ULM Trains Teachers and Parents in Banjarbaru on Early Intervention for Children with Special Needs
Banjarbaru – Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM), through a team of lecturers from the Special Education Study Program of the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP), held early intervention training for children with special needs (ABK) at the Teratai Putih Early Childhood Education Center (PAUD) in Banjarbaru City, South Kalimantan, on Thursday (July 31, 2025).
The activity, carried out as part of the Community Service program, was led by Prof. Dr. Imam Yuwono, along with team members Dr. Hj. Rasuna and Etna Anjani Trunoyudho, and involved three ULM students: Aprilia, Nor Rahmawati, and Shobah.
The team leader and main speaker, Etna Anjani Trunoyudho, explained that early intervention is key to helping children with special needs develop optimally.
“The sooner children receive appropriate intervention, the greater their chances of adapting to school and their social environment. Therefore, collaboration between parents, teachers, and therapists is crucial,” he said.
The training began with a presentation on recognizing child characteristics, developmental challenges, and simple intervention strategies that can be implemented at school and at home. This activity emphasized real-life, experiential learning methods—for example, helping set the table, watering plants, or stringing together educational toys—and the use of simple media such as colored flour dough, shallots, garlic, and used plastic bottles to develop children’s motor skills, concentration, and creativity.
The training participants, consisting of teachers and parents, also participated in a hands-on simulation. In this session, they practiced providing enjoyable stimulation and using media available at home. The goal was to ensure consistent and sustainable interventions between home and school.
The principal of Teratai Putih Early Childhood Education (PAUD) Banjarbaru, Santri Indriani, expressed her appreciation for the activities initiated by ULM.
“This program is very beneficial, providing real solutions for teachers and parents in supporting special needs children at our institution,” she said.
One parent also hoped that activities like this could be held regularly to help catch up on their children’s developmental delays.
Etna emphasized that this training demonstrates ULM’s commitment to supporting inclusive education in South Kalimantan.
“By equipping teachers and parents, we hope that children with special needs will have equal opportunities to grow, develop, and adapt in their social and school environments,” she concluded.
