step-by-step shaping, sight words, lip reading, Braille writing, manipulatives) that let a child substitute a normal procedure with one matched to her disability so that the 3 Rs — reading, writing, arithmetic — and daily living skills become reachable. It lists adaptations disability-by-disability for hearing impairment, speech impairment, cerebral palsy and multiple disability, learning disabilities (dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADHD, dysphasia), intellectual disability, visual impairment and locomotor disability. Assistive devices — white cane, Braille, abacus, hearing aid, walking aids, ramps, wheelchair, talking watches, communication boards — substitute or supplement a missing function. Special therapies include family counselling, play method, yoga, exercise, correct positioning and medical treatment. The teacher's role of recognising the disability (Taare Zameen Par is the example used), arranging seating and using a multi-disciplinary team is central. CTET Paper I CDP tests this through questions on adaptations for specific disabilities, identification of LDs, device-disability matching, role of the inclusive teacher and provisions for CWSN. The four tests — Practice 15, Quiz 15, Hard 15, Mastery 30 — cover all six topics at CTET depth and difficulty.