Established in 2000 as an Evening program, Turning Point is a Resource Center for Mentally and Physically Challenged Children, Slow Learners, as well as children with Learning Disabilities. Armed with more than a decade long experience in the field of special eduation, Tania Hussain took up this project to literally make this program a “turning point” in the lives of her students. Due to its treme
ndous progress, Turning Point started a 4 hour morning program in January 2008. Morning Program
The morning program caters 20 students currently with a team consisting of a program coordinator, clinical psychologist, speech language pathologist, and 13 special education teachers. Operating on the principle that EVERY child is important and deserves an equal chance to prosper and grow in the world, Turning Point endeavours to provide its children with every possible facility. From language and cognitive development, behaviour modification, fine motor skills, reading, hand writing, self help skills to social interpersonal skills and computer knowledge, the children are given optimal exposure to help them become as self sufficient and functional as possible. They are also given sensory exposure to help them overcome certain sensory issues and sensory motor exercises to increase their focus and attention span. Basic self help skills such as toilet training, eating, dressing and grooming are also taught. Our evening program specializes in rigorous training to help overcome weaknesses, enhance strengths and teach appropriate social interaction. It acts as an extra coaching session for children who do go to school in the morning but need extra help to reinforce learning. At present, their are 18 students enrolled in our evening program whose disabilities range from Autism, Cerebral Palsy, several Learning Disabilities and Language Delay. Many of our students are attending mainstream schools in the morning and come to us for therapy for their specific learning needs. The students have on hour sessions on a one to one basis and work with an IEP constructed for them. Inclusive Education: We also help integrate our students into mainstream schools, and also provide shadow teachers, specifically trained to meet the student’s needs, by constructing and monitoring programs, which enhance the child’s learning experience in a regular mainstream environment. Social Skills: It is a type of behavioural therapy, which can be done on a one to one basis or group setting. Some of the social skills taught are:
• Communication
• Respecting yourself and others
• Participation in work and play activities
• How to make friends
Music Classes: Weekly music classes are conducted with the help of Zarah Auntie who has been kind enough to donate her time to us once a week to motivate and energize the children through music. Different nursery rhymes, movement and rhythm exercises, instrument playing and production of speech sounds to encourage the children to vocalize are some of the highlights on the class. Labor of Love: Art is the greatest form of non verbal communication. The children are given free rein as to what they want to paint or draw, the material and colors they want to use etcetera.
