Economic education – Children with slight intellectual disabilities on the road to adulthood

Abstract

The article presents the issue of children and adolescents with slight intellectual disabilities acquiring basic economic skills. Their taking on the roles of the participants of socioeconomic reality in adulthood requires training in an area that is neglected in school and home education. In the contemporary world, preparing a conscious consumer and participant of the economy, starting from the earliest age, becomes one of the most important tasks of education. That is why the economic education/socialization of children with slight intellectual disabilities should start early – from gradually introducing them into the world of a small household economy in the family and educational interventions at school. The article provides both a definition and a short description of the economic socialization of children; it also presents study findings regarding the understanding of the monetary system by children with intellectual disabilities and their ability to count money in buy/sell situations as well as findings and educational guidelines on the economic education of children with intellectual disabilities, including parents’ role in teaching children to manage their pocket money in a rational way.