BACKWARD STUDENTS

1. BACKWARD STUDENTS
by
Rakesh Kumar Keshari
Senior Assistant Professor
DIMS,Meerut

2. Introduction
One of the problems which every headmaster or
teacher of the secondary school has to face in that of
teaching backwards children — children who show
inability to progress normally in school work. It is being
increasingly realized that such children need special
care at the hands of school authorities, parents and
others. The problem of educating backward children
has joined vast dimensions with the advent of
democracy in most countries and the consequent
acceptance of the principle of “education for all the
children of all the people.”

3. Meaning
A Backward child as the name indicates is
one who falls far behind other children of
his age in matters of study. ... Backward
children are also called “Educationally
Retarded Children”. Backward children are
those who cannot keep pace with the class
of their age.

4. Definitions of Backwardness:
“Backward pupil is one who compared with other pupils
the same chronological age shows marked educational
deficiency.” — Schonnel, F.J
“The Backward child is one who is unable to do the work
of the class next below that which is normal for his age.”
—Cyril Burt
“Backwardness in general, is applied to cases where
their educational attainment falls below the level of their
natural abilities.” — Burton Hall
.

5. Types of Backwardness:
Backwardness among children is of two types:
1. General backwardness:
When a child remains unsuccessful in every subject included in the
curriculum, he is said to be a case of general backwardness. This
means all-round backwardness It is almost inherited and is due to a
low I.Q. which may be between 50-70.
2. Specific backwardness:
When the child exhibits lack of progress or backwardness in a
particular subject or a specific area of knowledge, he is said to be
suffering from specific backwardness. This is the case, which is
backward in mathematics but fairly intelligent in other subjects. The
child is otherwise intelligent, but is weak in mathematics. Removal
of particular backwardness is easier than removal of general
backwardness, because the former is a hopeful case. His being
intelligent in other subjects, is a hopeful sign.

6. Who is a Backward Child?
A backward child is a slow learner. He is unable to do the work
of the class in which he is placed or even of the class below
that. He does not respond satisfactorily to the ordinary school
curriculum and to the usual methods and procedures of the
classroom teaching. He is not up to the attainment levels in
various subjects which are normal for his age or grade. Burt
describes a backward Child as one who in mid-school career is
unable to do the work of the class next below that which is
normal for his age.His educational ratio, which can be obtained
by first ascertaining the average attainment level or age in all
the subjects and then dividing it by his chronological age, is
below 85 whereas a medium child has educational ratio or
quotient between 85 and 155. The main feature of
backwardness is educational impoverishment.

7. CONT…
The educational impoverishment may be shown in one or two
specific subjects or in all subjects or in general. Accordingly
backwardness may be other specific or general. Slowness in
arithmetic, spelling or history, in learning, reading, geography or
science may be due to intellectual deficiency or dullness, but
there are many children who are scholastically backward but not
dull. Those who are generally backward are dull in all the
subjects or intellectual activities, although not equally.
Although backwardness is primarily an intellectual or scholastic
condition it is a psychological characteristic that arises from and
affects the pupil’s entire personality. It results from a complex of
innate equipment and environmental influences. It is tantamount
to psychological failure of the total child.

8. Characteristic of Backward Child
1-Low intelligence
2-Mental or different complexes
3-Dependent behavior
4-Slow Learner
5-Unplanned activities
6-Slow growth and development
7-Feeling of pessimism
8-Anti-social tendencies
9-Lack of decision-making abilities
10-Mental age is smaller than chronological age

9. Causes of Backwardness:
Burt, Schonnel and Segal have made very
comprehensive studies in the causation of
backwardness. One thing on which all agree is that it
is a phenomenon of multiple causation.
1. Poor intellectual ability or low intelligence:
Poor intellectual ability or low intelligence in a major
factor in 60 percent of cases. Some children are born
with an inherited lack of vitality or a week
developmental impulse which causes them to grow
slowly.

10. 2. Physical defects and diseases:
Physical defects and diseases contribute considerably to
the causation of scholastic backwardness. These may be
defective vision, impaired hearing, speech defects, left-
backwardness, chronic catarrh, bronchitis, enlarged
tonsils or adenoids, fever, digestive disorders and other
glandular affections. Other physical conditions which
cause debility, headache and mental fatigue and seriously
interfere with the problems of attendance in school and
study at home and result in sub-normal scholastic
achievement are malnutrition, tuberculosis, epileploid
conditions and chorea.

11. 3. Again, poverty, poor home condition:
Again, poverty, poor home condition such as
over-crowding, insanitation, negative
intellectual and emotional atmosphere may
not enable the child to do his best in studies.
Crowded homes, suffer from one serious
defect apart from noise and lack of
amenities-they provide very meagre parental
contacts for encouragement and stimulation.

12. 4. Emotional disturbance:
Our experience with such children tells us that one of the
important factors is the emotional disturbance of the child on
account of unhappy, interpersonal relationships at home or in
school.
Recently, a girl was brought to our clinic by her father because she
had failed to achieve anything scholastically inspite of his best
efforts. He was desperate and wanted help. The girl was 12 year
old and was still in class III. She had been sent to a good progress
in school for a number of years. The parents had arranged for her
a number of individual tuitions as well. Her health status was very
satisfactory.

13. 5. The influence of Neighbourhood:
The influence of neighbourhood is another factor which might
contribute to the problem of educational sub-normality in children.
Companions may colour their outlook on life, on work or studies.
In some questions, for example, boys regard it as more manly to
profess a distaste for books and lessons. They express scorn for the
teacher and make fun if “learning” or “conscientiousness in
studies”. Such attitudes will damp the enthusiasm of a
conscientious student in his efforts to study.
Children who belong to rural areas are likely to acquire attitudes of
indifference to matters of study from their parents whose
motivations are not favourably inclined towards sending children
to school.

14. Observation method
Mental test
Achievement test
Personality inventory and
case study
Identification of Backward Children

15. How Do We Discover and Diagnose Backwardness?
A teacher should be a keen observer to be able to say whether a
particular child is backward or not. Besides the ability to observe,
he needs to have an understanding of other diagnostic techniques.
For ascertaining general intelligence we can depend on
standardized, verbal and un-verbal individual tests of intelligence.
For assessing sensory acuity, span of perception, steadiness, speed
and accuracy of head movements, other tests may be used. Tests
of temperament and personality may be useful in ascertaining
persistence, assertiveness, attention to details, concentration,
attitudes to authority towards school work and emotional
stability.

16. Cont..
Even projective techniques of personality may be used for
assessing conflictual situations and their causes. Standardised
attainments tests in various subjects are found useful in forming a
correct estimate of the child’s actual attainments in a particular
subject as compared to other children.
Observation of the child’s mind at work under simple and
controllable conditions in the classroom may be very much needed
for diagnostic purposes. His recreational, occupational and extra-
curricular interests may also be ascertained through observation
and interviews.
A knowledge of his physical and medical check-up results, of home
conditions, of family constellation, parental attitudes of the type of
discipline prevailing, the cultural activities encouraged and the
general moral tone of the home may also be useful in
understanding the causes.

17. Educational Guidance of the Backward Child:
In order to help educationally a backward child, it is necessary to
find out, at first, the cause or causes of his backwardness. Once
the cause or causes have been discovered, we should plan an
integrated course of action with a view to educating him.
The school doctor, parents, teachers, a visiting teacher, if any, a
school social worker if any, the school counsellor or psychologist
all should work together in order that the correct causes are
discovered and remedies are made available.
Many of the lessons learned by children have to be unlearned,
before they can understand the advanced subject-matter. For
this “remedial teaching” is needed which can be done either
with an individual or with a small group of children.