The purpose of this study is to find ways to improve the vocational education for mentally retarded students through analyzing teachers' needs in special schools for mental retardation. For this purpose, this study starts from the following questions:...
The purpose of this study is to find ways to improve the vocational education for mentally retarded students through analyzing teachers' needs in special schools for mental retardation. For this purpose, this study starts from the following questions: The First is "what is the teachers' needs on the contents and curriculum implementations in vocational education?" Secondly, "what is teachers' demands on the support systems?" And the third is "what is the teachers' needs on the employment and directions of after their students graduation?"
To find out answers to these questions, 133 teachers among special schools for mental retardation in Gwangju and Junnam area were sampled and analyzed their responses(SPSS PC program package was used for analyzing). The consequences of this analysis are as follows:
Firstly, teachers responded that two kinds of curriculums should be developed separately because degrees of students' mental retardation are different. For the slightly retarded students, curriculums to cultivate abilities to obtain actual vocational techniques and skills for their later social adaptation should be taken as a long-term goal. And for the moderately retarded students, curriculums to cultivate abilities to solve realistic problems for their basic learning abilities as a long-term object. They also answered that choices of proper vocation lists for their students are possible, it should be made by consultation with school authorities and local private companies. And for this, they thought, certain teachers specialized in vocational education should be employed.
Secondly, in terms of vocationally educational implementation, teachers responded that it must be started from the middle school age. And teachers thought it is more desirable to teach theories and basic techniques from school classes, but actual and expert skills should be supported by local private companies. Teachers feel the vocational class-hours are enough, now, but they feel four to seven students are effective per each vocational class. For above improvements, they demanded on supplement to appropriate programs and proper vocation lists for their students to get actual jobs.
Thirdly, in terms of support systems, teachers hoped relationship with local private companies and their schools should be organized not only by school authorities but also by the government or the organizations for the disabled. And they also hoped to establish certain exchanging systems or programs with personnels of private companies.
And the fourth, in terms of prompting employment and directions for their students after graduation, teachers responded it is needed for slightly retarded students to get proper jobs, and for moderately retarded students are to have more opportunities to further vocational training programs. Most teachers wanted their students' employment should be through practical field training at private companies or factories.
As a conclusion, I would like to propose followings, based on consequences of this study:
First, concrete programs which could applied to various degrees of the disabled should be developed. And also, many concrete case studies on the vocational education should be researched. Second, construction of proper environment and repletion of facilities for the effective vocational education are needed. And further, discussions about plans to utilize established facilities more effectively or to use facilities outside schools. And the third, information systems could be help from related personnels and linking systems with local private companies' supports are established for the effective vocational education. In addition, local public institutions and private companies must provide more positive supports.