Learning Ability Profiles of Orphans with Mental Retardation as a Condition for the Development of Psychological School Readiness

The article deals with studying structural and content components of psychological readiness for school in orphaned children with mental retardation, and developing “learning ability profiles” on this basis. The author analyzes the causes of learning difficulties of orphaned children; and ways of tackling the problem are viewed. The results of a study on structural and content components of psychological readiness for school (intellectual, emotional, volitional, motivational and social) and disproportional development of these components are outlined. General and specific patterns of deviant development of orphaned children are identified. The “learning ability profiles” of orphaned children with mental retardation are described and proved to be appropriate for applying in conditions of special psychological and pedagogical support. The paper not only deals with studying specific features of orphaned children, but also examines possibilities of including psychological correctional methods developed on the basis of “learning ability profiles” into activity of institutions for orphans and children left without parental care.

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