The Affective/Cognitive Attitude Dimension of Teachers of Educable Mentally Retarded Minors

Abstract

From one school district 40 men and 40 women teachers of educable mentally retarded students, grades 7 to 12, were randomly selected. Each teacher completed the Preferred Student Characteristic Scale which permitted the ascertainment of teacher attitude in terms of affective and cognitive goals. The purpose was to determine the effects of and interactions between teachers’ years of classroom experience, different secondary levels and experience with EMR's, and sex differences on cognitive/affective attitudes of teachers. Results were treated by analysis of variance. This study supports the view that special class teachers consider personal and social adjustment aspects of the educative process of major importance when compared to subject matter acquisition.