Free online course for dyslexic children from NPTEL-IIT Madras

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Team Careers360 | April 9, 2020 | 05:25 PM IST

NEW DELHI: An association of parents and a digital platform have come together to offer online teaching courses to children with specific learning difficulties.

Madras Dyslexia Association (MDA) and National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL)-IIT Madras will offer the online course called ‘e-shikshanam’ free of cost.

MDA is a not for profit that helps children with ‘dyslexia’, a learning disorder caused by inability to identify speech sounds and relate them to alphabets and words.

The course content includes introduction to dyslexia, child development, screening, reading, spelling, writing, math, study skills, multiple intelligence.

It will provide remedial support that children with dyslexia can use to cope with difficulties in reading, spelling, writing and mathematics.

The course, ‘e-shikshanam’, targets teachers of primary school children for Classes 1 to 5 and professionals such as occupational therapists, counsellors and speech pathologists.

The students will require only a computer with speakers and an average internet connection to access the course.

D.Chandrasekhar, president, MDA said, “MDA is working towards disseminating information on what is dyslexia and basic remedial methods that a child with dyslexia can use to cope with difficulties in reading, spelling, writing and/or mathematics.”

The online course makes learning effective and hones innate talents of children with dyslexia.

MDA is also developing a similar course for Tamil medium teachers.

Dyslexia is one of the reasons for dropouts in schools which may turn such children to be social delinquents. Structured multi-sensory teaching is one of the ways to teach dyslexic children.