What is mentally retarded or retarded? Can you tell the reason for this? Give in detail. What is Mental Retardation or Dullness ? Can you Account for it ? Write completely. Or who is called a retarded child? What special qualities should a teacher have in order to educate such a child? Who is called a Mentally Retarded Child ? What special qualities should a teacher possess to teach such children ?
Mental Retardation Meaning of Mental Retardation Some children are especially of low intelligence. They are mentally so sub-normal that they cannot easily understand the instruction given by the teacher in the class. According to Terman, children with an IQ less than 70 are called mentally disabled children. Due to the limited intelligence of such children, they adjust themselves in the society, it is necessary to know what is mental backwardness? Can't do it They require special attention. By their adjustment, mental backwardness or retardation means those children who exhibit retarded intelligence due to any physical and mental disease and are unable to do any work according to the level of their age. Due to this defect, many types of inferiority complex arise in them. Such children are neglected from all sides. Mentally backward children are classified on the basis of intelligence. Children with an IQ (I.Q.) between 70 and 80 fall in this category. The above classification made on the basis of intelligence is not a classification decided by everyone. The limits of intelligence are different according to different scholars, but all agree that the intellectual or mental development of these children is much less than that of the children in general. These children can never compete with normal children in mental activities. The American Association of Mental Deficiencies (AMD) defines a child with mental retardation as "mental retardation primarily indicating below average intellectual performance, which is accompanied by behavioral impairments." And which are erupted at the time of development.
Turnbull has pointed out two main features in this definition:
(1) to identify the limits of intellectual activity as if they are indicated by difficulties in learning and
(2) Focusing on adaptive skills such as communication, self-care and social competence. These symptoms make it clear that the retarded needs supportive services to overcome some of its limitations. In addition, to meet your current needs.
In the words of Kuppuswami- “Educational backwardness is the result of many reasons. Many factors mix together to produce retardation in learning.
Pollock and Pollock have written – “The retarded child is no longer placed in the group of the child with the weak mind, for whom nothing can be done. Now we accept that there are as many different aspects of his personality as There are as many as the personality of normal children.
Characteristics of Mental Retardation or Dullness
(1) Such children develop slowly as compared to normal children. For example, the level of a mentally retarded child at the age of six years will be the same as that of a normal child of three or four years. As a result, he will also be late going to school.
(2) His learning in schools will be very slow.
(3) Being discouraged and upset, it is natural for the child to develop disliking for school.
(4) Lack of school education results in social and emotional maladjustment.
(5) Physical form is also inferior (Physical Inferiority)
( 6) Constant III - health
(7) Emotional Instability
( 8 ) Imperfect and Defective Vocabulary
( 9 ) Limited and Simple Interests
(10) Short Attention Span
(11) Slow Reactions
(12) Inability to Generalize
( 13 ) Lack of Originality
(14) Poor Habits of Application
(15) Inclination Towards Immorality and Delinquency ā
Causes of Mental Retardation or Dullness
There is no one reason for mental backwardness or retarded intelligence. This defect arises from a number of causal processes. The main factors responsible for mental backwardness are described as follows:
(1) Heredity
(2) Physiological Factors
(3) Emotional Factors
(4) Sociological Factors
1. Heredity - This idea has always been popular that the main cause of mental backwardness is heredity. The main part of this backwardness the children get from the mental backwardness of their parents. Growth retardation also occurs in the ancestors and it is passed on to the children as well. The reason for this is the defect of chromosomes.
2. Physiological Factors - Due to the presence of deficiencies in the brain, mental defects can occur. Apart from this, the injury to brain cells due to fever is also involved in physiological factors. Many other diseases, such as Meningitis, Encephalitis, Congenial Syphilis, German Measals, etc. can also be responsible for mental backwardness. Apart from this, diseases like Epilepsy, Paralysis, Apoplexy etc. also give rise to this defect. Apart from these diseases, sub-normal condition of the mother during pregnancy, injury, imbalanced food and less food also lead to slow intelligence. (Subnormal Condition), an accident at birth, on the head during infancy
3. Emotional Factors - Educational of mental backwardness. The achievement side is due to deep emotional factors. Due to not being able to control the emotions, the mental balance gets disturbed and the children are unable to adjust anywhere.
4. Sociological Factors - Some sociologists are of the opinion that mental backwardness occurs as a result of the economic and social conditions of the family. Any of the above factors may be active in causing mental backwardness or retarded intelligence. Treatment of such children is not possible because the effects of such backwardness are permanent. In the form of education these children can be given proper training for their adjustment.
Problems of Mentally Retarded Children Mentally backward children have to face many types of problems, there is a great need to pay attention to their problems for adjustment in their school or society. Their main problems are the following.
1. Adjustment Problems - As mentioned earlier, such children feel themselves to be maladjusted among normal children. It is difficult for them to adjust in society, school and community. Adjustment at Home - Parents are reluctant to admit that their child is retarded. He has to face failure in school. On the other hand, parents keep high hopes. But because of the failure of the children, their hopes are lost and they take out all the anger on the children. They are called evil. Even in the eyes of other members at home, he falls like a retarded child. Adjustment in School - The behavior of the teacher in schools and classrooms is not sympathetic towards such children. Like ordinary children, they do not learn anything by ordinary teaching methods. The teachers scold and punish them for their backwardness from the general students. They are not motivated to participate in other school activities. As a result, hatred arises in the mind of such children towards the school and towards the teacher. Adjustment in Society - People from other sections of the society and children do not like to increase interaction with retarded children. The result of this is that a sense of inferiority arises in the retarded children and they are not able to adjust themselves in the society.
2. Emotional Problems - They remain emotionally immature and underdeveloped at home, school and society. For example, due to lack of proper environment for small talk, such children do not get emotional, training. But cry or cry. Due to Emotional Unstability, their adjustment is not able to be done properly anywhere.
3. Physiological and Mental Development Problem - Because of these children, physical and mental development is not like normal children, due to which they are not able to adjust in many activities related to routine, such as not sitting properly. Getting, hearing less, having defects in the eyes etc. Teachers and parents must pay attention to the above problems so that such retarded children can get proper adjustment in the society and they can stand on their feet.
Preventive and Remedial Measures Many methods have been suggested for the prevention of mental backwardness. Following are the main measures to prevent it
(1) Segregation
(2) Birth Control
(3) Education Program
1. Segregation - Under this process, mentally backward children should be separated from normal children and they should be kept in special institutions.
2. Birth control - Under sterilization, seriously mentally backward parents should be sterilized so that mentally backward children are not born at all. ,
3. Education Program - The following works can be done under this
Program
(i) Individual Attention - The teacher should be ready to pay special attention to such children. For this the classes need to be small. Educating the parents is very important for backwardness. them to their child
( ii) Educating the parents - The level of mental intelligence should be made aware of. For this they should be told how to behave with such children.
(iii) Special Schools and Hospitals - There should be provision for special schools and hospitals for such children.
(iv) Special Teaching Methods - Their care and necessary training is not possible in retarded schools and hospitals. Ordinary teaching methods may not be successful for children. Therefore, it is very important to use special teaching methods for them.
(v) Special Curriculum - There should be a special course for these children. The general curriculum is not suited to their mental abilities. • More emphasis should be given on handicrafts. This is not much progress in book study. can do They cannot become a burden on the society by training in handicrafts. It is clear from the study of mental backwardness that treating these children is not an easy task. Also, they cannot be made like normal children. But yes, programs of education can be planned for them in such a way that these children learn to stand on their feet without becoming a burden on anyone in the society.
