Special School

BRIGHT- The Learning Center

We are a holistic special school approved by the State Commissioner for the Differently Abled, Chennai, as a School for Autism, ADHD, and Learning Difficulties. We have practical experience of almost two decades and have sent several batches of students to the next phase of their lives. The BRIGHT Special School has been the stepping stone into mainstream school for a few and the final ladder into college education for many. We cater to every child based on where his interest, passion, skill level, and ability lie.

Admission Process

We follow the regular academic year schedule. However, we do not want any child to wait months to become a part of the BRIGHT curriculum. Since we follow IEP, we can accommodate any child at any point of the year.

Meet our panel of teachers with your ward and necessary documents or medical certificates (if applicable). We will have a screening assessment and get started on the admission process. For any detail regarding the admission process, you can contact us directly.

Our assessment process

We believe in holistic development. There is no point in teaching a child about Indian history or the Periodic Table before training them to care for themselves, communicate with others, and more. So, we are taking a Parallel Approach with our IEP. Under this Parallel Approach, we simultaneously focus on academic and life skills.

Every year is divided into three terms, and the child is assessed by comparing his/her performance in the current and previous terms. Such an approach gives healthy progress rather than ranking children against each other when they clearly have different skill sets and passions.

We aim to integrate our children into a mainstream school as early as possible. Thus, we gradually mold our children into independent students suitable for any school.

In other cases, we aim to offer a tailored program to improve their abilities into making them independent citizens suitable for their higher studies/careers.

What is IEP?

An IEP – Individualized Education Plan is the world-standard method of training a child with learning or developmental disabilities. There is no pre-written IEP program for any child. Our panel of special educators and therapists would assess your child, aggregate all the requirements, and consider the current skillset to create a custom plan.

Step 1: Creating IEP

After evaluation, a written plan is created by the special educators and shared with our Principal, Ms. Pavithra Palani. She will discuss the IEP with our in-house therapists and creates short-term and long-term goals.

Step 2: Assigning therapies

Our special school has special educators who can train the children academically. However, that is not enough. Each child should undergo a specific set of therapies based on their problems, level of developmental delay, sensory issues, and others. We have in-house OT, Speech Therapy, Yoga Therapy, Music Therapy, Physiotherapy, Movement Therapy, Remedial Education, and more.

We create a timetable for the child so that he gains adequate therapies throughout the week with enough time to have a classroom experience for academic progress. Our ultimate aim is to develop the child to need fewer hours of therapy and be independent during classroom sessions.

Step 3: 360-degree feedback

During the initial weeks, the child’s progress will be assessed frequently. Since there is no blueprint for IEP, it is harder to construct the right program in one shot. Based on the child’s development, our special educator panel would recommend alterations to the IEP. We will create a concrete schedule and plan within a couple of weeks.

Step 4: Material creation

We have an international-standard syllabus program for each skill set. Thus, the yearly syllabus of your child varies with the skill set required and the current level of development. Our material development team would create customized worksheets and books for your child under the guidance of our special educators.

Step 5: Assessment

We have an inclusive report-card-styled assessment. Each year is segregated into three terms, and we cross-verify the goals and developments each term for the effective betterment of the child.

Is my child's future a big question mark?

Why me? Is it karma? Does a special school mean my child would not have a normal childhood or life?

There is no advantage or a positive side to whirling into a pit of depression. It is vain to look out for reasons why this has happened or to try and pinpoint a particular mistake that you or anyone made to cause this delay/disorder.

Stephen Hawking is the most outstanding scientist of our generation. He is a renowned cosmologist, theoretical physicist, and author. Have you seen his picture? He is a dyslexic child later diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Stephen Hawkings once said that “We (dyslexics) see things differently, so that’s an advantage. I just learn it in a different way; there’s nothing bad about it.”

Are you depressed your child was rejected from a mainstream school? So was Albert Einstein, and didn’t he achieve greatness?

Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, and Issac Newton are now proven to be autistic. Do you want some recent examples? How about Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Sir Anthony Hopkins? These people did not achieve greatness despite their disabilities but because of those differences. Most of them claimed that being different and being able to see things differently made them achieve more.

Do not see BRIGHT- The Learning Center or any special education center/special school as a dead-end option for your child. There is a uniqueness in your child that most neuro-typical children lack. Giving them special attention would help them shine. Moreover, a special school’s practical approach helps your child be independent in the future.

FAQs regarding special school

Q1: Who is eligible for special school admission?

Indian Government has classified 23 different disabilities as eligible for special education, like autism, hearing impairment, IQ disabilities, orthopedic impairment, emotional instability/disturbance, learning disability, speech/language disability, visual impairment, and brain injury.

Q2: Can I enroll a very young child in a special school?

Theoretically speaking, young toddlers can also participate in the special school curriculum. However, they would be more benefitted by Early Intervention Programs.

Q3: What happens during the assessment process?

The child will be evaluated in all required areas like health, hearing, social skills, academic skills, general intelligence, speech, and others. In addition, the panel will review existing documents and reports from previous schools or doctors.

Q4: Will my child’s special school records hinder college/school/work admission?

No, almost all schools and colleges have special quotas for such students; thus, getting admission would be easier. Moreover, such a record would also open opportunities for special education/remedial services at schools/colleges, if any. Under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016, no entity should discriminate against or reject your child because of their special school academic reports.

Q5: What if my child refuses to cooperate during classes?

We do not expect any child under our special school curriculum to cooperate from day one. However, our teachers, special educators, and therapists are well-equipped with resources and tools to calm the kids and slowly help them adapt to the environment.

If the child cannot adapt to the classroom environment, we would focus on therapies to deal with underlying problems before taking your child into a classroom setting.

Q6: How long will it take for my child to move from a special school to a mainstream school?

Giving a concrete time frame is impossible as each child is different. However, we can set long-term goals to accommodate such requirements. In other cases, you can opt for NIOS programs.