Nov 07 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)
BOOKS PLANNED - A social lesson to help special children
New Delhi:
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
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Realizing that kids with learning disabilities will get only so far academically, former fashion designer Roma Sahni is exploring whether they can tap into their reserves of creativity and “have a life and be independent“.Sahni has been working with children with autism and Down's syndrome for a while and in 2008, started Freesia--more club than NGO. “I have a small set-up, running from the basement of my home, where we hold some vocational training,“ she says, “My plan is that young adults with learning disabilities do something creative.“
What got her started on this road is her own son.Now 15, he has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and is “borderline autistic“.
“The mental difference and learning difference between kids with special needs and the rest means there is rarely any tie between them,“ she explains.“The only tie that can exist is through the creative sector.“
And this discovery explains her latest project--a series of books that serve the dual purpose of helping teach kids with learning disabilities and raising awareness about the “social issues“ they have among the “mainstream kids“.
“My son, for instance, was invited to birthday parties.I'd take him too till I realized that my child has not taken interest, that he's only a prop at these parties.“ “The idea is not to gain sympathy ,“ she continues, “Kids need to understand that it's not the other child's fault they are the way they are.“ At the same time, Sahni realizes that it's a tad too late to start on the cur rent batch of older kids and adolescents; the first book in the series is addressed to kids in the four-nine age range but future books will be dedicated to older kids. The series will be for kids from age four to 16 and can be used for academic purposes for children with learning disabilities.It's designed for that--with extra-large fonts, bold colours, and familiar animals serving as characters.
This group of kids doesn't learn the same way most others do--progressing from alphabet to word and sentence.“A six-year-old without a disability will be done with the book in an hour but a child with learning disability can spend hours on a single page,“ says Sahni. “We picked out animals--dog, squirrel, cat--because those will already be familiar to these children. For them, you need visual input. They'll learn the corresponding words afterwards.“
What got her started on this road is her own son.Now 15, he has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and is “borderline autistic“.
“The mental difference and learning difference between kids with special needs and the rest means there is rarely any tie between them,“ she explains.“The only tie that can exist is through the creative sector.“
And this discovery explains her latest project--a series of books that serve the dual purpose of helping teach kids with learning disabilities and raising awareness about the “social issues“ they have among the “mainstream kids“.
“My son, for instance, was invited to birthday parties.I'd take him too till I realized that my child has not taken interest, that he's only a prop at these parties.“ “The idea is not to gain sympathy ,“ she continues, “Kids need to understand that it's not the other child's fault they are the way they are.“ At the same time, Sahni realizes that it's a tad too late to start on the cur rent batch of older kids and adolescents; the first book in the series is addressed to kids in the four-nine age range but future books will be dedicated to older kids. The series will be for kids from age four to 16 and can be used for academic purposes for children with learning disabilities.It's designed for that--with extra-large fonts, bold colours, and familiar animals serving as characters.
This group of kids doesn't learn the same way most others do--progressing from alphabet to word and sentence.“A six-year-old without a disability will be done with the book in an hour but a child with learning disability can spend hours on a single page,“ says Sahni. “We picked out animals--dog, squirrel, cat--because those will already be familiar to these children. For them, you need visual input. They'll learn the corresponding words afterwards.“
