1. Unit 3.4
DEALING WITH INDIVIDUAL
DIFFERENCES
Name of Teacher Trainee: Shantadurga Naik
Roll. No: 62
Subject: Psychology I
Topic: Dealing with individual differences
College: Nirmala Institute of Education, Althino
Date:25/10/2013
To be approved by: Ms. Vida Sequiera
Batch: 2013-2014

2. Introduction
There are a variety of individual differences that must be of concern to
classroom teachers. Some of the most prominent are academic ability
(or intelligence), achievement level, gender, learning style, and ethnicity
and culture.
It is difficult to define the term of individual differences it carries distinct
meaning like they deviates, physically, intellectually and socially so
marked by from normal growth & developmental that they cannot be
benefited from regular classroom programme and needs special treatment
at 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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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).
Important feature Describing
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.

6. 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.

7. Gifted students
Definition
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”.
Important feature Describing
 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.

8.  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.
Educational Provision
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.

9. 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

10. Mentally challenged students
Definition
Mentally 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
Deficiency
CLASS
I.Q. LEVELS
70 - 84
Borderline cases
Mild cases(educable)
Moderate cases(trainable)
Severely deficient
Highly severe
55 - 69
40 - 54
25 - 39
below 25

11. Important features describing
They 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.

12. Educational Provision
• 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.

13. 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.

14. 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

15. THANK YOU