Teachers Of Children Who Are Mentally Retarded

In recent years public interest in the problems of children who have exceptional educational needs has grown very rapidly. This interest has been especially strong in problems of mentally retarded children. Some of the causes of this development can be identified. The success of specialized programs for teaching these children is one of the more important. New knowledge in the field has stimulated the hope of future expansion of knowledge on this subject. Active and articulate parent groups are contributing to public acceptance and understanding of these children and their needs. As professional leadership in State and local school systems has developed, more and more retarded pupils are being identified and served. State legislative and financial school support have accelerated the growth of programs. The widespread interest and action have created an unprecedented demand for numbers of teachers to work in this area. This publication reports on the part of the broader project, "Qualification and Preparation of Teachers of Exceptional Children," that deals specifically with the distinctive skills and abilities needed by teachers of mentally retarded children. It includes: (1) Competencies needed by teachers of children who are mentally retarded; (2) Opinions on the proficiency of some teachers of mentally retarded; (3) Education and experience for acquiring the competencies; (4) Summary and implications; and (5) Areas for further study. In the examination of competencies, information was gathered by two techniques. First, a committee of experts prepared a report identifying and describing the competencies which they thought to be important and distinctive for teachers of retarded children and youth. In the second approach, a list of competencies was submitted (through inquiry forms) to superior teachers of the mentally retarded for evaluation as to importance. All other information presented in this report was collected by means of inquiry forms, which asked teachers to evaluate their own proficiency in the competencies they had rated for importance. This report, therefore, presents national opinion of recognized professional workers in the field on the special competencies required of teachers of the mentally retarded and on some of the professional experiences that may be needed in developing these competencies. It is hoped that the findings of this report will be of value to a wide range or professional workers concerned with improving the quality of teaching in the field of the retarded. It should serve as an aid to those in the field of teacher preparation in the layout of teacher training programs. It should be helpful to supervisors as a tool in conferences with individual teachers, and in planning in-service programs with them. Finally, it should be helpful in the development of certification standards by defining more clearly the types of preparation which should be required of the teacher. The following are appended: (1) The Plan and Procedures Used in the Study "Qualification and Preparation of Teachers of Exceptional Children"; (2) 150 Teachers of Mentally Retarded Children Participating in the Study; (3) Statistical Procedures and Results; and (4) Excerpts from Inquiry Forms. Individual sections contain footnotes. (Contains 7 tables and 2 graphs.) [This bulletin was prepared in collaboration with Anna M. Engel, Ivan K. Garrison, Mary Frances Martin, and Harvey A. Stevens. Best copy available has been provided.].

Robert and Denise Sedlak are noted for their work with mentally retarded young people. Teaching the Educable Mentally Retarded combines their training and experience to create an invaluable resource for both the practicing and beginning teacher of mildly retarded students. Practical suggestions, case studies, and real-life anecdotes are interwoven with research findings. The result is an up-to-date, comprehensive guide to handling the expected and unexpected situations teachers confront in the classroom. The book incorporates current trends in education, featuring sections on the use of instructional aides in the classroom and on the use of computers and other teaching technology in special education classes. The authors' style is clear and easy to follow, and the work is enhanced through the copious use of charts and figures.