Successful Ministry to the Retarded[ETowns] - Elmer Towns

Since the retardate is unlikely to ever develop a normal-sounding voice, ateacher must never criticize the sound which he makes in a genuine effort toexpress himself. These sounds will characteristically be of an abnormally high ormonotonously low pitch, hoarse or raspy, loud or soft. The last four qualities mayhave their basis in permanent damage to the vocal and hearing organs. Forexample, the Mongoloid typically has a harsh voice with little range of pitch, 3 averbal deficit which is due in some measure to structural defects in and around themouth. Another child may speak loudly because he has lost some of his hearingand is raising his voice in an effort to hear himself. 4Some trainables use their voice regardless of the fact that no one canunderstand them; they are trying to communicate and make their desires knownwithout words. Seven-year-old Tammy constantly screamed for attention becauseshe found it to be a remarkably effective means of making her wishes known. 5 Itdid not necessarily imply unhappiness or displeasure, for she employed it to relatea simple request or to get permission. Teachers used a combination of discipline,praise and energy-consuming physical activity to help Tammy learn not to expressherself by screaming. They expected her to progress slowly, and she did. One ofher teachers explains the kind of attitude which is necessary when dealing with thetrainable and his behavioral problems:I couldn't take the noise away from Tammy, but she herself stoppedit when she could beat on the drum and participate in large muscleactivities with the more mature pupils in class. We must have thestability not to take away what the children bring to us, whether it isdestructive or not. We must accept them where they are and turnthem toward constructive behavior. Before you can take anythingaway, you should have something with which to replace it. 6Some Christian educators in the field of retardation do not feel that children withextreme behavioral problems should be enrolled in a regular Sunday school classuntil their behavior has been modified in special education classes or at home.However, when Sunday school teachers have special training to handle the retarded,the child may receive the help he needs in class.Trainables often use reactionary behavior because, as illustrated above, no oneever helped them to learn a different mode of communication. A pupil may becomeaggressive, hostile, or withdrawn when he fails in efforts to express himself. Sometrainables, such as those who cannot hear, simply retreat and isolate themselves.Teachers can often break the hostility of the nearly deaf child, as well as those whocannot talk, by making sure that he understands, by teaching him to control his ownemotions when he does not understand, and by including him in everything.