Introduction to Teaching
Individuals with Mental
Retardation
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
SPECIAL EDUCATION
TEACHERS

AN OVERVIEW
I. Definition
II. Prevalence
III. Levels of Intensities and Supports
IV. Degrees of MR
V. Causes of MR
VI. Classroom Management Strategies

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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) provides the following technical definition for mental retardation:
"Mental retardation means significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects a child's educational performance."

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"General intellectual functioning" is typically measured by an intelligence test. Persons with mental retardation usually score 70 or below on such tests (or at least 2 standard deviations below the mean on the normal curve).

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"Adaptive behavior" refers to a person's adjustment to everyday life.
It refers to an individual’s ability to meet social requirements of his or her community that are appropriate for his or her chronological age. It is an indication of independence and social competency.

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Children with mental retardation become adults; they do not remain
"eternal children." They do learn, but slowly, and with difficulty.

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Prevalence approximately 1-2% of the general population has mental retardation (when both intelligence and adaptive behavior measures are used).

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According to data reported to the U.S.
Department of Education, there are approximately 611,076 students ages 6-21 were classified as having mental retardation and were provided services by the public schools.
This figure represents approximately 2 % of the total school enrollment for that year

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11% of those students receiving special education during the school year are classified as having Mental
Retardation
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MR is one of the “Big Four”

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AAMR is the American Association on
Mental Retardation
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AAMR’s 2002 definition is based on how much “Levels and Intensities of
Support” an individual with MR needs

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Supports are defined as the resources and individual strategies necessary to promote the development, education, interests, and personal well being of a person with mental retardation.
Supports can be provided by a parent, friend, teacher, psychologist, and doctor or by any appropriate person or agency.

The 4 Levels of Intensities and
Supports (from least to most intensive and supportive)
1. Intermittent
2. Limited
3. Extensive
4. Pervasive

Intermittent Support - Support is not always needed. It is provided on an "as needed" basis and is most likely to be required at life transitions (e.g. moving from school to work).

Limited Support - Consistent support is required, though not on a daily basis. The support needed is of a nonintensive nature.

Extensive Support - Regular, daily support is required in at least some environments
(e.g. daily home-living support).

Pervasive Support - Daily extensive support, perhaps of a life-sustaining nature, is required in multiple environments.

IV. Four (4) Degrees of MR
Mental retardation may also be broken down into 4 sub-categories (Degrees):
1. Mild
2. Moderate
3. Severe
4. Profound
This categorization is not as widely accepted as the AAMR definition

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IQ 55-69
Make up 85% of all MR cases
Can read up to 7th grade level
Require some supervision and support
Will require special education services
Can be in regular school with special ed. services
Considered “educable”
Can get jobs later in life and be relatively independent

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Considered “trainable”
Make up 10% of all
Need a very structured classroom environment-Normally taught in self-
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Will need more supervision later in life
Can get jobs but will be very basic semi-skilled ones
Difficulties with gross and fine motor coordination

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IQ 20-34
Make up about 3% of MR population
Goal is to teach daily living skills and survival skills
Will most likely have to live in a group home or special school

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**Severe problems in all areas of what was discussed w/re to
Severe MR
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Will need constant supervision
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**Have limited, if any speech
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** IQ less than 20

MR can be caused by any condition which impairs development of the brain before birth, during birth or in the childhood years.
Several hundred causes have been discovered, but in about one-third of the people affected, the cause remains unknown.

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Occurring before birth
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-Occurring during birth process
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-Occurring after birth

These result from abnormality of genes inherited from parents, errors when genes combine, or from other disorders of the genes caused during pregnancy by infections, overexposure to x-rays and other factors.

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Down syndrome is an example of a chromosomal disorder. Chromosomal disorders happen sporadically and are caused by too many or too few chromosomes, or by a change in structure of a chromosome.
Trisomy 21-Extra chromosome on #21
We have 23 pairs = 46 DS = 47 (3 on #
21).
Older women are, greater the likelihood of
Down’s Syndrome child.

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Phenylketonuria (PKU)A genetic disorder whereby the child is not able to break down an amino acid, phenylalanine
(found in many common foods)-Failure to break down phenylalanine can lead to brain damage

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Fragile X syndromea single gene disorder located on the X chromosome and is the leading inherited cause of mental retardation.
Males: XY and Females are XX. The most common inherited cause of MR.
CGG sequence in normal DNA occurs less than
50 times. In those with Fragile X it occurs more than 200 times.
More common in boys-They only have one X, so if the X is fragile, none other to compensate.

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Use of alcohol or drugs by the pregnant mother can cause mental retardation.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)Occurs when the mother’s excessive alcohol use during pregnancy has toxic effects on the fetus, including physical defects and developmental delays
Recent research has implicated smoking in increasing the risk of mental retardation.
“Crack baby” issues

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Illnesses: Childhood diseases such as: chicken pox, measles, and any disease
Postnatal Issues the brain, as can accidents such as a blow to the head or near drowning.
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Toxins: Lead, mercury and other environmental toxins can cause irreparable damage to the brain and nervous system.

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Poverty and cultural deprivation -
Children in poor families may become mentally retarded because of:
Malnutrition
Disease-producing conditions
Inadequate medical care
Environmental health hazards

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Also, children in disadvantaged areas may be deprived of many common cultural and day-to-day experiences provided to other youngsters.
Research suggests that such understimulation can result in irreversible damage and can serve as a cause of mental retardation.

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VI. Classroom
Management Strategies
Allow for many breaks throughout the school day.
Children with MR may require time to relax and unwind. Performing tasks will entail using more energy on their part and you must therefore allow them to take many breaks over the course of the school day.

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Always speak directly to the child so he can see you-Never speak with
your back to him.
The child with MR needs direct contact, and if your back is turned, he may not know that the attention you are giving him is actually being directed at him.

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Assign jobs in the classroom for the child so that he can feel success and
accomplishment. Give him ones that you know he can succeed at and feel good about (i.e. erasing the blackboards).

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Monitor the child’s diet. Some children with MR are on very strict diets.
During snack time or lunchtime, be sure you know what the child is and is not allowed to eat. Children will have a tendency to “swap lunches or snacks” and in this case it might be harmful if you are not alert to what is happening.

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Build a foundation of success by providing a series of short and simple assignments.
In this way, the child can gain a sense of confidence and success.

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Encourage interaction with children without disabilities.

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Have the child be part of a team that takes care of the class pets or some other class activity.
Calling it a team will make the child feel more connected.

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Provide the child with some simple job that requires the other students to go to him.
For example, place him in charge of attendance and have him check off the children when they report in.