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Special Education

Notes in the prevention of cultural familial retardation. The above project aims at selecting children of
mentally retarded parents with and I.Q. of 70. This given the children some structured programme
of sensory and language stimulation that emphasises achievement motivation, problem-solving skills
and interpersonal relations, which is imparted to the children daily, and the mothers of these children
receive training in the understanding and managing the retarded childen in their homes.
(2) Special Education: We know that a retardate learns at a slow pace. So structured curricular materials
and techniques are necessary for educating retarded children. From the 6th month till the onset of
puberty, individual programmes from multidisciplinary points of view are devised and implement
for children. It given a healing touch to the children with the onset of puberty.
It is true that such kid of individual-based programmes are not found in India and neither does it
appear possible in the near future. But an attempt can be made to work out programems involving
small groups.
(3) Parent Counselling : In our society, the parents of mentally retarded children face some special
problems. They brother about their children’s physical and emotional problems. Also social
adujstments of these children place heavy demands in the society. As the children grow older.

Recently individual centred programmes have been tried out at the Institute of Defectology
in Moscow, USSR. At this centre, the retarded child is identified within six months after
its birth.

Self Assessment
1. Fill in the blanks:
(i) Retarted learns at a .......................... pace.
(ii) At the institute of defectology in MOSCOW, USSR the retarted child is identified within
..................... months after its birth.
(iii) “Project head start” aims at selecting children of mentally retarded parents with and I.Q.
of ..................... .
(iv) The mothers of mentally retarted children receive ............. in the understanding and managing
of the retarded children in their homes.

15.2 Teaching Strategies

The special methods which are generally adopted in teaching the educable mentally retarded are as
follows:
(1) Individualisation : While we consider the special methods for educating the educable mentally
retarded, obviously the dominant theme which comes to mind is the “individualisation of
education.” This term does not mean that the children receive individual instructions with
small classes, but it implies that each child is allowed to proceed at his own pace of learning
according to his own unique growth pattern. Of course, these children need opportunities for
group participation, so that correct social attitudes may be developed.
(2) Learning by Doing : For educating the educable mentally retarded children, the implication of
the “principle of learning by doing” cannot be ignored. Here the basic principle of special
education is that the children should learn by doing. Top priority is given to activity methods
which lay emphasis on learning through experience. These children learn better through such
materials which appeal most to their senses.
(3) Need for Learning Readiness : The concepts of maturation and willingness to learn should be
given due importance while introducing academic work to the mentally handicapped. These
children have the ability to learn to read, but they should be prepared through appropriate

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