Chapter 9: Teaching Diverse Learners
special needs
A broad range of physical, mental, social, and behavioral challenges that affect learning.
limited English proficiency (LEP)
A person's difficulty communicating effectively in English because English is not his or her native or primary language.
Individualized Education Program (IEP)
A written plan for providing a student with the most appropriate opportunity for learning.
learning diversity
Differences in learning based on abilities, interests, or experiences.
differentiated instruction
Different modes of instruction to match a student's preferred mode of learning, disability, or background.
arduous
Hard to accomplish or achieve.
accommodations
Modifications to the environment, learning strategies, or materials that are made to help students with particular special needs succeed in the classroom.
kinesthetic-tactile learners
People who learn best by performing hands-on or physical activities.
visual learners
People who learn best by seeing.
auditory learners
People who learn most easily by hearing or listening to information.
motivation
Personal incentive or drive to succeed.
stereotype
Preconceived generalizations about certain groups of people.
special education
Provides adapted programs, extra staff, and specialized equipment or learning environments or materials to help students with special needs to learn.
ethnicity
Refers to a particular racial, national, or cultural group including that group's customs, beliefs, values, and often language and religion.
English language learners (ELL)
Students that must learn English while also mastering the content of their regular classes.
exceptional learners
Students that require special educational modifications and perhaps, other services that align with their abilities and potential.
learning styles
The methods individuals prefer and find most effective to absorb and process information.
multiple intelligences
The theory that individuals have a broad range of types of intelligence, each to a different degree.
mainstreaming
When schools place students with special needs in one or more regular classes based on their expected ability to keep up with the standard curriculum.
inclusion
When students with special needs attend regular classes with the requirement that they will receive some benefit from the classes, even if they are not able to keep up academically with class requirements.
