About Prerna…: Prerna was started on September 03, 2001 with 3 students and 4 teachers. The project was initiated collaboratively with Nalanda and this centre was earlier called DPS Nalanda. After the culmination of the three-year collaboration, today it is called Prerna. Prerna is an autonomous institute now, which caters to the Dyslexic children.
It is a myth the Dyslexic children are mentally challenged, instead actually these children have very special learning powers and our “current traditional education system” cannot facilitate their learning at the pace that they want and the way that they learn. Hence, they require special educators who can challenge their intellect in an innovative manner. That is exactly what Calorx Foundation kept in mind while initiating Prerna, where an experiential as well as multi-sensorial approach facilitates learning for these children. Children learn through special modules as well as thematic learning. They not only learn the required curriculum but even undertake in-depth study of specific topics. We at Prerna are trying to create independent learner and are teaching them skills that will facilitate their education till their Post-Graduation or Doctorate level.
 Dyslexic children are not different, they just learn differently.

More about Dyslexia: Dyslexia is a neurological condition, which is used to refer to people, children and/or adults who experience difficulties with reading, spelling or writing. Dyslexia is estimated to occur in 15 per cent of all school-going children worldwide. In India, an estimated 30 million children are known to be dyslexic. It is more prevalent among boys than among girls, and roughly the ratio is 4:1.
The Children with Dyslexia have “Special Learning Needs”.
      They are “not Mentally Challenged, slow learners, Autistic, physically
     challenged, and are not a result of poor parenting either.
It is interesting to note that they have above average intelligence and could even be termed as “Trapped Geniuses”, it is just that they need the right kind of environment and they will learn as well as perform better.
     Primarily, all dyslexics are picture-thinkers: they think through mental or
     sensory imagery, rather than using words, sentences, or internal dialogue
     (self-talk) in their minds.
Most importantly Dyslexia is not a DISEASE so it cannot be dealt or cured
with Medicines.

  
 

 

  

Learning at Prerna...

From Grade 3 to Grade 7, integrated learning has been introduced to ensure better conceptual development. Grade 8 onwards, students begin preparing for CBSE exams and hence they begin using textbooks.

VISIT FROM A DIRECTOR: Ms Sangeeta Gala visited Prerna along with her son Pratik Gala and husband Nitin Gala in July. During the interactive session with the students, she explained about deaf people and how they communicate. The students became conscious as well as aware of the kinds of difficulties people face when there are physical disabilities and how they overcome it to take up challenges of life. Ms Gala has worked as an assistant director for the award winning film “Black” as well as “Khamoshi”. Her son Pratik has starred in “Khamoshi” as a child artist. It was interesting to observe how Pratik played mediator for his parents, who are both born deaf. Pratik listened to what the students were saying and communicated it to his parents through sign language. Ms Gala can lip-read and hence held conversations on her own too.

 

Grade  9 and Grade 10 students attend a workshop on "Soft Skills" by Mr Hitesh Porwal. The workshop was aimed at helping students develop communication, positive attitude and techniques to memorize as well as process information. These skills will help students not only in appearing for their CBSE exams, but will also help them during their graduation as well as post-graduation studies.

 

 
Grade 9 students perform a skit in English on the topic of Superstitions during the Prerna Assembly.
In tandem with the ongoing classwork, these students compiled a booklet on superstitions and then prepared a skit by rendering the dialogues. This exercise developed their creative, organizational as well as collaborative skills. They developed their vocabulary as well as diction through this exercise. .

 

Grade 6 students, during their integrated learning, created various 3D models of equipments that were used  in different kinds of professions, which included doctors, electricians etc.
This was an integrated module: in arts they learnt to make clay models, in math they learnt the art of scaled modeling, in science they learnt how simple machines worked and under Social Studies they learnt about professions in Modern society.

Grade 6 students concretize their learning about directions. The students made their own direction map, keeping in mind the real-spatial directions. (They used a compass to determine North). The students then played a game where they had to jump on the direction being called out. This helped them learn through the body and space. Also, the teacher was able to give immediate feedback is the student was not able to locate a particular direction.

 

 

Grade 7 students, in their math class learn the concept of measurement as well as area and perimeter, by measuring classrooms and corridor at Prerna and preparing a scaled map showing the layout of Prerna. The students after applying the skills into a real situation, were then given practice exercises, related to measurement and area-perimeter in their note books.

Grade 8 students miming proverbs to each other in class as part of their English Class. This game of dumb-charades not only helped them memorize the proverbs, but also developed non-verbal expression and associative learning (linking action to a word). They also developed social skills and collaborative skills..

 

 

Grade 10 students are integrated with the students of DPS for various activities as well as learning modules. Here, they work in the physics laboratory to prepare for their practical exams.


 

 

 

 

 

Grade 9 students prepare artifacts of different periods, using clay. The students created the models in groups and presented it to the class with a brief explanation on the period the artifact represented and the kind of art that existed during that time. This module was an extension of their History Chapter where they are studying different periods.