Supporting Exceptional Learners
"Respect me, Love me, Understand me, Teach me."
Exceptional Learners are those who learn differently because, as we are beginning to understand, their brains are wired differently. In addition, their genetic make-up and their environment help determine their learning profile. They each have unique academic and emotional needs but above all talents or gifts. As a society, we owe these children the support they need and deserve. No matter how challenging the task of educating and parenting them at times seems, they can succeed and often become the leaders of tomorrow. They may be the thinkers, the scientists, the inventors, the artists, the presidents, the gurus, the billionaire-philanthropists.
Often, they overcome their struggles and hardships and propel human society to a better place.
We use labels to diagnose them, and to provide appropriate programming and supports. They are the "Gifted", the "Learning Disabled" or "Dyslexic", sometimes a combination of both. Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences and Joe Renzulli's three-ring conception of giftedness are helpful when identifying giftedness.
According to the theory of multiple intelligences, children may display aptitudes in the ares of linguistics, logic, mathematics, spatial awareness, bodily or kinesthetic awareness, music, interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence.
Renzulli found that giftedness involves the interaction of three sets of characteristics: above average intellectual ability, creativity, and task commitment. Other characteristics include heightened intensity, or what Kasimierz Dabrowski called "over excitabilities". They often need strong and deep connections, yet over-analyse and set high standards for themselves and others, which sets them apart. Their intellectual and emotional aspects may develop asynchronously in themselves or in relation to others. Their uniqueness often leaves them vulnerable and requires modifications in parenting, teaching and counselling in order for them to develop optimally.
At school they may be interested in only some things, get bored easily or have learning difficulties in certain areas. This may affect acquiring, organizing, retaining, understanding or using verbal or nonverbal information.
There may be impairments in perceiving, thinking, remembering or learning which affect language processing, phonological processing, visual spatial processing, processing speed, memory and attention, and executive functions (e.g. planning and decision-making).
Learning disabilities range in degree and may interfere in the following areas:
Exceptional children may also have Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Anxiety, Asperger's, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and/or other conditions. These labels can at times take our attention from the individual. Luckily, exceptional children have parents and teachers who love them and want to support them by providing appropriate guidance, strategies and teaching. We, the adults, are constantly learning to take new pathways in order to reach them; they in turn will be establishing new ways of understanding which will help to expand their learning and emotional development. Lastly, let us focus on the positives of their beautiful minds and know that the most important thing is to help them find happiness and their unique place in the world.
Cr
"Respect me, Love me, Understand me, Teach me."
Exceptional Learners are those who learn differently because, as we are beginning to understand, their brains are wired differently. In addition, their genetic make-up and their environment help determine their learning profile. They each have unique academic and emotional needs but above all talents or gifts. As a society, we owe these children the support they need and deserve. No matter how challenging the task of educating and parenting them at times seems, they can succeed and often become the leaders of tomorrow. They may be the thinkers, the scientists, the inventors, the artists, the presidents, the gurus, the billionaire-philanthropists.
Often, they overcome their struggles and hardships and propel human society to a better place.
We use labels to diagnose them, and to provide appropriate programming and supports. They are the "Gifted", the "Learning Disabled" or "Dyslexic", sometimes a combination of both. Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences and Joe Renzulli's three-ring conception of giftedness are helpful when identifying giftedness.
According to the theory of multiple intelligences, children may display aptitudes in the ares of linguistics, logic, mathematics, spatial awareness, bodily or kinesthetic awareness, music, interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence.
Renzulli found that giftedness involves the interaction of three sets of characteristics: above average intellectual ability, creativity, and task commitment. Other characteristics include heightened intensity, or what Kasimierz Dabrowski called "over excitabilities". They often need strong and deep connections, yet over-analyse and set high standards for themselves and others, which sets them apart. Their intellectual and emotional aspects may develop asynchronously in themselves or in relation to others. Their uniqueness often leaves them vulnerable and requires modifications in parenting, teaching and counselling in order for them to develop optimally.
At school they may be interested in only some things, get bored easily or have learning difficulties in certain areas. This may affect acquiring, organizing, retaining, understanding or using verbal or nonverbal information.
There may be impairments in perceiving, thinking, remembering or learning which affect language processing, phonological processing, visual spatial processing, processing speed, memory and attention, and executive functions (e.g. planning and decision-making).
Learning disabilities range in degree and may interfere in the following areas:
- Oral language (e.g. listening, speaking, understanding)
- Reading (e.g. decoding, phonetic knowledge, word recognition, comprehension)
- Written language (e.g. spelling and written expression)
- Mathematics (e.g. computation, problem solving)
Exceptional children may also have Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Anxiety, Asperger's, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and/or other conditions. These labels can at times take our attention from the individual. Luckily, exceptional children have parents and teachers who love them and want to support them by providing appropriate guidance, strategies and teaching. We, the adults, are constantly learning to take new pathways in order to reach them; they in turn will be establishing new ways of understanding which will help to expand their learning and emotional development. Lastly, let us focus on the positives of their beautiful minds and know that the most important thing is to help them find happiness and their unique place in the world.
Cr
