1. Self help skillsthis is s primarylearning task each individualis expeected to acquire. Self-help skills assist individuals to live a happier and more productive lives when they are able to manage themselves alone.Activities of daily living or ADL are those skills whic pertain to the care of self such as the following:a. feeding b. dressing. c. toileting d. grooming and hygiene

2. Social skills

social competence bears particular significance even for the Filipino mentally handicapped individual. But this seems to be a prevailing deficit of the mentally handicapped. The acquisition of social skills will lead them to function in an environment where they can be acceptedfor what they are and behave appropriately in social situations.To attain these, the following should be developed:a. Attending skills b. self-awareness c. self at play d. self at work

There are some guidelines which take into consideration personal independence and increased self-concept. These are as follows:

a. Always plan activities whic allow for social interaction.b. Establish classroom rules and boundaries.c. be consistent.d. Be repetitive as it assists the learning processs.d. provide opportunity for self- control among clients.e.Avoid tension-producing situations.f. Let studenst commit errors for those are all parts of the learning process.g. Accentuate the positive aspects of a client's behavior.h. Maintain a good relationship with the client.i. Make use of experience as a practical teaching opportunity.

3. Perceptual Motor Skills

Basic perceptual-motor skills to be developed are as follow:

a. locomotor b. non-locomotor c. manipulative d. sensory-motor integration e. perception

4. Communication Skills Language has always been the most delayed among the mentally handicapped. But useful and constructive communication is essential to a child's growth . Though the maturation process cannot be accelerated, activities can be structured and manipulated in order to ensure development. It is within this premise that the following have to be developed: a. listening/receptive skills b. speaking/expressive skills. c. reading/decoding skills d. writing skills

5. Number skills

Acquiring number skills give order to daily living. It allows an individual to organize his life. Especially with the retarded, it is important for them to learn to count, to compute, to measure, to tell time and others. These will equip the M.M.H. client with the skills necessary for independent living. This will also allow him to earn his own living, to keep house, and to eventually manage a family. With this in mind, the following skills are emphasized more than the regular math curriculum:

a. object discrimination skills b. number concept skills c. measurement/fraction skills d.decimals/money skills

In developing math skills, basic guidelines have to be observed such as :

a. Be very precise in giving instructions.b. Identify all given and final answers. Ask client to explain his answers, ensuring the teacher that the student understood the problem well.c. Always relate math problems with real life experiences.d. always keep in mind that any math work a client will do should have a bearing in his future independent life.e. Praise client for even the smallest achievement, as math is a difficult subject to understand.f. Acquisition of functional math skills is a key to a functional life for mentally retarded.

6. Pre-Vocational Skills

These are skills that refine a client's motor skills. They train students to group and sort, fold, cut, fasten and/or staple. Moreover, these skills develop an individual's manual dexterity and coordination.At the same time, Pre-vocational instruction should also be a preparation for future work. This means a client must have appropriate work attitudes.Therfor, Pre-Vocational skills cover the following areas:

a. fine motor b. training and work readiness skills c. work skills

7. Vocational Skills

This is a learning area which will prepare and equip the client with actual work skills. Client has to be closely monitored as to what kind of job he will most likely succeed in. It is also this area which will determine the kind of job and the kind of monitoring to be done with him. This will also determine if a client would succeed in sheltered workshops or out in competitive employment. This is preparatory to a transitionary life skill in the community.

The objectives in this area have been divided according to the type of jobs available in the market. Therefore, the Vocational program is composed of the following:

a. General Cleaning and Sanitation Service skills. b. Fastfood Service Skills c. Industrial Service Skills d. Agriculture Skills

It is advised that the program be strictly observed to test the validity of the skills to be developed. Each service skill has been subdivided into 3-4 parts according to levels.

For level I , a client has to go through the preparation, actual work and cleaning up stages. For Levels II and III , all stages have been included but with an additional work experience stage.

The only important guideline that has to be followed and met is to treat the client like an adult and not like a child . This will assure the client of everyone's ultimate goal to make him make it on his own as an individual independent adult living in the normal world.

8. Community Integration and Independent Living

This is the part of the curriculum which prepares the client for independent living or living alone or away from his parents. This should go in hand with the Vocational skills Area. If a client is trained for work, he should likewise be trained to work at homeand in the community.

Along this area, the client is trained to market, to budget, or to travel alone. He should not only be economically independent but at the same time be functionally free to go about on his own.

D.