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Intellectual functioning also known as intelligence is what is referred to as mental capacity to learn, reason, problem solve etc. Adaptive behavior is a wide collection of conceptual, social, and practical skills that people learn in order to help them function in the world and their daily lives. An intellectual disability is defined as a considerable limitation to both intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior. To have an intellectual disability it must be present in the developmental years before age of 18. When assessing an intellectual disability many factors must be looked at such as environment, background and culture of the individual.

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Individuals who have significant limitations in intellectual functioning have difficulties in problem solving among other things. The most common way to test for such limitations is with IQ testing. IQ stands for intelligence quotient and is a basic test that can help determine if someone has an intellectual disability. Generally, a score around or below 70 means there is an intellectual disability in the person. Another aspect is significant limitations in adaptive behavior such as conceptual, social and practical skills. These skills are important to function in everyday life such as reading and writing skills, money concepts, obeying and understanding laws and rules and even practical skills such as housekeeping. To measure adaptive behavior, professionals look at how individuals compare to others in the same age group.

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Teaching Students with Intellectual Disabilities

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Teaching Students with Intellectual Disabilities

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Top tips for teaching students with intellectual disabilities:

Learning and Academics

Repeat instructions frequently & make sure to ask if further clarification is necessary.

Be crystal clear on expectations and directions to avoid confusion

Speak directly to the student while avoiding long or complex words.

Socialization

Model tolerance and acceptance.

Allow students to work alone if they prefer as they may work better in this environment.

Value and acknowledge each student’s efforts letting them know the importance of their work.

Communication

Use active listening.

Encourage participation in activities and discussions in the classroom.

Label areas of the room with both words and pictures.

Behavior

Teach coping and calming strategies.

Explain the reasoning for specific rules and procedures to help students understand.

Create environment with predictable routines.

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A learning disability is a neurological condition that interferes with acquiring knowledge and skills to the level expected of those of the same age. It causes difficulties with an individuals ability to store, process and or produce information. A learning disability can affect the ability to speak, spell, read, write, compute math, memory, coordination and social and emotional skills/maturity. Around 2.4 million students have a learning disability, making it fairly common. It is important to note that learning disabilities are different than intellectual disabilities, autism and behavioral disorders.

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Children with learning disabilities are smart! Their brains are just wired differently affecting how they receive and process their information. Learning disabilities are caused by genetic or other congenital or acquired neuro-biological factors. They are NOT caused by factors that include cultural socio-economic status or lack of motivation. Often times learning disabilities co-exist with other conditions such as behavior or emotional disorders.

Some common learning disabilities found in the classroom:

ADHD

Dyslexia

Dysphasia/Aphasia

Dyscalculia

Auditory processing disorder

Dysgraphia

Visual processing disorder

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Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities

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Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities

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Key strategies for teaching students with learning disabilities:

Give direct instruction.

Breaking learning/lessons into small easy to understand steps.

Give quality feedback on a regular basis.

Engage students with questions to make sure they understand.

Students with learning disabilities require heavy and explicit instruction and need more focus on individual achievement and progress. These tips will lead to more success for students with a learning disability.

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A developmental disability is a group of conditions due to an impairment in physical, learning, language or behavior areas. The condition starts during the developmental period of life before the age of 22. It may impact day to day functioning and in most cases last throughout the persons lifetime. A large majority of disabilities begin during pregnancy before a baby is born, however some can happen after birth caused by injury or infection among other things.

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Developmental Disability Example- Down Syndrome

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Developmental Disability Example- Down Syndrome

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Most individuals who have down syndrome were born before their mothers were 35 years of age.

People with down syndrome enjoy life just like anybody else does, they may be different than some, but they also share many similarities with others!

Down syndrome is NOT an illness.

Individuals with down syndrome are great at communication.

People with down syndrome are just like everyone else and are successful workers with varying degrees from retail to childcare and beyond.

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Top tips for teaching students with developmental disabilities:

Physical Development

Plan out physical activities for when the student has the most energy

Use songs with finger plays to help develop and improve fine motor skills

Allow students to hold objects in their hands to feel them.

Cognitive Development

Keep distractions and transitions to a minimum.

Only ask one question at a time to provide adequate time for students to process and reply.

Repeat instructions frequently.

Social & Emotional Development

Teach students to express their feelings and emotions in age-appropriate ways.

Brainstorm better choices with students and help to point out and understand consequences of the students behavior.

Teach students words for important people and things.

Adaptive Behavior

Find ways to apply skills to real life settings outside the classroom.

Break down skills into steps to make sure students fully grasp concepts.

Teach students how to practice personal care and self-help with centers in the classroom.

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Autism is defined as a spectrum disorder because it has an array of symptoms and problems from mild to severe or something in between. Autism is defined as a mental condition that is present from early childhood that is characterized by difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people as well as difficulty in using language and abstract concepts.

A few of the signs of autism are:

Trouble understanding talking, reading, or writing. The child may have problems with following directions or having conversations.

It may be difficult for the child to play with others or share toys and understand how others feel.

The child may show behaviors such as getting upset at certain sounds or only having interests in a few things/topics.

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Individuals who have autism perceive and read situations and interactions in different ways than most others. Many people have autism disorder and each person who has it is different. Although, all will have some type of problems with communication and social skills but not in the same kind of way. The brain wiring of those with autism can sometimes find tasks we find hard very easy such as math or drawing but it can also do the opposite and make activities we see as easy to be hard or difficult. Often times those with autism have a very difficult time expressing how they feel or what is going on inside their minds making it appear as if they are okay, because they are unable to ask for help. Autism is a lifelong problem and some of the possible causes are genetic problems, severe infections that can cause brain damage such as meningitis or problems during pregnancy such as exposure to harmful chemicals.

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Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Strategies for teaching students on the autism spectrum:

Communication

Use words along with gestures and facial expressions.

Engage students in role-plays to help target reciprocal conversations.

Ensure all students have an efficient way to express their wants and needs.

Restrictive, Repetitive, and Stereotyped Behavior

Assist students to keep their noise levels down

Be aware of signs of anxiety or other difficulties students may have with sensory or emotional overload.

Use color-coded system for both behavior and class participation

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Pushing a student who is on the autism spectrum can have a detrimental effect on the learner leading them to become overwhelmed. Being too persistent can cause the student to push back and give them anxiety about failing. Those on the spectrum need extra motivation because things can be much harder for them than traditional students. Extra breaks and rewards can help with frustration and keeping students motivated, because those on the spectrum aren’t motivated by the same things as other students. Something as simple as going to lunch can be a very stressful event for someone with autism.

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Specific Strategies for Intellectual Learners

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Specific Strategies for Intellectual Learners

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A few strategies I would incorporate into my classroom with students with intellectual disabilities:

Speak clearly and deliberately to ensure the student understands the directions/assignments well. If the student does not understand they will not be successful which can lead to other issues with feeling inadequate etc.

A good behavior strategy would be to make sure the students understand the daily schedule so everyone is comfortable and no big ‘surprises’ upset/overwhelm students.

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Specific Strategy for Developmental Learners

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Specific Strategy for Developmental Learners

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A few strategies I would incorporate into my classroom with students with developmental delays:

Doing physical activities like singing and dancing can help with fine motor skills while making lessons fun for the students. Physical activities like running, climbing, and even jumping around can also help with development of skills.

Some children with developmental delays may have difficulty with separation from parents so using strategies that include a set routine when being dropped off can greatly help them adapt to the classroom setting. Also, teaching the students good ways on how to express their feelings can lead to success in the class.

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Specific Strategy for Students with Learning Disabilities

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Specific Strategy for Students with Learning Disabilities

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Some good strategies I would use in a classroom with students who have learning disabilities:

Make learning easier by giving directions in small steps so I don’t overwhelm the student with too much at once. Giving the student all the directions at once may cause them to have anxiety and believe it is too much to handle, thus making them unsuccessful in completion. Thinking small and breaking up assignments into small parts will keep things more manageable.

Taking breaks is also another important factor into making every student successful, especially those with learning disabilities. A few minutes to relax the mind and recharge can greatly influence performance and accomplishments.

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Specific Strategy for Autism Spectrum Learners

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Specific Strategy for Autism Spectrum Learners

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Strategies for teaching students with autism:

Avoiding sensory overload is important in teaching those on the autism spectrum. Many unexpected things in the classroom can make it difficult for students to concentrate and make them feel at unease. Lights, smells, and noises alike can make it extra hard for those with autism to be successful learners.

Giving clear and fewer choices can also be a good strategy for students on the spectrum. Giving open ended choices may confuse them. A good example is if you ask the child to pick a color give 2 or 3 options as opposed to saying just pick any color. The more choices given the more likely the child will become confused.