Preferences for Teaching Intellectually Exceptional Children

Abstract

Using factor analytic techniques, the teaching preferences of two groups of practicing teachers (N=141) and two groups of teacher trainees (N=399) were studied to determine how certain traditional grade or teaching preferences related to preferences for teaching intellectually exceptional children (EMR and gifted).

A factor Preference for Teaching EMR was found in all samples. This factor included high interrelationships among preferences for elementary, junior high school, and senior high school teaching of the retarded. A second bi-polar factor comprised the elementary and secondary teaching specialties, with the exception that secondary teaching of EMR's was not related to preferences for general secondary teaching. Preferences for teaching elementary EMR's were, however, related to preferences for kindergarten-elementary teaching. The need for research designed to uncover variables related to preferences for teaching secondary level EMR's was underscored.

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