Unit Understanding Problems Of' Slow Learners: Structure
Unit Understanding Problems Of' Slow Learners: Structure
Unit Understanding Problems Of' Slow Learners: Structure
7.1 INTRODUCTION
1 am a teacher of class 11. There are about 50 children in my class, all unique in some
way. But they do have a lot of similarities as far as needs and general problems of
growth and development are concerned. Each child, howcver, has hisfher own
individual ways of responding to situations. For example Rnman, a seven year old
is a'bright child. He is very alert to what is going cn around him and is quick to
undersdai~dwhat 1 and other teachers explain, and what is being t a ~ h in t class. He'
auto~rtaticallyrelates present knowledge being imparted to what he has learnt before.
Thus his reasoning 1s very sound. I-Ie is able to retain what he lerlms without much
effort or rote drill. His class work is far superior to that of other childrer~and shows
originality of thought. It is clear that Raman i s a highly intelligciit child. A couple
of other children in the c\ass are also quite bright and their w-irk is of very superior
quality.
The majority of children in the class work at the average.leve1. This group has
children who can be rated as fair, average, good with respect to their school work
when the.y are encouraged to do their best.
On the other hand, Savitri, who is also in the same class, looks lmt 296 upset. She
keeps failing in tests and examinations. Her classwork alsa is of very poor quality.
She finds it difficult to understand anything that is explairred to l~crverbally, unless
concrete examples are given to illustrate the point. T have to use very simple cxamples
from everyday life situations to make things clear to her. She nc;t only Icnms more
slowly than her age-mates, but certain things which she has not seen nor experienced
are also beyond her understanding. This implies that Savitri will not be ready for
formal learning of the 3 R's (Reading, Writing and Arillimetic) at the same age as the
other children. In addition, she wlll not be able to l;;?ln all the things that Raman can
learn, because she seems to have a lower \eve1 oi intcilectual ability. Probably she
falls in the category of the mentally retarded since she is capable of learning at the
concrete level and is able to take care of her personal and social needs under guidance.
It seems that her mental retardation is not severe. She is in that sub-group of the
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26 retarded category which is generally referred to as the slow-learners.
To understand the concept of 'slow-learners' better, we shall briefly discuss the
concept of mental retardation and its various sub-groups in section 7.4, since the
slow-learners group are likely to be found in schools for normal children. In this unit
we shall htudy about them and learn about their chargcteristics.We hope this knowledge
will help you to identify such children in your class by means of your keen observation,
claw interaction with the children, and personal contacts with their parents. It will,
we expect, also make you more understanding towards them in your behaviour and
expectations.
In addition to the characteristics we shall also be studying the special problems of
this group of children. This will enable us to create such an environment in our
classrooms where they are encouraged to do their very best. After learning what
these children are like, you wiri find it easier to set goals for their education that
can be achieved by them, and can prepare them to face life. On the basis of these
goal7 you could suggest suitable modifications in educational requirements for
them. You could also select and adapt your methods of teaching to their specific
needs.
In addition to gaining an understanding of the problems of slow-learning children and
helping them to minimise the adverse effects of their problems, you can guide the
slow-learners to accept themselves, and also help their parents and family members
to accept them.
7.2 OBJECTIVES
After going through this Unit, you will be able to:
a understand the concept of Mental Retardation,;
a identify the general characteristics of the slow-learners - the dull and the mildly
retarded children;
a visualise the problems that slow-learners are likely to face, and suggest ways of
helping them cope with those problems;
a set realistic goals for the education of slow-learning children and be able to make
suitable modific:rtions and adaptations in the curriculum, teaching methods and
materials to be used with these children;
e provide guidance to the slow-learners, their parents and family members.
In spite of the many criticisms levelled against the concept of I.Q. or Intelligence
Quotient, it has its uses. I.Q. is a convenient way of referring to a person's intelligence
as revealed by tests. It makes it possible for us to compare the intellectual functioning
of children of different age groups. I.Q. scores also make it possible for us to compare
the same child's performance on intelligence tests administered at different ages.
Anotheq useful purpose served by I.Q. is to help us understand the distribution of
intelligence in the general child population. As you have studied in the introductory
unit to these courses, the distribution of human characteristics follow a curve called
the normal ptobability curve. In the Unit on Cognitive Development you learnt
that thedistribution of intelligence in the general child population (and among adults)
also follows this curve. This means that if we take 100 I.Q. score as the mean score,
the majority of children (68.26%) have I.Q. between 85/90 to 1101115, i.e. they
cluster wound the mean. These children are said to be children of average intelligence.
On the higher side, about 14% of children are in the 1.Q range 1101115 to 1251130.
These dhildren are considered to be of superior intelligence. A very small percentage
(3%) of children have I.Q. above 130. These children are considered gifted, highly
gifted, ietc.
On the lower side, a little less than 14% fall in the 1.Q. range 70175 to 85/90. We refer
to this $roup as slow-learners. About 2.14% of the population fall in the I.Q. range
55/60 tb 70175. These children are considered to be in the mildly subnormal or mildly
retarded group.
Understanding the Problems
of Slow Learners
'The next lower group in the range of intelligence are the moderately retarded children
who are in the I.Q. range 40155 to 55/60. The percentage of such children in the
~ ~ o r m child
al population is very small, about 1.3%. The severely retarded and the
profoundly 1-etarted come at the bottom of the scale of intelligence. They require
constant help and nursing care. Therefore, they will not be in schools meant for
nonnal children and thus, they will not be discussed here.
1 The pr;!i'o~ll~di?\uh~lr:i-til:ji
.
11 i
.,
r!:t:lli,>d<;r:ib>?:<1.1;t~~pj:~~i
....
L;I) The :;evt.rcly r~t~itcfed
I v; 'The slow-ii:arny,rs
v' Thc iriiid!y-retarded
,
!
i ) " r h ~p!.cifoli~idl>suhncrin;~l :arc pcr.s:!li;ill:; ;~ifr'q~~ntt:;
..
1
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iii 'lhe mildly retiil-tied g;,wp cat? col>i: ~ v i t hthe regular ( c a c i l i r ~or ~ ;
primary schools.
rii! T h t slow-iz:~rner,; can i . c d ~ ht h ~ Ic\~ei
' ;)f slrnpie a b s t r ~ i i rre;tx;!nrirg.
I V ) 'I'ilt: scverejy retarded fall In the I. ( ) . range '?i)/75 ici k5!!:iQ.
There are many other problenis that slow learners are likely to face, which are not
described here but which you can visualise on the basis of their characteristics and
the environment in which they have to adjust.
I
Our school:;, therefore, have a great responsibility for meeting the psychotog~cal
needs of the dull and the mildly retarded children. Teachers must show more
understanding and provide them with work in which they would be sure to experience
success frequently. They must be involved in creative work, sports, games, finger
painting, water play, etc. to provide outlets for their tensions. Education for good
citizenship is essential for these children. In addition, we need to train then1 to
respoad appropriately to social situations, and be made as independent and as socially
competent as possible.
vllr
have no mole problclrii of delinquency tha~lnormal children.
are I~ke!y to be m ~ < l e dbecause they do not understand the
I
consecluences of their actions.
v ~ i are
~ ) likely to pet ~ n t otrouble because they are unhappy ill schclul
,uid often play t~uant.
I'rohlems Abbociatcd
wit^^ Developntent 7.6 THE TEACHER'S ROLE IN GUIDING CHILDREN
AND THEIR PARENTS
The role of the teacher and what can be done in a school for normal children to meet
the personal, social and educational needs of the slow-learners have been discussed
in the above section. Here we will put it together in summary form to lay emphasis
on things that you can do even if classes are large and programmes are highly
structured.
1. Teaahers, along with parents, can be of great help in identifying the slow-learners
at an early age. If they are keen observers of children's behaviour and development
and have a fairly good idea of how the 'normal' child's development takes place,
they will be able to notice the delayed attainment of developmental milestones.
They will be able to notice the language usage and vocabulary of the child in
comparison to that of other children. If they are interested in each child, they
will be making mental notes of their ways of reacting to various classroom
situations; their responses to her questions; their performance on, or handling of
the tasks assigned to them. Since the intellectual development of the slow-
learners is slower than normal children, they will stand out. The teacher can then
observe them more closely than others in the course of her work. Children
whom she notices having problems of coping with the classwork expected of
them can then be referred to the counsellor, or psychologist for testing their
capabilities.
2. In a number of schools cumulative records are maintained by teachers. Even if
the teacher does not have the time to maintain detailed records on each child, she
coulld make a note of any significant behaviour, incident, fact or speech pattern
of ahy child that she feels, is important in helping her to understand that child
- better. These are called anecdotal records.
Information gained through deliberate and casual contacts with parents also could
help the teacher to come to know the children. If parents have faith in their child's
teacher, and there is a good relationship between them and her, they will cvnfide ia
her more than in anyone else, regarding the child's problems.
3. Knawing about the child will help the teacirer in being more understanding
and accepting towards him or her: S'he will then treat him more affectionately
rather than being harsh and sarcastic. Nor will she resort to physical
punishment.
4. Not only is the teacher expected to accept the child herself, she also has to help
the parents to accept the fact that their child has intellectual limitations. This is
not at all easy. Parents are deeply and emotionally upset. They feel some how
they are responsible for the retardation. Their guilt feelings combined with a
feeling of failure makes it difficult to accept the fact. They need to talk with
someone who will understand their problem and keep it confidential. If the teacher
can explain to the parents in a positive way, what their child is capable of doing
rather than telling them what helshe is incapable of doing, it will help. The parent
would also be guarded against over-protection or rejection of the child. Here
again positive suggestions regarding how they could more effectively help the
child in becoming personally adequate, socially competent and develop good
work habits, are more likely to be accepted by the parents. Their suggestions will
be more effective when parents find the teacher making special efforts to do the
same for their child.
5. It has been found in certain cases that the slow-learners may develop deep-seated
emotional problems, when parents do not accept the fact that their child is retarded.
They keep putting pressure to achieve more than helshe is capable of, punish
him/her severely when he/she does not come up to their expectations; continue Unde"t~"d'"%th~Pro~l~m~
d S l a w Learners
to make unfavourable comparisons with other children in the family and make
life intolerable for the child. In one case a highly qualified doctor was not willing
to accept that one of his two sons was retarded. The other son had superior
intelligence. He expected this child to achieve academically at the same level as
the other son, and he put so much pressure on him that the child became completely
withdrawn. He would sit with a suspicious, angry look on his face, but refuse to
utter a single word. It took the psychologist and remedial teacher a long time to
get the child to communicate, and much longer to get him to cooperate in working
on the skills the teacher wanted him to learn.
I 6. Although the teacher has to gear most of her class programme to the teaching of
the so called average child, she will have to make some provisions for those at
the upper end - i.e. those with superior intelligence, and those at the lower end-
i e. the slow-learners. The number of slow-learners in an ordinary class of a
primary school will not be very large since generally only the children belonging
to the dull group would be there. A few children at the upper level of the mildly
subnormal group may also be in the primary school. In spite of having a large
number of children in her classes to teach, the teacher has a responsibility towards
these children also.
The first task of the teacher would be to plan her work with the above mentioned
group in mind, and adopt a flexible .approach. This is usually possible at the
primary stage where one teacher is incharge of teaching nearly all the subjects.
Knowing that the slow-learners would never be capable of higher academic work
she could set suitable goals for education and plan activities and experiences
through which children could progress towards the achievement of those goals.
These children in class I, could be allowed to indulge more in 'readiness activities'
of the types as they are still not ready for formal learning of the 3R's. More
emphasis could be placed in making them more independent, buildtng up their
confidence; motivating them to learn and join in group activities; deliberate,
teaching appropriate responses to different social situations, in addition to building
or at leabt laying the foundation for good work habits - like teaching or
encouraging them to pay attention by introducing interesting stories and play
activities; gradually enlarging their attention span; developing habits of
concentration, habits of persisting till the task is completed, habits of punctuality,
of being able to listen carefully and follow orders, of being able to cooperate with
others, to share and to take turns etc.
In addition the teacher should be able to modify the curriculum requirements for
these children. Since the majority of children of this group will only be capable
of simpl..: abstract reasoning hy the time they leave school, only things that will
form prtrt of their experience or will be useful to them for making satisfactory
adjustrueat In later life shocrld be taught.
Teacher could work with these childrer, i3dividually. Teacher should also know
h o r ~LO :,ddpt her method$ and materials to sult the needs of these children.
Age, xbllity and interest levei of each child has to be considered when selecting
mater:al.
7. Prov~sionof a variety of activities and ~xperiencesto let the slow-learners taste
s!.:cd.:s S C 3f the teacher's responsibilities. Thus music, art, handwork,
i h ~ S ~ part
gnrnes, -ports, drzrna, e x . must form an important part of the curriculum.
8. The teacher of primary school children cf any level of inte!lectual functioning
has to be a parent-s~bstitute,a friend, a counsellor and an educator if she has to
succeed in m&mg children work to the maximum of their potential to became
useful citizens and well-adjusted Individuals.
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