‘Special children should be taught English from an early age’

Mysuru: Children with special needs should be taught English from an early age as it is an international language, said JSS Polytechnic for Differently Abled principal B Elangovan on Wednesday.
He was speaking at the three-day national workshop on sign languages organised by the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH).
“Communication is an important part of one's life and it can be done through several ways, including sign language or Braille. Language and expression are important to teach language to children through sign language,” he said.
“In India, over 70 lakh special children are undergoing special education. But there are only 250 to 300 certified instructors for them. There is a need to improve this situation,” he said.
He suggested introducing mathematics and English to children from early stages of learning.
Mysuru district ZP CEO KM Gayatri, who inaugurated the meet, said that this time sign language was used in SVEEP initiatives. She also said that digital libraries at the village level will help children with special needs. AIISH director M Pushpavati was present.