By Aisyah Karina
GOMBAK, 8 March 2020: A two-day workshop entitled “Bengkel Quran Anak Istimewa” or QurANIS was held at the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah (SHAS) Mosque from 6 to 7 March to educate the community on how to teach the Quran for special needs children.
The workshop was organised by the IIUM Centre for Inclusive Living in collaboration with SHAS Mosque and Yayasan FAQEH. This is the first event organised by the IIUM Centre for Inclusive Living of the IIUM Special Parents Group affiliated with the Disability Services Unit, Deputy Rector (Student Development and Community Engagement).
The workshop focused on three aspects on Quranic studies which were Tahfiz Akhyar, Tilawah Asyraaf and Tahsin Ibadah.
Both theory and practical methods were taught during the workshop.
The advisor of Yayasan FAQEH, Dr. Haji Norakyairee Mohd Raus, said: “We are not aware of the people with disabilities because we do not live with them.”
“As students, you also hold the duty of being the agents of da’wah,” he added.
Dr. Norakyairee also shared: “The ways of conduct towards the special needs children must be appropriate by having the right perception, consider helping them as a way to attain the blessings of Allah, and not looking at their physical disabilities. Rather, we should focus on their strong points.”
He explained, “We are aware of their special needs, thus the methods must be special as well.”
The correct steps of memorising the Quran that should be applied to the special needs children are recognising, memorising, reading and explaining.
The workshop also exposed the participants to the practical methods of Tahfiz Akhyar. In this session, the participants were taught on how to apply the Tahfiz Akhyar memorising technique.
A suitable teaching method must be identified to avoid the child from feeling stressed during the learning process.
A two-way communication between the child and parent (or teacher) should be applied to observe the positive and negative actions of the child.
Instructions to a child must be given in three words only to ensure that the child understands the message.
After accomplishing a task, the child must be given some form of stimulation by rewarding him or her with a praise.
Dr. Norakyairee further said, “Teach your children the Al-Quran and it will teach them everything.” ***