An Educational Program for the Auditory and Speech Defective Children in Peabody Elementary School, Hillsboro, Texas

It is significant that the radio and talking machine have made the world conscious of speech and hearing. Recognizing this, it is of great importance that we give children every opportunity to improve their speech and hearing. Talking and listening are daily habits and natural tendencies of every child, and therefore, he reflects in his own speech what he hears. Inattentiveness, undesirable attitudes, non-interest, and other poor behavior habits are shown in the classroom. Teachers many times, through observation, classify the child as one being mentally retarded. This may be the results of some unknown physical handicap of the child. It seems that an answer to the following questions will serve as a medium through which this problem may be solved: 1. To what extent will medical examinations and a well planned testing program help to detect the physical defects of the pupils in Peabody School? 2. How can the personality of these pupils be developed so as to be acceptable to society? 3. To what extent does the physical defects affect the social, emotional, and physical development, and the educational attainments of the pupils in school? 4. What are the necessary procedures for the organization, administration and financial support of a program of special education in Peabody School? This investigation and analysis were made for the following purpose: To determine as near as possible the auditory and speech defective children who need medical attention, and a special education program. In an effort to determine these defects some of the physical, social, emotional, and economical indications will be pointed out. This study has for its purpose to present some data in a concise form to the administration, parents and the community people, that will broaden their interest, and help them see the need of a program of this type in, Peabody School. This study includes fifty pupils of Peabody Elementary school, with ages ranging from six to seventeen years, and grade levels from one through eight. It is a group composed of pupils with hearing and speech defects. These may be corrected through a well planned correctional program; thereby, preventing severity of the defect. A proposed educational program for these children will be included to assure the pupils of every possible educational opportunity