Shinu

Shinu is a 15 year-old boy with Down's Syndrome and moderate mental retardation. Shinu started at Asadeepam during my second week, so I have gotten to know him along with the other staff at the school.

Shinu's speech is very unclear, and he has invented his own version of English that he uses to communicate with me. Unfortunately, neither myself nor any of the teachers can understand it. At first, the teachers had many difficulties understanding him, but now they have grown accustom to his way of speaking.

Shinu has a wonderful personality and spirit. I was teaching Shinu's class when he first arrived, and I was trying to assess his skill level in Math and English. He answered the Math problems I had given him (incorrectly) and began to write his own problems. They did not make sense but they followed a similar structure to the ones I had given him. He could also write the English alphabet until the letter "H". Shinu wears a Hello Kitty watch everyday, and he is always playing with it and showing it to others. Shinu cannot tell time, however, so he will always ask you to tell him the time. I noticed that his watch was set to the incorrect time, so I changed it for him. He immediately changed it back, saying that he didn't like the way it looked. After playing outside, the face of his watch broke so the glass and the hands were removed. He still wears it every day, and will still ask you to tell him the time.

Shinu likes to take care of the younger children and myself. Before every meal, he reminds me to wash my hands with soap and asks whether I have showered. When we play badminton outside, he coaches my serve from the sidelines. Shinu loves to sing and dance, and will spontaneously break into either of these activities, but he becomes embarrassed when he spots someone watching him. Shinu will often make a loud moaning sound while completing tasks. He will also often lick his palms.

Shinu can be very cheeky and will try all kinds of things to get what he wants. One evening, we were returning home from an event. Shinu asked the principal's husband to stop for ice cream, but the principal's husband refused. Shinu said that he would start to cry if they didn't stop the car for ice cream. The principal's husband, calling Shinu's bluff, told him to go ahead and cry. Shinu, realising that his plan wasn't working the way he had hoped, turned to another teacher and asked her to start crying instead.

Shinu loves TV, especially comedy films, and he himself has a great sense of humour, although it may not always be intentional. Another intern fell asleep in the car on the way to a dancing competition, and she was leaning against Shinu. He began to stroke her hair and sing her a Malayalam lullaby for small children. These moments, and many more, make working with Shinu a constant source of entertainment. Despite his intellectual and language deficits, Shinu is a very social person.