Taarana Special Needs Centre, Petaling Jaya

Taarana Special Needs Centre was founded in May 2011 by Datin Sri Umayal Eswaran, the chairperson of RYTHM Foundation.

The school is an initiative of this foundation, which also has other projects such as strategic partnerships, employee volunteering, and community service under its wing. Kiddy 123 had the honour of catching up with principal, Dr Sunitha Sivakumaran, to gain deeper insights into this special needs school. 

Specifically designed programmes for special needs

Taarana is registered under the Malaysian Ministry of Education, and was established to support children between the ages of 4 and 18 with special learning needs. This includes children with autism, down syndrome, global development delays, learning difficulties, and more.

Through its various programmes, the school aims not only to support the developmental requirements of children who are differently abled, but also uncover their strengths as well as their abilities, and help them blossom into active, contributing members of society.

The three main programmes here, as shared by Dr Sunitha, are the Early Intervention Programme, the Transitional Programme, and the Pre-Vocational Programme. “A full, complete assessment at the beginning will help determine which programme and/or level is best suited for a child,” Dr Sunitha shared.

Early Intervention Programme (EIP)

Also known as the Classroom Readiness Programme, this caters to children between 4 to 7 years of age. “This programme is one to one with all students, with a maximum of four students in one class. It focuses on self-help skills, instruction taking, language and communication, and motor skills,” Dr Sunitha filled us in. 

The programme incorporates Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, along with speech and occupational therapy. "It is crucial to understand that for a child to be integrated into a classroom, they must be toilet-trained, able to self-feed, and capable of dressing independently. Additionally, a child should be able to sit and maintain attention for at least half an hour to facilitate learning," she explains. 

The school also has an inhouse behavior interventionist to support children with impulsive or destructive behaviours. 

Transition Programme

Catering to children from 7 to 12 years of age, the Transition Programme is structured into three levels: Early Transition, Academic 1, and Academic 2.

"Across these levels, the focus remains on functional academics, including writing, numeracy, language skills, cognitive abilities, and critical thinking skills," Dr. Sunitha explains. 

Dr. Sumitha further shares that most parents of children with special learning needs are unable to send their children to mainstream schools, and many are also reluctant for their children to attend PPKI programs. Consequently, many students remain at Taarana, benefiting from the Transition Programme, where they also develop fine motor skills, social and communication skills, as well as daily life skills such as housekeeping and more. As they progress through the levels, they are continually challenged to learn and grow.

Pre-Vocational Programme

This programme trains children aged 13 to 18 to become more independent and potentially seek employment. They are taught personal hygiene, preparing simple meals, managing personal finances, purchasing essential items, gardening, housekeeping, laundry management, and participating in sporting activities. Additionally, Yoga, Dance & Movement, and Art Therapy are available, offering significant benefits to children with different abilities.

Once a month, teachers meet with parents to discuss the children's progress, address any issues, and determine the best approaches to manage them. Additionally, weekly reports are sent to parents to keep them informed. These close parent-teacher collaborations are essential for managing the needs of Taarana’s students and supporting them in achieving their targeted outcomes.

Targeted Intervention Programme

This specially designed one-to-one programme acts as a feeder to the school’s EIP and Transition Programmes, and is also open to non-Taarana students.

"It is crucial for parents to realize that while academics are important, behavioral issues cannot be ignored. This programme, which consists of 12 sessions per block, is instrumental in supporting and addressing the needs of children with behavioral challenges," says Dr. Sunitha.

The targeted focus of this programme is on behavior management strategies, aiming to improve a child’s development, enhance family capabilities in handling learning disabilities, and increase social participation. 

Conclusion

Taarana is effectively managed by a team of 11 qualified and dedicated teachers, along with 3 therapists, all of whom are highly motivated and committed to their roles.

Their enthusiasm in engaging children and keeping them focused is nothing short of noteworthy, as reflected by the testimonials of parents whose children attend the school. Because teachers and therapists here care enough to not rest on their laurels, the school has successfully reached the targeted outcome of helping each of its differently abled students shine bright as the best versions of themselves.