Intellectual Disability
Intellectual disability is characterized both by a significantly below average score on a test of mental ability or intelligence and by limitations in the ability to function in areas of daily life, such as communication, self-care, and getting along in social situations and school activities. Intellectual disability is sometimes referred to as a cognitive disability or mental retardation.
Children with intellectual disability can and do learn new skills, but they develop more slowly than children with average intelligence and adaptive skills. There are different degrees of Intellectual disability, ranging from mild to profound. A person's level of Intellectual disability can be defined by their intelligence quotient (IQ), or by the types and amount of support they need. Other tests that are used to determine limitations in adaptive behavior cover 3 specific skills: Conceptual (e.g. language & literacy, money, time), Socail (e.g. interpersonal skills, self-esteem), & Practical (e.g. personal care).
Children with intellectual disability can and do learn new skills, but they develop more slowly than children with average intelligence and adaptive skills. There are different degrees of Intellectual disability, ranging from mild to profound. A person's level of Intellectual disability can be defined by their intelligence quotient (IQ), or by the types and amount of support they need. Other tests that are used to determine limitations in adaptive behavior cover 3 specific skills: Conceptual (e.g. language & literacy, money, time), Socail (e.g. interpersonal skills, self-esteem), & Practical (e.g. personal care).
Characteristics
Characteristics of a child with an intellectual disability in a classroom include:
- delays in learning to read & basic math skills
- delays in language & overall academic performance
- attention & organization problems
- difficulty remembering short term information
Teaching Methods
- Students with an intellectual disabiliity will need different support systems depending on the severity of the delay.
- Never assess a student's capabilities solely on the basis of their IQ or other standardized test scores (especially at the limits of the IQ definition).
- Speak directly to the student with an impairment as you would any other student.
- Use a large amount of concrete materials to:
- Proceed in small sequential steps and review each frequently, and
- Provide prompt and consistent feedback.
- Stress the mentally impaired student's successes.
- Agreements such as: attentive listening, mutual respect, the right to pass, and appreciation, should be enforced.