School Readiness Program
We at Nanagu Shaale believe that learning extends beyond the home. Their enrolment in a school opens a world of friendships, learning opportunities and most of all, a social space where they belong with children their age.
Nanagu Shaale also supports other agencies / governments / schools willing to embark on the journey of creating bridge centres within schools to enable mainstreaming of Children With Special Needs. These services are offered to interested people / organisations on a long-term, hands-on basis to transfer knowledge and skills from the Nanagu Shaale Model.
Reach
Through the Nanagu Shaale SRP program we’ve transformed the lives of over 400 children with severe disabilities. The working model can be studied in any of the eight SRP centres in Dharwad and Koppal in North Karnataka
Delivery
This model approaches the existing Individual Education Plan (IEP) differently. Even children with severe disabilities are able to adapt and learn using this model, which empowers teachers and schools.
This model uses a blended learning module. To begin with, every child’s physical condition is assessed and a forecast of potential progress is made. Then, based on feedback from the teachers and caregivers, a carefully planned individualised learning plan is developed focusing on nutrition, hygiene, social interaction and physical activity along with a mechanism to assess progress.
Based on this model, a child is assigned group and individual activities that are shared with parents/ caregivers as well. The teachers facilitate Art Based therapy, activities and handhold physiotherapy and speech therapy, voicing enquiries of the parents to the doctors and explaining the doctor’s instructions to the parents. They also help parents document the doctor’s instructions with pictures for home care and daily activities.
We have created a standard operating procedure for this model which will enable every school to implement this effortlessly.
Impact
The impact of these eight SRP centers run by Nanagu Shaale has been instrumental in setting a benchmark on how SRP centers can enable mainstreaming.
The model centers are evidence-based approaches to making children school-ready. The standard operating procedures followed have helped various NGOs in their approach to enable inclusive education. We have proved that this model is easily replicable even in the most remote locality with low-resource setting.
The Sarva Shikshana Abhiyan Karnataka has been working alongside Nanagu Shaale to document this model in order to create 245 more centers across Karnataka. This is rapidly creating a systemic change across the State.
Fourth Wave Foundation in 2013-14 was commissioned to evaluate the effectiveness of all programs for Children With Special Needs (CWSN) under SSA. Our recommendations have been incorporated in the State’s plan for making Schools Inclusive.
