ABSTRACT

The difficulties of the 'remedial' pupils may be short- or long-term, general or specific to certain subjects, and they will consequently demand organization and methods of great variety and flexibility. The concept of remedial education as a special form of teaching has thus considerable ramifications. The origins of the work seem to have been with the mental health movement. However, the National Association for Remedial Education puts the work definitely in the educational camp, stating that their professional concern is for 'that part of special educational treatment which takes place outside special schools'. An angle is provided by the common comment that the term 'remedial' is nothing more than a euphemism to disguise the bleak and uncomfortable fact that children of low ability and little promise are largely involved. Other titles covering slow learners' classes are even more obvious attempts to sugar the pill by providing bland descriptions.