Exceptional Children

This article presents the problems involved in definitive differential diagnosis of children with delayed language. It suggests the need to describe language, auditory, mental, and emotional functioning as opposed to depending upon specific diagnostic labels which may rely upon clinical bias. The classroom teacher is viewed as an individual competent to devise teaching methods applicable to the peculiar requirements of widely differing children and is encouraged to trust herself in the face of “experts.”

To accomplish the purpose of identifying and quantifying characteristics which contribute to successful student teaching of mentally and physically handicapped children, five dimensions of human behavior were investigated. Three characteristic patterns of successful student teaching experiences emerged from the investigation. The successful student teachers (a) were well adjusted, emotionally stable, and able to encounter difficult special class situations; (b) possessed physical energy, vitality, and enthusiasm necessary to meet special classroom demands; (c) obtained high scores on measures of scholastic achievement and ability.

A rationale for the contribution of crafts to the self-realization of the educable mentally handicapped child may be provided in philosophy, motor and sensory training, and creativity. Crafts contribute toward the child's expanding concepts of reality, truth, and value. Motor and sensory experiences associated with crafts have prime importance in helping the child to think. Creativity as a process and a product has application for the retarded. The important creative product is the development of a unique individual. The project has prime importance as it contributed to the self-realization of the child and secondary importance as a teaching device.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate on two parameters certain amplification systems used in the education of deaf children: educational and acoustical. Results did not demonstrate one system to be clearly superior to others evaluated in the study, but the advantages and disadvantages of each system were observed and reported.