Visiting Teachers for Retarded Children
Leicestershire.
The special arrangements adopted by the Leicestershire Education Committee for the education of mentally retarded children fall into two parts? individual treatment in Primary Schools, and Special Classes in Senior Schools.
For each of these sections of the work an organising teacher has been appointed. The scheme began in the Primary Schools with the appointment six years ago of a visiting specialist to advise teachers upon individual methods of instruction for retarded pupils. Suitable work is suggested in those subjects in which the pupil lags behind his fellows. The greatest difficulty has been experienced with Reading and Written English. For these subjects, the organising teacher has prepared a complete scheme covering the four year course of the junior school, including a set of graded readers with written exercises.
In September, 1935, the reorganisation of the county being well advanced, a second visiting specialist was appointed to organise special classes in Central Schools and large Senior Schools. Such classes have 20 to 25 pupils, and are placed in charge of a specially qualified teacher. Except for Physical Training, Music, and Domestic Subjects or Woodwork, the special class is outside the specialist organisation usually adopted in Central Schools, since it has been found that the development of the backward child is more rapid and complete under the influence of a single personality. The curriculum on the academic side is unambitious, stress being laid more upon the spoken than the written word, and upon the concrete rather than the abstract aspects of each subject. Each class works to a time-table, although there may be some elasticity. It is considered important that the retarded children should be brought to realise the value and importance of discipline and regularity.
Head Teachers are encouraged to bring to the notice of the Committee cases of retardation as early in the primary stage as possible. The children are tested by the Medical Officer, who assesses the I.Q. An annual standardised test is also given by one of the visiting specialists to ascertain the educational ratio. These particulars, together with full details of the genetic and etiological background, of home environment, and of medical factors, are entered upon a record card which accompanies the child throughout his school life. This clear, concise, and continuous record of the child’s progress has proved of great value to teachers, especially on the child’s transfer to a new school. Westmorland.
Ten years ago, the Westmorland Education Committee appointed Mrs. B. Craig to visit the schools for the purpose of helping and advising teachers who had to deal with seriously retarded children. She was an experienced teacher from their permanent supply staff and so had a working knowledge of the county and its schools and she had attended several courses for teachers of retarded children organised by the Board of Education and the C.A.M.W. There was, however, no precedent on which the work could be based and so the undertaking had to be in the nature of an experiment. The majority of Westmorland’s 108 schools are either one, two, or three-teacher schools. There are only three schools with numbers exceeding 200 scholars. The school population is about 6,000. Schools may be only a few miles apart, but these miles may consist of such formidable barriers as Shap Fells or Kirkstone Pass. Experimental work began in a part of the County chosen for ease of access by ‘bus or train. Here were representative children with I.Q.’s varying from 65 to 85, and representative schools ranging from the tiny rural school with one teacher, to the larger school with its complement of class teachers. Children were tested by the School Medical Officer, Dr Henderson, and by Mrs. Craig and the findings were discussed with the various teachers. Treatment varied?sometimes it took the form of special coaching and intensive visiting for a period; a series of speech training lessons might be given, a change in treatment might be advised; or some suitable apparatus might be supplied.
During this experimental stage the work was seen by Dr R. Crowley, Board of Education, who expressed his approval of what had been accomplished. The Committee then decided the work should be extended to cover the whole County. To make this possible a car allowance was granted (the mileage covered being about 6,000 a year). The schools are visited periodically and teachers then have the opportunity of discussing with Mrs. Craig any children who present difficulties. It is found that the retarded child is less of a problem in the small school, for here, of necessity the work is individual in character. A child can sit with his age group and yet have work suitable to his capacity. It is noted that the retarded child, as a rule, likes to follow the ordinary curriculum and resents being singled out for periods of handwork when other children are otherwise engaged. Thus the special coaching in reading, arithmetic, etc., often given by Mrs. Craig is welcomed by the children as a means to an end, that of being able to do arithmetic from the school text book, and of joining a group for reading. Sitting with his age group he often finds some subject where he can shine. For instance, a retarded boy got full marks in the group history test this term when spelling mistakes were ignored. Another had full marks in the Spelling Test, whilst another boy with low I.Q. was so good at drill and games, that he was included in the school team that went to give a display in a nearby town.
There are about 40 seriously retarded children and about 200 less retarded children now being dealt with. In addition it has been found possible to form special classes in three schools.
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