Every Child is gifted. End the Discrimination.

By Vaishnavi Kulkarni

In one Parent’s meeting, some parents were narrating the stories of their child. They have lot of complaints about their child’s studies and also they were anxious with these issues. What are those issues? The issues were- He studies but forgets, He writes without proper spacing, He cannot read properly, cannot frame the simple sentences, She does not have any motivation for study, She just wants to play, she or he is very aggressive, disobedient, I know if she decides she can perform well, we both (parents) are educated and intelligent, so why our child is like this, we even check his IQ (Intelligence Quotient), it is above average. But, then why he can’t achieve? And like this.

When these typical complaints come, when there is discrepancy between Intelligence, Potential and Achievements in core academics, the child may be suffering from learning issues (disability, difficulty, differences).

There are different reasons why the one person can’t learn like others. He/she may be facing differences in teaching methods, instructions in non-native language or some emotional and psychological or physiological difficulties/barriers, family environment. Also, Central Nervous System Dysfunction/ neurological impairments affect perception, conceptualization, language, memory, attention or motor control. It ultimately reflects in Learning Process. Even if the child has average or above average intelligence, due to these reasons, his learning gets affected. He learns but, in a different way.

There is need to consult a Psychologist who will help to identify the exact reason of the child’s condition. So that, you can start required remedy for the child. Learning disability or issues is not the failure in life. Children with learning disabilities or issues are as smart as or smarter than their peers. It is just, a child has different way to grasp the things. Good method will help them to achieve success. With right instructions, guidance and support from parents and teachers, they can achieve with no limits.

The great and famous personalities faced learning issues and with effective guidance and remedy they become successful (For ex- Albert Einstein, The great Scientist). These children will require Remedial teaching for reading, writing skills, Counseling for emotional, behavioral issues, Occupational therapy for fine motor skills. In short, it is a condition which can be improved or cured.

Due to these learning issues, child may face emotional and psychological difficulties like anxiety issues, school refusal, low self esteem, avoidance tendency, aggressiveness, etc. Here, the parental acceptance and support is needed. Don’t compare them with other children. Keep it in mind that they learn differently. They need help to identify and work on their strengths rather than weaknesses, and to build their confidence. Don’t discriminate them. Help and encourage them. Let them learn the way they learn.

“Every child is gifted. They just unwrap their packages at different times and in different ways.”