Dealing with individual differences

Unit 3.4

DEALING WITH INDIVIDUAL

DIFFERENCES

Name of Teacher Trainee: Shantadurga NaikRoll. No: 62Subject: Psychology ITopic: Dealing with individual differencesCollege: Nirmala Institute of Education, AlthinoDate:25/10/2013To be approved by: Ms. Vida SequieraBatch: 2013-2014

Introduction

There are a variety of individual differences that must be of concern toclassroom teachers. Some of the most prominent are academic ability(or intelligence), achievement level, gender, learning style, and ethnicityand culture.

It is difficult to define the term of individual differences it carries distinctmeaning like they deviates, physically, intellectually and socially somarked by from normal growth & developmental that they cannot bebenefited from regular classroom programme and needs special treatmentat school.

They being classified into:

1. Physically Handicapped

2. Mentally Handicapped/challenged

3. Gifted Students/children

4. Socially handicapped

5. Delinquents

6. Emotionally Disturbed

7. Children’s with learning abilities

Children with learning disabilities

Definition

“Learning disability is general or partial underachievement or inadequate

performance below the individual ability and developmental level.”

Important feature Describing

Have powerful imagination and thoughts

Unable to express them or enact them

Do not have coordination between their intellectual abilities and motor

activities

Perceptual difficulties

Retentive ability is poor due to poor attention span and quick shifting of

attention

Lack of language skills shows behavioural disorders like hyperactivity,

possess knowledge of concrete experiences

Lack of systematic way of thinking , dressing, keeping the things in

maintenance of the body

inability in social skills such as reading and writing

EDUCATIONAL PROVISION

The fundamental reading abilities and skills are to be developed with care. Such skills

are word recognition, obtaining word meanings, comprehension & interpretation,

reading silently at suitable speed, oral reading and use of books.

Motivation with exciting action stories of adventure

Individual attention should be given for their esteem & involvement.

The remedial teaching process involves initial survey of difficulties, physical or

sensory defects, attitudes, analysis of psychological profile, specific problems such as

reversals , word calling, guessing & other.

The after school classes for the disabled in hearing.

Help from pupil provides close & frank way of dealing with incomprehensible

material.

Parallel organization of classes of all the sections where advanced learners having

merit interact with less performing or learning difficulties of children.

Emotionally disturbed children

Definition

Emotionally disturbed children can be defined with certain characteristics such as

“hyperactivity, withdrawn behaviour, failure to achieve at a level reasonably commensurate

with ability, tendency towards fighting and other aggressive behaviour, resentment and

antagonism towards authority and rules and regulations, general problems in learning &

concentrating, not associated with known organic or sensory defects” (Phillips, 1967).


1. An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health

factors.

2. An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with

peers and teachers.

3. Inappropriate types of behaviour or feelings under normal circumstances.

4. A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.

5. A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or

school problems.

Educational Provision

• Establish open, accepting environment.

• Clearly state class rules and consequences.

• Emphasize positive behaviours and program for success.

• Reinforce positive behaviour.

• Supply extra opportunities for success.

• Be tolerant.

• Use good judgment.

• Teach social skills.

• Teach self-control, self-monitoring, and conflict resolution.

• Teach academic survival skills.

• Teach positive attributions.

• Carefully select partners.

• Have alternative activities available.

• Design activity checklists.

• Use carefully selected peers as assistants.

• Have groups of “one.”

• Use behavioural contracts.

Gifted studentsDefinition

According to W. B. Kolesnik “the term gifted has been applied to every child

who, in his group, is superior in some ability which may make him an

outstanding contribution to the welfare and quality living in our society”.


Physically better than the average children

Have mental superiority

Entertain many sided interests.

They are more trustworthy and sincere and less inclined to boast of their

knowledge.

They receive high grades.

Have more positive attitudes

They participate in more curricular activities.

They are more mature in their reaction to external world.

Exercise greater independence.

Express greater ego-strength.

Well adjusted.

More confident.

More successful.

More concerned with abstract ideas.


There are three main approaches used for gifted children:

1. Acceleration Approach: Its an old approach for gifted children where school

process of educational programmes like early entrance to school, skipping entire

grades, doing more work per year being preferred.

2. Enrichment Approach: In this approach the enrichment of curriculum must be

both qualitative and quantitative.

• It should represent an extension of general educational objectives and generate

stimulating learning environment both in school and outside the school

• It should place a special emphasis on creative ability, insight and social

responsibilities

• It should promote basic fundamental skills knowledge, appreciation and

creativity and so on.

3. Special Group Approach: Any of the following could be provided:

• Placing the gifted child in special school

• Self-contained special classes within the regular schools

• Offering advanced courses for superior students

• Offering honours courses

Mentally challenged students

DefinitionMentally challenged students or Mental retardation is a developmental disability that

first appears in children under the age of 18. It is defined as an intellectual

functioning level (as measured by standard tests for intelligence quotient) that is well

below average and significant limitations in daily living skills (adaptive functioning).

According to American Association n Mental Deficiency (1983) defines mental

retardation as “significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning existing

concurrently with deficits in adaptive behaviour & manifested during the

developmental period”.

A classification of the mentally subnormal levels by American Association On Mental

DeficiencyCLASS I.Q. LEVELS

Borderline cases 70 - 84Mild cases(educable) 55 - 69Moderate cases(trainable) 40 - 54Severely deficient 25 - 39Highly severe below 25

Important features describingThey can be identified by the way they conduct at home or school.

• They do not have clear speech ability and communication

• They are inattentive & poor in comprehension

• They are poor in memory

• Their language development is low

• They cant carry on abstract thinking & reasoning

• They cannot solve their social problems and their problem solving

ability is poor

• They are not good at imagination & creativity and have low

learning abilities.

• They are not good at social skills and they respond quickly to the

praises and rewards

• They don’t have emotional balance

• They are not symmetrical in their body parts and their

developmental is not proportionate.

• They have complexity in doing their work.


• Their learning should be facilitated by their first-hand experiences, experimentation or

learning by doing rather than mere verbal abstract learning opportunities.

• Visual aids and visual cues in teaching help in clearer and faster learning & long term

memory.

• Repetition of the lesson in strengthening of the impression and in recall for further

stabilization.

• They should be thought to develop self-help skills like independent eating, dressing

,washing, etc.

• Late teaching of academic skills by delaying up to 10-11 years.

• They should be trained in unskilled jobs to take up any future vocation.

• Training to be given to acquire social skills like greeting people, following of road rules,

etc.

• They must be given rewards for being involved in training programmes. They should be

given encouragement in communicating & responding questions and involvement in work

and activities.

Conclusion

Every human being is being different in physically as well as mentally. So when we

consider students they also have individual differences. Some are normal and some

are exceptional. Thus when it comes to dealing this individual differences of such

exceptional children one should know their description. So some of the exceptional

students/ children are being described

They are Children with Learning disabilities, Gifted students, emotionally disturbed

children and mentally challenged students where some of the educational provision

can be given in order to improve their life.

References

Books:

1. Sharma R. A. Psychology of Teaching-Learning Process. 2006-07 Edition; R. Lall

Book Depot. Meerut. Pg. No.-434-444,502-514

2. Aggarwal J.C. Essentials of Educational Psychology. First Edition;1994. Vikas

Publishing House ; New Delhi.

Websites

1. EmotionalDisturbances.http://www.education.com/reference/article/emotional-

disturbance/?page=2

2. GiftedKids.http://giftedkids.about.com/od/educationoptions/u/education.htm

3. MentalRetardation.http://www.people.vcu.edu/~bhammel/special/types/mental_re

tardation.htm

4. MentalRetardation.http://www.people.vcu.edu/~bhammel/special/types/mental_re

tardation.htm

THANK YOU