| Abstract [eng] |
The work presents a theoretical analysis of the situation of SEN children’s integration into comprehensive schools and their mathematical abilities. The hypothesis raised in this work, i.e. that the mathematical abilities of slightly mentally deficient 10th formers at special and comprehensive schools are very much similar, has been approved. An investigation has been carried out in a survey method with a purpose to evaluate the mathematical abilities at the period of graduating from the basic school of slightly mentally deficient 10th formers’ at different educational institutions. A quantitative data analysis has been made. Sixty 10th formers from different schools in Lithuania (30 children from comprehensive schools, and 30 from special education schools) have been investigated, as well as 20 teachers from comprehensive schools, that work with slightly mentally deficient children, have been interviewed. The empiric part of the work deals with slightly mentally deficient children’s from special education schools and those who are integrated in the comprehensive schools level of mathematical knowledge. The following are the main conclusions drawn from the empiric investigation: 1. After comparing slightly mentally deficient children’s from both groups abilities to absorb the information at maths, it turned out that these abilities are rather equal, and the difference, if any, is so little, that it only supports the idea that children’s from the special education schools abilities are very similar to those that are integrated into comprehensive schools. Children from special schools tend to solve the practical and real-time tasks better than the ones that are integrated. This can be explained due to practical-minded approach at the special schools. 2. Teachers at comprehensive schools do not stick to the limits of special programs and expand slightly mentally deficient children’s scope with regular programs. 3. The results of the investigation reveal the relation between teachers’ efforts in teaching a certain mathematical topic and children’s abilities to absordb the information. However, teachers pay a proper attention to the relevance of a certain topic to those children’s life. Pedagogues know their pupils’ abilities, thus it is fair enough to dismiss slightly mentally deficient children with the most complex mathematical topics that would not occur those pupils’ life. 4. The law, No. 1329/368/98, issued on July 12, 2002, by the Ministers of Education and Science, Health Security, and Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania, suggesting that whilst working with slightly mentally deficient children it is recommended to match regular and special programmes, has proven to work effectively. |
