Classroom Management of Mental Retardation

Abstract

Mental retardation is one of the major human development problems of our time. The consequences of mental retardation in the general population are alarming and devastating. Even the cost of managing the disorder cannot be met or borne by so many whose children are afflicted. Some people whose children are suffering from the disorder are handicapped and don’t know what to do about it. It is based on this premise that the authors decided to bring this ugly trend to the awareness of many Nigerians especially school administrators. The paper started by examining the meaning of the disorder. The authors went ahead to enumerate the different classifications of mental retardation as well as the signs, symptoms and causes of this disorder. The paper ended by suggesting some practical ways the school administration and government can help in training these children thereby reducing the occurrence and prevalence of this disorder which is highly incurably by the present scientific knowledge.

Key words: Mental retardation, classroom management, disability