INDIVIDUAL

DIFFERENCES
01 Individual differnces

02 intelligence

03 Learning and thinking styles

04 Personality differences

05 Individualized education program

 01
Individual Differences
WHAT IS INDIVIDUAL DIFFERNCES?

● Individual differences are the stable, consistent ways in which

people are different from one another

● Group differences are qualities shared by members of an

identifiable group or community, but not shared by everyone in
society. (Gender role).
Individual
differences?
 02
INTELLIGENCE
Individual difference in
intelligence
INTELLIGENCE

The ability to solve problems and to adapt and

learn from experiences.

Robert Sternberg proposes

• Practical know-how
• Weighing options carefully and acting judiciously, as well as
developing strategies to improve shortcomings
• Ability to adapt to, shape, and select environments.
 Intelligence: One ability or More?
● General intelligence, also known as g factor, refers to the existence of a broad mental capacity
that influences performance on cognitive ability measures. Charles Spearman first described
the existence of general intelligence in 1904.

● According to Spearman, this g factor was responsible for overall performance on mental
ability tests. Spearman noted that while people certainly could and often did excel in certain
areas, people who did well in one area tended also to do well in other areas. For example, a
person who does well on a verbal test would probably also do well on other tests.
 Sternberg’s triarchic theory
According to Robert J. Sternberg’s triarchic theory of intelligence, intelligence
comes in three forms: analytical, creative, and practical

Analytical intelligence analyze, judge, evaluate,

compare, and contrast Academic Skills

Creative intelligence create, design, invent, originate,

and imagine

Practical intelligence ability to use, apply,

implement, and put into practice Social Skills
Guess:

● Consider Latisha, who scores high on traditional intelligence tests such as the
Stanford-Binet. Latisha’s _________________ approximates what has traditionally
been called intelligence and what is commonly assessed by intelligence tests.

● Todd does not have the best test scores but has an insightful and creative mind.
Sternberg calls the type of thinking at which Todd excels _______________________.

● Finally, consider Emanuel, a person whose scores on traditional IQ tests are low but
who quickly identifies solutions to real-life problems. He easily picks up knowledge
about how the world works. Emanuel’s “street smarts” and practical know-how are
what Sternberg calls _________________.
● Students with high analytic ability tend to be favored in
conventional schools.
● Creatively intelligent students might not conform to teachers’
expectations about how assignments should be done. They give
unique answers, for which they might get reprimanded or marked
down.
● Practical intelligence students frequently do well outside the
classroom’s walls. Their social skills and common sense may allow
them to become successful managers or entrepreneurs, despite
undistinguished school records.
● Sternberg stresses that few tasks are purely analytic, creative, or
practical.
● Most tasks require some combination of these skills.
● It is important for classroom instruction to give students
opportunities to learn through all three types of intelligence.

● Wisdom is linked to both practical and academic intelligence.

● Practical knowledge about the realities of life also is needed for
wisdom
● Balance between self-interest, the interests of others and context
● Wisdom should be taught in school
Gardener’s multiple intelligence theory
Verbal skills:

• The ability to think in words and to use language to express meaning (authors, journalists, speakers)

Mathematical skills:

• The ability to carry out mathematical operations (scientists, engineers, accountants)

Spatial skills:

• The ability to think three-dimensionally (architects, artists, sailors)

Bodily-kinesthetic skills:

• The ability to manipulate objects and be physically adept (surgeons, craft s people, dancers, athletes)

Musical skills:

• A sensitivity to pitch, melody, rhythm, and tone (composers, musicians, and music therapists)

Intrapersonal skills:

• The ability to understand oneself and effectively direct one’s life (theologians, psychologists)

Interpersonal skills:

• The ability to understand and effectively interact with others (successful teachers, mental health professionals)

Naturalist skills:

• The ability to observe patterns in nature and understand natural and human-made systems (farmers, botanists, ecologists,
landscapers)
 Misuses of Gardener’s approach
● Trying to teach all subjects/concepts using all intelligences.
no reason to assume that every subject can be effectively taught in eight different ways to correspond
to the eight intelligences, and attempting to do this is a waste of effort.

● Using an intelligence as a background for other activities.

Gardner points out that playing music in the background while students solve math problems is a
misapplication of his theory.

● Assuming that it is enough just to apply a certain type of intelligence. For example, in
terms of bodily-kinesthetic skills, random muscle movements have nothing to do with cultivating
cognitive skills.

● Direct evaluation or even grading of intelligences without regard to context.

‘little point in grading in terms of how linguistic or how bodily-kinesthetic they are’

● Technology can be used to facilitate learning in each area of intelligence

Verbal skills:

• Computers encourage students to revise and rewrite compositions; this should help them to produce more competent papers

Mathematical skills:

• Students of every ability can learn effectively through interesting soft ware programs that provide immediate feedback and go far beyond drill-
and-practice exercises.

Spatial skills:

• Virtual-reality technology

Bodily-kinesthetic skills:

• Computers rely mostly on eye-hand coordination for their operation—keyboarding and the use of a mouse or touch-screen. Th is kinesthetic
activity

Musical skills:

• Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) makes it possible to compose for and orchestrate many different instruments

Intrapersonal skills:

• Technology offers the means to explore a line of though in great depth. Th e opportunity for students to make such choices is at the heart of
giving them control over their own learning and intellectual development

Interpersonal skills:

• When students use computers in pairs or small groups, their comprehension and learning are facilitated and accelerated

Naturalist skills:

• Electronic technologies can “facilitate scientific investigation, exploration, and other naturalist activities. For example: National Geographic
03
Thinking & learning styles
Thinking and learning style
● Intelligence refers to ability.

● Learning and thinking styles are not abilities but, rather, preferred
ways of using one’s abilities (Sternberg, 2015c).
● (impulsive/reflective, deep/surface, and optimistic/pessimistic)

● Cognitive style refers to typical ways of perceiving and

remembering information, and typical ways of solving problems
and making decisions
reflect
Remembering structured information; reading comprehension and text interpretation;
and problem solving and decision making.

● Think for a minute about your preference!

● How you learn best?

● I like to study late at night/ morning/ day

● Where?
● With music/ without
● Alone/group study
● Lighting?
● Food/ snacks
1. Impulsive/ reflective style

impulsive reFLEctive
Person reacts quickly Reacts more slowly

More errors Few errors

Cooperative learning group Better for academic skills e.g

mathematical problem solving
skills
Strategy used by teachers

● ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: GRADES K–5 We use a “think time” procedure

in which students think and respond to a question on signal after an
adequate time for reflection. And we incorporate a think-pair-share
procedure that gives all students an opportunity to think about a
question, pair up with a partner, and then share their ideas. I also ask
students what their partner said to encourage listening skills. —HeatHer
ZoldaK, Ridge Wood Elementary School
2. deep/surface style

● Deep/surface styles involve how students approach learning materials.

Do they do this in a way that helps them understand the meaning of
the materials (deep style) or as simply what needs to be learned
(surface style)

● Students who approach learning with a surface style fail to tie what
they are learning into a larger conceptual framework. They tend to learn
in a passive way, often rotely memorizing information.
Deep learners are more likely to actively construct
what they learn and give meaning to what they need
to remember
Less concerned about evaluation of performance

Thus, deep learners take a constructivist

approach to learning
Based solely on inner motivation

They also are more likely to be self-motivated to

learn, whereas surface learners are more likely to be
motivated to learn because of external rewards, such
as grades and positive feedback from the teacher
3. optimistic/ pessimistic style
● A positive (optimistic) or negative (pessimistic) outlook on the future.
Academic optimism
● Believe they can make a difference in their students’ academic
achievement;
● Trust students and parents to cooperate in this objective
● Believe in their ability to overcome problems and be resilient inthe face
of difficulties

Researchers have found that academic optimism is linked to students’

academic success (Fahey, Wu, & Hoy, 2010; Gurol & Kerimgil, 2010; Hoy,
Tarter, & Hoy, 2006).
 04
Personality difference
Personality difference

personality temperament

Exceptional students Emotional intelligence

personality

● Personality refers to the distinctive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors

that characterize the way an individual adapts to the world.

● Think about yourself for a moment. What is your personality like? Are
you outgoing or shy?
● Considerate or caring?
● Friendly or hostile?
● How stable are personality traits in adolescence? Some researchers have
found that personality is not as stable in adolescence as in adulthood
(Roberts, Wood, & Caspi, 2008).
Big-five factor
● Psychologists have suggested “The Big Five Personality Factors” which could
demonstrate the specific personality characteristics and how these characteristics are
affecting the learner’s abilities.

● Conscientiousness is the most important personality predictor of academic

achievement (Poropat, 2016). students high in conscientiousness were less likely to
avoid or delay studying (Klimstra & others, 2012)

● Second strongest personality predictor of academic achievement is openness to

experience (Poropat, 2016).
Person Situation interaction

● According to the concept of person- situation interaction, the best

way to characterize an individual’s personality is not in terms of
personal traits or characteristics alone, but also in terms of the
situation involved. Researchers have found that students choose to
be in some situations and avoid others
temperament

● Temperament is a person’s behavioral style and characteristic ways of

responding. Some students are active; others are calm.

● Temperament - predispositions toward emotional reactivity and self-

regulation.
● Reactivity- (speed and intensity with which an individual responds to situations
involving positive or negative emotions)
● Self-regulation-(extent to which an individual controls his or her emotions)
 Classification of Temperaments (Chess &
Thomas, 1977)

Students have been

classified into three
types of• temperament:
An easy child
• A difficult child
A studied
• they
40 percent of the children slow-to-warm-up child
could be classified as easy, 10 percent as difficult, and 15 percent
as slow to warm up. 35 percent did not fit any of the three patterns.
Classification of temperaments

Easy child Difficult child Slow-to-warm up

child
• Generally in a • Reacts negatively
positive mood, and cries • low activity level,
• Quickly frequently, • somewhat negative
establishes • Engages in • displays a low intensity
regular irregular daily of mood.
routines in infancy routines,
• Adapts easily to • slow to accept
new experiences change
 Emotional Intelligence

Both Gardner’s and

Sternberg’s theories
The concept of emotional
include one or more
intelligence was initially
categories related to the
developed by Peter
ability to understand
Salovey and John Mayer
one’s self and others
(1990)
and to get along in the
world
Emotional intelligence
● Emotional intelligence (EI) is the capacity for understanding our
own feelings and the feelings of others, for motivating ourselves,
and for managing our emotions effectively in our relationships.
● Self-motivation is critical in school.

● If you can’t recognize what you are feeling, how can you make good
choices about jobs, relationships, time management or even
entertainment?
● Communicate your feelings to others?
● Friends keep asking, ‘what’s wrong?’ and you keep saying, ‘nothing’
 How To Handle Individual Differences?
Assessment

Sensitive issues Acceptance

Objectives of the
Language
class

Teaching Approaches
Subgroups
(IEPs)
Exceptional students

● Students who have abilities or problems so significant that they

require special education or other services to reach to full potential
 05
IndividuaLized educational plan
INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATIONAL PLAN
Students with disabilities have an individualized education plan (IEP),
which is a written statement that spells out a program specifically tailored for
the student with a disability.
In general, the IEP should be

● Related to the child’s learning capacity

● Specially constructed to meet the child’s individual needs and
● Not merely copying what is offered to other children,
● Designed to provide educational benefits
THANKS!
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farahnassir24@gmail.com

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