Teacher Academy - Unit 7
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
1990; a federal act providing free, appropriate education to disabled youth between the ages of 3 and 21; replaced the earlier Education for all Handicapped Act (Public Law 94-142)
Multiple Intelligences
Howard Gardner's theory that individuals have a broad range of types of intelligence, each to a different degree
Special needs
a broad range of physical, mental, social, and behavioral challenges that impact learning
Autism
a disorder characterized by significantly impaired communication, learning, and reciprocal social interactions
Minority
a group of people that shares certain characteristics and is smaller in number than the majority of a population
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
a learning disability characterized by difficulty in concentrating on learning
Developmental delay
a noticeable lag in a particular aspect of development
Auditory learner
a person who learns best by hearing or listening to information
Kinesthetic-tactile learner
a person who learns best by performing hands-on or physical activities
Visual learner
a person who learns best if information is presented in a way he or she can see
Learning style
a preferred method of absorbing and processing information
Cognition
a process involving thought and knowledge
Exceptional learner
a student who is gifted, talented, or have special needs
Behaviorism
a theory based on the belief that an individual's behavior is determined by forces in the environment that are beyond his or her control
Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
a written educational plan developed for a specific student with disablities
Concrete operational
ages 7 to 11; identified in Piaget's Cognitive Theory based on logical thinking
Self-contained classroom
an arrangement in which the same teacher and a group of students remain in one classroom for most of the day with one teacher teaching most or all subjects
Special education
an educational setting that provides adapted programs; extra staff; and specialized equipment, learning environments, or materials to help
Prejudice
an unjustified negative attitude toward an individual because of the individual's membership in a group
Culture
behavior patterns, beliefs, and other products of a particular group of people that are passed on from generation to generation
Sensorimotor
birth to 2 years of age; identified in Piaget's Cognitive Theory based on logical thinking
Related services
developmental, corrective, and/or other supportive services that may be required to assist a child with a disability, such as transportation
Learning diversity
differences in learning; based on abilities, interests, or experiences
Multicultural education
education that values diversity and includes the perspectives of a variety of cultural groups on a regular basis
Diversity
ethnic variety; as well as socioeconomic and gender variety in a group, society or institution; social inclusiveness
Gifted and talented
exceptional learners who demonstrate high intelligence, high creativity, high achievement, or special talents
Neural connections
links between the brain cells; can be strengthened through activities that repeatedly stimulate the brain
Orthopedic impairments
physically disabling conditions that affect fine and gross motor functions
Mainstreaming
placing students with special needs in a regular class; these students show the ability to keep up with the curriculum
Bias
prejudice; an opinion formed without adequate basis
Pull-out programs
programs that allow students to leave the regular classroom for certain periods of the day for additional instruction to meet particular needs
Erikson
psychologist focused on the development of personality; developed the model of pyschosocial development (eight stages from birth through old age), which he believed was central to the development of an individual's emotional and social growth
Mental retardation
significant limitations in cognitive abilities
Serious emotional disturbance
social and/or emotional maladjustment that significantly reduces the ability to learn
Visual-motor coordination
the act of coordinating body movements to what is seen
Inclusion
the act of placing students with special needs into a regular class, using modified assignments so they will benefit from the class experience
Stereotyping
the process of attributing behavioral characteristics to all members of a group
Cognitive development
the way people change and improve in their ability to think and learn throughout life
Concrete thinking
thinking that focuses on actual experiences