“ RETARDATION ”

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10822, 11 February 1921, Page 7

“ RETARDATION ”

BACKWARD SCHOLARS INSPECTORS’ CONFERENCE DISCUSSES PROBLEM. FURTHER INQUIRY NEEDED. “Retardation,” or the problem of backward pupils, was discussed by the School Inspectors’ Conference at its morning session yesterday. -The Hon. C. J. Parr (Minister for Education), who presided, stated, in introducing the subject, that the matter was one that was giving him no little thought. Ho found that for every two boys and girls yho left the primary schools with proficiency certificates, one left without. This seemed to be the weakness of the primary system, and was one reason why the compulsory age line! been raised to 16. He desired to elicit reasons for the backwardness of these children. He did not wish to create an impression that he desired to “force” children on; but he <wus concerned about the question of any possible waste of time in the life of children—at ,a period wihen its full utilisation was very important. In New South Wales 42 per cent, of the children of all school classes and 66 per cent, in standard VI were classified as retarded. A rough estimate of things in New Zealand showed that in the primer classes 22 per cent were shown as backward; in standard I, 49 per cent. ; standard 11, 50 per cent.: standard 111, 50 per cent. ; stardaa-d IV, 54 per cent.; standard V. 52 pew cent. ; and standard VT, 45 .per cent. The decline in the higher standards was perhaps due to the fact that "retarded” children did not reach them. NEARLY HALF BELOW NORMAL. It .was disturbing to think that nearly half the children were below normal m ability. It was certainly admitted that there was a difficulty in getting a normal test. One of the problems attached to the subject was: Should the school age start at five years or was it -better to have the children kept at home until the sixth or seventh year ? The Teachers’ Institute had endeavoured to obtain opinions overseas from its members, - and the results were peculiar. In regard to the age question, it was stated by them that the late starters were out-distanced by the earlier beginners; in short, that the infant commencing school earliest had the best of the race. The teachers’ inquiries were interesting, and .worth considering, but they were inconclusive. He desired the opinion of the inspectors upon the matter. The teachers also jsa.id that !k>w inbelligenoe was another factor, and they further arrived a.t the conclusion that this low intelligence was more marked in the wellequipped and staffed city schools than in the country. They suggested that the proportion of low-intelligence children in the city schools was 1 in 7. “I must confess,” said, the Minister, “that I find that hard to swallow.” WHAT IS THE REASON? He would say emphatically that he did not think there was a low mental standard amongst the children; there might be other causes, the physical condition of some children, or the teaching. He would like, however, to discover the reasqp, for it was a very serious matter. In America an. endeavour was being made to arrive at a scientific basis for testing the backwardness, .and that was what would) have to be done here. Undoubtedly everyone knew there were the dull children at school, and he always -felt sorry for them, and wished that all possible should be done to help them and keep them from feeling dispirited. Was the “special” class not necessary to develop faculties which these children might posses? It was because of his sympathy for these backward children and a feeling that all possible was not being done for them that he now brought the matter forward. VIEWS OF CONFERENCE. . Mr J. G * Poison wished to make it quite dear that the teachers had. not attempted to submit a conclusive report regarding the backward; pupils. It was \ quite possible that while the late-comer might be intelligent and clever, the internal system of the school might prevent hie promotion. It was impossible to finally and deftnitdy judge the. mental advancement of a obild by the age at which he was in a class. (Hear, hear.) This, however, had been done. The rough-and-ready method' that the teachers had been able to adopt in averaging the mental intelligence was not a reliable test, though, perhaps, the only one available at the time. (Applause.) WITH ALARMIST EYES. Professor Tennant (principal of the Wellington Training College) stated that the college teadiers had tested 50 apparently backward children, and the results showed that educationists were perhaps too much inclined to look with alarmist eyes on the number of really backward children; far they found only two who were actually mentally deficient. Outside conditions were the cause of the apparent backwardness of the others. He considered the most important factor to be the class arrangements; and as long as it was the system to handle great mobs of children together, a certain number were bound to fall behind. Mr F. G. Gibbs (Napier) held that the trouble was that children were not retarded enough in the primary schools. The department, the' parents, and the community were all urging the teacher to push on the child. Scientific investigation in America had shown that this method was wrong. QUESTION OF TESTS. Professor Shelley (Canterbury College) remarked that the American tests were found to give totally different results when applied to English children. In New_ Zealand they should apply the teat® widely to see how far they were applicable.' They must not approach the question as one to be met by giving special treatment to the dull child and leaving the others alone. They had also to discover the lines upon which the children of medium and high intelligence would find their salvation. Careful investigations showed that after the first year or two a child did not suffer from a late entrance to school. There waß a tendency to defer the entrance age, especially in view of the heavy mortality in tho first school - year. better; conditions wanted. The Assistant-Director of Education (Mr J. Caughley) urged that while they must try to establish better conditions they should also try to do better with what they already had. He suggested means of doing this, such as the division of classes into groups. He commended the teachers ter making this investigation, and hoped that it would he followed up by ono expert giving his whole attention to it. The first thing they had to do was to test their tcjts. They must not consider merely grades of ordinary school intelligence but different kinds of intelligence. Mr F, H. Bnkowoll (senior inspector, Wellington) was conviwed that the large proportion qf retardates was due to the importance attached to arithmetic. He was certain that those child-

ren had been tested in arithmetic, and it was unfair to brand a child as a retardate because he failed in a limited branch of study. If their system had produced these retardates it was deplorable; but they had first to determine whether the tests gave correct results. Iu the technical high schools, stated Mr W. S. La. Trobe (Director of Technical Education) he found that there was little difference between the children who entered on proficiency that competency certificates, showing that the proficiency test was not a perfect means of selection. Mr T. U. Wells (Auckland) held that lb® proportion of mentally backward children was nothing like one in seven. He attributed retardation to large classes,. some inefficient teachers,, frequent removals of pupil® and teachers, bad health and bad teeth. Improved staffing he placed first as a- means of introducing better conditions. The Minister said it was clear they had to decide what was the proper test to apply. He could quite understand that it might be necessary to reconsider the examination which- tested the whole work of the child at the end of the primary course. With the material and system they had In hand they could cure many of the evils that existed at present. The department would not be doing its duty if it did not investigate this matter, perhaps requiring the services of a special man and the co-operation of the training colleges.