Clinic and etiology of mental retardation

Under the concept mental retardation combined numerous and diverse forms of pathology, manifested in the underdevelopment of the cognitive sphere.

Mental retardation refers to developmental diseases - dysontogenies. Accordingly, it can occur only when the developing brain is damaged, i.e. in the prenatal period, during childbirth, at an early and younger age (up to three years)

Mental retardation should be understood as the general underdevelopment of the child's psyche, in which the central and decisive place is occupied by the underdevelopment of cognitive activity and other higher mental functions. The time of onset of mental retardation is limited to intrauterine, natural and the first three years of postnatal life. The structure of the defect is characterized by the totality and relative uniformity of the underdevelopment of different aspects of the psyche.

Most frequent exogenous the cause of postnatal mental retardation are neuroinfections, mainly encephalitis and meningoencephalitis, as well as parainfectious incephalitis. Less commonly, the cause of mental retardation is postnatal intoxication and traumatic brain injury. Exogenous forms account for at least half of all defects in the development of the cognitive sphere that have arisen after the birth of a child.

Modern research in the field of the etiology of mental retardation indicates that the leading role in the origin of mental retardation belongs to genetic factors. Numerous and varied changes in the genetic apparatus (mutations) are responsible for approximately ¾ of all cases of underdevelopment of the cognitive sphere in children.

Mutations can be chromosomal or gene. The most common and well-known chromosomal form of oligophrenia is Down's disease, which occurs in 9-10% of all mentally retarded children. In chromosomal forms of oligophrenia, a pronounced and profound underdevelopment of the cognitive sphere is most often observed.

Gene mutations can affect one single gene, or a group of weakly acting genes that control the same trait.

Thus, according to etiology, all cases of mental retardation are divided into exogenous and genetic. It must be remembered that in the process of development and life of the organism, genetic and exogenous factors are in a complex interaction. With mental retardation, for example, those exogenous factors that are not the direct cause of underdevelopment of the child's brain can contribute to the detection of genetic defects or aggravate the manifestations of a hereditary disease. Additional exogenies can introduce new, unusual symptoms into the clinical picture of hereditary mental retardation.

The above data indicate that defects in the development of the cognitive sphere are extremely heterogeneous in origin. Accordingly, there may be numerous various mechanisms that disrupt the formation and development of the brain, as well as a large number of independent nosological forms of mental retardation. Common to all forms of pathology included in this group of developmental anomalies is an intellectual defect of one degree or another, which determines the degree of underdevelopment of the entire psyche of the child as a whole, his adaptive capabilities, his entire personality.

The clinical picture of defects in the development of the cognitive sphere consists of the characteristics of the psychopathological, neurological and somatic symptoms present in children. Those forms in which there are clearly defined specific somatic manifestations that make it possible to establish a nosological diagnosis based on clinical data, and those in which the nosological form of the disease can be established using modern methods of special laboratory studies, are called differentiated forms of mental retardation.

Uncomplicated forms of mental retardation are characterized by the absence of additional psychopathological disorders. An intellectual defect in these children, as well as in all mentally retarded children, is manifested primarily by disturbances in thinking: stiffness, the establishment of mainly private concrete connections, and an inability to distract. Inevitably, the prerequisites for intellectual activity also suffer. Attention is characterized by insufficient arbitrariness and purposefulness, narrowing of the volume, difficulty in concentrating, as well as switching. Often, with a good ability for rote memorization, there is a weakness in semantic and especially associative memory. New information is assimilated with great difficulty. To memorize new material, multiple repetitions and reinforcement with specific examples are required. Nevertheless, children with uncomplicated mental retardation are usually characterized by fairly stable working capacity and more or less satisfactory productivity.

The level of speech underdevelopment in most children with uncomplicated mental retardation corresponds to the degree of their intellectual defect. They do not have local speech disorders, but there is always a general underdevelopment of speech, manifested by the scarcity of an active vocabulary, simplified construction of phrases, agrammatisms, and often tongue-tied speech. Along with this, some children can observe an outwardly good level of speech development with an apparent richness of vocabulary, the correct construction of phrases, and expressive intonations. However, already at the first examination it becomes clear that outwardly correct phrases are memorized speech clichés.

The underdevelopment of motor skills is manifested mainly by the insufficiency of precise and subtle movements, especially small ones, by the slow development of the motor action formula. In addition, most mentally retarded children have insufficient muscle strength. Therefore, the importance of physical education for such children is great.

Severe behavioral disorders in children with uncomplicated mental retardation are usually not observed. With adequate upbringing, children with a slight intellectual defect easily master the correct forms of behavior and, to some extent, can control their actions.

General underdevelopment of the personality is characteristic of all children with general mental underdevelopment.

Thus, in uncomplicated forms of mental retardation, the pedagogical prognosis depends mainly on the degree and structure of the defect and the compensatory capabilities of the child.

Complicated forms are characterized by the presence of additional psychopathological disorders that adversely affect the child's intellectual activity and the success of his education.

According to the nature of additional symptoms, all complicated forms of mental retardation can be divided into three groups:

1. With cerebrastonic or hypertensive syndromes;

2. With severe behavioral disorders;

3. With emotional-volitional disorders.

This division mainly reflects that. Which of the additional psychopathological syndromes occupies a leading place in the clinical picture of the disease.

In children of the first group, mainly intellectual activity suffers.

Cerebrastonic syndrome is a syndrome of irritable weakness. It is based on increased exhaustion of the nerve cell. It is manifested by general mental intolerance, inability to long-term stress, to long-term concentration of attention.

Hypertension syndrome - a syndrome of increased intracranial pressure - occurs in connection with liquorodynamic disorders that develop as a result of an organic lesion of the central nervous system or a congenital defect in the liquor system of the brain. An increase in intracranial pressure is accompanied by headaches, often dizziness and a violation of the general well-being of the child. Exhaustion increases and the performance of the child sharply decreases. In such children, peculiar disturbances of attention are noted: weakness of concentration, increased distractibility. Often memory is impaired. Children become motor disinhibited, restless or lethargic. Emotional lability and the phenomena of vegetative-vascular dystonia are clearly expressed. School performance is declining markedly.

In children of the second group, behavioral disorders, which manifest themselves in the form of hyperdynamic and psychopathic syndromes, come to the fore in the clinical picture of the disease.

Hyperdynamic syndrome is characterized by pronounced prolonged anxiety with an abundance of unnecessary movements, restlessness, talkativeness, and often impulsiveness. In severe cases, the child's behavior is not amenable to self-control and external correction. Hyperdynamic syndrome is also difficult to treat with medication.

Psychopathic syndrome is usually observed in children with mental retardation due to traumatic brain injuries or neuroinfections. It is based on deep personality disorders with disinhibition, and sometimes with a perversion of gross primitive drives. Behavioral disorders in these children are so gross that they occupy a central place in the clinical picture of the disease, and the underdevelopment of the cognitive sphere, as it were, exacerbates their manifestations.

In children of the third group, in addition to mental retardation, disorders of the emotional-volitional sphere are observed. They can manifest themselves in the form of increased emotional excitability, unmotivated mood swings, a decrease in emotional tone and motivation for activity, in the form of violations of emotional contact with others.

Among the students of auxiliary schools, one can more often meet children with pseudo-autism, i.e. violation of contact due to reactive moments: fear of a new environment, new requirements, fear of a teacher, fear of aggressiveness of children.

In addition, complicated forms also include mental retardation with local cerebral disorders: local underdevelopment or speech disorder, local spatial or frontal disorders, local movement disorders (ICP).

Clinic and etiology of mental retardation Under the concept of mental retardation, numerous and diverse forms of pathology are combined, manifested in the underdevelopment of the cognitive sphere. Mental retardation refers to developmental diseases - dysontogenies. Accordingly, it can occur only when the developing brain is damaged, i.e. in the prenatal period, during childbirth, at an early and younger age (up to three years). Mental retardation should be understood as the general underdevelopment of the child's psyche, in which the underdevelopment of cognitive activity and other higher mental functions occupies a central and decisive place. The time of onset of mental retardation is limited to intrauterine, natural and the first three years of postnatal life. The structure of the defect is characterized by the totality and relative uniformity of the underdevelopment of different aspects of the psyche. The most common exogenous cause of postnatal mental retardation are neuroinfections, mainly encephalitis and meningoencephalitis, as well as parainfectious incephalitis. Less commonly, the cause of mental retardation is postnatal intoxication and traumatic brain injury. Exogenous forms account for at least half of all defects in the development of the cognitive sphere that have arisen after the birth of a child. Modern research in the field of the etiology of mental retardation indicates that the leading role in the origin of mental retardation belongs to genetic factors. Numerous and varied changes in the genetic apparatus (mutations) are responsible for approximately ½ of all cases of underdevelopment of the cognitive sphere in children. Mutations can be chromosomal or gene. The most common and well-known chromosomal form of oligophrenia is Down's disease, which occurs in 9-10% of all mentally retarded children. In chromosomal forms of oligophrenia, a pronounced and profound underdevelopment of the cognitive sphere is most often observed. Gene mutations can affect one single gene, or a group of weakly acting genes that control the same trait. Thus, according to etiology, all cases of mental retardation are divided into exogenous and genetic. It must be remembered that in the process of development and life of the organism, genetic and exogenous factors are in a complex interaction. With mental retardation, for example, those exogenous factors that are not the direct cause of underdevelopment of the child's brain can contribute to the detection of genetic defects or aggravate the manifestations of a hereditary disease. Additional exogenies can introduce new, unusual symptoms into the clinical picture of hereditary mental retardation. The above data indicate that defects in the development of the cognitive sphere are extremely heterogeneous in origin. Accordingly, there may be numerous various mechanisms that disrupt the formation and development of the brain, as well as a large number of independent nosological forms of mental retardation. Common to all forms of pathology included in this group of developmental anomalies is an intellectual defect of one degree or another, which determines the degree of underdevelopment of the entire psyche of the child as a whole, his adaptive capabilities, his entire personality. The clinical picture of defects in the development of the cognitive sphere consists of the characteristics of the psychopathological, neurological and somatic symptoms present in children. Those forms in which there are clearly defined specific somatic manifestations that make it possible to establish a nosological diagnosis based on clinical data, and those in which the nosological form of the disease can be established using modern methods of special laboratory studies, are called differentiated forms of mental retardation. Uncomplicated forms of mental retardation are characterized by the absence of additional psychopathological disorders. An intellectual defect in these children, as well as in all mentally retarded children, is manifested primarily by disturbances in thinking: stiffness, the establishment of mainly private concrete connections, and an inability to distract. Inevitably, the prerequisites for intellectual activity also suffer. Attention is characterized by insufficient arbitrariness and purposefulness, narrowing of the volume, difficulty in concentrating, as well as switching. Often, with a good ability for rote memorization, there is a weakness in semantic and especially associative memory. New information is assimilated with great difficulty. To memorize new material, multiple repetitions and reinforcement with specific examples are required. Nevertheless, children with uncomplicated mental retardation are usually characterized by fairly stable working capacity and more or less satisfactory productivity. The level of speech underdevelopment in most children with uncomplicated mental retardation corresponds to the degree of their intellectual defect. They do not have local speech disorders, but there is always a general underdevelopment of speech, manifested by the scarcity of an active vocabulary, simplified construction of phrases, agrammatisms, and often tongue-tied speech. Along with this, some children can observe an outwardly good level of speech development with an apparent richness of vocabulary, the correct construction of phrases, and expressive intonations. However, already at the first examination it becomes clear that outwardly correct phrases are memorized speech clichés. The underdevelopment of motor skills is manifested mainly by the insufficiency of precise and subtle movements, especially small ones, by the slow development of the motor action formula. In addition, most mentally retarded children have insufficient muscle strength. Therefore, the importance of physical education for such children is great. Severe behavioral disorders in children with uncomplicated mental retardation are usually not observed. With adequate upbringing, children with a slight intellectual defect easily master the correct forms of behavior and, to some extent, can control their actions. General underdevelopment of the personality is characteristic of all children with general mental underdevelopment. Thus, in uncomplicated forms of mental retardation, the pedagogical prognosis depends mainly on the degree and structure of the defect and the compensatory capabilities of the child. Complicated forms are characterized by the presence of additional psychopathological disorders that adversely affect the child's intellectual activity and the success of his education. According to the nature of additional symptoms, all complicated forms of mental retardation can be divided into three groups: 1. With cerebrastonic or hypertensive syndromes; 2. With severe behavioral disorders; 3. With emotional-volitional disorders. This division mainly reflects that. Which of the additional psychopathological syndromes occupies a leading place in the clinical picture of the disease. In children of the first group, mainly intellectual activity suffers. Cerebrastonic syndrome is a syndrome of irritable weakness. It is based on increased exhaustion of the nerve cell. It is manifested by general mental intolerance, inability to long-term stress, to long-term concentration of attention. Hypertension syndrome - a syndrome of increased intracranial pressure - occurs in connection with liquorodynamic disorders that develop as a result of an organic lesion of the central nervous system or a congenital defect in the liquor system of the brain. An increase in intracranial pressure is accompanied by headaches, often dizziness and a violation of the general well-being of the child. Exhaustion increases and the performance of the child sharply decreases. In such children, peculiar disturbances of attention are noted: weakness of concentration, increased distractibility. Often memory is impaired. Children become motor disinhibited, restless or lethargic. Emotional lability and the phenomena of vegetative-vascular dystonia are clearly expressed. School performance is declining markedly. In children of the second group, behavioral disorders, which manifest themselves in the form of hyperdynamic and psychopathic syndromes, come to the fore in the clinical picture of the disease. Hyperdynamic syndrome is characterized by pronounced prolonged anxiety with an abundance of unnecessary movements, restlessness, talkativeness, and often impulsiveness. In severe cases, the child's behavior is not amenable to self-control and external correction. Hyperdynamic syndrome is also difficult to treat with medication. Psychopathic syndrome is usually observed in children with mental retardation due to traumatic brain injuries or neuroinfections. It is based on deep personality disorders with disinhibition, and sometimes with a perversion of gross primitive drives. Behavioral disorders in these children are so gross that they occupy a central place in the clinical picture of the disease, and the underdevelopment of the cognitive sphere, as it were, exacerbates their manifestations. In children of the third group, in addition to mental retardation, disorders of the emotional-volitional sphere are observed. They can manifest themselves in the form of increased emotional excitability, unmotivated mood swings, a decrease in emotional tone and motivation for activity, in the form of violations of emotional contact with others. Among the students of auxiliary schools, one can more often meet children with pseudo-autism, i.e. violation of contact due to reactive moments: fear of a new environment, new requirements, fear of a teacher, fear of aggressiveness of children. In addition, complicated forms also include mental retardation with local cerebral disorders: local underdevelopment or speech disorder, local spatial or frontal disorders, local movement disorders (ICP). In addition to complicated forms, there are also atypical forms of mental retardation. 1. Epileptic seizures occur in mentally retarded children much more often than in intellectually complete children, and the more often, the deeper the underdevelopment of the child. 2. The group of mental retardation with endocrine disorders includes a significant number of different defects in the development of the cognitive sphere, in which, in addition to an intellectual defect, primary endocrine or secondary - cerebro-endocrine disorders are observed. 3. Disorders of the visual and auditory analyzer negatively affect the compensatory and adaptive capabilities of a mentally retarded child and complicate his learning. Thus, according to clinical manifestations, all cases of mental retardation are divided into uncomplicated, complicated and atypical. Psychological features of mentally retarded schoolchildren Auxiliary school sets three main tasks for the defectologist teacher - to give students knowledge, skills in general subjects and work, to cultivate positive personal qualities in them - honesty. Truthfulness, benevolence towards others, love and respect for work, correct their defects and thus prepare them for social adaptation, for life among normal people. Mentally retarded (feeble-minded) children are the most numerous category of abnormal children. They make up approximately 1-3% of the total child population. The concept of a mentally retarded child includes a rather heterogeneous mass of children who are united by the presence of brain damage, which is of a widespread nature. The overwhelming majority of all mentally retarded children - pupils of the auxiliary school - are oligophrenic children. With oligophrenia, organic brain failure is residual, not aggravated, which gives grounds for an optimistic prognosis. Such children make up the main contingent of the auxiliary school. Mental retardation that occurs later than the full development of the child's speech is relatively rare. It is not included in the concept of oligophrenia. Already in the preschool period of life, the painful processes that took place in the brain of an oligophrenic child stop. The child becomes practically healthy, capable of mental development. However, this development is carried out abnormally, since its biological basis is pathological. Oligophrenic children are characterized by persistent disturbances in all mental activity, which are especially clearly manifested in the sphere of cognitive processes. Moreover, there is not only a lag behind the norm, but also a deep originality of personal manifestations and cognition. Thus, mentally retarded children can in no way be equated with normally developing younger children. They are different in many ways. Oligophrenic children are capable of development, which essentially distinguishes them from weak-minded children of all progressive forms of mental retardation, and although their development is slow, atypical, with many, sometimes sharp deviations, nevertheless, it is a progressive process that introduces qualitative changes in the mental activity of children, in their personal sphere. Didactic principles of the auxiliary school Distinguish the following principles of education: - educational and developmental orientation of education; - scientific character and accessibility of education; - systematic and consistent training; - the connection of learning with life; - the principle of correction in training; - the principle of visibility; - Consciousness and activity of students; - individual and differentiated approach; - the strength of knowledge, skills and abilities. 1. Educational and developmental orientation of education The process of education in the auxiliary school is primarily aimed at developing students' various knowledge, skills and abilities, but, of course, the education and development of students takes place during training. The educative orientation of education in the auxiliary school consists in the formation of moral ideas and concepts in students, adequate ways of behaving in society. This is realized in the content of the educational material and in the appropriate organization of the activities of students in and out of school. In the curriculum, two groups of subjects can be distinguished, which especially clearly contribute to the educational orientation of education. On the one hand, these are educational subjects, the content of which includes material that reflects the heroism of our people in defending the Motherland and in peaceful construction, telling about the riches of the native land and the need to protect native nature, about working people, some professions, etc. These subjects (explanatory reading, history, geography, natural science) provide material for educating students in words. However, this work must be linked with socially useful activities for the protection of nature and monuments of history, culture, local history work, etc. desire to be a useful person in society. In addition, there are academic subjects that contribute to aesthetic and physical education (physical education, drawing, singing and music, rhythm). To solve the problems of preparing mentally retarded schoolchildren for independent life and work, a well-thought-out and clear organization and a high methodological level of conducting classes on work, industrial practice, good technical equipment of workshops, the presence of basic enterprises in the profile of education, and appropriate training of teachers are of great importance. The developmental nature of education in the auxiliary school is to promote the overall mental and physical development of students. In the context of ever-increasing requirements for the level of preparation of mentally retarded schoolchildren for life, the focus of education on their overall development is of particular importance. However, the development of mentally retarded schoolchildren cannot be sufficiently successful without correcting their thinking and disturbing their psychophysical functions. Therefore, education in the auxiliary school is of a corrective developmental nature. However, the developmental orientation of education should be distinguished from the correctional orientation. In the process of correction, the development of a mentally retarded child always occurs, but development may not be associated with correction. The development of mentally retarded schoolchildren requires special conditions, the most important of which is their education in an auxiliary school or other conditions adequate to their abilities, taking into account the psychophysical features of the development of this group of abnormal children. The implementation of developmental learning involves improving the quality of lessons by including students in active learning activities and developing their cognitive activity and independence. The educational and correctional orientation of education permeates the entire educational process. 2. Scientific character and accessibility of education The principle of scientific character in general pedagogy presupposes reflection of modern achievements of science. Prospects for its development in each academic subject. The content of education in the auxiliary school is elementary and practical. Despite the elementary level of knowledge that mentally retarded students need to master, they must be scientific, not contradict objective scientific knowledge. The principle of scientific character is realized, first of all, in the development of programs and compilation of textbooks, as well as in the activities of teachers and educators. It is known that mentally retarded schoolchildren may develop incorrect and sometimes false ideas about the surrounding reality, since they are not able to understand the essence of phenomena in abstraction from external, random signs and connections. Therefore, from the very beginning of students' admission to an auxiliary school, it is necessary to help them learn about the world around them from scientific positions, in accordance with reality. The principle of scientificity is closely related to the principle of accessibility, because in the end, mentally retarded students can only assimilate the material that is available to them. The principle of accessibility involves building the education of mentally retarded schoolchildren at the level of their real learning opportunities. Many years of practice and scientific research show that the educational opportunities of students in auxiliary schools are very different. These differences are based on objective reasons, consisting in the heterogeneity, degree and nature of the manifestations of the main and concomitant defects in the development of children. In this regard, the implementation of the principle of accessibility in the auxiliary school is distinguished by a certain peculiarity: on the one hand, it is assumed that students with different learning opportunities have an unequal degree of assimilation of the program material, on the other hand, the need to differentiate them in teaching in order to increase the level of assimilation of the program material is determined. The principle of accessibility, as well as the principle of scientific character, is implemented, first of all, in the development of curricula and textbooks. The content of instruction for mentally retarded schoolchildren is determined on the basis of its verification in many years of practice in the work of an auxiliary school. The content of teaching individual academic subjects is continuously improved, the scope of knowledge, skills and abilities is specified by years of study based on the results of scientific research and best practices. The principle of accessibility is also implemented in the constant activities of teachers through the use of appropriate methods and methodological techniques. It is known that the use of the most successful methodological system can make educational material relatively difficult for mentally retarded schoolchildren accessible. 3. Systematicity and consistency in teaching The essence of the principle of systematicity and consistency lies in the fact that the knowledge that students acquire at school must be brought into a certain logical system in order to be able to use it, i.e. more successful in practice. For an auxiliary school, this principle is of great importance because mentally retarded schoolchildren are characterized by inaccuracy, incompleteness or fragmentation of the acquired knowledge, they experience certain difficulties in their reproduction and use in practical activities. The principle of systematicity and consistency is implemented both in the development of curricula and textbooks, and in the daily work of a teacher. This implies such a choice and arrangement of educational material in programs, textbooks, in thematic plans, at each lesson, when there is a logical connection between its constituent parts, when subsequent material is based on the previous one, when the material covered prepares students for learning new things. Each subject has its own system of interrelated concepts, facts and regularities. It should be noted that the development of the content of educational subjects in a special school basically uses the same system and logic as in a regular school. So, in mathematics lessons, addition and subtraction are studied before addition and division, while teaching literacy, the sounds of the native language are first studied, then letters in a certain sequence, reading is formed by syllables, and then by whole numbers. However, in some cases, the construction of the content of educational subjects of an auxiliary school has its own system, logic and sequence in the arrangement of educational material. And only when studying history, due to the fact that students experience great difficulties in understanding historical events in their sequence and in time, teachers are forced to inform them not systematic, but episodic knowledge about the most significant events from the history of our Rodia. The characteristics of mentally retarded schoolchildren correspond to a linear-concentric arrangement of educational material, when the same sections are first studied in an elementary form, and after some time, usually in the next class, the same is considered much more widely, with the involvement of new information. The content of many educational subjects is built in this way. Systematicity implies continuity in the learning process: education in the upper grades is built on a solid foundation that is laid in the lower grades, the study of each subject takes place on the basis of previous knowledge that is learned in the study of other subjects. Each section of the training material should be based on the previously studied. In the activities of a teacher, the principle of systematicity is implemented in planning the sequence of passing new educational material and in repeating previously studied material, in checking the knowledge and skills acquired by schoolchildren, and in developing a system of individual work with them. Based on this principle, it is possible to proceed to the study of new educational material only after the students have mastered the one that is being worked out at a given time. Taking into account this circumstance, the teacher makes adjustments to the previously outlined plans. 4. The connection of learning with life This principle reflects the conditionality of learning at school by social needs and the influence of the social environment on the process of learning and educating students. Its essence lies in the close interaction of the school and the public in the education and upbringing of children. In modern conditions, this principle receives a new sound. Most of the auxiliary schools are boarding schools and there is a potential danger for them of a certain isolation from the living life. Therefore, the principle of linking learning with life is given an important role in the process of teaching and educating mentally retarded schoolchildren. Indeed, after graduating from school, graduates enter an independent life and preparedness for it to a certain extent depends on how this principle is implemented in life. The implementation of this principle in the auxiliary school consists in the organization of educational work on the basis of a close and multifaceted connection with the surrounding reality, with the life, first of all, of local enterprises, organizations and institutions. This principle is also implemented by linking education with the productive work of students in the national economy. Forms of participation in this case may be different, but in all cases, high school students need to be introduced to socio-economic and legal relations in production, include them in the feasible public affairs of basic and parent companies. The special school should also actively participate in community activities. Only on the basis of the multifaceted connection of learning with the surrounding life, an auxiliary school, as an educational institution, can gain authority among the local population and the public. And this will improve the position of graduates of auxiliary schools and contribute to their more successful adaptation. In the daily activities of the teacher, this principle is implemented by using positive examples from life, including the local population, in the classroom and in extracurricular activities, but shortcomings should not be bypassed with a mandatory analysis of their causes. To strengthen the connection of learning with life, it is useful to use the media, watching television and listening to radio broadcasts. 5. The principle of correction in learning For mentally retarded children, as is known, a common main drawback is characteristic - a violation of complex forms of cognitive activity (moreover, there is an uneven violation). The emotional-volitional sphere is disturbed in a number of cases, but there are also children in whom it is relatively secure. A mentally retarded child, like any other child, grows and develops, but his development slows down from the very beginning and proceeds on a defective basis, which creates difficulties in entering a social environment designed for normally developing children. Support school education is critical to the development of mentally retarded children and their rehabilitation in society. It has been established that the greatest effect in their development is achieved in cases where the principle of correction is implemented in training, i.e. correcting the shortcomings inherent in these children. Only that teaching is good, which stimulates development, “leads it along,” and does not simply serve to enrich the child with new information that easily enters his consciousness. (L.S. Vygotsky, 1985) Thus, the principle of correction is to correct the shortcomings of the psychophysical development of mentally retarded children in the learning process through the use of special methodological techniques. As a result of the application of corrective teaching methods, some shortcomings in students are overcome, others are weakened, due to which students move faster in their development. The more a mentally retarded child advances in development, the more successfully he will master the educational material, i.e. development of students and teaching them on the basis of the principle of correction are two interrelated processes. Correction of developmental deficiencies among students of auxiliary schools is slow and uneven. - therefore, it is usually difficult for a teacher to notice shifts in the development of thought processes in students, in the formation of volitional and other personality traits. He knows well how each student mastered this or that educational material, but this is not enough to characterize the level of his progress in development. One of the indicators of the success of correctional work can be the level of independence of students in the performance of new educational and labor tasks. From psychological research it is known that the independence of schoolchildren depends on the level of formation of generalized educational and labor skills in them. Therefore, the implementation of the principle of correction in education consists in the formation of these skills in students, i.e. the ability to independently navigate the requirements for completing tasks, analyze the conditions and plan their activities, drawing on existing knowledge and experience for this, draw conclusions about the quality of the work performed. Generalized educational and labor skills are formed on the basis of specific skills for each academic subject and through systematic, purposeful work using methodological techniques specific to each subject. Not only the shortcomings of psychophysical development, common to all mentally retarded schoolchildren, but also the shortcomings characteristic of certain students (individual correction) are subject to correction. Individual correction is due to the fact that the main defect in mentally retarded children manifests itself differently and, in addition to the main one, there are concomitant defects of varying degrees. In teaching, this is observed in significant differences in the level of mastery of knowledge, skills and abilities by different students and in their uneven advancement in mental and physical development. To implement individual correction, it is necessary to identify the difficulties experienced by students in teaching various subjects and to establish the causes of these difficulties. Based on this, individual correction measures are developed. General and individual correction is carried out practically on the same educational material and almost at the same time. General correctional work is usually carried out frontally, individual correction - with individual students or with a small group. There may be several students in the class who require different measures of individual correction. In frontal work, it is advisable to carry out individual correction alternately, fixing attention or additionally working with one or another student. Correction of violations of the emotional-volitional sphere consists in the formation of volitional qualities of a personality in students, in the upbringing of emotions, including emotional-volitional components of behavior, which is reflected both in studies, and in work, and in relation to their comrades, teachers. 6. The principle of visibility The principle of visibility in teaching means the involvement of various visual means in the process of assimilation of knowledge by students and the formation of various skills and abilities in them. The essence of the principle of visibility is to enrich students with sensory cognitive experience necessary for the full mastery of abstract concepts. It is known that a person's sensations received from the outside world are the first stage of his knowledge. At the next stage, knowledge is acquired in the form of concepts, definitions, rules and laws. In order for students' knowledge to be conscious and reflect objectively existing reality, the learning process must ensure that they are based on sensations. Visibility just and-performs this function. There is a general rule for applying the principle of visibility in general education schools: teaching should be visual to the extent necessary for students to consciously assimilate knowledge and develop skills based on living images of objects, phenomena and actions. These general rules are the basis for the implementation of the principle of visualization in the auxiliary school; however, in particular, their application is distinguished by some originality. First of all, in the auxiliary school, for the formation of abstract concepts, generalizations, general labor skills and abilities, subject visualization is used for a longer time. This is due to the fact that in mentally retarded children the processes of abstraction and generalization are sharply disturbed, it is difficult for them to break away from the observation of specific objects and draw an abstract conclusion or conclusion, which is necessary for the formation of a particular concept. Object visibility is also used to study the properties of objects as such, as well as for the purpose of making them. The use of this form of visualization must be organized taking into account the peculiarities of the perception of mentally retarded schoolchildren. It is known that their perception initially has an undifferentiated character, they find it difficult to identify the main, essential features of the object. The images of objects that arise in the mind are fuzzy, incomplete and often distorted; speech often lacks the appropriate language tools necessary to correctly reflect the properties of the observed objects. Given all these characteristics of students, visual aids should be differentiated, containing the most basic features of the object and, if possible, without additional minor details, often diverting students' attention away from the main goal that the teacher achieves when using these aids. Taking into account the characteristics of mentally retarded schoolchildren in the implementation of the principle of visibility also lies in the fact that along with the creation of clear and complete ideas about the world around them, it is necessary to teach them to correctly use the appropriate words and terms denoting the properties of objects, signs of phenomena, relationships and connections that exist. in the real world. The word of the teacher in this process is the organizing and regulating factor. The role of the word increases even more in cases where visualization is used to form students' general ideas and concepts. Thus, the implementation of the principle of visibility in the auxiliary school is carried out in stages. . Enrichment of sensory cognitive experience, which involves learning the skills to observe, compare and highlight the essential features of objects and phenomena and reflect them in speech; . Ensuring the transition of the created subject images into abstract concepts; . The use of abstract visualization for the formation of concrete images of objects, phenomena and actions. 7. Consciousness and activity of students in learning Consciousness in learning means understanding by students of the studied educational material: the essence of the concepts being learned, the meaning of labor actions, techniques and operations. Conscious assimilation of knowledge and skills ensures their successful application in practical activities, prevents formalism, promotes the transformation of knowledge into stable beliefs. In the auxiliary school, this principle is among the most important, since in the process of conscious assimilation of educational material, a more intensive mental development of mentally retarded schoolchildren occurs. However, when implementing this principle, the teacher encounters great difficulties. Violations of analytical and synthetic activity, characteristic of mentally retarded schoolchildren, prevent the assimilation of educational material on the basis of its complete understanding. Therefore, in the auxiliary school, the question of how to achieve a complete understanding of the educational material by the students was and remains the most significant. The solution to this issue is possible if each teacher applies corrective methodological techniques aimed at developing mental operations, as well as the ability to express their thoughts in words. After all, it is possible to judge how much a student understands this or that educational material, first of all, by his statements, and only then - by the nature of the application of knowledge when performing exercises. There are a number of methodological techniques that help students to more consciously assimilate educational material: dividing complex educational material into parts that are logically complete and interconnected, highlighting the main essential aspects of an object or phenomenon and distinguishing them from secondary, non-essential ones, reflecting practical actions performed in speech, up to beginning, during and after work, the connection of new actions with previously learned ones, the variation of material during repetition, etc. It has long been known that the mechanical memorization of one or another educational material does not contribute to its conscious assimilation. This means that the knowledge acquired in this way cannot be used by the student in practical activities, that they are a passive fund. That is why the principle of conscientiousness in teaching in the special school is given such great importance. Conscious assimilation of educational material implies the activity of students in learning. The cognitive activity of mentally retarded schoolchildren in most cases does not arise by itself, so it is necessary to activate it. The activation of learning is understood as the appropriate organization of the actions of schoolchildren, aimed at comprehension of the educational material by them. In a mass school, the leading means of activating the learning of schoolchildren is a problem-based approach to learning. Its essence lies in the fact that the teacher poses an educational problem to the students, students together with the teacher or independently determine ways to find a solution to the problem, independently or with the help of the teacher find a solution, draw conclusions, generalizations, comparisons. If we consider the problem approach in teaching as creating conditions for independent mental activity of schoolchildren when studying new educational material or generalizing it, then when using conditions that correspond to the conditions of mentally retarded schoolchildren, it can also be used in an auxiliary school as a means of organizing educational activities. If the teacher gradually leads schoolchildren to new educational material, involving them in reasoning and encouraging their own statements with an analysis of observation or their own experience, then such training will contribute to the activation of mentally retarded students and in cases of incorrect statements, moreover, it should be kindly and be attentive to them and patiently explain what their mistake is.

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Clinic and etiology of mental retardation

Under the concept mental retardation combined numerous and diverse forms of pathology, manifested in the underdevelopment of the cognitive sphere.

Mental retardation refers to developmental diseases - dysontogenies. Accordingly, it can occur only when the developing brain is damaged, i.e. in the prenatal period, during childbirth, at an early and younger age (up to three years)

Mental retardation should be understood as the general underdevelopment of the child's psyche, in which the central and decisive place is occupied by the underdevelopment of cognitive activity and other higher mental functions. The time of onset of mental retardation is limited to intrauterine, natural and the first three years of postnatal life. The structure of the defect is characterized by the totality and relative uniformity of the underdevelopment of different aspects of the psyche.

Most frequent exogenous the cause of postnatal mental retardation are neuroinfections, mainly encephalitis and meningoencephalitis, as well as parainfectious incephalitis. Less commonly, the cause of mental retardation is postnatal intoxication and traumatic brain injury. Exogenous forms account for at least half of all defects in the development of the cognitive sphere that have arisen after the birth of a child.

Modern research in the field of the etiology of mental retardation indicates that the leading role in the origin of mental retardation belongs to genetic factors. Numerous and varied changes in the genetic apparatus (mutations) are responsible for approximately ½ of all cases of underdevelopment of the cognitive sphere in children.

Mutations can be chromosomal or gene. The most common and well-known chromosomal form of oligophrenia is Down's disease, which occurs in 9-10% of all mentally retarded children. In chromosomal forms of oligophrenia, a pronounced and profound underdevelopment of the cognitive sphere is most often observed.

Gene mutations can affect one single gene, or a group of weakly acting genes that control the same trait.

Thus, according to etiology, all cases of mental retardation are divided into exogenous and genetic. It must be remembered that in the process of development and life of the organism, genetic and exogenous factors are in a complex interaction. With mental retardation, for example, those exogenous factors that are not the direct cause of underdevelopment of the child's brain can contribute to the detection of genetic defects or aggravate the manifestations of a hereditary disease. Additional exogenies can introduce new, unusual symptoms into the clinical picture of hereditary mental retardation.

The above data indicate that defects in the development of the cognitive sphere are extremely heterogeneous in origin. Accordingly, there may be numerous various mechanisms that disrupt the formation and development of the brain, as well as a large number of independent nosological forms of mental retardation. Common to all forms of pathology included in this group of developmental anomalies is an intellectual defect of one degree or another, which determines the degree of underdevelopment of the entire psyche of the child as a whole, his adaptive capabilities, his entire personality.

The clinical picture of defects in the development of the cognitive sphere consists of the characteristics of the psychopathological, neurological and somatic symptoms present in children. Those forms in which there are clearly defined specific somatic manifestations that make it possible to establish a nosological diagnosis based on clinical data, and those in which the nosological form of the disease can be established using modern methods of special laboratory studies, are called differentiated forms of mental retardation.

Uncomplicated forms of mental retardation are characterized by the absence of additional psychopathological disorders. An intellectual defect in these children, as well as in all mentally retarded children, is manifested primarily by disturbances in thinking: stiffness, the establishment of mainly private concrete connections, and an inability to distract. Inevitably, the prerequisites for intellectual activity also suffer. Attention is characterized by insufficient arbitrariness and purposefulness, narrowing of the volume, difficulty in concentrating, as well as switching. Often, with a good ability for rote memorization, there is a weakness in semantic and especially associative memory. New information is assimilated with great difficulty. To memorize new material, multiple repetitions and reinforcement with specific examples are required. Nevertheless, children with uncomplicated mental retardation are usually characterized by fairly stable working capacity and more or less satisfactory productivity.

The level of speech underdevelopment in most children with uncomplicated mental retardation corresponds to the degree of their intellectual defect. They do not have local speech disorders, but there is always a general underdevelopment of speech, manifested by the scarcity of an active vocabulary, simplified construction of phrases, agrammatisms, and often tongue-tied speech. Along with this, some children can observe an outwardly good level of speech development with an apparent richness of vocabulary, the correct construction of phrases, and expressive intonations. However, already at the first examination it becomes clear that outwardly correct phrases are memorized speech clichés.

The underdevelopment of motor skills is manifested mainly by the insufficiency of precise and subtle movements, especially small ones, by the slow development of the motor action formula. In addition, most mentally retarded children have insufficient muscle strength. Therefore, the importance of physical education for such children is great.

Severe behavioral disorders in children with uncomplicated mental retardation are usually not observed. With adequate upbringing, children with a slight intellectual defect easily master the correct forms of behavior and, to some extent, can control their actions.

General underdevelopment of the personality is characteristic of all children with general mental underdevelopment.

Thus, in uncomplicated forms of mental retardation, the pedagogical prognosis depends mainly on the degree and structure of the defect and the compensatory capabilities of the child.

Complicated forms are characterized by the presence of additional psychopathological disorders that adversely affect the child's intellectual activity and the success of his education.

According to the nature of additional symptoms, all complicated forms of mental retardation can be divided into three groups:

With cerebrastonic or hypertensive syndromes;

With severe behavioral disorders;

With emotional and volitional disorders.

This division mainly reflects that. Which of the additional psychopathological syndromes occupies a leading place in the clinical picture of the disease.

In children of the first group, mainly intellectual activity suffers.

Cerebrastonic syndrome is a syndrome of irritable weakness. It is based on increased exhaustion of the nerve cell. It is manifested by general mental intolerance, inability to long-term stress, to long-term concentration of attention.

Hypertension syndrome - a syndrome of increased intracranial pressure - occurs in connection with liquorodynamic disorders that develop as a result of an organic lesion of the central nervous system or a congenital defect in the liquor system of the brain. An increase in intracranial pressure is accompanied by headaches, often dizziness and a violation of the general well-being of the child. Exhaustion increases and the performance of the child sharply decreases. In such children, peculiar disturbances of attention are noted: weakness of concentration, increased distractibility. Often memory is impaired. Children become motor disinhibited, restless or lethargic. Emotional lability and the phenomena of vegetative-vascular dystonia are clearly expressed. School performance is declining markedly.

In children of the second group, behavioral disorders, which manifest themselves in the form of hyperdynamic and psychopathic syndromes, come to the fore in the clinical picture of the disease.

Hyperdynamic syndrome is characterized by pronounced prolonged anxiety with an abundance of unnecessary movements, restlessness, talkativeness, and often impulsiveness. In severe cases, the child's behavior is not amenable to self-control and external correction. Hyperdynamic syndrome is also difficult to treat with medication.

Psychopathic syndrome is usually observed in children with mental retardation caused by traumatic brain injuries or neuroinfections. It is based on deep personality disorders with disinhibition, and sometimes with a perversion of gross primitive drives. Behavioral disorders in these children are so gross that they occupy a central place in the clinical picture of the disease, and the underdevelopment of the cognitive sphere, as it were, exacerbates their manifestations.

In children of the third group, in addition to mental retardation, disorders of the emotional-volitional sphere are observed. They can manifest themselves in the form of increased emotional excitability, unmotivated mood swings, a decrease in emotional tone and motivation for activity, in the form of violations of emotional contact with others.

Among the students of auxiliary schools, one can more often meet children with pseudo-autism, i.e. violation of contact due to reactive moments: fear of a new environment, new requirements, fear of a teacher, fear of aggressiveness of children.

In addition, complicated forms also include mental retardation with local cerebral disorders: local underdevelopment or speech disorder, local spatial or frontal disorders, local movement disorders (ICP).

In addition to complicated forms, there are also atypical forms of mental retardation.

Epileptic seizures occur in mentally retarded children much more often than in intellectually full-fledged children, and the more often, the deeper the underdevelopment of the child.

The group of mental retardation with endocrine disorders includes a significant number of different defects in the development of the cognitive sphere, in which, in addition to an intellectual defect, primary endocrine or secondary - cerebro-endocrine disorders are observed.

Disorders of the visual and auditory analyzer negatively affect the compensatory and adaptive capabilities of a mentally retarded child and complicate his learning.

Thus, according to clinical manifestations, all cases of mental retardation are divided into uncomplicated, complicated and atypical.

Psychological features of mentally retarded schoolsbnicknames

The auxiliary school sets three main tasks for the defectologist teacher - to give students knowledge, skills and abilities in general subjects and work, to instill in them positive personal qualities - honesty. Truthfulness, benevolence towards others, love and respect for work, correct their defects and thus prepare them for social adaptation, for life among normal people.

Mentally retarded (feeble-minded) children are the most numerous category of abnormal children. They make up approximately 1 - 3% of the total child population. concept mentally retarded Rebenok includes a rather heterogeneous mass of children who are united by the presence of brain damage, which is widespread.

The overwhelming majority of all mentally retarded children - pupils of the auxiliary school - are oligophrenic children. With oligophrenia, organic brain failure is residual, not aggravated, which gives grounds for an optimistic prognosis. Such children make up the main contingent of the auxiliary school.

Mental retardation that occurs later than the full development of the child's speech is relatively rare. It is not included in the concept oligofrhenium.

Already in the preschool period of life, the painful processes that took place in the brain of an oligophrenic child stop. The child becomes practically healthy, capable of mental development. However, this development is carried out abnormally, since its biological basis is pathological.

Oligophrenic children are characterized by persistent disturbances in all mental activity, which are especially clearly manifested in the sphere of cognitive processes. Moreover, there is not only a lag behind the norm, but also a deep originality of personal manifestations and cognition. Thus, mentally retarded children can in no way be equated with normally developing younger children. They are different in many ways.

Oligophrenic children are capable of development, which essentially distinguishes them from weak-minded children of all progressive forms of mental retardation, and although their development is slow, atypical, with many, sometimes sharp deviations, nevertheless, it is a progressive process that introduces qualitative changes in the mental activity of children, in their personal sphere.

Didactic Principles of the Special School

There are the following teaching principles:

educational and developmental orientation of education;

scientific character and accessibility of education;

systematic and consistent training;

connection of learning with life;

the principle of correction in education;

the principle of visibility;

consciousness and activity of students;

individual and differentiated approach;

strength of knowledge, skills and abilities.

Educational and developmental orientation of education

The process of learning in a special school is primarily aimed at developing a variety of knowledge, skills and abilities in students, but, of course, during training, both education and development of students take place.

The educative orientation of education in the auxiliary school consists in the formation of moral ideas and concepts in students, adequate ways of behaving in society. This is realized in the content of the educational material and in the appropriate organization of the activities of students in and out of school.

In the curriculum, two groups of subjects can be distinguished, which especially clearly contribute to the educational orientation of education. On the one hand, these are educational subjects, the content of which includes material that reflects the heroism of our people in defending the Motherland and in peaceful construction, telling about the riches of the native land and the need to protect native nature, about working people, some professions, etc. These subjects (explanatory reading, history, geography, natural science) provide material for educating students in words. However, this work must be linked with socially useful activities for the protection of nature and monuments of history, culture, local history work, etc.

Another group of subjects (labor training in the lower grades, vocational training, social orientation) contribute to the education of honesty and conscientiousness, the desire to be a useful person in society.

In addition, there are academic subjects that contribute to aesthetic and physical education (physical education, drawing, singing and music, rhythm).

To solve the problems of preparing mentally retarded schoolchildren for independent life and work, a well-thought-out and clear organization and a high methodological level of conducting classes on work, industrial practice, good technical equipment of workshops, the presence of basic enterprises in the profile of education, and appropriate training of teachers are of great importance.

The developmental nature of education in the auxiliary school is to promote the overall mental and physical development of students. In the context of ever-increasing requirements for the level of preparation of mentally retarded schoolchildren for life, the focus of education on their overall development is of particular importance. However, the development of mentally retarded schoolchildren cannot be sufficiently successful without correcting their thinking and disturbing their psychophysical functions. Therefore, education in the auxiliary school is of a corrective developmental nature. However, the developmental orientation of education should be distinguished from the correctional orientation. In the process of correction, the development of a mentally retarded child always occurs, but development may not be associated with correction.

The development of mentally retarded schoolchildren requires special conditions, the most important of which is their education in an auxiliary school or other conditions adequate to their abilities, taking into account the psychophysical features of the development of this group of abnormal children. The implementation of developmental learning involves improving the quality of lessons by including students in active learning activities and developing their cognitive activity and independence.

The educational and correctional orientation of education permeates the entire educational process.

Scientific and accessible education

The principle of scientific character in general pedagogy involves the reflection of modern achievements of science. Prospects for its development in each academic subject.

The principle of scientific character is realized, first of all, in the development of programs and compilation of textbooks, as well as in the activities of teachers and educators. It is known that mentally retarded schoolchildren may develop incorrect and sometimes false ideas about the surrounding reality, since they are not able to understand the essence of phenomena in abstraction from external, random signs and connections. Therefore, from the very beginning of students' admission to an auxiliary school, it is necessary to help them learn about the world around them from scientific positions, in accordance with reality.

The principle of scientificity is closely related to the principle of accessibility, because in the end, mentally retarded students can only assimilate the material that is available to them.

The principle of accessibility involves building the education of mentally retarded schoolchildren at the level of their real learning opportunities.

Many years of practice and scientific research show that the educational opportunities of students in auxiliary schools are very different. These differences are based on objective reasons, consisting in the heterogeneity, degree and nature of the manifestations of the main and concomitant defects in the development of children. In this regard, the implementation of the principle of accessibility in an auxiliary school is distinguished by a certain peculiarity: on the one hand, it is assumed that students with different learning opportunities master the program material differently, and on the other hand, the need to differentiate them in teaching in order to increase the level of assimilation of the program material is determined.

The principle of accessibility, as well as the principle of scientific character, is implemented, first of all, in the development of curricula and textbooks. The content of instruction for mentally retarded schoolchildren is determined on the basis of its verification in many years of practice in the work of an auxiliary school. The content of teaching individual subjects is continuously improved, the scope of knowledge, skills and abilities is specified by years of study based on the results of scientific research and best practices.

The principle of accessibility is also implemented in the constant activities of teachers through the use of appropriate methods and methodological techniques. It is known that the use of the most successful methodological system can make educational material relatively difficult for mentally retarded schoolchildren accessible.

Systematic and consistent learning

The essence of the principle of systematicity and consistency lies in the fact that the knowledge that students acquire in school must be brought into a certain logical system in order to be able to use them, i.e. more successful in practice.

For an auxiliary school, this principle is of great importance because mentally retarded schoolchildren are characterized by inaccuracy, incompleteness or fragmentation of the acquired knowledge, they experience certain difficulties in their reproduction and use in practical activities.

The principle of systematicity and consistency is implemented both in the development of curricula and textbooks, and in the daily work of a teacher. This implies such a choice and arrangement of educational material in programs, textbooks, in thematic plans, at each lesson, when there is a logical connection between its constituent parts, when the subsequent material is based on the previous one, when the material covered prepares students for learning new things.

Each subject has its own system of interrelated concepts, facts and patterns.

It should be noted that the same system and logic is used in the development of the content of educational subjects in the auxiliary school as in the mass school. So, in mathematics lessons, addition and subtraction are studied before addition and division, while teaching literacy, the sounds of the native language are first studied, then letters in a certain sequence, reading is formed by syllables, and then by whole numbers. However, in some cases, the construction of the content of educational subjects of an auxiliary school has its own system, logic and sequence in the arrangement of educational material. And only when studying history, due to the fact that students experience great difficulties in understanding historical events in their sequence and in time, teachers are forced to inform them not systematic, but episodic knowledge about the most significant events from the history of our Motherland.

The characteristics of mentally retarded schoolchildren correspond to a linear-concentric arrangement of educational material, when the same sections are first studied in an elementary form, and after a while, usually in the next class, the same is considered much more widely, with the involvement of new information. The content of many educational subjects is built in this way.

Systematicity implies continuity in the learning process: education in the upper grades is built on a solid foundation that is laid in the lower grades, the study of each subject takes place on the basis of previous knowledge that is learned in the study of other subjects. Each section of the training material should be based on the previously studied.

In the activities of a teacher, the principle of systematicity is implemented in planning the sequence of passing new educational material and in repeating previously studied material, in checking the knowledge and skills acquired by schoolchildren, and in developing a system of individual work with them. Based on this principle, it is possible to proceed to the study of new educational material only after the students have mastered the one that is being worked out at a given time. Taking into account this circumstance, the teacher makes adjustments to the previously outlined plans.

Linking learning to life

This principle reflects the conditioning of schooling by social needs and the influence of the social environment on the process of teaching and educating students.

Its essence lies in the close interaction of the school and the public in the education and upbringing of children. In modern conditions, this principle receives a new sound.

Most of the auxiliary schools are boarding schools and there is a potential danger for them of a certain isolation from the horrifying life. Therefore, the principle of linking learning with life is given an important role in the process of teaching and educating mentally retarded schoolchildren. Indeed, after graduating from school, graduates enter an independent life and preparedness for it to a certain extent depends on how this principle is implemented in life.

The implementation of this principle in the auxiliary school consists in the organization of educational work on the basis of a close and multifaceted connection with the surrounding reality, with the life, first of all, of local enterprises, organizations and institutions. This principle is also realized by linking education with the productive work of students in the national economy. The forms of participation in this may be different, but in all cases, high school students need to be introduced to the socio-economic and legal relations in production, to include them in the feasible social affairs of the basic and sponsoring enterprises.

The special school should also actively participate in community activities.

Only on the basis of the multifaceted connection of learning with the surrounding life, an auxiliary school, as an educational institution, can gain authority among the local population and the public. And this will improve the position of graduates of auxiliary schools and contribute to their more successful adaptation.

In the daily activities of the teacher, this principle is implemented by using positive examples from life, including the local population, in the classroom and in extracurricular activities, but shortcomings should not be bypassed with a mandatory analysis of their causes. To strengthen the connection of learning with life, it is useful to use the media, watching television and listening to radio broadcasts.

The principle of correction in training

For mentally retarded children, as is known, a common main drawback is characteristic - a violation of complex forms of cognitive activity (moreover, there is an uneven violation). The emotional-volitional sphere is disturbed in a number of cases, but there are also children in whom it is relatively protected.

A mentally retarded child, like any other child, grows and develops, but his development slows down from the very beginning and proceeds on a defective basis, which creates difficulties in entering a social environment designed for normally developing children.

Support school education is critical to the development of mentally retarded children and their rehabilitation in society. It has been established that the greatest effect in their development is achieved in cases where the principle of correction is implemented in training, i.e. correcting the shortcomings inherent in these children.

Only that teaching is good, which stimulates development, “leads it along,” and does not simply serve to enrich the child with new information that easily enters his consciousness. (L.S. Vygotsky, 1985)

Thus, the principle of correction is to correct the shortcomings of the psychophysical development of mentally retarded children in the learning process through the use of special methodological techniques. As a result of the application of corrective teaching methods, some shortcomings in students are overcome, others are weakened, due to which students move faster in their development. The more a mentally retarded child advances in development, the more successfully he will master the educational material, i.e. development of students and teaching them on the basis of the principle of correction are two interrelated processes.

Correction of developmental deficiencies among students of auxiliary schools is slow and uneven. - therefore, it is usually difficult for a teacher to notice shifts in the development of thought processes in students, in the formation of volitional and other personality traits. He knows well how each student mastered this or that educational material, but this is not enough to characterize the level of his progress in development.

One of the indicators of the success of correctional work can be the level of independence of students in the performance of new educational and labor tasks.

From psychological research it is known that the independence of schoolchildren depends on the level of formation of generalized educational and labor skills in them. Therefore, the implementation of the principle of correction in education consists in the formation of these skills in students, i.e. the ability to independently navigate the requirements for completing tasks, analyze the conditions and plan their activities, drawing on existing knowledge and experience for this, draw conclusions about the quality of the work performed.

Generalized educational and labor skills are formed on the basis of specific skills for each academic subject and through systematic, purposeful work using methodological techniques specific to each subject.

Not only the shortcomings of psychophysical development, common to all mentally retarded schoolchildren, but also the shortcomings characteristic of certain students (individual correction) are subject to correction. Individual correction is due to the fact that the main defect in mentally retarded children manifests itself differently and, in addition to the main one, there are concomitant defects of varying degrees. In teaching, this is observed in significant differences in the level of mastery of knowledge, skills and abilities by different students and in their uneven advancement in mental and physical development.

To implement individual correction, it is necessary to identify the difficulties experienced by students in teaching various subjects and to establish the causes of these difficulties. Based on this, individual correction measures are developed.

General and individual correction is carried out practically on the same educational material and almost at the same time. General correctional work is usually carried out frontally, individual correction - with individual students or with a small group. There may be several students in the class who require different measures of individual correction. In frontal work, it is advisable to carry out individual correction alternately, fixing attention or additionally working with one or another student.

Correction of violations of the emotional-volitional sphere consists in the formation of volitional qualities of a personality in students, in the upbringing of emotions, including emotional-volitional components of behavior, which is reflected both in studies, and in work, and in relation to their comrades, teachers.

The principle of visibility

The principle of visibility in teaching means the involvement of various visual aids in the process of assimilation of knowledge by students and the formation of various skills and abilities in them.

The essence of the principle of visibility is to enrich students with sensory cognitive experience necessary for the full mastery of abstract concepts.

It is known that a person's sensations received from the outside world are the first stage of his knowledge. At the next stage, knowledge is acquired in the form of concepts, definitions, rules and laws. In order for students' knowledge to be conscious and reflect objectively existing reality, the learning process must ensure that they are based on sensations. Visibility just and - performs this function.

There is a general rule for applying the principle of visibility in general education schools: teaching should be visual to the extent necessary for students to consciously assimilate knowledge and develop skills based on living images of objects, phenomena and actions.

These general rules are the basis for the implementation of the principle of visualization in the auxiliary school; however, in particular, their application is distinguished by some originality. First of all, in the auxiliary school, for the formation of abstract concepts, generalizations, general labor skills and abilities, subject visualization is used for a longer time. This is due to the fact that in mentally retarded children the processes of abstraction and generalization are sharply disturbed, it is difficult for them to break away from the observation of specific objects and draw an abstract conclusion or conclusion, which is necessary for the formation of a particular concept.

Object visibility is also used to study the properties of objects as such, as well as for the purpose of making them. The use of this form of visualization must be organized taking into account the peculiarities of the perception of mentally retarded schoolchildren. It is known that their perception initially has an undifferentiated character, they find it difficult to identify the main, essential features of the object. The images of objects that arise in the mind are fuzzy, incomplete and often distorted; speech often lacks the appropriate language tools necessary to correctly reflect the properties of the observed objects.

Taking into account all these characteristics of students, visual aids should be differentiated, containing the most basic features of the object and, if possible, without additional minor details, often diverting students' attention away from the main goal that the teacher achieves when using these aids.

Taking into account the characteristics of mentally retarded schoolchildren in the implementation of the principle of visibility also lies in the fact that along with the creation of clear and complete ideas about the world around them, it is necessary to teach them to correctly use the appropriate words and terms denoting the properties of objects, signs of phenomena, relationships and connections that exist. in the real world. The word of the teacher in this process is the organizing and regulating factor. The role of the word increases even more in cases where visualization is used to form students' general ideas and concepts.

Thus, the implementation of the principle of visibility in the auxiliary school is carried out in stages.

Enrichment of sensory cognitive experience, which involves learning the skills to observe, compare and highlight the essential features of objects and phenomena and reflect them in speech;

Ensuring the transition of the created subject images into abstract concepts;

The use of abstract visualization for the formation of concrete images of objects, phenomena and actions.

Consciousness and activity of students in learning

Consciousness in learning means that students understand the educational material being studied: the essence of the concepts being learned, the meaning of labor actions, techniques and operations. Conscious assimilation of knowledge and skills ensures their successful application in practical activities, prevents formalism, promotes the transformation of knowledge into stable beliefs.

In the auxiliary school, this principle is among the most important, since in the process of conscious assimilation of educational material, a more intensive mental development of mentally retarded schoolchildren occurs. However, when implementing this principle, the teacher encounters great difficulties. Violations of analytical and synthetic activity, characteristic of mentally retarded schoolchildren, prevent the assimilation of educational material on the basis of its complete understanding. Therefore, in the auxiliary school, the question of how to achieve a complete understanding of the educational material by the students was and remains the most significant. The solution to this issue is possible if each teacher applies corrective methodological techniques aimed at developing mental operations, as well as the ability to express their thoughts in words. After all, it is possible to judge how much a student understands this or that educational material, first of all, by his statements, and only then - by the nature of the application of knowledge when performing exercises.

There are a number of methodological techniques that help students to more consciously assimilate educational material: dividing complex educational material into parts that are logically complete and interconnected, highlighting the main essential aspects of an object or phenomenon and distinguishing them from secondary, non-essential ones, reflecting practical actions performed in speech, up to beginning, during and after work, the connection of new actions with previously learned ones, variation of the material during repetition, etc.

It has long been known that the mechanical memorization of a particular educational material does not contribute to its conscious assimilation. This means that the knowledge acquired in this way cannot be used by the student in practical activities, that they are a passive fund. That is why the principle of conscientiousness in teaching in the special school is given such great importance.

Conscious assimilation of educational material implies the activity of students in learning. The cognitive activity of mentally retarded schoolchildren in most cases does not arise by itself, so it is necessary to activate it. The activation of learning is understood as the appropriate organization of the actions of schoolchildren, aimed at comprehension of the educational material by them.

In a mass school, the leading means of activating the learning of schoolchildren is a problem-based approach to learning. Its essence lies in the fact that the teacher poses an educational problem to the students, the students together with the teacher or independently determine ways to find a solution to the problem, independently or with the help of the teacher find a solution, draw conclusions, generalizations, comparisons.

If we consider the problem approach in teaching as creating conditions for independent mental activity of schoolchildren when studying new educational material or generalizing it, then when using conditions that correspond to the conditions of mentally retarded schoolchildren, it can also be used in an auxiliary school as a means of organizing educational activities. If the teacher gradually leads schoolchildren to new educational material, involving them in reasoning and encouraging their own statements with an analysis of observation or their own experience, then such training will contribute to the activation of mentally retarded students and in cases of incorrect statements, moreover, it should be kindly and be attentive to them and patiently explain what their mistake is.

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Features of the motor analyzer of mentally retarded schoolchildren. Correctional and developmental value of rhythm lessons for children with intellectual disabilities. Correction of psychophysical deficiencies of mentally retarded schoolchildren by means of physical exercises.

term paper, added 02/25/2012


Compensatory processes in the development of a mentally retarded child. Features of work and education of mentally retarded and physically handicapped children. Modern problems of mental retardation. The material of mental systems, its features in a retarded child.

abstract, added 12/20/2009


Features of mentally retarded schoolchildren. General characteristics of mental retardation. Educational and developmental orientation of education. Systematic and consistent in teaching. Correction of major disorders in children with mental retardation.

term paper, added 12/06/2008


The use of art materials in the formation of elementary visual activity in mentally retarded students. Diagnostic tasks for studying the level of formation of visual activity in mentally retarded students.

Ordinary children have many ways of learning: they observe what is happening around, imitate other children and adults, use memory and logic.

Methods of teaching children with mental retardation

The child perceives not only the words of others, but also their facial expressions and gestures. However, a mentally retarded baby is not able to capture many of these nuances, so you need to simplify the ways of expressing your thoughts as much as possible. Vague gestures, unfinished sentences and complex ideas will only confuse the baby.

Friendship with people of all ages, within and outside the family, plays an important role in the development of a mentally retarded child.

It's the same with actions. What seems very simple for a normal child - eating, dressing - can cause great problems for a mentally retarded child who is not able to remember how he did it yesterday and why it was necessary to do it at all.

The most acceptable way to teach such a child everyday skills is to break the work into several simple stages and teach each stage separately, moving on to the next only after the previous one has been firmly mastered. It takes a lot of time, but it allows you to achieve a sustainable result.

For example, in order for a child to eat with a spoon, he needs to be taught several separate actions: correctly hold the spoon, scoop food with a spoon, bring it to his mouth, open his mouth, take food from the spoon and chew it, return the spoon to the plate. The same with dressing. Putting on trousers, for example, can be broken down into the following steps: open the closet, take the trousers, turn them correctly, put them on one leg, then the other, pull them on.

Since mentally retarded children often do not understand why they are asked to do what they are asked, they are in dire need of tokens of approval. A simple "well done" is not enough here. The best way would be hugs, kisses and lots of words of praise. A reward in the form of a favorite sweet will also help the learning process.

Games for mentally retarded children

As pediatricians say, games are the most important part of a child's life. Playing alone, he learns to be independent, and in playing with other children he acquires social skills. But some mentally retarded children don't know how to play. And in this they need help - otherwise they will be deprived of vital experience.

In particular, the complexity of toys should correspond not to age, but to the real level of development of the child. It is worth starting with toys that impress the personality of the child. For example, if he likes loud noises, a plastic mallet may be suitable, with which you can hammer "nails" into the hole. You will need to take the time to show your child how to use the toy, but eventually he will be able to use it himself.

Clinic and etiology of mental retardation

Under the concept of mental retardation, numerous and diverse forms of pathology are combined, manifested in the underdevelopment of the cognitive sphere.

Mental retardation refers to developmental diseases - dysontogenies. Accordingly, it can occur only when the developing brain is damaged, i.e. in the prenatal period, during childbirth, at an early and younger age (up to three years)

Mental retardation should be understood as the general underdevelopment of the child's psyche, in which the central and decisive place is occupied by the underdevelopment of cognitive activity and other higher mental functions. The time of onset of mental retardation is limited to intrauterine, natural and the first three years of postnatal life. The structure of the defect is characterized by the totality and relative uniformity of the underdevelopment of different aspects of the psyche.

The most common exogenous cause of postnatal mental retardation are neuroinfections, mainly encephalitis and meningoencephalitis, as well as parainfectious incephalitis. Less commonly, the cause of mental retardation is postnatal intoxication and traumatic brain injury. Exogenous forms account for at least half of all defects in the development of the cognitive sphere that have arisen after the birth of a child.

Modern research in the field of the etiology of mental retardation indicates that the leading role in the origin of mental retardation belongs to genetic factors. Numerous and varied changes in the genetic apparatus (mutations) are responsible for approximately ¾ of all cases of underdevelopment of the cognitive sphere in children.

Mutations can be chromosomal or gene. The most common and well-known chromosomal form of oligophrenia is Down's disease, which occurs in 9-10% of all mentally retarded children. In chromosomal forms of oligophrenia, a pronounced and profound underdevelopment of the cognitive sphere is most often observed.

Gene mutations can affect one single gene, or a group of weakly acting genes that control the same trait.

Thus, according to etiology, all cases of mental retardation are divided into exogenous and genetic. It must be remembered that in the process of development and life of the organism, genetic and exogenous factors are in a complex interaction. With mental retardation, for example, those exogenous factors that are not the direct cause of underdevelopment of the child's brain can contribute to the detection of genetic defects or aggravate the manifestations of a hereditary disease. Additional exogenies can introduce new, unusual symptoms into the clinical picture of hereditary mental retardation.

The above data indicate that defects in the development of the cognitive sphere are extremely heterogeneous in origin. Accordingly, there may be numerous various mechanisms that disrupt the formation and development of the brain, as well as a large number of independent nosological forms of mental retardation. Common to all forms of pathology included in this group of developmental anomalies is an intellectual defect of one degree or another, which determines the degree of underdevelopment of the entire psyche of the child as a whole, his adaptive capabilities, his entire personality.

The clinical picture of defects in the development of the cognitive sphere consists of the characteristics of the psychopathological, neurological and somatic symptoms present in children. Those forms in which there are clearly defined specific somatic manifestations that make it possible to establish a nosological diagnosis based on clinical data, and those in which the nosological form of the disease can be established using modern methods of special laboratory studies, are called differentiated forms of mental retardation.

Uncomplicated forms of mental retardation are characterized by the absence of additional psychopathological disorders. An intellectual defect in these children, as well as in all mentally retarded children, is manifested primarily by disturbances in thinking: stiffness, the establishment of mainly private concrete connections, and an inability to distract. Inevitably, the prerequisites for intellectual activity also suffer. Attention is characterized by insufficient arbitrariness and purposefulness, narrowing of the volume, difficulty in concentrating, as well as switching. Often, with a good ability for rote memorization, there is a weakness in semantic and especially associative memory. New information is assimilated with great difficulty. To memorize new material, multiple repetitions and reinforcement with specific examples are required. Nevertheless, children with uncomplicated mental retardation are usually characterized by fairly stable working capacity and more or less satisfactory productivity.

The level of speech underdevelopment in most children with uncomplicated mental retardation corresponds to the degree of their intellectual defect. They do not have local speech disorders, but there is always a general underdevelopment of speech, manifested by the scarcity of an active vocabulary, simplified construction of phrases, agrammatisms, and often tongue-tied speech. Along with this, some children can observe an outwardly good level of speech development with an apparent richness of vocabulary, the correct construction of phrases, and expressive intonations. However, already at the first examination it becomes clear that outwardly correct phrases are memorized speech clichés.

The underdevelopment of motor skills is manifested mainly by the insufficiency of precise and subtle movements, especially small ones, by the slow development of the motor action formula. In addition, most mentally retarded children have insufficient muscle strength. Therefore, the importance of physical education for such children is great.

Severe behavioral disorders in children with uncomplicated mental retardation are usually not observed. With adequate upbringing, children with a slight intellectual defect easily master the correct forms of behavior and, to some extent, can control their actions.

General underdevelopment of the personality is characteristic of all children with general mental underdevelopment.

Thus, in uncomplicated forms of mental retardation, the pedagogical prognosis depends mainly on the degree and structure of the defect and the compensatory capabilities of the child.

Complicated forms are characterized by the presence of additional psychopathological disorders that adversely affect the child's intellectual activity and the success of his education.

According to the nature of additional symptoms, all complicated forms of mental retardation can be divided into three groups:

1. With cerebrastonic or hypertensive syndromes;

2. With severe behavioral disorders;

3. With emotional-volitional disorders.

This division mainly reflects that. Which of the additional psychopathological syndromes occupies a leading place in the clinical picture of the disease.

In children of the first group, mainly intellectual activity suffers.

Cerebrastonic syndrome is a syndrome of irritable weakness. It is based on increased exhaustion of the nerve cell. It is manifested by general mental intolerance, inability to long-term stress, to long-term concentration of attention.

Hypertension syndrome - a syndrome of increased intracranial pressure - occurs in connection with liquorodynamic disorders that develop as a result of an organic lesion of the central nervous system or a congenital defect in the liquor system of the brain. An increase in intracranial pressure is accompanied by headaches, often dizziness and a violation of the general well-being of the child. Exhaustion increases and the performance of the child sharply decreases. In such children, peculiar disturbances of attention are noted: weakness of concentration, increased distractibility. Often memory is impaired. Children become motor disinhibited, restless or lethargic. Emotional lability and the phenomena of vegetative-vascular dystonia are clearly expressed. School performance is declining markedly.

In children of the second group, behavioral disorders, which manifest themselves in the form of hyperdynamic and psychopathic syndromes, come to the fore in the clinical picture of the disease.

Hyperdynamic syndrome is characterized by pronounced prolonged anxiety with an abundance of unnecessary movements, restlessness, talkativeness, and often impulsiveness. In severe cases, the child's behavior is not amenable to self-control and external correction. Hyperdynamic syndrome is also difficult to treat with medication.

Psychopathic syndrome is usually observed in children with mental retardation due to traumatic brain injuries or neuroinfections. It is based on deep personality disorders with disinhibition, and sometimes with a perversion of gross primitive drives. Behavioral disorders in these children are so gross that they occupy a central place in the clinical picture of the disease, and the underdevelopment of the cognitive sphere, as it were, exacerbates their manifestations.

In children of the third group, in addition to mental retardation, disorders of the emotional-volitional sphere are observed. They can manifest themselves in the form of increased emotional excitability, unmotivated mood swings, a decrease in emotional tone and motivation for activity, in the form of violations of emotional contact with others.

Among the students of auxiliary schools, one can more often meet children with pseudo-autism, i.e. violation of contact due to reactive moments: fear of a new environment, new requirements, fear of a teacher, fear of aggressiveness of children.

In addition, complicated forms also include mental retardation with local cerebral disorders: local underdevelopment or speech disorder, local spatial or frontal disorders, local movement disorders (ICP).

In addition to complicated forms, there are also atypical forms of mental retardation.

1. Epileptic seizures occur in mentally retarded children much more often than in intellectually complete children, and the more often, the deeper the underdevelopment of the child.

2. The group of mental retardation with endocrine disorders includes a significant number of different defects in the development of the cognitive sphere, in which, in addition to an intellectual defect, primary endocrine or secondary - cerebro-endocrine disorders are observed.

3. Disorders of the visual and auditory analyzer negatively affect the compensatory and adaptive capabilities of a mentally retarded child and complicate his learning.

Thus, according to clinical manifestations, all cases of mental retardation are divided into uncomplicated, complicated and atypical.

Psychological features of mentally retarded schoolchildren

The auxiliary school sets three main tasks for the defectologist teacher - to give students knowledge, skills and abilities in general subjects and work, to instill in them positive personal qualities - honesty. Truthfulness, benevolence towards others, love and respect for work, correct their defects and thus prepare them for social adaptation, for life among normal people.

Mentally retarded (feeble-minded) children are the most numerous category of abnormal children. They make up approximately 1-3% of the total child population. The concept of a mentally retarded child includes a rather heterogeneous mass of children who are united by the presence of brain damage, which is of a widespread nature.

The overwhelming majority of all mentally retarded children - pupils of the auxiliary school - are oligophrenic children. With oligophrenia, organic brain failure is residual, not aggravated, which gives grounds for an optimistic prognosis. Such children make up the main contingent of the auxiliary school.

Mental retardation that occurs later than the full development of the child's speech is relatively rare. It is not included in the concept of oligophrenia.

Already in the preschool period of life, the painful processes that took place in the brain of an oligophrenic child stop. The child becomes practically healthy, capable of mental development. However, this development is carried out abnormally, since its biological basis is pathological.

Oligophrenic children are characterized by persistent disturbances in all mental activity, which are especially clearly manifested in the sphere of cognitive processes. Moreover, there is not only a lag behind the norm, but also a deep originality of personal manifestations and cognition. Thus, mentally retarded children can in no way be equated with normally developing younger children. They are different in many ways.

Oligophrenic children are capable of development, which essentially distinguishes them from weak-minded children of all progressive forms of mental retardation, and although their development is slow, atypical, with many, sometimes sharp deviations, nevertheless, it is a progressive process that introduces qualitative changes in the mental activity of children, in their personal sphere.

Didactic Principles of the Special School

There are the following teaching principles:

Educational and developmental orientation of education;

Scientific nature and accessibility of education;

Systematic and consistent training;

The connection of learning with life;

The principle of correction in training;

The principle of visibility;

Consciousness and activity of students;

Individual and differentiated approach;

Strength of knowledge, skills and abilities.

Adaptation opens up the opportunity for "special" children to actively participate in public life. 2.3 Creating conditions for the successful formation of social adaptation of mentally retarded preschool children With the admission of a mentally retarded child to a preschool institution, many changes occur in his life: a strict daily routine, the absence of parents for 9 or more hours, ...

The plan of a special (correctional) educational preschool institution of the VIII type provides for hours of speech therapy classes, which are conducted by a speech therapist. Chapter 2: Methodology for the development of connected speech in mentally retarded children of older preschool age 2.1 Organization of the study The purpose of this study is to determine the methodology for the development of connected speech in mentally retarded ...