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Specific learning disabilities like dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysphasia, dysorthographia, dyscalculia, memory deficit and attention deficit disorder affect around 10 percent of children worldwide. However, these disorders are not insurmountable and do not reflect a child’s intelligence in any way. In 1999, Carmen Chahine Debbane, who has had personal experience with learning difficulties founded the Lebanese Center for Special Education (CLES) with the purpose of assisting children who suffer from Dys-learning difficulties, who are often not diagnosed and not given the right treatment, resulting in suffering for these children and their families. CLES designated Oct. 10 as Specific Learning Disabilities Day, or 10.10.DYS.
The latest studies conducted by Dr. Paul Magistretti, an internationally recognized neuroscientist who was hosted by CLES in Lebanon, show that the human brain is extremely plastic, allowing therapy to successfully assist children with Dys-learning difficulties no matter what age they are – provided that it is utilized in conjunction with specialized and therapeutic follow-up.
Magistretti stated that, contrary to the commonly held idea that a child’s chances of improving decrease after the age of 6, studies have shown that children suffering from Dys-learning difficulties can be treated at whatever age they are diagnosed. However, he adds that the earlier the diagnosis and treatment, the better the results. This is why a specialized CLES team starts to work with children from the age of 3-years-old, in all of their centers across the country.
At the time that CLES was founded, very few people in Lebanon knew about specific learning disabilities and were unaware of the diagnosis and treatment methods for them. Consequently, many children were not diagnosed and have dropped out of school, while others became delinquent and lost their chance at an academic and professional future. CLES, in coordination with the Education Ministry, was able to establish a presence in Lebanon’s public schools via its “Learning Support Classes” and began to start changing the bleak reality of children with Dys-learning difficulties by supporting them on an individual and group basis.
CLES also has seven centers across Lebanon, where free individual diagnosis and treatment is provided to these children. The accomplishments of CLES span many different levels:
o Spreading awareness and highlighting the important issues at hand, specifically not confusing Specific Learning Disabilities with Special Needs.
o Creating inclusion strategies to keep these children, whose intelligence levels are usually high, in school with their peers.
o Developing working mechanisms with teachers in schools and with specialists and therapists in the CLES centers through specialized workshops all over Lebanon.
o Finding success in enabling Dys-learning difficulty children to have confidence, self-esteem, and success at school, at university, and in the workplace, through meticulous and individualized follow-up.
Debbane founded the center on a central principle. She explains: “I am really convinced that the road to peace goes through the education of children, by giving every child the opportunity and the right to achieve his or her full potential ... A sustainable educational model can arm our children with the tools to live each stage of their lives with a clear vision. Power does not lie in flawlessness or in the absence of difficulties, but in a clear and generous outlook focused on ourselves and others.”
Learning Support ClassesWithin the framework of CLES’s external activities, and in collaboration with the Education Ministry, the “Learning Support Classes” project was launched – aimed at limiting failure and dropouts from schools. The scope of this project includes establishing 200 Learning Support Classes in public schools across Lebanon and equipping these classes with the speci?c materials and technologies required to teach students with learning dif?culties, as well as training two or three teachers from each school to help provide students with the required academic and educational support.
The project also works on developing the capabilities of the educational counselors at the Education Ministry, to enable them to follow-up on the implementation of the project in schools. The “Learning Support Classes” project is one of many projects carried out by CLES, ranging from training sessions, awareness campaigns, diagnosis, treatment and direct, specialized, individual assistance to children with Dys-learning difficulties between the ages of 3 and 12.CLES contribution to Official ExamsBased on the education minister’s decision No. 1080/M/2016 dated Dec. 14, 2016, a collaboration mechanism was put in place between the ministry education and CLES, whereby CLES provided free diagnosis to students taking their Brevet exams who suffer from learning disabilities, in order to discern whether special measures or procedures need to be taken for the student in this official exam. Based on expert opinion, this step is important, as it gives the student a sense of confidence and trust in the community and the educational system, thus providing an incentive to complete his or her academic education and develop skills.
DYS Scholarship CLES has also created a scholarship for vocational and technical education to help children with Dys-learning difficulties with their higher education as well as developing their professional experience and preventing dropouts and delinquency.
Learning through the ArtsSince the arts have been proven to be therapeutic and helpful in child development, CLES, in collaboration with the National Dance Institute of New York, created a program to bring dance to public and private schools in Lebanon. This initiative will help these children gain self-confidence, trust in others and discipline. CLES began to include the arts in its awareness program through theater. For the past five years, the play “Shou bene mama?” (What’s wrong with me mom?), directed by Carlos Chahine, has been touring public schools and public libraries all over the country.
To commemorate Specific Learning Disabilities Day 10.10.DYS, CLES has organized an educational meeting on Oct. 10 at 11 a.m. at the Education Ministry’s 12th floor. On the schedule of this meeting will be a performance of the awareness play “Shou bene mama?” The play will shed light on four learning disabilities: dysphasia, dyspraxia, dyslexia, and ADHD. A dance performance by a group of children, led by the National Dance Institute of New York, will launch the new “Dance by CLES” program. Education Minister Marwan Hamadeh and Debbane will speak.
The meeting will conclude with a round table-discussion with CLES specialists about specific learning disabilities.
Source: The Daily Star
