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Teaching the retarded

Kathryn A. Blake

Cover of Teaching the retarded

Teaching the retarded

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Kathryn A. Blake

Reading Level 7 12LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.

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About This Book

Have you ever wondered how teachers help kids who learn differently? Imagine stepping into a classroom where every lesson is a new adventure, designed just for you. What challenges and surprises will this special learning journey bring?

Quick Assessment

This educational fiction explores the challenges and methods of teaching children with mental disabilities, providing insight into specialized instructional strategies across various subjects. Aimed at middle-grade readers, it sensitively addresses themes of inclusion and personalized learning without graphic content. Parents should note the use of outdated terminology in the title and be prepared to discuss respectful language with children.

Why we rated Teaching the retarded 12LE

Teaching the retarded is written at a Level 7 reading level across 393 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Teaching the retarded works for readers up to grade 9.0.

We rate Teaching the retarded as 12LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.

Thematically, Teaching the retarded explores education, disability representation, coming of age, and family — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

  • Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
  • Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
  • Kids drawn to stories about education, disability representation, coming of age.
  • Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.

Maybe not for

  • ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
  • ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.

For Parents

Content Intensity

12LE — Light — Emotional
Emotional
Light
Physical
Clear
Social
Light
Thematic
Light

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

1/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

3/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
6
Emotional Weight
4
Theme Richness
4
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

393 pages
ISBN
0138952760
Pages
393
Publisher
Prentice Hall
Published
1974
Type
Nonfiction

Genres

Subjects

Children With Mental DisabilitiesEducationEducation of Mentally RetardedTeachingChildren With Mental Disabilities, EducationEducation of Intellectually Disabled