May 14, 2023, Shine: Museum opens door to special needs students https://www.shine.cn/news/metro/2305143524/
Shanghai History Museum is offering special needs students specialized courses to help them integrate into society.
The courses, supported by the Shanghai Children's Foundation, are helping children with autism to gain confidence and happiness in their lives.
On Sunday, which is also Mother's Day, six families of special needs children had a happy tour to the Roof325 Restaurant at the rooftop of the museum where they learned dining etiquette.
Students were taught about the layout of the Western dining table, the order of dining, and how to use knives and forks….
Qiu Zhengping, deputy curator of the Shanghai History Museum, said that the courses are specially designed to improve students' abilities to integrate and adapt to society.
"All of our services are people-oriented, so we should take the demands of special needs groups into consideration," Qiu added….
The museum's second and third course for autistic students will be hosted on the afternoons of May 27 and June 3. Students will have chance to understand the city's origin, modern revolutionary history and cultural relics in different periods of time….
Chen Lianjun, associate professor from the Department of Special Education with East China Normal University, spoke highly of such projects.
"These children need a platform to showcase their talents," said Chen. "I hope that more and more enterprises and educational institutions will take part in the projects and provide children with a friendly environment of great tolerance and patience."
John Han, director of the Roof325 Restaurant, shows a child how to use cutlery.