BACKWARD SCHOLARS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 23 July 1926, Page 2

BACKWARD SCHOLARS.

CLASSES FOR RETARDATES. PROPOSAL OF TARANAKI EDUCATION BOARD. “That the report of the senior inspector re •special classes for retardate-s and the question of establishing such classes to be left in the hands or Messrs Kay 11, Lees, White, Dcrnpsey and the chairman, with .power to act-,’ was the resolution passed at the monthly ni.setino- of the Taranaki Education Board on We tien.sday , following tliei explanation and discussion on a .report by the senior inspector, Mr A. R. -McKenzie, on the question of establishing specia-.. classes for backward children, “At the recent interview with the Minister of Education at Hawera, a plea was made for special -classes for. retarded children,” stated the -report. ‘‘There is no doubt whatever that classes of this kind r.r e necessary in every centre large enough to provide a. sufficient number of -pupils. it is found in Canada and elsewhere that a special class is usually needed lor every thousand pupils enrolled. “11l tli-ts connection it is highly desirable that -a general survey of the whole education district should be made and that a detailed survey cf the larger ] centres should b e undertaken, this latter duty could he carried out hv tire Education Department’s expert (Miss W. A. Valentine). “The general -survey can well be made by the teachers and the hoard’s office staff working under uny guidance. It will aid teachers in. classifying not only backward children, but also normal and gifted pupils. “It should include -a, test or educa.ble -capacity (commonly called an intelligence test) and a standardised achievement test (or examination) in the branches of study which lend themselves to scientific measurement by modern methods. I have good rea-son to believe that the teachers will welcome a -survey and will gladly help in making it a success.” Under the -supervision of Miss W. A. Valentine, the Education Departments expert and the .seni-cr inspector, the primary children will he _ -subjected, (to special intelligence tests in order that a general survey of 'the board’s district and a detailed -survey of the three centres 1 may be made. If it is found necessary, special classes will be established for the retardates. In undertaking this .scientific -survey (of its district, the hoard achieved the unique distinction of being the first body of its kind in Australasia- to undertake such a- scheme.

MATERIAL FOR HAWERA CLASS. It was reported’that Mr F. A. Bates, headmaster of the Hawera School, had brought up the matter in a recent interview with the Minister, istating that he had enough pupils in liis own school to -start- -a class. The inspector said that he wanted it to ho definitely understood that there was no stigma- attached to being :a retardate and that because a chud was different he was not necessarily interior to Ms fellows. -Some children were able to profit by academic instructions and others were not. Special provision should be made to ''provide stx-cial classes for those whose ta-lent did not lie in the direction of book Iflareingc Often -children who appeared mentally deficient wore- really the victims of physical disabilities. The present system of education was based on the fallacy that a.ll children were of equal mental capacity. Investiagtions- revealed that from 50 to GO per cent, of children were able to profit bv the- ordinary method of education, 20 to 25 -per cent, were brighter and required more advanced teaching, while an additional 20 to 25 per cent, were below normal and needed a. soeoial education suited to their individual needs. The present proposal was to provide hand-work for the third type, at which work they very often excelled. Special care should be taken in the Selection -of children for special Classes, and in the 'hands of ignorant persons the tests might bo -a source of -danger.

CLASSES IN CANADA. In Ontario there was provision for 17 different classes of children, mentally and nhysically different from their fellows. Tb e New Zealand Education Department was employing an expert in child psychology who had specialised in, the selection of chi Id ten for those classes. Throughout the world there was -dissatisfaction with the present system of examinations. It was found, for instance. that marks -given for the «iame work by different people varied widely, and even -one person did not -award the same marks on separate days.

AIMS OF TESTS. Modern tests aimed at avoiding these faults were framed on scientific, principles and based on experimentally ascertained facts. The answers to the quetsions were iso definite that therecould be no difference of -opinion as to their value. The questions' frequently consisted iof words, or a small grou-p of words, and were- simply marked right or wrong. They might bto arranged in an ascending scale of difficulty, or -of equal difficulty, or they might be alternately ea-sy and difficult. They were set by experts to .suit the individual type. The -system was not yet -perfect, -but it was a. big advance on anything previously tried. They wanted a stocktaking of the province to sort out roughly the children requiring special treatment. In British Columbia there was -something like our proficiency examination plus an intelligence test, and the -passing -of these combined secured admission to the high schools. In Northumberland, in England, scholarships had been awarded on intelligence tests alone, and at Bradford they were awarded on an examination plus -an intelligence test. After four years’ study tlm English Board of Education had 'approved of the tests, wh-ille in Aemriea their use was almost universal. Mr M’Kenzie said he had special training in the work -and would be pleased to direct the tests here. APPROVAL OF BOARD. In reply to a question by Air Dempsey, asking if the tests covered all -subjects, the -inspector re-plaed that for .a start only those -subjects that, -lent themselves to exact measurement would be used, -such as spelling,psi-lont rending and aritlimet-ic. In 1924' tests ■were carried out among .scholars enter-

Lug secondary •seliocih?, sjnd the published' <results had been of great interest in other countries. . The He v. J. L. A. Ivy all sard that h© had had .previous experience with the tests and the results were extraordinary. many previously unnoticed errors being detected. If taken in hand tin time the handicap of most backward children could be overcome. He heartily .supported the proposal. "Mr A. Lees, speaking in support ot the proposal, said that the proficiency examination, which it was hoped these tests would eventually abolish, was not a great success. He was sure teachers would welcome the new scheme and that Mr McKenzie should he- given every opportunity of improving: the present system. He had no doubt 'that the, department would make, them a. grant. _ In (supporting the proposal. Mr 1. J. H. White emphasised th c fact that retardates were not imbeciles and that children who were .slow at. the beginning often achieved success m .later life, . ~ TJk> 'resolution given* n-uovo vns ttien prvsse d. —Herald.