The Hindu Business Line : Teach ability

What is now popularly termed ‘Learning Disability’ or ‘Learning Differences’ is a domain that continues to evolve in a way that cannot be fully anticipated or adequately measured. After all, how does one measure something that is neither obvious, nor tangible? Science has not adequately studied nor fully understood the human brain, but scientists tell us that specialised skill areas and aptitude for certain chosen domains exist from birth.

If each child is born as a unique personality, then each child has its own repertoire of skills — strengths and weaknesses combined. So what needs to be done in a classroom to help children with varying ability levels to live and learn together? At the very outset, the different levels of ability must be acknowledged and accepted. Ability levels of people — children or adults — also depend on various factors, ranging from genetics and heredity to the environment in which formative years are spent. Intelligence must not be pinned down to a primitive definition of “the ability to excel in a given field or area of work”, because it is a vast and varied faculty, which should not be restricted to scholastic performance alone.

Howard Gardner, psychologist and exponent of the theory of multiple intelligences, says: “…for any society to be successful, Intelligences have to be pluralised.” He thinks every skill possessed by a human being determines her area of intelligence. So, just as Linguistic Intelligence or Mathematical-Logical Intelligence enables good performance in languages and mathematics respectively, Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence spurs performance in sports, arts and dramatics.

Not every child is able to excel in specific areas just because the parents demand it or the system glorifies it. In fact, we have long seen parents trying to enforce upon children their unachieved dreams and ambitions. If your expectations don’t match his abilities then you may end up eroding the child’s self-confidence.

Intelligence when seen in this light would also help one realise just how flawed and inadequate are the standardised tests. Be it the Stanford Binet IQ scale, the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), or any of the other common tests — all of them primarily focus on competencies in Linguistics, Mathematics and Logic, in effect totally neglecting a host of other skills.

Most tests determining your child’s entry into a premier institute fail to check for true levels of ability in various other domains. We end up targeting select skills, working on those alone and churning out run-of-the-mill adults who lack a well-balanced, rounded personality with practical intelligence or crucial ‘life skills’.

Education is a process and not a product. It should stimulate available mental faculties in each child and allow him to learn in his own style.

“Children are lamps to be lit,

Not vessels to be filled!”

Once individual learning styles are recognised, teaching could gear up to meet classroom demands. As teachers, we must enrich the learning environment. Systems, with their set curriculum and guidelines, cater to the standard learner; thus the above-average learner who goes beyond the system and the below-average learner who is unable to cope are both at a loss. When children learn in different ways, a common testing method cannot work well.

A child who has trouble fitting-in in a standard classroom would be unlikely to answer a question as expected in such a standard setting. This may not mean he has not understood the subject or has not paid attention in class or is a ‘dull-head’ or a ‘day-dreamer’, it may simply mean that his abilities are different from yours.

On the other hand, if you were to try and elicit a response by involving him in a group discussion you may be bowled over by the extent of his knowledge on the subject. This is a person who will always surprise you. His intelligence is way beyond the standard quotient and his abilities far exceed age and experience.

He is your future scientist, novelist, artist, economist, celebrity, superstar… but his school years invariably are miserable and frustrating because the voice inside screaming to be understood is never heard. Left to himself, it’s going to be a while before his ‘skill’ challenges your ‘system’ and emerges victorious, against all odds.

This is precisely where teachers come in; the very same Noble Creed that appreciates a four-year-old (mistakes and all) at rhyme recitation, needs to gently iron out minor flaws in older children as they strive to achieve/learn higher concepts. Alternative methods in learning and testing could be provided by the teacher as the need arises. Certainly, there is no single solution for all students, but it is in the hands of the teacher to save the child from the misery he may be trapped in, trying to fight the system. He might give up.

Your guidance and support can make a difference and light the way ahead.

You are the Teacher… if it’s to be, it’s up to you

You touch the future

…you TEACH!

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