Chapter 5 Learning Log

What? 

Spearman’s g  Intelligence comprises both (a) a single, pervasive reasoning ability ( a general factor) that is used on a wide variety of tasks and (b) a number of narrow abilities (specific factors) involved in executing particular tasks.	Catell’s Fluid & Crystallized Fluid intelligence: the ability to acquire knowledge quickly and adapt to new situations effectively Crystallized intelligence: the knowing and skills they have accumulated from their experiences, schooling, and culture.
Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory  Environmental Context: Adapts behavior to fit the environment, adapts the environment to fit one’s needs, selects an environment conducive to success. Prior experience: Deals with a new situation by drawing on past experience, deals with a familiar situation quickly and efficiently. Cognitive Processes: Interprets new situations in useful ways, separates important information from irrelevant details, identifies effective problem-solving strategies, finds relationships among seemingly different ideas, makes effective use of feedback, applies other cognitive processes.	Distributed Intelligence People are far more likely to think and behave intelligently when they have assistance from their physical, cultural, and social environment.
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences  Linguistic Intelligence: Ability to use language effectively. Logical-Mathematical Intelligence: Ability to reason logically, especially in mathematics and science.  Spatial Intelligence: Ability to notice details of what one sees and to imagine and manipulate visual objects in one’s mind. Musical Intelligence: Ability to create, comprehend, and appreciate music. Bodily-kinesthetic Intelligence: Ability to use one’s body skillfully. Interpersonal Intelligence: Ability to notice subtle aspects of other people’s behaviors. Intrapersonal Intelligence: Awareness of one’s own feelings, motives, and desires. Naturalistic Intelligence: Ability to recognize patterns in nature and differences among various life-forms and natural objects.

Students with Special Needs 

IDEA : Individuals with Disabilities Education Act- US legislation granting educational rights from birth until age 21 for people with cognitive, emotional, or physical disabilities. 
 

IEP: Individualized Education Program – written description of an appropriate instructional program for a student with special needs. 
 
 Inclusion- Practice of educating all students, including those with severe and multiple disabilities, in neighborhood schools and general education classrooms.
 
 Least restrictive environment – Most typical and standard educational environment that can reasonably meet the needs of a student with a disability. 
 
 Retarded -  generalized disorder, characterized by sub average cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors with onset before the age of 18.
 
 Gifted – usually high ability or aptitude in one or more areas, to such a degree that students require special educational services to help them meet their full potential. 

So What?

I think that this information is really important to know and understand because there are going to be students with disabilities that we are going to be working with and it is important to know not only the laws that are associated with working with them. It is also important to know and understand that exceptional students also include students who are gifted and it is important to know how to work with them in a way that will help them continue to succeed. It is also important to continue to talk about these topics on a regular basis because I feel that the training in this area is minimal. 

Now What?

I think that I need to study this topic more. I think that I need to take the initiative to make myself more knowledgable with this area because I feel that although I have taken the exceptional students class, I am still unprepared to teach  class that has tons of different variations of students, whether they have disabilities or are gifted. I have learned different teaching strategies and differentiation skills but I feel like I just need to get into a classroom to have experience and practice with this. Or another thing I can do is talk to teachers or observe teachers more that work with classes that have students of many different abilities and find out ways that they work with these students to be able to reach all of them and teach them all in a way that will be helpful for them individually.