MODERN APPROACHES TO ACTIVATING MENTAL FUNCTIONS IN CHILDREN WITH MENTAL DELAY IN INCLUSIVE SCHOOL CLASSES

Abstract

The number of children with developmental disabilities is increasing not only in Ukraine, but also throughout the world. These developmental disorders affect all areas of the child’s activity, motor, mental, intellectual with a wide variety of pathologies, from motor disorders to Down syndrome and mental retardation. The increase in the number of children with developmental disabilities is a significant social problem, which explains the need for their integration into society and public life. The correction of children with special psychophysical development is based on the experience of most European countries, which involves the education of these children in inclusive comprehensive schools at their place of residence. For this, innovative methods and technologies are needed, which are focused on the child individual characteristics, which motivate and activate the cognitive sphere of children, allow them to believe in their own strength, and contribute to the realization of opportunities. The purpose of the study is the formation of mental functions in schoolchildren with mental retardation in inclusive school classes. The study was conducted with 10 children aged 8 years, students of the first grade a special general education school with mental retardation, in order to analyze the level formation of their mental processes. At the first stage we investigated indicators of the mental formation functions, which included the level of spatial ideas development and spatial orientation, the level of visual memory development, the level of attention development, diagnosis of thinking, the level of development and degree of flexibility. The correctional and developmental program we used consisted of exercises, tasks and games using innovative technologies such as isotherapy, sand therapy, kinesitherapy, and Su-Jok therapy. The program, which was used during the school year, was aimed at the comprehensive development of children, at improving indicators of such mental functions as memory, imagination, attention, thinking, spatial concepts and orientation. Thanks to the performed correction, the development of various mental processes and the state of the nervous system among schoolchildren have improved significantly. Hyperexcitability and violent reactions to remarks decreased, children became more active, less tearful, friendlier to their peers. It became easier for children to learn to read and not make gross mistakes, the rudiments of emotionality and expressiveness appeared. The comparative analysis indicates that the level of formation of mental functions in children with mental retardation has improved on average from 20% to 40%, and the degree of development of flexibility of imagination has improved by up to 60%.