| Although there may be differences because | | | | They are likely to only be able to handle one |
| situations vary, there are common characteristics in | | | | instruction at a time. |
| children with mental retardation issues. | | | | Sometimes they will use words that they have heard |
| They have difficulty remaining focused. They have | | | | before without knowing what they mean, because |
| difficulty with attention and they look around the | | | | they are mimicking others. This is natural. Ask them |
| room. Keep reminding them to look at you. This | | | | what the word means. Help give them verbal |
| focuses them back on you and what you are saying. | | | | language. |
| Remind them gently that looking at the person that | | | | They may use pronouns (I, you, me) inappropriately, |
| is speaking is paying attention to the person that is | | | | and it will be up to you to help them to figure out |
| talking | | | | who they are talking about. |
| They will have difficulty staying on task with things | | | | They may answer questions that you feel are |
| they do not enjoy (e.g. homework, chores, etc). | | | | beyond their ability level. But don't resist answering |
| Gently redirection back to the task, while making | | | | them. They will notice, and this will frustrate them |
| sure that they are looking directly at you when you | | | | too. Do your best to bring it to their level and not |
| make this redirection will be important. | | | | make your answer too complex. |
| They will tend not to hear as much when not looking | | | | The rigid though processes of mentally retarded |
| directly at you because they are not attending to | | | | children make it difficult to learn from mistakes. This |
| what you are saying. Their attention is divided | | | | can result in counter-productive behaviors. They have |
| between what you are saying and whatever they | | | | problems with generalizing and need help with taking |
| are looking at. | | | | one situation and using the information from that |
| Children coping with mental retardation issues have | | | | situation for the other situations. For example, when |
| difficulty with both expressing themselves and | | | | learning about social skills, I would work with one skill |
| understanding what is being said to them. | | | | until they learn that skill. Then I add a skill until they |
| Furthermore, they get frustrated and confused when | | | | learn the new skill. Then I add situations until they can |
| they can't express what they want to say. Tell them | | | | add situation themselves without cuing. The more |
| that it's okay, slow down, take a deep breath, and | | | | difficult the task, and the more effort involved, the |
| start over. Be patient. They may have difficulty | | | | more difficulty they are going to have, the more the |
| understanding:directions or proceduresrapid | | | | task is going to be divided into smaller pieces. |
| speechcomplex sentences or instructionsabstract | | | | Repetition is the key here. When you teach a social |
| concepts - very concrete and focused on the here | | | | skill or an anger management skill, repeat the |
| and now | | | | different scenarios over and over, take a break, then |
| It is important to recognize that the things you say | | | | do it all over again. The next week, repeat the |
| may need to be repeated several times and in | | | | process. Think about when you had to learn your |
| several different ways. Give one instruction at a time. | | | | multiplication tables. You repeated them over an over. |
| When they complete that instruction or understand | | | | The information needs to be repeated over and |
| that one concept, then give the next instruction. | | | | over. |