Characteristics of Learners with Intellectual Differences

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Characteristics of Learners with Intellectual
Differences

• An Overview

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Same more than different

• Some people describe the personalities in
  Myers-Briggs Terms
• Introversion-Extroversion
• Intuition Sensing
• Thinking Feeling
• Judging - Perceiving

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Adaptations to use

• Accommodations
• Changes that enable the student to do the task
  assigned
• Glasses
• Large type
• Books on tape
• Adapted pencils
• Using markers instead of pens or pencils

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Adaptations to use

• Modifications
• Changes the task
• Reducing amount given
• Teaching alternative tasks (functional
  curriculum)
• Taking classes on-line instead on in class?
• Constructing a diorama instead of writing a book
  report
• Taking the bus instead of driving

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Learning

• Capacity
• Problem solving
• Cognitive skills
• Metacognition
• Memory
• Attention

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Metacognition

• Ability to identify how one learns
• Ability to evaluate, monitor, and adapt the
  learning process
• Difficulties in this area
• Planning
• Evaluating
• Organizing

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Attention

• Difficulty focusing on a task
• Difficulty getting started
• Recognizing cues to start
• Attention span
• Maintaining attention
• Selective attention

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Generalization

• Transferring skills from one situation to another
• Changes can be difficult

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Language development

• Acquire language at a slower rate
• Have limited vocabulary
• Have speech problems
• Develop inappropriate non verbal skills

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Physical development

• Less physically fit
• Smaller
• Poor motor skills
• More health problems
• Difficulties of dual diagnoses

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Social

• Personality characteristics are unique to each
  person
• Persons with mental retardation may have immature
  behaviors
• Persons with mental retardation may exhibit
  maladaptive behaviors

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Motivation

• Locus of control
• External vs internal
• Expectation of failure
• Learned helplessness
• Outer-directedness

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Educational Considerations

• Curriculum
• Decisions should be based on the anticipated
  outcomes
• Academics
• Basic
• General
• Adapted
• Functional

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Other considerations

• Health
• Family care
• Job preparation
• Sexuality
• Social skills
• Independent living skills
• Recreational skills

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Teaching by domains

• Domestic
• Recreation and leisure
• Vocational
• Community
• Look at skills student needs in these areas
• Identify areas in which the student needs
  instruction
• Provide the instruction in the context of the
  domain

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Other characteristics

• Gender- primarily male
• Ethnicity- there has been an over-representation
  of persons from minorities
• Live in single parent families
• Lower SES
• Family has a lower income