"BACKWARD" CHILDREN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20594, 19 June 1930, Page 8

"BACKWARD" CHILDREN.

EDUCATIONAL PROBLEM.

WORK OF SPECIAL CLASSES*

EXHIBITION, AT MYERS PARK,

A remarkable exhibition of handwork done in the special classes for backward children throughout the Dominion will bo open for public inspection at the Myers' Park classrooms:, this afternoon and to-morrow afternoon. The first organised effort irf New Zealand to meet the special needs df these children began at the Myers Park School over 12 years ago, and the wc then started has grown and advanced until now there are 29 of these classes in the Dominion, giving specialised training to about 450 children. Of the remarkable success that has attended the educational methods employed, visitors to the present exhibition at Myers' Park will be well able to judge for themselves. A similar exhibition embracing work from all over the Dominion was held in Wellington about two years Ago, but this is the first that has taken pkee in Auckland. Of the 29 classes seven are in Auckland, five in Wellington, four in Christchurch, two in Dunedin a:nd the remainder in smaller centres. The demand by educationists for a differentiated curriculum has been growing for a number of years past. Several English investigators have stated that from 10 to 12 per cent, of the children attending public schools require a nonacademic type of education.

The Term " Backward."

So far not much has been done in New Zealand toward obtaining statistics, but a start has been made in meeting the need. The difference made in the curriculum of the special classes is that approximately one-third of the school clay is spent in academic work, one-third in manual work and one-third in physical education and music.

The term " backward" is frequently misunderstood. It is used by the Education Department to cover all those children whose learning rate for academic subject. l ! is so slow that even at the age of 14 they art unable to do more than the work of Standards 111. or IV. It has long been recognised that to be the oldest, and biggest, and at the same time the least successful, child in the class is humiliating and constant humiliation is demoralising. Self-confidence and self-respect are lost, and it is not surprising if the pain of it all causes nervous instability that shows itself in irritabilty, quarrelling, untruthfulness and many other conduct disorders. The special classes already established can undoubtedly claim to have eliminated many of these undesirable characteristics. It is true that there have been in the special classes a number of children who were defective, but the number of these has never been so great as wan generally supposed. A Mistaken Judgment. The ttouble is that the general public insists on judging on appearances,_ and regards a nice-looking child as " bright" and an unprepossessing child as " hopeless," when for educational purposes exactly the opposite is the case. The passing of the 'mental defectives law has, however, relieved the Education Department of responsibility for the weaker type of child, and the special classes can now deal with the education of those children who, given the right opportunity for development, are, it is hoped, capable of becoming self-respecting, self-control-led, self-supporting citizens. As already stated, one-third of the special class" day is spent on manual work. Children who are dull in academic work are not always skilled with their hands, but some are quite superior, and most are at least average. The development of these latent abilities is fascinating both for teacher and pupil, _ for the discovery that he can make things will usually exhilarate the most discouraged and lethargic child. The teaching of handwork is carefully graded so that 110 child is given tasks that are beyond him, but progresses step by step. New children usually show the same characteristics —lack of concentration, lack of muscular co-ordination, and lack of confidence. They must first of all be persuaded to try some easy task, and however feeble the 'result it is never criticised. With increasing powers self-criti-cism develops. . Character Training. To the child with poor powers of concentration very short tasks are assigned at first, but these"are gradually lengthened as control is developed.The teaching of handwork, therefore, is something more than the education of the hand; it is character training as well. There is no doubt that children go out from special classes trained in habits of industry and with well-developed manual skill that will stand them in good stead. The older children attend the manual training centres, the boys for woodwork and the girls for cookery and housewifely. . The handwork that will be viewed this afternoon is of wide range and diversity of character. Needlework is there in all its forms, from coarse hessian to the finest stitchery, woolwork from simple knitting to rug-making; raffia work in all its branches; cane work from tiny articles to waste-paper baskets and decorated trays; weaving on hand-looms: clay and plasticine models; sign-writing; woodwork from simple coping-saw_ cutouts to toys that look quite professions; paper-work in all its branches, correlating with history, geography and health talks. . .. These things have not been specially made for exhibition. The teachers were given very little notice that the display was to be held and the articles were selected from whatever was in stock. A discerning public will realise that tno exhibition is a monument to the patience and skill of the teachers, for if the teachers wcro not themselves skilled they would not be able to develop such skill m others. It has been organised under tlio direction of Miss W. A. Valentine, supervisor of the special classes, and Miss J>. M. Muir, assistant-supervisor, both or whom arc at present in Auckland.