Ch10 Exceptional children

EDUCATING EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN Introduction The word exceptional is used here to mean rare or unusual. li represents a kind of significant deviation from the usual, natural or normal happenings. In this sense, a boy standing seven feet tall would he termed quite a typical, exceptional and above average in a population of Indian adolescents Similar would be the case with a boy having height of 4 feet 0 inches, as he would be exceptional at (he lower end of the height scale Thus, people are termed exceptional if they deviate miserably in one attribute to the other from what is supposed to be normal or average for their group. One person may be exceptionally beautiful and other extremely ugly, one a genius with an I.Q. of 2U0. the other an idiot with an i n of 20. Such wide variations and deviation* are found nearly in all attributes and trails of personality and patterns of human behavior Consequently, the term exceptional carries a very wide connotation as it covers the entire range and possibilities of the significant in deviations in every shades of human activity and personality (trait. The term exceptional here stands for a separate and in many ways distinct category or relax of children who have markedly above average or below average traits and characteristics which makes them fundamentally different tom the general of average population of children. These children begin to demonstrate signs of their exceptionality from their very Birth or during their developmental stages a-s they race ahead or lag behind in term* of natural growth and development in various dimensions—physical, mental, emotional, social and moral etc. to such an extent that they exhibit symptom* of maladjustment with average children and with the average way* and mean* of their upbringing and education. Definition of the Term "exceptional children" The term exceptional children has been defined to many ways by authors and researchers Crow and Crow (/97,f): The term 'atypical or is applied to a trait or m a person the trail if the extent of deviation from normal possession of the mil is so great that because of it individual receives special attention from Ins fellows and his behavior response and are thereby affected Kirk (1984): An exceptional child is he who deviate font the normal or average child in mental, physical and social characteristics such an extent that he acquire a modification of school practices or special educational services in order u> develop to his maximum rapacity, or supplementary instruction.. Telfoid and Sawrcy (1977). The lean exccptiunal children refer* to those children who deviate from the normal in physitJ. Mental, emotional, 01 social characteristic to such a degree that they require special social and educational services to develop tlieir maximum capacity. These definitions highlight the following typical features or characteristics of the exceptional children: I, Exceptional children are quite different and distinct from the so-called normal or average children. 2- Their deviation from the normal or average children is so great that they can He recognized and distinguished easily average children. This deviation In terms of their acquired trails or development may fait in any behavioral or developmental dimension, physical, intellectual, emotional or social etc. The degree of deviation in any behavioral or developmental trait is so marked that children experience unusual or peculiar problems and require special arrangements in terms of care and education for their proper growth and Upbringing to meet the special conditions necessary for the till development and nurturing of their capabilities.Thus defined, the following types of deviant or exceptional children in terms (if different dimensions of human growth and development may be termed as exceptional: The gifted backward and the creative children. The crippled, handicapped, the hard of hearing and the deal, the partially sighted and the blind, etc.The mentally retarded or handicapped. The emotionally handicapped ranging from those with minor personality maladjustments to those with serious problems neurotics. The soc ally handicapped such a* juvenile delinquents. The learning disabled Let us know in detail about some of these children in the following pages. Gifted Children Meaning and Definition The term 'gifted child' has been defined by different scholars and psychologists in the following words: Telford and Sowrvy 0977): The intellectually gifted can he defined in terms of test scores or demonstrated performance, or x .he upper l or 7 per cent of the genial population is measured by some d-signaled intelligence and of achievement test. Plriither and 8i\h (79.59): The term gifted encompasses those children who possess a intellectual potentiality and functional ability to achieve academically m the I Mo 20 percent f school population; and/or talent of a high order in such special areas as mathematics, mechanics, science, expressive arts, creative, music and social leadership, and a unique creative ability to deal with their environment Witty (1940): The gifted or alerted stands (or those whose performance is remarkable in some potentially valuable activity Prem Pamdia {1964) The gifted child is die one who exhibits superiority in intelligence or the one who is in possession of anilities of u high ante m die fields which not associated with a high intelligence quotient. Martand report 0972): The gifted are those who possess outstanding abilities or potential the area of general intellectual capacity, specific academic aptitude, creative or productive thinking, leadership ability, visual or performing am and psycho activity Havighurst (1958): The talented oi gittcd child is one who shows consistently remarkable performance in Tannenbaum (198$); The term giftedness denotes their potential for becoming critically acclaimed performers exemplary producers of ideas in activity mat enhance the moral, physical, emotional, intellectual, or aesthetic life of humanity. Analysis of the above definitions shows that various scholars and thinkers have adopted different approaches in defining the term giftedness. The first two definitions have tricd to provide a statistical and operational definition by adopting scores on intelligence and achievement tests. Although the use of lite I.Q. and achievement test score has the advantage of objectivity, it cannot he made a sole erigeron for cascading giftedness. Moreover, there lies a difficulty in deciding the cut-off point i.e. the minimum score for labeling one as gifted as some may fix it as 140 (Terman ami Oden. 1947) while may lower it to 110 (Bentlcy. 1937). Prem Pasrichi's definition takes a proper stand by declaring, that giftedness need not he necessarily associated with high performance on some general intelligence test. A petson who shows outstanding or remarkable performance in other of activity regardless of his average I 0 or lower scholastic achievement may (ho be termed as gifted. This feature has been repeated in almost all the other definitions as well However, while adopting demonstrated social performance as a these definitions have clearly stated that in order to qualify as an indication if giftedness, a person's performance must be consistent. Outstanding, distinctive, remarkable and clearly above (he average performance of other in the group. It should, at the same time, be useful and worthwhile and should contribute towards (he welfare of society and also of humanity large. Consequently, on the basis of the above definitions we may draw the following conclusions about the meaning, nature and characteristics of gifted or talented children: The gifted child is essentially an exceptional child. In comparison Lo children of his own group, he is superior in some ability or group of abilities. X In most cases, the gifted child invariably exhibits superior performance only in the area or areas of his giftedness. The appellation 'gifted children' is applicable to not only the academically talented but also to Those who show promise in other sphere as music, dance, drama, painting, sculpture, writing and other creative arts. Mechanical work, Social leadership and human relationships. creative scientific experimentation and exploration, physical activities like games, sports and gymnastics A gifted child need not necessarily possess a very high intelligence quotient (I.Q.). If he receives proper attention and opportunity for self-expression and development, the gifted child can make a noteworthy contribution u» the welfare of society, the nation and humanity at large. Needs and Problems of Gifted Children Like other children, the gifted children have certain basic needs, the need for security, for love, for belonging and the need to he accepted as an individual In addition lo these basic needs the gifted children may have certain special needs like f a relatively low I.Q, The following characteristics should also be kept in mind: Mentally subnormal children lack much in the power of observation, imagination, thinking and reasoning, and ability to generalize They are abstraction and can only think in terms of concrete objects and situations. They arc slow learners It has been found that they take longer for a skill. They aie poor at following general verbal instruction*;, unless these are repealed at frequent intervals. Their rate of intellectual development is very slow in comparison with children of their age. The uicas of their interest aptitudes and choices are limited. The creativity aspect is almost ahveni in such children. Assessment in terms of adoptive hehavumr* In addition to the criterion ot sub normal intellectual capacities, an assessment of a child'* deficiency in terms of adaptive behaviour and personality problems may also prove helpful in the diagnosis of mental retardation. Personality problems and deficiency in terms of adaptive behavior may be assessed through close observation, or with the help of texts like adaptive behavior scale and the Minnesota developmental programming system. A discussion of these categories of retardation in terms of the typical sub* normal intelligence and deficient adaptive behavior follows: Mild retardation. A majority or approximately eighty five per cent of Out retarded are only mildly retarded As grownups, these individuals attain intellectual levels comparable to those of the average ten-year-old child. Their social adjustment may be compared with that of an adolescent. Here Ukk they lack Ihe innovative and vigorous nature of normal adolescents. They show signs of delayed development early in life and learn to walk, talk, feed and toilet themselves one year later than die average* They may be identified in schools as slow learners and are frequently required to repeat early grades. Speech disturbances are also common among them. Causes of Mental Retardation It is difficult 10 lay down the standard causes of mental retardation applicable In every such case. A number of factors are believed to cause mental retardation which may be divided into two broad categories; L Organic or biological factors 2. Socio-psychological factors 1, Organic or biological factum. Causes listed in this broad category arc: (a) Gtnetic Factors. Mental deficiency may he established by genetic factors operative at the time of conception in two ways—either through transmission of some defective genes in the chromosomes of one or both Parents, or on account of chromosomal aberrations The transmission of defective genes gives rise to many disorders causing mental deficiency. Mental retardation or deficiency attributable to a dominant gene is very rare because the persons affected are generally incapable of reproduction. It is often the result of the pairing of two defective recessive genes. When defective recessive genes are paired, as in F'KI:. The production of an enzyme, necessary for an important metabolic process, is disturbed. This* in turn, affects the development of the embryo and causes mental deficiency. Jn some cases, like Tay-Sachs disease, mental deficiency may also resull from the pairing of single recessive genes. Several chromosomal anomalies determine mental retardation at the time of conception. Down's synrdomc or mongolism is one such disorder which is said to be caused by chromosomal aberrations. The majority of the Mongoloid children tire found to have 47 chromosomes instead of Uic usual 46. The number of chromosomes increases as a resell of tripling of chromosome 21 (during the fertilization of the egg the chromosome pair 21 become three instead of two). Another example of chromosomal abnormality is Klinefelter's syndrome in which an extra X chromosome is usually (he culprit. This disorder occurs only in males and symptoms are usually noticed at puberty when the testes remain small and the body develops feminine secondary sexual characteristics such as enlarged breasts and round hips. (b) Infections Mental retardation can also be the result of many infectious diseases like syphilis, rubella (German measles) toxoplasmosis, encephalitis which can damage brain tissue and die nervous system resulting in severe mental deficiency or retardation If mother suffers from one or the other of these infectious diseases she may transmit infection to the developing fetus. Intoxication. Mental retardation may be caused by intoxication. A number of agents like carbon monoxide, mercury, lead and various immunological agents like unti tetanus serum or the use of small pox, rabies and typhoid vaccine* may result in brain damage during development alter birlh. Similarly, large doses of X-ray in radio therapy in the abdominal region of the pregnant mother drugs administered to the mother during pregnancy, incompatibility in blood types between mother and foetus, and overdose of drugs administered to the infant also lead to toxicity and brain damage. (d) Trauma. Mental retardation may be caused by physical damage to the Brain in the form of injuries prior to birth at the time of delivery, or following birth. Psychological Treatment Often on account of the link between mental subnormal and psychological factors, psychological treatment in the form of individual or group psychotherapy is found to be useful in providing remedial measures for mental retardation. Children can be helped in solving problems of emotional and social maladjust mcut and revolving their menu) conflicts through psychological measures. Educating the parents. Parents can also help in the welfare, cart as well as treatment of the mental retardates- For this purpose, there is a need for proper counseling services for them Moreover, on account of their emotional Involvement the parents do not always ieahze the shortcomings and deficiency of their children and waste a lot of time and money in tlie hope that some magic cure will found pi the deficiency will automatically disappear with lime Planning Education according to the Levels of Mental Retardation The membrane retarded, as emphasized cailier are not all alike. After segregation from normal individuals they can be properly grouped into distinct categories The most accepted classification based on the I.Q. as well as adaptive behavior criteria the four levels of retardation i.e. mild, moderate, severe and profound. The schools curricular as well as cocurrieular activities should lay stronger emphasis on experience than on abstraction 6. In any case, in spite of these children should not be expected to attain the level of accomplishment of the same chronological age as normal children. Educational programmes for the trainable mentally retarded (TMR). The TMK children cannot be educated like the EMK However, they can be trained to acquire certain panic skills so that they may lead their future dependent or scmi-indcendent lives the following aspects may be considered for planning appropriate training programmes for Diem: BACKWARD CHILDREN Definition and Meaning of the Term Backward Child The term 'backward children' and "backwardness" has been defined in many ways. We give below, some of ihe well-known definitions. Uarton Hall (J947): Backwardno* m general, is applied to eases where their attainment fall* below die level of abilities Schvnell {1943); Backward pupil is compared with other pupils of the same chronological age marked educational deficiency. Burt (J9S0); |A backward is J One who in career is unable to do the work of die class next below that which is normal for his age. All the definitions quoted above lead to the following conclusions about a backward child. He is a slow learner and finds it difficult to keep ace with normal school work he is not able to attain he should and his educational attainment falls below his natural abilities He falls far behind other children of his age in matters study. Usually, such children remain in the same class for a number of years Not only is he unable lo learn at the same level as other children the same age but also finds ii difficult to keep pace with children in lower classes who are youngest to him in age. Kinds of Backwardness Backward is supposed to be of two kinds, general and specific. The child suffering from such general backwardness is weak in all the subjects of the school curriculum. The child suffering from specific Backwardness on die oilier hand lags behind in one or two specific subjects only, while in others his progress may be satisfactory or even extraordinary. Causes of Backwardness It is difficult id list the general causes of backwardness as it is an individual problem and every individual problem is unique. But it is certain that the root* of backwardness of a child must lie within him or outside him in the environment Moreover, it is also found that usually, many factors or causes operate together in a particular ease of backwardness. Let us try to ascertain some possible cause’s to factors resulting in backwardness. Inherent Factors Physiological or physical factors. The physiological and physical condition of the child affect> his educational attainment at every stage. The studies of Buit. Schoncl! And others have shown that a majority of the educationally backward children suffer from some kind of developmental or physical retardation. They are either born with poor healih. Iiurk of vitality ni physical deformities or become victims of poor environment and thus suffer from physical ailments, chronic diseases and bodily defects The lesullanl drawbacks like poor eyesight, faulty healing, defective speech etc.. Make them deficient and they perforce develop as backward. Physical ailments or generally poor health may also seriously interfere with such children's attendance at school and study ar home. These problems may also undermine iheir healih to such an extent that they may as a resull, be unable lo devote adequate time and energy lo their studies and so became educationally sub-normal and end up being termed backward. Intellectual faitins. Intellectual inferiority in also found l(< be an important contnhutory factor. Some children arc bom with some inherent defects in their brain system or with some intellectual sub normality. These mentally handicapped or intellectually inferior children cannot keep pace with tie normal school curriculum and prove to he very slow in learning. Bun (1053). on the basis of his studies. Assert: in majority of the tax*es defective intelligence or lower I.Q been found to lie the sole cause of the backwardness It is generally seen that students whose intellectual powers like thinking and reasoning, concentration, observation and imagination, are. for some reason, not properly developed generally drift towards educational subnormalily. Such children are not only affected in terms of quick understanding and grasp of meaning or remembering but also suffer emotional imbalance and social maladjustment which impedes their progress in school subjects. Environmental factors. Apart from the above innate factors, environmental forces, especially the hone, neighbourhood and schixil atmosphere significantly influence the educational attainment of an individual. Let us discuss some of these environmental factors. Home influences, lhc parents, family relationships and home atmosphere have a direct relationship win the child's educational attainment. The privileged homes and well-to-do families are able to provide the best amenities of life and good education to their children Children belonging to poor families on the other hand, leave alone proper education, are denied even the basic necessities of life. Their health sutlers as a result of maluuuiiion ami unhygienic living conditions Thi\ impairs iheii capacity for learning and they become backward In such an atmosphere the child is also deprived of the elementary fund of general knowledge and expenences. He does not pet the opportunities to acquire experience in the form of vancd social contacts, outings and excursions etc. Consequently, he faces difficulty in grasping discus related to these experiences and becomes educationally subnormal. In poor homes tie children are often required to help with many household chores or to augment the family income. As I result tliey can devote less lime to dicii studies. They also become tired with the household work and thus arc unable to devote proper action to their studies at home as well as at school. Besides poverty, the intellectual inferiority and illiteracy of the parents also contribute towards sub-normal educational attainment of the children. Such parents have neither a positive attitude towards education nor the ability to guide and help the children in their studies The family relationships and the behavior of family members also contribute lo the child's achievements. Strained relationships and improper behavior not only disturb the harmony of atmosphere at home, but also create many emotional and social problems In homes where the parents are divorced or the child has a father or step-mother or where the parental attitudes are either too harsh or too indulgent or where there arc unusual conflicts and quarrels, the child's psychological and social needs are not satisfied In this kind of environment, the child neither feels secure nor gets enough love, affection and guidance from his parents and hence becomes educationally sub-normal. School influence. An inappropriate school atmosphere and unfavorable in conditions also contribute to the problem of backwardness Irregular attendance or prolonged absence from school contributes to die scholastic subnormality of a child. Additionally, the following factors operating in school may also affect the educational attainment of the children: Defective, uninteresting and ineffective teaching.Lack of equipment, facilities and provision for revision, experimental and creative work, co curricular activities and varied experience etc. Defective curriculum and examination system.Lack of guidance and wrong choice of subjects by the children. Poor adminisUulion and indiscipline. No regular checking of home assignment and luck of proper incentives and stimulation. Improper attitude of the teacher and interpersonal relationships among the staff and students. Influence of neighborhood and other social agencies. The social environment of the child is confined within the boundary walls of his home or the school. The neighborhood where the child lives, the companions with whom he plays and the gang with whom he associates himself, the members of the society he comes in contact with, the press, radio, cinema, clubs, religious and social places that he visits, all contribute to the problem of educational sub normality. Any or all of these may color his altitude towards life, work or study also divert his attention to other socially undesirable activities in place of studies and consequently causes scholastic backwardness. In this way environmental forces greatly influence and direct the scholastic progress of a child. His interests, altitudes, habits of work and study, thought and reasoning processes, understanding and observational powers -all get affected by the kind and nature of environment in which he lives and consequently, he attains what his environment allows him lo attain. The Education of Backward Children Backward child, us we have seen above, suffers from mental, emotional and social problems. Besides a defective intelligence and inherited physical characteristics, this condition is the result of maladjustment and maltreatment. Like other children, he also needs security, love, affection and the satisfaction of his urges of consecutions. Self-assertion etc. If for any reason, the satisfaction of his social and emotional needs is denied, he becomes mentally and emotionally disturbed and suffers from serious adjustment problems. As a result of this he fails to pay necessary attention to his studies and becomes educationally subnormal or backward. After being termed backward, he again becomes the victim of serious maladjustment and behavioral problems He becomes conscious of his back-wardness and develops an inferiority complex, he feels socially isolated and may become a delinquent child Thus his backwardness not only becomes a problem for him but it affects the adjustment and progress of other children in his class or group. The backward, therefore, need proper care und there is urgent need of special attention for the backward if wastage and stagnation of human resources and increase in the number of problem children is to be checked. Educational guidance or treatment of backwardness- After diagnosing the probable cause or causes of backwardness, conscious efforts should be made to help the child to get rid of his backwardness The remedy of backwardness lies entirely in its nature and extent as well as the causes which produce it. Moronic. There is no single or simple remedy applicable alike to every case of backwardness. Each case is unique in it and, therefore, needs individual attention and planned treatment depending upon the kind of backwardness. Readjustment in the home and the school. As a consequence of several environmental factors, backward children have temperamental and emotional problems, and suffer from mental conflicts. 'They should be helped in their readjustment in the home as well as at school. Such emotionally starved and mentally perturbed children need tender love, affection and security. They should be properly understood and encouraged. There is a need of close contact with parents so dial the root causes of emotional and mental disturbances can be discovered. Parents also need education lor die proper handling of these children the social agencies and government should come forward not only for educating the patents hut also for giving proper attention to remove the miserable handicaps which die children are faced with due to their poverty and other social maladies. Provision of special schools or special classes. The provision of education for the backward child is also a basic remedial step. Under this provision, backward children arc segregated from other children and kept in small groups either in special classes or in special schools. If they are kept normal, they will be pushed back and the backward will become more backward with children of their own level but they will he conscious of then draw-hacks and they will feel more secure in a group of their own type there will be more encouragement and appreciation and less competition. Special coaching and proper individual attention. When the area and nature of lhc weakness is being identified through proper diagnostic tesls in various subjects, arrangement for special coaching should be made for backward children individually or collectively as the situation demands. This may be given in the form of more practice, drill, repetition, review or explanation etc. By providing such special coaching their deficiencies and lacunae can be filled up. Checking truancy and non attendance. Backwardness in some cases may be the result of irregular attendance, delinquency or long absence from school. Provision of co curricular activities, rich experiences and diversified courses. In some cases the backwardness is caused by lack of interest in the school studies or in a particular subject. Maintenance of proper progress record. The examination and testing programme of the school needs essential modifications. Rendering guidance services. I-ack of guidance for making proper choices in the selection of courses of instruction and field of work is also considered to be one of the contributory factors of backwardness. Controlling negative environmental factors. The social surrounding and gang EM peer group influences play a dominant role in coloring one's interests, altitudes and vision of life. Taking the help of experienced educational psychologists. Service* of an experienced educational psychologist can also prove valuable in the planning of the education of backward children. The measures mentioned above arc guidelines for teachers, but the problem is .so complicated and intricate that it needs lo be attacked from many directions. Not only the teachers or school authorities but parents, educational psychologists, social workers and the relevant department, of government should join hands to identify and rectify the conditions und remove the causes of backwardness. Only then can the malaise be properly eradicated and the millions of future citizens given the proper opportunities for self-development and self-realization. J u v e n i l e D e l i n q u e n c y Delinquent children belong to that category of exceptional children who exhibit considerable deviation in terms of their social adjustment and are consequently also labeled as socially deviant or socially handicapped. They are found to possess criminal tendencies and usually indulge in antisocial behavior. In this sense, they;*re very much like criminals and antisocial elements In legal terminology, however, they are referred to as delinquents and not as criminals. Let us try to clarify the distinction between the two terms 'delinquency' and "crime'. Delinquency and crime. 'Crime" and "delinquency' are legal terms and their meaning varies from country to country, from one state to another in the same county. In India, any person 21 years or more of use convicted by a court for violating the provisions of Indian 1'enal Code (IPC) and the Criminal Procedure Code (CrlV) is termed as a criminal. Of course, there are state laws which vary from state lo slate In some states or part of a state, for instance, liquor consumption, except for medica reasons, is considered a crime, whereas in others it may not be so. Similarly, if a minor individual in the age group of seven to eighteen is convicted by a coon for violating the provisions of the Children's Act, die IPC and die CrPC. he is termed a delinquent. Preventive measures. Initially these involve improvement of social or environmental conditions which in the way of the satisfaction of the basic needs of the individual. The following suggestions may work well in this dire lion; I- Parental education. Parents should be aware of the psychology of delinquency so that They may and handle their children with understanding and provide them an appropriate environment for the satisfaction of their basic needs and urges This requires parental education which may be provided through guidance services, clinics and voluntary social organizations Rectifying school education and environment. The school environment should be healthy and congenial. The curriculum, methods of teaching, discipline, class-room of the teacher and the social atmosphere of the school should be rectified so that children do not get involved in problems of emotional and social maladjustment. The altitude of teachers who impose their authority on children without understanding then basic needs should be changed. The headmaster as well as ihe teachers should be familiar with the psychology of individual differences and delinquency. The attitude toward* delinquency i n our country also is changing. It has now been realized that children who are called delinquents arc ill. Primarily in terms of their inability lo conform to the social milieu. Consequently, in most of the states, the Children Act has been enforced and some have gone ahead in the work of rehabilitation and re-education of young offenders Separate child welfare boards have been established to deal with the problem of delinquency and approved schools have also come into existence- Some states encourage voluntary organizations to lake custody of delinquent children. Provisions for the care of neglected and destitute children are also made so that they do not become delinquents. Some states have started foster care programmes which envisage the court giving custody of a child lo a responsible person. There in. however, the need to arouse public consciousness of this problem. No government can solve a social problem without public cooperation. Therefore, there is a need for a change in our attitude towards delinquent* so that they may he helped in their readjustment and rehabilitation.