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SPECIAL EDUCATION

  • Student Assessment

The assessment of special needs of a student is done in two ways:

1. By the school

Usually, the class teacher or the Unit Head refers a child to the School Counselor, based on their observation in class, on parameters that have been given to them.

2. By parents

When parents identify special needs of their child, they can approach school for help, or they can take their child to a Psychologist of their choice and produce a report to school.
These parameters deal with both academic performance and behavioural aspects, some of which are listed below:

Academic flags:

  • Difficulty in reading writing, spelling and comprehension

  • Poor performance in academic assessments over a full school year, and

  • Inability to manage school work, both in class and at home.

Behavioural flags:

  • Short attentions span. Fidgety, restless and unable to sit through a class period.

  • Introverted, has difficulty forming relationships, emotional without reason, and

  • Aggressive, gets into fights for no apparent reason.

Role of School Counselor

Based on the observations and referral, the Counselor meets with the child and the parents (if needed at this stage) and the teacher, and gathers information about the child. The Counselor then observes the child in and out of classroom but within the school campus.
In the event that the child‘s problem arises out of lack of competence in English, the child and the parents will be counselled and the child placed in the English as a Second Language (ESL) stream, with the parents consent. Here, the child will receive additional remedial English language support, till such time that the child is on par with the rest of the class.
For the other children, a decision is then made as to whether the child needs a clinical assessment or not.

Clinical assessment

A clinical assessment is conducted to establish the nature of the child‘s disability. The Clinical Psychologist uses standardized and age-appropriate tests to establish the nature of the disability.
This assessment helps both the parents and the school to better deal with the child‘s problem.

Procedure after clinical assessment:

Based on the child‘s academic track record, recent observations and clinical assessment, a decision is taken on whether the child needs to be shifted to the Indigo Special Needs Section, if the child is in CBSE stream, where he/she would benefit from the Davis Dyslexia Correction Program and the structured remedial help provided by trained Davis Counselors and Special Educators.
Parents are invited to a briefing session and are informed about the needs and difficulties of their child. A brochure detailing the objectives and methodologies followed in the Indigo sections is also issued.
Once the parents agree to shift the child to the Indigo Section, they are made aware of the terms and conditions relating to the same and are requested to sign a consent form agreeing to this shift in sections.
If the child is in CIE stream, counselling will be provided by trained Davis Counselors and Special Educators. In the case of a specific learning difficulty, Davis Counselor takes the child out of his/her regular class for 30 hours (over a period of one month or more) through Davis Dyslexia Correction programme. The student is observed by the Counselor and special educator for future assistance and progress reviews.

Minimum age before a child can be assisted:

Children must be 8 years old before they can undergo the Davis Counselling program, and derive its benefit.