Chapter 5 - Individual Differences and Special Educational Needs

WHAT?
This chapter is one of the most interesting and important chapters that teachers need to understand in order to help their students be successful in the classroom. We need to understand that each student has individual differences in their cognitive abilities, personalities, physical skills and so on. The book defines intelligence as "the ability to apply prior knowledge and experiences flexibly to accomplish challenging new tasks."

The book identifies several different perspectives on intelligence. One of the theories that stands out the most to me is Gardner's Multiple Intelligences: He identifies eight distinctly different abilities, or multiple intelligences, that are relatively independent of one another.

The book also discusses the importance of nature vs. nurture and the role that each of these factors play in a persons intelligence. Psychologists have determined that it is probably impossible to separate the effects of heredity and environment. Nature and nurture both interact to influence a child's cognitive development.

My favorite section of the chapter lists several different learning abilities/disabilities and the common characteristics and adapting instruction for educators to know how to identify these abilities/disabilities and how to adapt their instruction to meet these students' needs.

SO WHAT?
As a potential educator, I need to learn more about the different abilities/disabilities listed and how to work with these students that may be in my classroom. I also need to understand how to help the other students in my classroom learn how to help these students. Because of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the U.S. legislation has granted educational rights from birth until age 21 for people with cognitive, emotional, or physical disabilities. With this act, these student are integrated into the "traditional" classroom and should be given a fair and non-discriminatory evaluation and be able to attend school in the least restrictive environment.

NOW WHAT?
I wish that we spend more than two class periods on the information in chapter 4 & chapter 5. What a valuable resource these chapters are. I believe that as educators, we need to be very familiar with the information available for students with individual differences. We need to know what the characteristics of these abilities/disabilities are and what adaptations need to be made in the classroom to help these students be successful.