This PowerPoint presentation explains clear the methodology of teaching children with intellectual disability presented by Richard Mensah a student at university of education winneba. Reading materials were gathered from a course taken at the second semester of level 300.

1. PSE 352M

2. 
 Principles:
It is the fundamental truth or proposition that serves as a
foundation for a system of belief or behaviour or for a
change of reasoning.
 Theories:
It is a formal idea or set of ideas that is intended to explain
something. Theory is a set of statement that is devised to
explain a group of fact or phenomena especially the one
that has been repeatedly tested or is widely accepted and
can be used to make prediction about natural phenomena.
Principles and theories that relate to the
teaching and learning needs of children with ID

3. 
 Use adequate and appropriate materials
 Allocate enough time for them to work with
 Engage them in activities
 Reward them
 Language use should be at their levels
 Task should be within their efforts
 Present their lessons systematically
 Provide examples
 Let them experiment
In teaching children with intellectual
disability, the theory says they need
opportunity to learn

4. 
 Learning experiences should allow the children to
observe and practice the actual processes, the product,
skills and values which are expected of them.
 When teaching children with ID, learning experiences
should connect with their existing knowledge, skills and
values challenging their current ways of thinking and
acting.
Opportunity to learn

5. 
 Focus on their RPK
 Teach from simple to complex
 Concrete to abstract
 Use practical activities
 Provide examples that are linked to the task
 Task analysis
 Ask questions to challenge them
 Let them experiment
connect and challenge

6. 
 Presentation
 Relevant materials
 Demonstration/dramatization
 Activity
 Ask questions
 Provide examples
 Role play
 Rehearse
 Engage them
In teaching children with ID, the learning
experiences should be meaningful and
encourage both action and reflection

7. 
 Use relevant materials
 Reward
 Task analysis
 Engagement
 Practical activities
 Provide them with meaningful feedback
 Create a meaningful environment
Learning experiences should be motivating
and their purpose clear to the children

8. 
 Inclusivity and Differences
 Take into consideration their ability levels
 Use different approaches to teach a concept
 Put them in mixed ability groups
 Designing their IEP
 Asking relevant questions
 Focus on frequent rehearsals
 Provide appropriate feedback
 Consider pace of delivery
 Task analysis
Learning experiences should respect and
accommodate their learning differences

9. 
 Independence and Collaboration
 Role play and dramatisation
 Group work (mix ability group)
 Individual assignment based on his/her needs
 Create opportunity for them to challenge the views
of others through questioning, finding out on their
own
 Questioning
Learning experiences should encourage
children to learn both independently and
from others

10. 
 It should be safe and conducive for effective learning
 Supportive environment
 Everything that is needed for learning should be there
 Restructure the environment of the school to suit their
learning needs
 Use of learning and teaching materials
 Questions should be directed to them to support what
they already know or not
 Grouping mix ability
 Educational trip (excursion)
 Peer teaching
The school and classroom setting

11. 
 Lack of motivation
 Unwillingness to take initiatives/interest in learning
activities
 Unwillingness to complete tasks
 Absenteeism
 He/she can feign sick
Factors that influence the learning processes
of children with ID

12. 
 Provision of teaching and learning materials
 Let the students choose what to learn
 Provide feedback
How to address the problem

13. 
 What are the fundamental goals of teachers for
children?
 To help them develop to their fullest potential by
giving them the necessary skills to function in
society.
 What are involved in teaching?
 Deciding which skills to develop
 How to teach those skills
 Plan, manage, deliver, and evaluate.
The process of instruction

14. 
 Teaching is the systematic presentation of content
assumed necessary for mastery within a general area of
instruction.
 It is based on what children currently know.
 What to teach
 What instructional methods to use (games,
manipulations)
 When to evaluate
 When to modify based on evaluation results.
 How to manage instruction and any disruptions (these
various activities may overlap)
Components of effective
instruction

15. 
 Planning: why instructional planning an important part of
teaching?
 Schools have goals and objectives for all children. But all
children are not alike, and goals and objectives of
instruction are not the same for all.
 Schools are becoming increasingly diverse environments.
 Instructional planning means making decisions about
what content to present, which materials or other
activities to use, how to present information; and how to
determine if children are learning. In determining what to
teach and how to teach, teachers set goals and
expectations for children.
Principles of effective
instruction

16. 
 Deciding what to teach
 Deciding how to teach
 Communicating realistic expectation.
Instructional planning has
three main principles:

17. 
 Assess children’s skill levels – what they have and
what they don not have. This can be done by
gathering assessment information using tests,
observations, and interviews, asking them questions,
read, spell, etc. with an understanding of children’s
academic and behavioural strengths and
weaknesses, the teacher is able to modify his
instructional methods to meet the needs of
individual child.
Deciding what to teach

18. 
 Another part of deciding what to teach is analyzing
the instructional task.
 Task analysis consists of breaking down a complex
task into its components.
 This also helps teachers plan a logical sequence of
instruction.
 Considering the context – the instructional context or
environment plays a part in deciding what to teach
(where will instruction take place, duration of lesson,
who will be taught, instructional groups.

19. 
 Identify gaps between actual and expected performance.
Finally, in deciding what to teach, teachers need to
identify any gaps which exist between a child’s actual
level of performance and the level of performance a child
is expected to achieve. This help to keep instructional
goals and objectives realistic –neither too low nor too
high. These elements (analyzing children’s skills,
examining instructional task; establishing a logical
sequence of instruction, considering relevant contextual
variables, identify gaps between actual and expected
performances) are all parts of planning known as
diagnosis.

20. 
 This involves determining the nature of the
educational task or problem. It is critical because it
allows the teacher to match what he teaches to each
child’s level of skill development.

21. 
 Teaching is an experimental process. Teachers often
use or try alternative approaches and materials until
they find an approach or combination of approaches
which works best in moving each child toward
instructional objectives – pupils level of skill
development, behavioural strengths and
weaknesses, motivation, etc.
 In deciding about how to teach, the teacher makes an
“educated guess” about the kinds of approaches that
will work, then try those approaches and monitor
the results. This is also based on experience.
Deciding how to teach

22. 
 Beginning with an overview or lists of objectives to
set the stage for a presentation
 Signaling transitions between parts of a lesson and
reviewing or summarizing sub-parts as lesson
proceeds.
 Asking questions of varying levels and difficulties
out of a presentation.
 Controlling the pace and continuity of lessons by
regulating time
 Allowed for children to ask or answer questions.
Sample guidelines

23. 
It begins with setting instructional goals for each child, then
establishing an instructional sequence.
 The next step is to choose appropriate methods and
material, a relatively easy task can become complicated
when children are exceptional. The child may need
special methods.
 Pacing instruction is also part of the process of how to
teach.
 Ratio of known to unknown – effective instruction should
include about 75% known and 25% unknown material,
and children should be expected to demonstrate at least
80% mastery of such materials before they go on to higher
levels.
The process of deciding
how to teach

24. 
 Monitoring performance and placing subsequent
instruction:-This is the most important activities
(give immediate, frequent, explicit feedback)
 Provide correction
 Give specific praise and encouragement
Model correct performance
Keep children actively involved
Involve children in discussion
Teach children to be active learners

25. 
 Scan the class to spot those who are not engaged.
Work individually with those who finish early
Provide mechanisms for children to get needed help.

26. 
Communicating realistic expectations.
An important component of instructional placing and
setting realistic expectations for children and
communicate those expectations to them. What the
teacher need to do:
Get children active and involve them
Children to understand the consequences of failure.

27. 
 State expectations explicitly – teachers write
instructional goals for each child, statement for what
to do, under what conditions, and at what levels of
proficiency, etc.

28. 
 Most often teaches are mostly concerned ab out
controlling undesirable behaviours of children
whether with intellectual disability or not without
examining some of the factors that create the
behavior problems for children.
Factors that bring about
classroom behavior problem

29. 
 Nature of academic work:
Children may either find the classroom task as too difficult
or too easy to perform. If it is too difficult, they may become
frustrated and loose interest or easily get discouraged in it.
Also if it is too easy, they may get bored and see it as waste
of time.
 Manner of presentation:
This refers to the teacher’s approach to beginning and
delivery of the lesson planned. Lesson delivery must
consider appropriate ways of directly capturing children’s
attention (introduction). It must also take into account the
level of children and the experiences (previous knowledge).
It must also lead children to what
Factors creating behavior problem

30. 
They are supposed to learn (the new content).
Appropriate presentation can be through relevant and
direct questions, songs, poetry, drama, etc. when
children find it difficult following what the teacher is
imparting, they may be cut-off, disinterested and may
find other activities for themselves.

31. 
 Lack of motivation:
Some children may see little reason for teaching the
academic task to be learnt. They may fail to understand
its relevance. Children therefore need to be motivated
for their commitment and for every little effort success
made in order to create their zeal to work.

32. 
 Lack of knowledge of when certain behaviours are
permissible for children:
Children’s behaviours relate to their age, level of
experience, and needs. Children with M. R. may behave
quite differently from another children even with
disabilities. The child sees no reason why he/she
should walk all along from his desk to obtain
permission before urinating. Any teacher who is not
aware of when certain behavior are exhibited by these
children and refuse to regard it as normal may be
exerting undue power control over little children.

33. 
 Teacher’s inconsistent message and behavior:
Sometimes when teachers are not straight forward in
what they say, it may tend to make children see them
differently. Children with M.R. always keep in mind
what instruction is given and what promises made.
From each point in time when teachers keep on flouting
their own statements, it may make children not to take
them seriously.

34. 
 Family/home problems
Some children may face problematic and dysfunctional
family situations which could be translated into
classroom. Issues such as dislike; lack of love, lack of
needs provision etc can create behavior problems for
children.

35. 
 Lack of teachers’ awareness about classroom activities
and children’s behavior:
Teachers must be always able to see all children in the
classroom and at every point in time. When children realize
that their teacher is not focusing on them, they may engage
in other behaviours. If a teacher wants to control children’s
behaviours, then his/her eyes must be on children all the
time. This is referred to as withiness – the teachers’ ability to
communicate by their actual behavior that they know what
children are doing. Children often refer to their teacher as
“having eyes in the back of their head”.

36. 
 Lack of actively engaging children:
Even the bible says the devil finds work for the idle
hand. If children are not fully or actively engaged with
practical and meaningful activities, they become
passive participants or find tasks for themselves.

37. 
 Lack of firmness:
This refers to the extent to which the teacher conveys his/her
message to children. If a teacher says “please stop talking,
Kofi” this directive will have very little or ripple effect.
Firmness can be effective if the teacher tries to
1. Make the desist (stop doing) more emphatically
2. Stop talking and look at the child
3. Walk toward the child
4. Touches or otherwise guides the child towards proper
behavior (use a model)

38. 
 Poor management of transition time:
Transition is the interval between any two activities. In
class situation, it can occur before a lesson begins,
during the course of instruction, when activities charge,
and after the end of the lesson. Kounin (1970) has
identified two kinds of transition mistakes by teachers.
These are jerkiness and slowdowns.

39. 
 Jerkiness is where there is stop or jarring breaks in the flow of
learning activities. A number of transition mistakes under
jerkiness are:
 Stimulus boundedness: this is where the teacher gets off track
during a lesson by reaching to other relatively unimportant
things that are going on at the same time. E.g. a teacher may
stop at the middle of his lesson and say – Kofi if you do not sit
up straight, you will have back problems for the rest of your
life. Teachers who are stimulus-bound seem drawn to
unplanned and irrelevant stimuli. They react to or comment
about almost any extraneous event coming to their attention.
They are distracted from the ongoing activities and become
preoccupied with superfluous events.
a. Jerkiness

40. 
 Thrusts: this is where classroom momentum is
interrupted by any random thoughts that seem to
pop into the teachers mind. Or a sudden interruption
of a lesson activity with an irrelevant
announcements, order, statement, or question. Eg.
The class is busily engaged in independent reading
when their concentration is broken by the teacher
who says “where is Marian”?. “Wasn’t she here this
morning”? Thrusts make teacher seems oblivious
(not aware) to the class readiness to receive his/her
message or respond.

41. 
 Dangles: similar to thrust, it is the interruption that
occurs when a teacher who is involved with children
in one activity, suddenly begins another, thereby
leaving the previous one hanging in the mid air and
then returns to the original activity. (starting
something only to leave it handing or dangling. E.g
“Kofi, would you please read the first paragraph on
page 10 of the reader,” or oh class did I tell you
about the current Americans’ Trade Tower bombing
by Osaman Bin Laden?”)

42. 
 Truncations: This is when a learning activity is
begun and then suspended indefinitely. The
smoothness of a lesson is destroyed when it abruptly
dropped in favour of some unrelated activity. Eg.
The teacher responding to a phone call.

43. 
 Flip-flops: This is a negative pattern when the
teacher terminates one activity, begins a new one,
and then flops back to the original activity. E.g. the
teacher saying let me see by hand those who scored
all in the Math assignment?

44. 
 This involves any behavior of the teacher that clearly
slows down the rate of movement or progress in
activity.
 Over-dwelling: This is when the teacher continues to
focus exclusively on a single issue long after children
have a bad habit which includes preaching,
pontification, nagging, and admonition. It is
spending more time than necessary to correct an
infraction of classroom rules. Eg. Serwaa, I told you
to stop talking, if I have told you once, I have told
you several times, etc
b. Slowdowns

45. 
 Fragmentations: This is a bumpy transition where
the teacher breaks directions into several choppy
steps instead of accomplishing the instruction in one
fluid unit. E.g “put your books away, you should not
have any reader on your desk, all notes should be off
your desk, …instead of the simpler and more
effective “clear your desk of all books”.

46. 
 Give signal to indicate time to finish work
 Tell children what they should do following
transition. Eg. Tidy up your place, hand over your
work, etc.
 Plan for a few minutes relaxation before the next
lesson.
Managing transition time

47. 
 It refers to the teacher’s ability to deal with two
matters at the same time and to make transitions
between different kinds of activity smoothly without
having to stop and break the pace of classroom
activities. Eg. Pupils talking; rather than call
attention to the pupils, the teacher walks slowly
toward the while continuing the presentation.
Overlapping