Running head: INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCE STUDENT PROFILE

Individual Difference Student Profile

Anahi Valencia Trelles

The College of Southern Idaho

For EDUC 205 C40A - Development/Individual Differences

Dr. Egbert

23 November 2019
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Individual Differences Profile Essay

Just as any two things are in this world, the circumstance of two students who respond,

analyze, or learn exactly the same way will perpetually fail to exist. Consequently, it is

unreasonable and impractical to hold a perspective that believes or claims that one program will

serve every single student fittingly/appropriately. Students are descendants, or representatives, of

what their home, culture, and social status look like. Every student is a walking vessel that is

filled up with the different customs instilled in them since the moment they were born. The

United States is the preeminent place to witness diversity, and the educational systems are

wittingly and purposefully putting in the effort to keep up with every individual’s differences.

This profile will consist of the socio-emotional, cognitive, and physical development of an ethnic

individual that possess a language barrier. A summary of my findings will also be presented.

General Information

Xavier is a 46 year old man who is of ​Mexican ethnicity.​ He is happily married to his

wife of 21 years. Together they have two daughters and one son. Xavier is a dairy worker who,

apart from this, also raises/sells cows separately and on his own time. His wife is a Spanish

teacher at their local highschool, and together they have a fairly good ​socio-economic status​.

Xavier, like most people, lives his life surrounded and guided by a ​routine.​ He is a responsible

and hardworking man who rises every single day of the week, except for Sundays, at five in the

morning. When he is finished working at the dairy, he returns home to his ranch where he

continues to feed/cater to the cows he will eventually sell. His days end around four or five in the

afternoon. However, on Mondays and Wednesdays, he then heads over to his daughter’s soccer

practices where he is the head coach.

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Physical Development

The physical description of Xavier is as follows: Xavier finds himself currently and fortunately

in a healthy physical state. His height is 5’7, and he is 150 pounds. He has black curly hair, green

eyes, and is fair skinned. However, working long hours under the sun has given him a sort of

permanent tan. He has a scar on his right arm from a vaccine that is typically and regularly used

in Mexico when someone is born. When asked about his physical development throughout the

years, he explains how he has gone and continues to undergo physical changes that naturally

accompany age. When recalling his childhood, he says he was no different from his peers. He

describes himself as regular child who was particularly good and passionate in the sport of

soccer. He didn’t then, and continues now to have no health problems or concerns. He is able to

withstand long hours of physical labor in various and many times extremely harsh weather

conditions. Whether it be intense heat, or unbearably cold, he attends work no matter the

circumstances. Xavier does not wear glasses or contacts because he continues to have 20/20

vision. Xavier is right handed, and his large muscle development is normal. He continues to play,

and train his daughter as well as her teammates in soccer which promotes good health. For his

small muscle development, he can write, scroll through this phone, etc. His ​fine motor

development​ ​has been and continues to develop well.

Cognitive Development

Xavier was not the traditional student who had the opportunity to graduate school, and

develop his academic skills properly. However, he is still a very intelligent person despite the

absence of school. Xavier only attended school until 6th Grade, where he then dropped out in

order to work. He dropped out of school during Piaget’s ​concrete operational stage. ​This is a
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crucial stage, because it serves as a transition from an early age into a more advanced and

abstract way of thinking. Due to Xavier abandoning school at the age of 11, he didn’t allow

himself to experience this stage in school. In the interview, Xavier expresses how he has never

enjoyed attending school or traditional learning (reading, writing). However, he does enjoy

hands on learning. He loves to fix things, build things, work with animals, etc. Working with

your hands is another part of Piaget’s ​concrete operational stage.​ Xavier also expresses his love

and interest in learning new things, which ties into Vygotsky’s ​zone of proximal development.

Without realizing it, his job has unwittingly forced him to step out of his comfort zone when it

comes to his native language. He is consistently talking to those who only speak English. At the

beginning (when he didn’t speak/understand English at all) he would find alternative ways to

effectively communicate with them. He mentioned how he spoke immensely using his hands,

gestures, pointing at things, and consciously remembering little words here in there. It started

with small intentional steps, but it eventually led to him learning the language all together. In

Piaget’s stages of cognitive development, Xavier is currently in the ​formal operational stage​ as

an English language learner. He uses strategies, reasoning, and concepts learned from past

experiences in order to perfect his English. He can speak it fairly well, though at times he can

stumble on certain words. However, he is continuously advancing throughout time. He can now

read basic things like signs, and also more challenging things like a driving handbook.

Socio-emotional Development

In Erikson’s stages of psychological development, I believe Xavier is in the ​industry vs.

inferiority​ stage.​ ​Xavier is at the stage where he is performing tasks, that at some point, he

considered increasingly difficult and complex for himself.. He is not only interacting and
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socializing with only English speakers, but he has found ways to make successful business deals

with them. Xavier had many goals when he arrived to the United States at the age of 16. One of

them was to make successful business deals so that he could sell his animals, and another one

was to get his license. When Xavier decided to get his license here in the United States, he

started to study for his test by using an English driving handbook. While at times he would

stumble, he says he understood the majority of it, and was able to obtain his license. The reading

skills he has slowly developed serve him in a number of ways. For example, when he buys things

in the store that he will later on need to build or put together, he is able to read instructions in

English.

Xavier is also a person who is consistently interacting with children. Since he coaches a

soccer team that consists of only English speaking 10-11 aged girls, ​accommodations​ have to be

made so that they can communicate effectively. Xavier tends to teach more through

demonstrations and by using his hands, than he does with his words. While he is teaching the

same techniques/skills as the other English speaking coaches, he is applying the use of an

accommodation which involves using his actions more. Xavier’s soccer players understand very

well why their coach coaches them in this specific way. In order to work well with him, they use

modifications ​in order to communicate more effectively with him. The girls do not use their

words to tell him what they are struggling with. They too have learned to demonstrate more with

their actions and hand gestures what they do not understand or what they are trying to explain to

him. When it comes to ​self-concept ​and self esteem, Xavier is very confident and positive

despite that there are still struggles he has to work through. He isn’t a person who fears or runs

away from a challenge. In fact, he says that he will purposefully take on things that he knows
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will be difficult for him, like his daughter’s soccer team. In socio-emotional development, Xavier

is currently in the stage of ​integrity vs despair.​ The reason why I believe that Xavier is in the

integrity vs despair stage is because he often reflects how hard having a language barrier has

been for him. However in this reflection, he acknowledges how far he has come and feels a sense

of satisfaction. He is very confident in his English now, even though in the past certain situations

would get him nervous or anxious. Socializing as a whole has become much easier because he

has surpassed the stage of being embarrassed when not knowing how to say something properly

or correctly. He explains that when people correct him, he now reacts positively, and takes it as a

learning experience.

Summary, Conclusions, and Implication

Throughout the interview, it was quickly discovered that Xavier did not have a strong

support system guiding him through his new life/difficulties as 16 year old boy in a new country.

Who apart from this, did not speak English.. Very independently, Xavier managed to

successfully build a life for himself here in the United States through accommodations, learning

experiences, and persistent faith. The strategies and methods that Xavier used for a good portion

of his life in order to overcome his struggles, makes it seem that he was in the ​sensorimotor

stage (Piaget).​ Meaning that he was experiencing the world through senses and actions. He

patently developed the ability to do a lot of demonstrating (with his hands and through gestures)

in order to get his point across to those who didn’t speak his native language. He also had to rely

heavily on his senses to make sense of what people were saying when he couldn’t understand.

When it comes to the ​cognitive domain,​ Xavier has excelled immensely and quite

quickly. Through the struggles that his language barrier brought him, he is able to speak English,
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read in English, and has even obtained his driver’s license. Xavier is able to have full

conversations with those who do not speak Spanish. He is able to make business deals with those

who only speak Spanish, while making sure he knows exactly what he is agreeing to. Stepping

into the ​physical domain,​ Xavier has absolutely no physical disabilities, and his health is in

perfect condition. His good health conditions is what allowed him and continues to allow him to

work in long and laborious job. As well as what allows him to be a coach for his daughter’s

soccer team. In the ​socio-emotional domain,​ he expresses how he used to be much quieter. He

continues to have a more reserved personality, however he is very happy when he announces

and recognizes the abundant progress he has made. He no longer feels embarrassed or conscious

of making mistakes. He expresses that whenever he is quiet or uninvolved in a conversation, it is

simply because he is uninterested. Where as before it was because he didn’t understand, and felt

overwhelmed with the fear of embarrassing himself.

Medically, Xavier does not take any type of medication. Educationally, Xavier is no

longer attending school, however he has thought about returning to obtain his GED. He explains

that if in the future he does decide to follow this path, he would like a tutor. His reasoning behind

this is that although he can speak and read English, he does have a difficult time writing it.

Emotionally, Xavier is in a very positive and healthy emotional state. He mentions that he has

always felt this way however. Yes, at times his language barrier can make him feel nervous or

uneasy, but the optimism he carries within himself has never disappeared..

I feel that what has allowed Xavier to advance so quickly in his journey of learning

English, as well as what has allowed him to keep his optimistic soul, is the ​accommodations

people have fortunately made for him. Xavier is surrounded with people who don’t mind
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making accommodations for him. For example, his soccer players don’t mind using their actions

and hand gestures during times of misunderstandings. This helps him learn and understand them

better.

Xavier is also learning English through ​modifications​. Xavier says that at times he can

receive a text or a letter that he does not understand. Those who have the patience to slow down

and explain it to him in different words, are helpful. He catches on quickly, and he tends to not

ask about something twice. He just needs clarification sometimes.

In conclusion, Xavier’s socio-emotional, cognitive, and physical development of an

ethnic individual that possess a language barrier is quite impressive. Although he did not

continue his education, he learns about life through other experiences such as work. He is a

healthy and hardworking man who is constantly learning new things about the English language

everyday. Through strategies and methods, he will continue to perfect his English.
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References

Berk, L. E., & Meyers, A. B. (2016). Infants, Children, and Adolescents. New York City,

NY: Pearson Education.