The Study of Improving Prewriting Skills through Simplified Teaching Techniques for Mild Intellectual Disability (Mental Retardation) Ramakrishnan M Occupational Therapist, Psychiatry Department, JIPMER, Gorimedu Post, Pondicherry, India (South) Online published on 19 June, 2015. Abstract Background study The prewriting skills are important to be assessed because writing as the predominant task for the elementary school children. Intervention in prewriting skills is useful as it can help in the production of legible handwriting. Previous studies are done in normal kinder garden children. However no studies are in intellectually disability (mental retardation). This study was planned because of the value of prewriting skills training has not been special explored in children with mental retardation. Aims and objectives To evaluate the present level of prewriting skills. To set realistic goals to improve the next prewriting skill. To facilitate the get through simplified teaching technique. To re-evaluate his prewriting skills. To reinforce his newly learnt prewriting skills. Methodology A prewriting skill assessment form was made. Bala Vihar, where the study was done. The inclusion criteria were The entire subject should have only mild intellectual disability (Mentally Retardation). The entire subject should be institutionalized at Bala Vihar. The entire subject should not receive any other interventions for drawing in the same institution.
The exclusion criteria are Visual impairment and auditory loss was ruled out. The researcher taught and helped the subjects to attain these goals, through simplification. Repetition was encouraged for to enhance learning skill. This method of prewriting was too implemented for the involving twenty minutes per days per student. After a week, the subjects were re-assessed with the same from which showed improvement in these prewriting skills. Results Pre intervention mean value is 5.3. Post intervention mean value is 10.25. It shows that there is significant improvement. Conclusion The difference between pre and post intervention score is 4.95. This different has proved that the prewriting skills were improved through simplified technique. Top Keywords Mild Intellectual Disability (Mental Retardation), Prewriting Skills. Top |