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Overview

Fundamental Beliefs about Individual Differences shape today's school and the nature of learning and teaching:

1. Human exceptionalities exist in all facets of development (height, sociability, memory, etc.)

2. Many physical, cognitive and emotional/social characteristics are reflective of students' inheritance. We are products of our inheritance - both genetic and environmental.

3. Human exceptionalities can be scientifically and reliably measured.

4. Innate abilities should be nurtured.

5. Personalities consist of certain enduring and identifiable traits (see Big Five below).

6. Particular personality traits are predictive of personal well being and achievement.

Personality researchers agree on five global traits called The Big Five Model:

Global Traits	Related Factors
Extraversion versus Introversion	Assertiveness, ambition, power
Agreeableness versus hostility	Friendliness, compliance, likability, sociability
Neuroticism versus Stability	Anxiety, emotionality, adjustment
Conscientiousness	Dependability, self-control, responsibility
Intellectual Openess	Independence, flexibility, cognitive ability

 

Current Trends in Individual Differences

1. Shift from those who are gifted to those who are challenged.

2. Expanding programs and policies that are compensatory (work with identified problems or needs such as Title I) and provide intervention (deter later problems or close the learning gap such as Head Start, Magnet Schools, etc.

3. Make up of demographics of special populations showing patterns

• Number being served under IDEA is increasing
• African American students comprise more than one-third of those with mental retardation or developmental delays.
• Percentage of African Americans is high in emotional disturbance and autism.
• Number of Asian/Pacific Islanders who have deafness or blindness is also high.
• High number of White students in the "other impairments" categories.
• Sixty-seven percent of students with disabilities are males.
• Minorities overrepresented in special ed, underrepresented in gifted and talented programs.
• Students with physical handicaps are also underrepresented in gifted and talented programs.

Click on the links below for further information on Individual Differences:

• Assessment (Intelligence and Personality)
  
  
• Exceptionalities (Types and Laws)

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