Mental Retardation

A.
In my early childhood classroom the obvious differences between normal developing children and those with mild to moderate mental retardation are not always so noticeable. I have kids ranging in ages from 2 ½ to school age and the levels of development vary widely. However, to describe this exceptionality I would say that it means mentally retarded kids have trouble learning and performing certain skills that I would normally expect to see in children their age. The degrees of retardation vary according to IQ levels.
Mild or educable being in the 50-55 to 70 range
Moderate or trainable in the 35-40 to 50-55 range
Severely/multiply handicapped in the 20-25 to 35-40 range
Profound below 20 or 25 range

B.
In my classroom I work with the mild to moderately retarded. I begin with family interaction. Through parent/teacher conferences and home visits we discuss the students strong/weak points and set some goals for both school and the home. An inclusive environment is set up using books, dolls, posters, and a second step curriculum which all encourage empathy and better understanding of each others differences.
I will discuss the work that I do with my student "Bob." He is a 4 ½ year old with development skills typical of a 2 year old. Bob’s parents, Head Start interventionists, and myself have met and determined that Bob needs that structure and socialization opportunities which are offered in my classroom.
Social skills are so important to master and I work a lot in this area. I choose classroom helpers each week with the kids performing jobs such as book monitor, line leader, plant sprinkler, etc. this builds confidence and self worth. If Bob is hesitant to be a helper it becomes a two person job so that he has a buddy to help him carry out his duties.
To encourage his language/social skills Bob has created a photo album with me. He dictated to me some facts about the people in the pictures. He is able to look at the album and talk to others about his story.
To improve Bob’s memory skills I adapt lots of songs to prompt transitions and routine classroom activities.
To go outside:
This is the way we get our coats
Get our coats
Get our coats....
Before eating lunch:
This is the way we get our plates
This is the way we wash our hands....
Visual cues are used throughout the room to help with his comprehension of the different centers and the number of children allowed in each center. For example, in block center I have made a sign with the word blocks. Along with the word is a picture of three children, the number 3, and three raised dots. Bob has his name taped to his personal storage cubby with his picture on it as well. Colored dots are affixed on shelves where toys are kept, which coordinate with dots placed on the toys themselves. This allows bob to identify where to return the toys and to help with color recognition.
To encourage midline crossing I use colorful scarves to dance and sing with:
Did you ever see Bob go this way and that way, this way and that way... He is encouraged to hold the scarf in both hands and move his hands from left to right, crossing midline.
These lid streamers are another terrific and cheap way to include movement and get those brain pathways going. You need various sizes of plastic lids from coffee cans, utility blade, crepe paper and duct tape. Cut out the inside of a lid to make a ring. Attach crepe paper streamers to the ring with duct tape. Bob can move to music waving his streamer through the air.
Bob has poor fine motor skills. I like to use the following activity to help strengthen this area.
Push Pinning Activity
You create a push pinning pad made of the padding from under a carpet about 5 ½ inches square. Draw a simple outline on a piece of construction paper. Place the construction paper on the pad and using a push pin, Bob pokes along the line making the pokes close together. The end result is a perforated shape that can be pushed out or held up to the light to see the effect. Bob can only hold the push pin using a correct three finger grasp so it is excellent motor control. It also builds concentration.
Playdough is always available in my classroom. Manipulating the dough helps strengthen fingers, hands, and wrists which are important prewriting skills. Bob develops self-esteem because there is no right or wrong using this product. It is a great release for tension or angry feelings-squeezing, punching, poking, are all acceptable if done to playdough.I f extra sensory stimulation is desired I add kool-aid to the playdough for the aromatherapy benefit.

C.
I strive to meet the development of the whole child in my program and know that use of the computer is important. Physical, emotional, social and cognitive skills are generated when appropriate software is used. Eye hand coordination and fine motor skills are developed during computer experiences. Bob’s language skills are encouraged as well as turn taking when he is utilizing the computer.
Bob responds well to positive reinforcement and loves hearing his name used in songs, stories, fingerplays, etc. he thrives on repetition and consistency in the classroom setting. The learning activities and games (both indoor and outdoor) are chosen to be noncompetitive, therefore his opportunities to succeed are many and occur often during his day.
Bob is given extra one on one time through Head Start interventionists and the teachers in his
classroom. However, I want it understood that his interaction with the other children is the most important aspect of his day. Usually it is hard to distinguish Bob as the child with the disability.

Annotations
Elder, Misty. "I Am Moving, I Am Learning." Heartland Programs. Salina, Ks. 5 Jan. 2009
This workshop I attended offered activities for the classroom which can be used for children of varying developmental levels.

Moore, Lorraine. (1997). Inclusion: strategies for working with young children. Minnetonka, MN: Peytral Publications 1997.
Excellent resource book. While it may be slightly dated, it has great ideas to use in the classroom.

Hayslip, Whitcomb. (2008, December). Preschool Inclusion. Teaching Young Children, Vol 2. 18-21.
I liked this article for its information on inclusion and team members. Illustrating that it takes more than one individual to teach children.

Heward, William. (2009). Exceptional children. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson
Education, 2009
Pertinent, well organized, easy to understand information on the subject.

Greenspan, Stanley. (1998, Nov). Meeting Learning challenges: Working With Children Who Learn at a Different Pace. Scholastic [online] Available:http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/etc/
This article emphasized that children learn at different rates and can even "stall" for awhile. This information is good to know so one doesn’t get discouraged and is actually encouraged to try different techniques