Gwangju Nam-gu (District Mayor Kim Byungnae) announced on the 20th that it will continue this year with a Nam-gu specialized project to support children with slow learning abilities as part of the Gwangju-Style Integrated Care project, which has been promoted since last year.
In a narrow sense, slow learners are those with a borderline intelligence quotient (IQ) between 70 and 85; in a broader sense, the term refers to individuals who experience learning difficulties compared to the intellectual abilities of their peers. It is estimated that 13.59% of the total population in Korea falls into this category.
From April to the end of last year, Nam-gu collaborated with three local comprehensive social welfare centers to fully support 30 children with slow learning abilities through the “Children Nurtured and Growing Together in the Community” project, aiming to improve the children’s social adaptability and provide psychological care.
During this period, the children received one-on-one cognitive learning, group physical activity programs, and language and play therapy at the Inae Comprehensive Social Welfare Center, Dongshin University Comprehensive Social Welfare Center, and Yangji Comprehensive Social Welfare Center, all located near their residences.
In the pre- and post-assessments of the Basic Academic Skills Assessment (BASA:CT), the children showed significant improvement in scores and percentile ranks across all areas, including reading and writing. In addition, the pre- and post-tests of the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) showed improved average scores in areas such as cooperation, empathy, and self-regulation.
In particular, the children previously had such low self-esteem that they would give up on conversations if their peers did not understand them. However, after participating in the project, they began to initiate conversations and greet their teachers first, showing positive changes in social, psychological, and emotional aspects.
Accordingly, Nam-gu plans to recruit 15 existing and 15 new participants and launch the second phase of the Nam-gu Integrated Care Specialized Project, with upgraded learning content, starting next month.
A Nam-gu official stated, “The children are so motivated that they say they want to attend the study rooms more often, which is strengthening their motivation to learn and fostering a positive self-concept. Both the children and their parents are very satisfied,” adding, “We will do our best to promote the healthy growth of the children and provide a stable environment for their independence.”
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