Local News

Helping visually-impaired children gain confidence

November 26 - December 2, 2008
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The Friendship Society for The Blind in Isa Town runs a kindergarten school for visually impaired children. With help of six trained teachers the institution gives specialised aid to young children.

Rabab Al Eradi, a specialist teacher for the blind and other disabilities, said that the primary aim of the school is to help visually impaired children gain confidence and develop skills to be successful in a sighted world.

Four-year-olds Zainab Ibrahim and Abdul Rehman Mehdi are two students in Mrs Al Eradi's class. The children are being taught to recognise day-to-day objects by touch and feeling and are being trained to develop their motor skills.

Story telling also helps them develop speech and communication skills. Academic subjects are being introduced with the use of a Braille typewriter.

Mrs Al Eradi said: "We are helping them feel safe and secure in an environment outside their home. Our teaching goes through phases and helps the children gain independence and confidence.

"Daily activities include learning how to eat, going to the bathroom, making hair, wearing clothes, closing doors and moving from one end of the room to another.

"These children are very much part of the community. I wish there were more safe playgrounds where they could play. Their parents constantly come to me to talk about their problems and issues especially of bringing them up alongside siblings who not have the same challenges."







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