BALAVIDYALAYA

Balavidyalaya is located in the quiet area Shastri Nagar in Adyar, South Chennai, Tamilnadu, INDIA.

Established in 1969, the school has formulated an effective syllabus curriculum that includes the parents of the children as equal partners in the scheme. The school provides a comprehensive approach ‘DHVANI’ (Development of hearing voice and natural integration). The approach uses Best practices in Early Education of teaching young children, like Montessori, Kindergarten, Play way, & Project method and facets of Natural and Structural Methods of teaching children with Hearing Impairment. The school uses specialized equipments, material and teaching aids particularly useful to help young children with hearing impairment make best use of their residual hearing.

Innovative curriculum used in the school helps hearing-impaired children develop their potential as oral communicators.

The staff of the school are dedicated to the cause. They are trained in the Diploma for Teaching Young Hearing Impaired (DTYHI) recognized by the Rehabilitation Council of India New Delhi and The Government of Tamilnadu.

The classrooms are specially designed to be acoustically advantageous to children with hearing impairment. Attention to noise, distance and reverberation have been taken to improve the signal to noise ratio in all teaching environments.

Educating young children with Hearing Impairment is a family affair. The school provides, WITHOUT CHARGE, parent centered services. It provides programs that benefit all family members including father, mother, grandparents, brothers, sisters and even extended family members.

The school has two sections, ENGLISH and TAMIL. According to the language fluency of the parents, the children are admitted into the respective sections. The school has 14 sound treated class rooms, one play pen for children less than 2, one play house for children from 2 to 6 years, two sandpits, 2 sets of swings, 1 slide, 1 sea-saw, and 1 jungle jim. 22 trained teachers, 2 part time Audiologist and Speech Pathologist, 6 teacher assistants, 3 office assistants, 1 peon, 1 watchman and 2 ayahs take care of the 150 students. The teacher student ratio begins as 1:1 and slowly becomes 1:4.

The babies less than 18 months attend school one hour a day. As the children get older they stay for a longer time. Children above 3 years stay from 10.30 a.m to 3.00 p.m

The school has the recognition of the Government of Tamilnadu and functions under the Directorate of Rehabilitation of the Disabled.

The school is under the Aegis of ‘The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India’.

Balavidyalaya The Institute for Teacher Training trains teachers in the Diploma in Teaching Young Hearing Impaired (DTYHI).

The Diploma is recognized by the Rehabilitation Council of India and the Government of Tamilnadu.

The RCI has accredited the Institute with EXCELLENT rating.

The lecture hall of the Institute is equipped with Audio Visual Aids and is located in the second floor of the School building.
Alumni Association
The children who have completed their schooling and have joined colleges or started working become members of the Alumni Association. The alumni members keep in touch with one another through email. ‘Widening the horizon’ a programme where the alumni and the teachers meet is held in school once in three years.

Balavidyalaya
The School for Young Deaf Children
The Institute for Teacher Training
18, Ist Cross St. Shastri Nagar, Adyar
Chennai 600 020,
Tamilnadu, India.