Malling-Hansen's period as a principal at the Royal Institute for the Deaf, from 1865 to 1890, was a period of change and new ideas.
Malling-Hansen very soon understood that the teaching of deaf-mutes was ineffective because of the large variation of the pupils' abilities.
Some of them were totally deaf and had no speech ability, and some were what we today would call mentally retarded.
Others had a slight hearing ability, and could also speak.
From Malling-Hansen came, in 1867, a proposal to divide the pupils into 3 different groups, depending on their abilities.
Malling-Hansen also saw to it that the newest pedagogical method, the speech method (reading of the lips) was put into use for the group called the not originally deaf; those who had a limited hearing ability and could also speak.
The sign method was still to be used when teaching the group called the originally deaf, those who had no hearing ability and no language, and the mentally retarded.
Together with the Keller Institutions, the Royal Institute divided these groups between them.
The Institute was to educate the originally deaf, and the Keller Institutions the not originally deaf and the mentally retarded.

Malling-Hansen also wanted to improve the conditions under which the deaf-mutes lived.
This was in a very early stage of the educational system, and the understanding of children's needs to play and to relax was not very developed.
They had to get up at 5 o'clock in the morning, and in addition to the teaching they had to work in the workshops of the school in late hours.
The death rate was extreme, and in the first period of the Institute, from 1824 until 1839, one-third of all the children died, mostly of lung diseases.
Malling-Hansen understood that the main reason for the lung diseases, was the lack of space in the school - there were too many children in a too small area.
He therefore came up with the proposal to set up a new building, and also to install electricity, but unfortunately both proposals were refused by the authorities.
But Malling-Hansen made sure to take into use all possible areas of the school, and he made improvements and enlarged the outside garden, and all children regularly worked with gardening, the girls more than the boys, as things were in those days.
In Malling-Hansen's time as principal, the death rate sunk drastically among the children, and in the last periods of his time the death rate was lower than in the similar population of hearing children.
In 1879 Malling-Hansen made a proposal to establish a new Institute in Jylland, and this time his plans were realized, and in 1881 the Royal Institute for the Deaf-mutes in Fredericia was founded.

Malling-Hansen was a man who had great impact on the development of the Danish and also the Nordic educational system of his time.
He was often used in public committees, and in 1890, shortly before his death, he held a lecture about the development of the education of the deaf-mutes on a large inter-Nordic conference in Copenhagen.
His care and concern for the deaf children, who were among the weakest of the society, was unique, and they showed their appreciation by attending his funeral in 1890 in great numbers.
They had lost a father figure and a true friend.
Malling-Hansen's period as a principal at the Royal Institute for the Deaf, from 1865 to 1890, was a period of change and new ideas. Malling-Hansen very soon understood that the teaching of deaf-mutes was ineffective because of the large variation of the pupils' abilities. Some of them were totally deaf and had no speech ability, and some were what we today would call mentally retarded. Others had a slight hearing ability, and could also speak. From Malling-Hansen came, in 1867, a proposal to divide the pupils into 3 different groups, depending on their abilities. Malling-Hansen also saw to it that the newest pedagogical method, the speech method (reading of the lips) was put into use for the group called the not originally deaf; those who had a limited hearing ability and could also speak. The sign method was still to be used when teaching the group called the originally deaf, those who had no hearing ability and no language, and the mentally retarded. Together with the Keller Institutions, the Royal Institute divided these groups between them. The Institute was to educate the originally deaf, and the Keller Institutions the not originally deaf and the mentally retarded.
Malling-Hansen also wanted to improve the conditions under which the deaf-mutes lived. This was in a very early stage of the educational system, and the understanding of children's needs to play and to relax was not very developed. They had to get up at 5 o'clock in the morning, and in addition to the teaching they had to work in the workshops of the school in late hours. The death rate was extreme, and in the first period of the Institute, from 1824 until 1839, one-third of all the children died, mostly of lung diseases. Malling-Hansen understood that the main reason for the lung diseases, was the lack of space in the school - there were too many children in a too small area. He therefore came up with the proposal to set up a new building, and also to install electricity, but unfortunately both proposals were refused by the authorities. But Malling-Hansen made sure to take into use all possible areas of the school, and he made improvements and enlarged the outside garden, and all children regularly worked with gardening, the girls more than the boys, as things were in those days. In Malling-Hansen's time as principal, the death rate sunk drastically among the children, and in the last periods of his time the death rate was lower than in the similar population of hearing children. In 1879 Malling-Hansen made a proposal to establish a new Institute in Jylland, and this time his plans were realized, and in 1881 the Royal Institute for the Deaf-mutes in Fredericia was founded.
Malling-Hansen was a man who had great impact on the development of the Danish and also the Nordic educational system of his time. He was often used in public committees, and in 1890, shortly before his death, he held a lecture about the development of the education of the deaf-mutes on a large inter-Nordic conference in Copenhagen. His care and concern for the deaf children, who were among the weakest of the society, was unique, and they showed their appreciation by attending his funeral in 1890 in great numbers. They had lost a father figure and a true friend.
Rasmus Malling-Hansen