Shiv (name changed) attends a BUDS school in Malappuram. With the school closed since the start of the lockdown, Shiv is stuck at home. Since he is hyperactive, his teacher Kaulath P. has asked him to plant saplings and vegetables, a task he especially likes. Another student walks to shops some distance away when his family needs to buy something. Yet another child has been asked to cycle regularly.
There are 65 students in Shiv’s BUDS school, run by the Kudumbashree in association with the local self-government institution. In all, there are 270 BUDS institutions across the State with 8,521 differently abled students.
Since any gap in therapies or special education training for differently abled students leads to setbacks, the Kudumbashree has hit upon ways of continuing the training and keeping the children engaged during the lockdown. At the outset itself, teachers were asked to devise activities the children could do at home with the support of family members or on their own.
Activity calendar
In Malappuram, an activity calendar called Mazhavillu was prepared for them. Saji and Shuhaib, two teachers’ trainers in the district, brought a workbook, the pdf file for which was sent to BUDS school teachers.
The activities were designed to keep the children physically active and aid their mental development. A parents’ WhatsApp group was used to communicate the activities each morning.
School activities
On the academic side, it involved revising what had been done earlier in school, be it writing letters, identifying words, naming animals, colouring, or learning their name and address.
Other activities include drawing and colouring, craft, beading, stacking coconut shells, planting vegetables, washing dishes, exercise, playing ball, rearing goats, washing cars, drawing water from wells, and yoga. Instructions for the activities are given keeping in mind their interests, says Ms. Kaulath.
Teachers make phone calls and video calls to give instructions. Photos and videos of the activities are posted by parents on the WhatsApp group each day for teachers to keep track.
Next phase
BUDS schools across the State are similarly encouraging their students. In the next phase, they will aim at promoting their special talents and boosting their confidence through activities such as folk songs, film songs, poetry recitation, mimicry, fancy dress, instrumental music, Mappila paattu, and so on.
