About our Learning Lab
Monday, January 11, 2021
The Kopila Valley School serves over 400 children from in and around Surkhet and aims to meet the needs of each individual student. Our students are from a diverse range of backgrounds, many from vulnerable and at-risk populations and a number with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities). SEND encompasses a range of physical, academic, and social challenges inside and out of the classroom. Our Learning Lab program was created to ensure that all students at Kopila Valley School are afforded the same opportunities to learn and become successful adults and contributors to their communities.
The program identifies students with potential learning difficulties through a screening process run every year. We then observe and assess students based on their physical needs, social skills, academic progress, understanding, comprehension, and cognitive abilities. Students are then supported in a number of ways in and out of class. We create Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for each student that profile their strengths and needs before setting goals and establishing accommodations. Accommodations can include seating arrangements, writing supports, differentiation, behavior charts, individualized and group interventions, exam support, and psychosocial support. We update IEPs regularly to help teachers support student learning, behavior, and social goals. This support gives students opportunities to reflect on their learning and behavior, achieve self-control, and gain confidence in their ability to be successful learners!
The Learning Lab has different workstations and supportive learning environments, including wifi, a whiteboard instruction area, a group learning space, and a comfortable learning area for reading and interactive tasks. Teachers involved in this program have studied for and earned additional teaching qualifications in special education. They are very knowledgeable about children's cognitive development and they are able to create individualized instructional plans for students. Throughout the school year, our teachers carefully monitor each student’s progress and are prepared to modify teaching to meet their needs. This specialized program is helping our Learning Lab students to thrive; they are more confident, increasingly engaged with their learning, and developing vital social skills.
The community at large is often unaware of the challenges being faced daily by children with special educational needs and disabilities. Nepal’s education system, in general, rarely caters to their needs. But at Kopila Valley School, we believe all our students are unique, their skills and learning styles different, and they deserve a fair chance to fulfill their potential at school and in the wider community. Our Learning Lab serves as a model for inclusive education, and we hope to inspire similar education programs across Nepal and beyond.