Helping children overcome learning disability

Bengaluru: A double Masters in Commerce and Psychology would quite effortlessly land the degree holder a high paying job at a bank or any leading MNC across the country. But this woman who has also done her International Diploma in Guidance and counseling along with a Diploma in Learning Disabilities, has a different story to tell and to teach. Chetana Keni, the founder of what is referred to as a school for the gifted,

The Aurinko Academy at Bangalore, started her journey towards establishing a school for children with learning disability or with dyslexia after Chetana started home schooling her five-old son who had learning disability.

"I was running from pillar to post to get him help and acceptance in mainstream schools. Sadly, with an IQ of 125 and no academic skill-sets to boast of, sustaining the mainstream demands was becoming increasingly difficult. That's when I decided to home school him," says Chetana who developed natural and powerful teaching tools and methodology for her son. Soon he was functioning above his grade levels in academic skills.

It was then she realized that many parents of children with LD in the country were on the same page. They did do not have enough assessment facilities, counseling facilities and learning environments. Speaking about Aurinko, Chetana says, "The journey that started due to my child and also to find a natural humanistic approach to learning and living has impacted around 120 children in our school and almost a thousand plus outside."

“We have a lot of success stories but our quest has been to match every learner profile as all children are unique. We have always striven to maintain physical, mental and social growth aspects of the child, while retaining his core,” says Chetana, adding that the school uses a unique, well researched approach allowing seamless and perfect inclusion of children diagnosed with learning differences and gifted children as well. “Now, the children who are taking the dyslexia test, are getting a negative which is a headway in our efforts,” sums up Chetana.