BACKWARD CHILDREN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 192, 22 January 1915, Page 8

BACKWARD CHILDREN.

A SCHEME FOR THEIR TUITION. .A:. 7 EDUCATIONAL ADVANCE. By Telegraph—Per Press Association, Auckland, Last Night. A new departure is about to be made by the Auckland Education Board in the direction of giving special attention to backward children. The matter was brought before the Board by the Chief Inspector, Mr E. K. Mulgan, who drew attention to various matters in connection with Training College regulations recently issued.

Mr Mulgan stated that the regulations provided for a model school consisting of i a class of backward children of school! age, with not more than 40 children on \ the roll. This he regarded as a very; essential addition to the permanent j types of model schools, as in many schools there were backward children I who required special attention. tie. referred not so much to pupils who' owed their want of progress to faulty! teaching or lack of opportunity, but • rather to those whose general intelli-' gence and attitude for acquisition of! knowledge, though not sufficiently de-' fective to warrant their enrolment in 1 special schools already provided, was dis-1 tinctly below those of the normal child. Such children were a source of much anxiety to teachers, and a fruitful cause of weakness in school progress. To treat them as normal children was fair neither to themselves nor vto the school community, and yet in irv>st cases they were 1 [so treated, for teachers had heretofore' received little or no special training in dealing with this type of child. The presence in a normal school of such a class would be a valuable addition to the machinery already in operation, and he recommended its inclusion amongst the type of model schools reouired by the regulation.

Mr Mulgan rocnw mended that details of the matter be gradually completed, so that everythr"" may lx; in readiness to begin work e»; iy next year. To this end it should be possible to procure a suitable room in the vicinity of the normay school, and arrange for its proper equipment. The salary offered for work began at £230 per annum, and rose by annual increments of £lO to £250. If the Board viewed suggestions favourably he would endeavour whilst 'in England to secure the services of someone suitably and adequately trained | for the position in the Old Country. The 1 salnry named should attract a desirable I teacher

Mr Mulgan was authorised to appoint a suitable teacher., and the report was then (idopted.