This paper reflects on the increasing emphasis on special class placement of educable mentally retarded children and special preparation for teachers. This is in view of the increasing evidence that special classes have been something of a disappointment in terms of accelerating the academic progress of these children. It is proposed that a necessary area of study is a careful analysis of the extent to which special classes actually differ from regular classes in regard to teacher techniques, materials, and content.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BaldwinW. K.The social position of mentally handicapped children in the regular classes in the public schools. Exceptional Children, 1958, 25, 106–112.
2.
BarrA. S.Characteristics of a successful teacher. Phi Delta Kappan, 1958, 39, 282–284.
3.
BennettAnnette. A comparative study of sub-normal children in the elementary grades. New York: Teachers College, Columbia University, Bureau of Publications, 1932.
4.
BlattB.The physical, personality and academic status of children who are mentally retarded attending special classes as compared with children who are mentally retarded attending regular classes. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 1958, 62, 810–818.
5.
CarrikerW. R.A comparison of post-school adjustments of regular and special class retarded individuals served in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska Public Schools. Dissertation Abstracts, 1957, 17, 2206–2207.
6.
CassidyViola M., and StantonJ. E.An Investigation of factors involved in the educational placement of mentally retarded children. Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 1959.
7.
DeweyJ. Method. In MonroeP. (Editor), A cyclopedia of education. New York: The MacMillan Company, 1913. Pp. 202–205.
8.
DorwardBarbara. A comparison of the competencies for regular classroom teachers and teachers of emotionally disturbed children. Exceptional Children, 1963, 30, 67–73.
9.
DunnL. M.A historical review of treatment. In RothsteinJ. (Editor), Mental retardation. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, Inc., 1962.
10.
ElenbogenM. L.A comparative study of some aspects of academic and social adjustment of two groups of mentally retarded children in special classes and regular classes. Dissertation Abstracts, 1957, 17, 2496.
11.
FiedlerF. E.A comparison of therapeutic relationships in Psychoanalytic, Nondirective and Adlerian therapy. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 1950, 14, 436–445.
12.
FieldsH.Who makes the best teacher of mentally retarded children: a panel discussion. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 1958, 58, 251–267.
13.
GoldbergI. I.Guide for future development of special education programs at Teachers College, Columbia University. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Teachers College, Columbia University, 1952.
14.
HeberR.The educable mentally retarded. In KirkS. and BlumaWeiner (Editors), Behavioral Research on exceptional children. Washington, D. C.The Council for Exceptional Children, 1963. Pp. 89.
15.
HudsonMargaret. An exploration of classroom procedures for teaching trainable mentally retarded children. CEC Research Monograph, Series A, No. 2, Washington, D. C.1960.
16.
JohnsonG. O.Special education for the mentally retarded—a paradox. Exceptional Children, 1962, 29, 62–69.
17.
JordanJune B.Intelligence as a factor in social position—a sociometric study in special classes for the mentally handicapped. Dissertation Abstracts, 1960–61, 214, 2987–2988.
18.
KirkS. A.What is special about special education?Exceptional Children, 1953, 19, 138–142.
19.
LappEster R.A study of the social adjustment of slow-learning children who were assigned part-time to regular classes. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 1957, 62, 254–262.
20.
MackieRomaine P. and LittlefieldL.Special education personnel in state education departments. Washington, D. C.: Government Printing Office, 1961.
21.
MackieRomaine P., WilliamsH., and DunnL. M.Teachers of children who are mentally retarded. Washington, D. C.: Government Printing Office, Bulletin1957, No. 3.
22.
MedleyD. M., and MitzelH. E.Measuring classroom behavior by systematic observation. In GageN. L. (Editor), Handbook of Research on Teaching. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1963.
23.
National Association for Retarded Children.Opportunities for professional preparation in the field of education of mentally retarded children. New York: The Association, 1961.
24.
PertschC. F.A comparative study of the progress of sub-normal pupils in the grades and in special classes. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Teachers College, Columbia University, 1936.
25.
PorterR. B., and MilazzoT. C.A comparison of mentally retarded adults who attended a special class with those who attended regular school class. Exceptional Children, 1958, 24, 410–412.
26.
QuayLorene C.Academic skills. In EllisN. R. (Editor), Handbook of mental deficiency. New York: McGraw Hill, 1963. Pp. 664–690.
27.
SymondsP.Characteristics of the effective teacher based on pupil evaluations. Journal in experimental education, 1955, 23, 289–310.
28.
ThurstoneThelma G.An evaluation of educating mentally handicapped children in special classes and regular classes. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina School of Education, 1959.
29.
WarburtonF. W.Educational psychology. Annual Review of Psychology, 1962, 13, 317–414.
30.
WylesK.Teaching for better schools. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1959.
