Dubai: Hannah Menzies, eight, understands the sounds that form words with the assistance of Trugs (teaching reading using games) cards that her teacher spreads out for her.
The grade-three student is a regular at the Achievement Centre (ACE), a special learning assistance centre set up by the GEMS Royal Dubai School in Mirdiff within the campus to help students like Hannah who have learning disabilities.
Sue Vig, the principal says there are over 60 students who fall back upon the learning assistance programmes conducted regularly by qualified teachers at the centre.
"Up to 10 per cent of our student population have some or other forms of minor disability. The school, ever since its inception in 2008, has followed a policy of inclusion by having a certain proportion of students who need assistance," said Vig, who herself is dyslexic.
Diane Menzies, Hannah's mother and a dyslexia teacher at the same institution, recalled how her daughter was turned away by other schools because of her special condition. "All my four kids and I myself are dyslexic. I wanted to tell those schools that refused to take them that they are not that bad. Only thing is they need some help to learn."
Barbara Matyus, another parent said her four-year-old son Johnstone has shown tremendous improvement ever since he started attending classes at ACE. "Until last year, it was a battle to get him to read and write," she said.
ACE is managed by five specially qualified teachers who sit down with the children in small focus groups and help them read, write and do their maths. There are also computer sessions that assist in reading and reinforcing learning abilities in addition to special classes for children who find learning English as a foreign language difficult.
Plan of action
But with a few exceptions, educational institutions in Dubai still lag behind in expertise and infrastructure to follow a comprehensive policy of inclusion. Lack of policy guidelines, incentives and funds force schools to turn down students with special needs.
The third GCC Learning Disability Conference which opens on Wednesday in Dubai is expected to develop a plan of action to assist educational institutions in the GCC design curricula and evolve methods of training and effective human resource practices to address the problem of learning difficulties.
Humaid Mohammad Al Qutami, UAE Minister of Education, will open the two-day conference at JW Marriott Hotel, Dubai.
The event, which will also feature a number of workshops organised by Dubai-based Ishara Consultants under the banner ‘Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice,' will conclude tomorrow. Keynote lectures and workshops by world-renowned specialists, psychologists, educators and thought leaders are expected to throw new light on this vital social issue.
Studies have shown that several thousands of children are suffering from different types of learning difficulties such as dyslexia, and attention deficit disorder. According to research, these types of children rarely get a chance to overcome their disability.
A number of techniques, procedures and training programmes designed to meet the learning styles and educational needs of those suffering from learning difficulties are expected to emerge from the conference as experts in the fields of clinical psychology and neuroscience, research, and education, besides government officials and parents, deliberate on the issue of chronic learning difficulties.
