Learning Differences and Learning Needs

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Learning Differences and Learning Needs

• Chapter 4

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Pros and Cons Issues Regarding SPED

• Language and Labeling
• Pros
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Cons
• Labeling
• Theory of MI
• Placement and exit
• Person first language
• In order to avoid labelinga student with

• Disabilities and Handicaps
• Disability?inability to do something specific
• Handicap?
• disadvantage in certain situations
• Funding

14,000 per kid with disabilities 6,000 per
kid in inclusive settings
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Spearman Fluid ?changesas result of brain
development (genetic)?mental efficiency Crystalliz
ed?application of culturally approved problem
solving (includes learned skills)
Gardners MI 1. Logical- Mathematical 2.
Linguistic 3. Musical 4. Spatial 5.
Bodily- Kinesthetic 5. Interpersonal 6.
Intrapersonal 7. Naturalist

• Sternberger
• Triarchic Theory
• Of Intelligence
• Analytic
• ability to think
• abstractly
• Creative
• ability to create
• new ideas
• insight
• automaticity
• Practical
• ability to
• adapt to a
• changing
• world

Intelligence Abilities to acquire and use for
problem solving and adapting to the world
Uses Cultivation of abilities Approach to
teaching Personalization Misuses All subjects
all intelligences Random applications Grading on
intelligence Mixing intelligence With other
qualities
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How Intelligence is Measured?
Binet IQMental Age X 100
Chronological Age 12 yrs
old 10 12X12 144 1.20X 100
120 10X12 120
Group vs. Individual Tests Differences in
scores Estimates of what the child has learned
What Does an IQ Means?
A score that compares the Ss performance in
the test with the performance of other SSs in
the same age level
Hi correlation ./. Intelligence and Achievement
Intelligence Heredity or Environment?
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Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Daniel Goleman
(1995)

• Ability to process and use emotional information
  accurately and efficiently
• Four broad abilities
• Perceiving (awareness)?recognition of feelings
  and emotions of oneself and others
• Integrating?making the emotions part of your
  daily behavioral routine?how to act under stress
• Understanding?how do you communicate your
  feelings recognize when you are depressed,
  angry, etc.
• Managing?going with the positive emotions and
• counteracting the negative ones!.
• Managing emotions can be taught in schools by
  teachers and counselors

E M O T I O N S
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Ability Grouping and Teaching

• Between Class students assigned to classes
  based on measured abilities
• Tracking
• Pros?easier to teach
• AP classes
• Remedial classes
• Cons?poor quality of instruction
• More behavior problems
• Lower attendance
• Increased teacher stress
• The Joplin Plan? non-graded elementary schools

• Within Class?students are assigned to groups
  within a class to accommodate students
  differences based on their abilities in an
  attempt to
• Flexible grouping leading to the zone of
  proximal development
• Cooperative learning areas
• Centers
• Vary every grade period
• Grouping is based on performance
• Provide appropriate challenge and support

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Cognitive and Learning Styles

• Learning Preferences characteristics and
  approaches to learning and studying
• Deep processing
• Surface processing
• Visual vs. verbal distinctions
• Preferences preferred ways of studying
• When and how learn best

Best way to find out? Observations for younger
students and asking older students
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Changes in the Law Integration and Inclusion

• 1975?PL94-142 Education for All Handicapped
  Children Law?free and appropriate education (3-21
  yrs. old)
• 1986?PL99-457 Regular Education Initiative?
  beginning of the inclusionary movement
• 1990?Ammending PL94-142 Individuals With
  Disabilities Education Act (handicapped with
  disabled)
• 1990?Americans with Disabilities Act? employment
  of individuals with disabilities
• 2004 Individuals with Disabilities
• Improvement Act zero reject

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• As results of these legislation enactments the
  following procedures were put in place
• Least restrictive placement?mainstreaming
• --gtinclusion
• IEP
• Present level of functioning
• Short and long term goals
• Specific Services (including participation
• in regular classes)
• Assessment
• Schedule
  
  
• Transitional services
• Rights of Students and Families
• Confidentiality
• IEP meeting in familys language
• LRE
• Section 504 ?barriers and discrimination of
  people with disabilities

Hospitals Centers Self
contained Resource rooms
Regular classes
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Prevalent Problems and Mild Disabilities?Federal
funding
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How to Teach These Children

• Students with learning disabilities
• Word identification analysis
• Seeking part of the work that the student knows
• Attempting different vowel pronunciation
• Peeling off prefixes and suffixes
• Students with communication disorders
• Speech therapist and/or speech pathologist
• Students with mental retardation
• Determine readiness
• Base objectives on assessment results
• State objectives and present tasks clearly and
  simply
• Work on practical skills?target behaviors
• Do not skip steps
• Repeat same idea in different ways?go back to
  first level?overlearning
• Materials adequate for age level
• Pay close attention to social relationships

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Students with Low Incidence Handicapped?Federal
Funding
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Gifted and Talented
Autism Spectrum Disorders?developmental
disability affecting verbal and non-verbal
communication and social interaction?evident
before age of 3 LevelsAsperger Syndrome

• Who are these students (IQ gt140)?
• A very bright creative and talented student
• Original work
• Extremely advanced for their age
• Their differences can be seen since early
  childhood
• These students had lower rates of delinquency and
  were more adept in coping with life (with
  exceptions)
• Origin of these gifts
• Heredity
• Environment

• Identification and treatment
• Rapid learning (memory)
• Common sense
• Practical knowledge
• Know more than others
• Large vocabulary
• Good observer
• Recognizes relationships
• Persistent/motivated
• Creative
• Teaching
• Acceleration
• Enrichment
• Sophistication
• Novelty