Care of MR Children in Education
The following points should be taken into consideration for planning
the educational programmes for mentally retarded children:
1. The special schools should provide the environment
essential for maximum development of the abilities and capacities of all mental
retardates.
2. Curriculum, methods of teaching and tools for evolution
should be adjusted according to their individual needs.
3. In special schools, greater emphasis should be placed on
their emotional and social adjustment, imbibing moral virtues and desirable
personal habits.
4. The learning task should be brief and uncomplicated; They
should be sequentially presented so that learner proceeds in a sequence of
small steps, each one built up on previously learned task.
5. Learning task should he applied to objects, problems and situation
in the learner’s life environment.
6. Over learning must be built in to the lessons.
7. Educational programme for the EMR:
Schooling of EMR may be delayed for 2 to 3 years. During early school years
they may be gives instruction in simple arithmetical concepts, understanding of
the home and community and early development of good work habits. Formal
reading and writing instruction must be started preferably at the age of 9 or
10.The school’s curricular as well as co-curricular activities should lay
emphasis on experience than on abstraction.
8. Educational programme for the TMR: They
may be helped to acquire self-managing skills like independent eating, dressing,
toileting, washing and combing hair, brushing teeth, and using towels etc.
Simple academic skills like learning to recognize common sings and symbols,
learning to recognize and use coins and currencies etc. should be taught. Their
curriculum may also include activities for teaching unskilled occupational
jobs.
9. Educational programme for the CMR: The educational
programme for these children must lay strong emphasis on self-managing skills
like feeding, toilet training, washing, dressing, cleaning of their body parts
etc. They must be taught to protect themselves from health and weather hazards,
harmful insects, animals, fire etc.
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