SERVICES

Pre-academic stimulation

Activities in this curricular area include play, music and crafts. It encourages the child to participate in things that bring out his hidden feelings and talent. It also creates a suitable and informal atmosphere for learning.

Functional Academics 

This curricular area has functional reading, writing, practical math, money and time concept, as activities.

Activities Of Daily Living 

Activities in this curricular area include eating, dressing and maintaining hygiene. The child learns the basic etiquettes and mannerism to interact with the society with more confidence.

Physical Development

Stimulation for physical growth and development is provided through yoga

Mobility skills development 

It involves field trips, films, supportive classroom activities etc. which encourage the child to actually interact with the society and participate in events which have scope for such interaction. 

Speech and occupational and /or physiotherapy. Each child’s speech, language and motor problems are scientifically evaluated. Special care is taken to ensure that teachers and parents are fully involved in the ongoing program.

Speech Therapy 

Language delay and deviant language development are often the features which lead to diagnosis and assessment of mental multiple disability and autism. Therapists use a developmental approach to evaluate children’s overall levels and patterns of functioning. The aim of intervention is to understand the nature and extent of children’s difficulties and to facilitate better communication wherever possible. Ways of stimulating language and communication are therefore needed. The School offers a unique speech and language therapy with the aid of Dr. Speech Computer Program. Specifically charted speech exercises are conducted by full time speech therapists and special educators.

Where the use of spoken language provokes difficulties instead of understanding then language needs to be supported with visible forms of communication e.g. objects, pictures or symbols. In this context augmentative communication practices and programmes, which support the act of communication are used. Other approaces used are PECS, Makaton , Communication Boards.

Art Therapy 

Art is a form of expression and a way of communicating. we try to achieve the primary aim of art therapy, that is, to provide a ‘safe’ non- judgmental environment in which to create and have aesthetic experiences. The very act of art making demands some active involvement, risk taking and unique self-expression. Thoughts, perceptions and emotions of the special individual, who at times may be nonverbal, are expressed through the creative act itself and in any follow up discussion. Because it is non- judgmental or non- critical there are no rights or wrongs. The acquisition of skills can be very motivating. As individual acquire more skills, they are better able to undergo a wider range of aesthetic experiences. There is a subtle interplay between aesthetic awareness and skills acquisitions. Art can provide a path for motivation, communications as well as an emotional outlet.

Art is also be used as a therapeutic activity to help cognitive development and physical coordination.

Recreational outings

Varied and interesting trips are organised for students to familiarise them with the environment they live in. These trips are aimed at providing opportunities for the children to assimilate real life situations and to make their academic education functionally meaningful within their environment. Trips are therefore organised and paced in line with each group’s academic, physical and vocational level.

Field visits include functional training at shops, post-offices, banks, bus stops, traffic squares, railway stations, restaurants, etc. Children also enjoy visits to parks,  zoological gardens, amusement parks, circuses and museums.

Academic Curriculum

• A life centred approach to curriculum planning to meet the needs of child and family
• An eclectic combination of different approaches to develop a holistic approach to meet individual needs. Some of the approaches on which intervention for the autistic is based are TEACCH, ABA (with small group of students)

• The behavior management strategies are designed according to individual needs.  Positive reinforcement techniques are commonly used for teaching.

• Sensory Integration therapy is an important part of intervention programme.
• For the high functioning integrated group academics is a vital curriculum area Montessori Method and material is used in classrooms with adaptations according to the individual child.

• Vocational Training for youth above 16 yrs of age-Vocational skills taught are  jewelry design, greeting cards making, gardening,

Sensory Integration Unit

This is a part of Occupational Therapy clinic and caters to stimulation of individual’s sensory needs. It provides multi sensory therapy for tactile, visual, auditory, propriceptive and vestibular sensations. The OT department further provides opportunity for enhancing motor skills after sensory integration session.

A multi – disciplinary team which consists of the social worker, psychiatrist, clinical Psychologists, counselor, special educator, speech therapist, occupational therapist and the physiotherapist.

The services provided are 

• Early developmental assessment of infants and toddlers.
• Intellectual assessment of children from 2 to 18 years.
• Hearing, speech and language assessments.
• Assessments of communication abilities of people with autism.
• Functional and academic skills assessment.
• Individual program planning according to each child’s abilities and potentials.
• Parental counselling and guidance.
• Outreach and home based programs for outstation and distantly located children.
• Behaviour modification guidance to parents and caregivers.

FIRST STEP EARLY INTERVENTION CENTER

The Early Intervention Center(EIC) has in its team the occupational therapist, physiotherapist, psychologist, speech therapist, and special educators.

EIC at the School of Hope is specially designed to provide services to children from birth to 3 years of age who have a developmental delay, or are considered to be environmentally or biologically at risk.

Early intervention is aimed at :

• Accelerating the rate of development of the child.
• Acquisition of new behaviour skills.
• Increase the child’s level of independence.
• Early detection and prevention of secondary handicaps.
• Minimize effect of handicapping condition.
• Parent and family counselling.

Services Provided at the EIC are:

• Diagnosis and assessment
• Occupational therapy
• Psychological Services
• Speech and language therapy